“Traditional networking certifications are not on the list for 2024,” said Greg Fuller, vice president of Codecademy Enterprise. This is because networking skills are considered an essential skill. However, many of the certifications on this year’s list still include networking skills. The cloud is becoming a new networking method. “Representative certifications include Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect or AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate,” he said.
Networking certifications are evolving to include cloud, security, and AI expertise along with more traditional networking competencies. For example, certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP Security) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) include networking components. The only pure networking certification on this year’s list is Cisco’s CCNP Enterprise, which earns the highest salaries in Europe and the Middle East with an average salary of $56,881 (about 79 million won).
“Most networking professionals are upgrading their skills with cloud technologies that have a large networking component,” Fuller said. Cisco is still strong on the list, but it’s its professional-level certifications that make the list this time around. AI/ML is being added to many networking certifications. An example is the updated version of the CCNA certification. Microsoft holds AI basics and AI engineer certifications. New certifications include AWS AI Practitioner, and CompTIA will soon introduce AI Essential+. “Although it was not listed this year, more and more certifications are coming to the market,” he added.
Fuller emphasized that networking professionals can continue to upgrade their expertise with AI certifications centered on cloud computing. “Because the foundation of AI is the cloud, you should first obtain a cloud certification and then consider a more specialized cloud AI certification,” he advised.
The trend of continued integration of networking and security teams is also reflected in certifications. According to Fuller, the CISSP and Cisco CCNP security certifications remain highly regarded, and the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is also a promising option for professionals looking to strengthen their networking and security expertise.
Cloud Certifications Are Highly Profitable
The top four certifications on the list are related to cloud expertise. “This list shows that cloud computing skills remain in high demand and remain highly lucrative skills for IT professionals,” Fuller said.
AWS Certified Security – Specialty The certification has ranked sixth on the list for the past two years and continues to grow in popularity as it requires not only cloud skills but also the ability to secure cloud environments. According to the SkillSoft survey, “The AWS Certified Security Professional – Specialty certification validates your ability to secure data in the AWS Cloud and successfully resolve complex security challenges.” The average annual salary of a professional with this certification is $203,597 (about 281 million won).
Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect The certification fell from first place in 2023 to second place this year, but SkillSoft says it still qualifies for higher salaries. Although the cloud is now widely adopted, finding people with the right skills remains difficult. SkillSoft said, “Cybersecurity is the most difficult field to find talent, but cloud computing is no less difficult.” The average annual salary of professionals holding this certification is $190,204 (about 263 million won).
Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) V6.5 SkillSoft explained that the certification reflects the continued demand for cloud computing skills. Many businesses today work with multiple cloud providers, which offers many benefits but also brings management challenges. Nutanix says its cloud platform can simplify cloud service management. “With this certification, you will be able to deploy and manage virtual infrastructure components and virtual machines, perform operational maintenance tasks, and initiate disaster recovery.” “It proves what you have,” he said. The average annual salary of professionals with this certification is $175,409 (about 243 million won).
Provided by ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) The certification verifies the expert’s ability to apply best practices established by the ISC2 community in a cloud environment and also meets the U.S. Department of Defense’s 8140 compliance requirements. SkillSoft calls this certification “an excellent choice for advanced security professionals who want to gain more credibility in the workplace, validate their well-rounded skill set, and join a network of respected colleagues.” The average annual salary of professionals with this certification is $171,524 (about 240 million won).
SkillSoft provides the average annual salary for professionals with these certifications, but noted that several factors come into play when calculating annual salary. This ranking is merely an indicator of the average of certificate holders.
“Overall, the IT job market is characterized by a significant imbalance between supply and demand, leading to continued increases in salaries,” Fuller said. According to Code Academy data, IT professionals who are proficient in cloud computing, security, data privacy and risk management, and have the skills to handle complex, multi-faceted IT environments are more likely to succeed.”
According to SkillSoft’s annual rankings, the highest-paying certifications earn more than $200,000 per year. More than 2,217 U.S. professionals participated in the 2024 survey, and here’s a list of the 20 highest-paying certifications and their average salaries:
- AWS Certified Security Professional: $203,597
- Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect: $190,204
- Nutanix Certified Professional – NCP-MCI V6.5: $175,409
- CCSP: $171,524
- CCNP Security: $168,159
- CISSP: $168,060
- CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure: $166,524
- CRISC(Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) : 16만 5,890달러
- AWS Certified Developer – Associate: $165,171
- CIPP(Certified Information Privacy Professional) : 16만 1,439달러
- Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert: $160,044
- CISM(Certified Information Security Manager) : 15만 7,189달러
- Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM): $155,976
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate: $155,597
- CISA(Certified Information Systems Auditor) : 15만 5,362달러
- CGEIT(Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT) : 15만 2,838달러
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate: $148,849
- Google Cloud – Associate Cloud Engineer: $146,533
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): $146,260
- Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE): $146,033
Some notable certifications that were not included in the list due to insufficient responses include: Google Cloud – Professional Data Engineer (average annual salary of $206,900), AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professionals (average annual salary of $221,069), Information Security Systems Management Specialist ( Information Security Systems Management Professional, ISSMP, average salary $173,820).
According to SkillSoft, more than 5,000 IT professionals worldwide participated in the global survey. These results reflect surveys received from the United States, which accounted for 42% of all responses, and a new IT Skills and Salary report will be released in November that provides a more comprehensive look at global skills and certification trends.
editor@itworld.co.kr
Source: www.itworld.co.kr
