7 Tech Certifications That Pay Well in 2019

If you’re looking to take the next step in your career, pursuing certifications is one of fastest ways to kickstart advancement if you have a degree and some industry experience. According to the Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report, 89 percent of IT employees possess at least one certification, and 64 percent are currently engaged in training. In the U.S. the biggest pay bump occurs after earning the first certification.

We’ll discuss 7 certifications that pay well for technology professionals in 2019, and how these fit into the skills and experience landscape in the industry.

Valuable certifications in Information Security

By several measures, jobs in cybersecurity are among the most in-demand titles at companies in North America heading into 2019.  The average salary range for a cyber security engineer in coastal markets starts at $100,000 and ranges above $150,000 with a few years of experience. Naturally, there are several valuable certifications that promise a solid return for the time and cost of earning one.

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) posits that, “in order to beat hackers you need to think like a hacker.” Training involves hands-on learning across five domains of information security in a vendor neutral environment. Coursework is gear toward auditor, security professionals, site administrators, and network architects interested in mastering ethical hacking methodology and penetration testing. Candidates are required to have two years of paid full-time experience in an information security role. (https://www.eccouncil.org/)

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) represents the public sector standard for technicians implementing information security in government, and opens up manager and director-level work for corporate information security professionals. CISSP is requisite for Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, and other top-level executives, usually in conjunction with extensive experience and other certifications. Candidates are required to have five years cumulate paid full-time work in a related field. (www.isc2.org/Certifications)

Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) is ideal for an IT generalist early in his or her career to get immersed in all facets of information security. The GIAC is generally regarded as a way to launch a career as an information security analyst or information security manager. The coursework is deliberately broad in scope to cater to information assurance professionals who often perform multiple roles over the course of their career. It is one of the most established IT certifications dating back to 1999. Candidates are not required to have industry experience. (https://www.giac.org/)

Valuable certifications for solutions architect

Solutions architects work with a wide range of technology and have a deep understanding of business. The job requires a mix of people and process skills, and is in high demand. Jobs as a solutions architect commands a salary of $115,000 to $164,000 in coastal markets, and are some of the highest paying careers in tech. There are several valuable certifications that fast track advancement in this area of work.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect - Associate validates a professional’s aptitude for working on applications built on the AWS platform. It is the top cloud certification for developers. Materials cover all the areas involved in app development: security, storage, compute, database, and networking. Certification opens the door to solutions architect, cloud solutions developer, pre-sales solution architect, and a wide range of well-paying development roles. Candidates need no prior prerequisites to take the exam. (https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-solutions-architect-associate/)

MongoDB Certification is actually two certifications that prepare you to work with NoSQL databases: the Mongo Database Administrator Associate, and the MongoDB Developer Associate. Mongo DBA validates your skills working with loosely-structured data sets. The DB Developer certification demonstrates ability to fashion business solutions and applications that utilize those databases. Certification unlocks DevOps engineer, senior engineer, big data architect, and software architect positions. No prerequisites required to take the exam. (https://university.mongodb.com/certification)

Valuable certifications for project management

Companies across all industry verticals need project managers to delegate roles and tasks and keep projects organized and on track. They have a knack for organization and planning, are able to influence and motivate, and conscious of the big picture while staying detail-oriented. To find success in today’s job market, obtaining certification in one of the prevalent project management approaches translates into a six-figure salary in major markets in the U.S.

Six Sigma Green Belt develops leadership capabilities in managing organizational IT improvement projects. It’s a people-driven process used across different verticals, most typically supply chain management, manufacturing, product engineering, and application development, usually by quality management professionals. Often the training process is applied at the company where the candidate is working in addition to classroom sessions. The program implements a Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control ethos. (https://www.iassc.org/six-sigma-certification/green-belt-certification/)

Certified Scrum Master certification trains candidates in one of the most popular project management approaches used in development. The Scrum process involves a daily morning huddle that ensures teams make the necessary adjustments that maximize efficiency day-in and day-out. ScrumMaster certification opens doors for team lead positions, technical project manager and technical release manager roles. Certifications are completed after attending a two-day workshop and a short exam. (https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-scrum-master)