As the world continues to evolve and discover new things, so many things come and go and advancement in technology makes this even more common.
So many of the things we were used to or enjoyed now seem archaic and out of date. In spite of everything happening around us, the need to survive and find a means of earning continues.
So many of the jobs, professions or certificates that once used to bring in the big bags are now obsolete and many new digitized professions have taken over.
It is important to digitize your skill or profession to meet up with the change in the world or better still find a new high paying profession so as to keep up with your financial needs.
These days, certifications have gotten outside the four walls of the basic schooling system, are more in demand and pay higher. There is no doubt the qualities and impact the schooling system has on us, but these days they are not enough to meet up to the standards of the outside world. Which is why you need to learn a high in demand digital skill that would help you strive in the world today.
Sometimes, changing professions might seem difficult or probably impossible to find a higher paying one. So, I’ve gone through all the stress of looking for the most profitable certifications and skills that are in high demand in today’s digitized era.
Along with this list, is a detailed explanation of the certificate and how best to get your foot in the field so as to relieve you of the stress of starting from scratch. Rest assured, you will find at least a high paying in-demand certificate that would help you meet your financial need and stay updated in the digital world today.
•Certified Ethical Hacker
A Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is skilled in understanding how to look for the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of a targeted system, and in turn uses this skill to gain insight information about the system.
The certification program fortifies applicants with knowledge of integrity of a network infrastructure, ranging from site administration, site security and general network management.
This knowledge helps you understand the structure of network systems and how to spot weaknesses and correct them, which can also be used for malicious hacking.
The average salary earned by a CEH certification holder is “$104,813”.
•Oracle Certified MySQL Database Administrator (CMDBA)
This certification was designed for professional database administrators who want to improve their skills in managing and integrating business processes and data.
It proves your ability to deliver reliable and authentic database processes using the Structure Query Language- MySQL. Professionals, specialists and even developers of relational database management systems can apply for the certification but would need to pass MySQL Database Administrator Certificate Professional Exam 1&2. With an average pay of $108,000 for Certified professionals.
•Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Development Designer
Salesforce is a software development company that has been ranked number 1 in customer relationship management (CRM) by Mason Frank.
This certification falls under Salesforce architecture certification tracks as a specialisation. It certifies your ability to apply management solutions on the Salesforce platform, and verifies your ability to manage a company’s architecture environment.
This certification can bring in an average of $108,525 for certified professionals.
•Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architecture Expert
Azure is a cloud computing service developed by Microsoft to help manage and run different apps across multiple clouds.
A Microsoft Azure architecture Expert is certified on skills needed to design solutions that run on azure. You must have excellent skill in compute, storage, network, and security.
Experts with this certification are employed to help advise business stakeholders and translate business requirements into scalable, reliable, and secured cloud solutions.
Their average income is $110,500, making it one of the highest paying in demand certifications today.
•CompTIA Security+
Every organization must think of cybersecurity and firewalls, no matter the industry, as cyberattacks are becoming more common today.
This is where CompTIA Security+ verification steps in. It provides applicants with knowledge in network security, cryptography, application data and host security, access control and identity management.
Due to the ever evolving attack on organisations’ interface, there is high demand for cybersecurity personnel to help bridge the gap in their firewall and provide internet security against opposing hackers. CompTIA security+ is the best certification for cybersecurity and data hosting management with nearly 2000+ certified applicants yearly.
This certification brings in an average of $110,974.
•Citrix Certified Associate- Virtualization
This certification helps validate the skills IT administrators and operators needs to configure, install and manage highly available environments.
This environment includes desktop delivery controllers, virtual apps, StoreFront, Citrix workspace apps and all that can be found either on- premises or in the Citrix cloud.
On average, this certification which provides skills and knowledge on how to operate the Citrix cloud can bring in roughly $115,308 salary.
•Cisco Certified Network Professional- Enterprise
This is a high-in-demand certification designed for network engineers and administrators that collaborate with specialists on video solution, voice, wireless and advanced security.
It requires the in-depth knowledge and understanding of Cisco technology used in networks today. Due to the specification and need for Cisco technology in every organization’s system, there is high demand for professionals with such IT certifications.
These professionals are paid an average salary of $118,911. Making it one of the highest-paying certifications in the world today.
•Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Windows Server
The MCSE: Windows Server certification is a program that tests a professional’s ability to run a modern and highly efficient data center, system management, identity management, visualization, storage and networking.
This certification provides opportunities for a role base in Azure App,data and AI solutions areas. The average salary of MCSE: Windows Server certification holders is $125,980.
•Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert
This is one of the highest Cisco certification programs. It is offered in specification areas which includes; data centre security, enterprise wireless, enterprise infrastructure, service provider and collaboration.
To achieve this certification, you must have at least 5 years in the chosen certification subject. The average salary for a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert is $126,000.
•Information Technology Infrastructure Library
This is the most widely accepted framework in the IT management universe. It has been for the past 20 years as it covers a number of specializations such as; incident management, help desk management, capacity management, high availability computing and even IT operations.
The ITIL foundation offers an understanding of the IT service lifecycle. It serves as the starting point of the IT management cycle giving professionals a greater insight of the managerial IT role in organisations. ITIL certified professionals earn an average of $129,042.
•VMware Certified Professional (VCP) and Data Center Virtualization (DCV)
The VCP- DCV certification certifies a professional’s ability to implement, troubleshoot and manage a VSphere infrastructure. This also validates your ability to provide a secured, flexible and powerful foundation for business agility that would accelerate transportation to the cloud.
The certification continues to rank top, given VMware’s ability to help transition organisations to digital environments and streamline operations and workflow.
Candidates must also have at least 6 months experience working with the latest version of VMware’s server visualization software and VSphere. The salary paid is around $132,947 anually.
•Certified Information System Auditor (CISA)
A CISA certified professional helps organization secure critical business assets with certainty.
This certification is one of the oldest and most respected credentials as it has been around since 1978.
The profession is validated in audit, risk and cybersecurity skills, with an average salary of $134,460.
•Nutanix Certified Professional and MultiCloud Infrastructure (NCP- MCI)
This program tests and verifies a professional’s ability and skills in deploying, administering and troubleshooting Nutanix AOS in the cloud enterprise.
NCP-MCI employs professionals with essential skills in managing a Nutanix environment. Thereby impacting the individual with the ability to guide an organisation’s next phase of its cloud enterprise journey. This certification earns the professional an average of $142,810.
•Project Management Professional
This certification is organized by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is one of the most recognized in the world today. Project managers are very critical to an organisation as they help organize and manage projects from scratch tight till the end.
To earn this certificate, candidates must have at least 3 years experience in project management and 35 hours of project management education. The average salary of certificate holders is $148,906.
•Certified Information Security Manager
An Information Security Manager is the person who designs, manages and assesses an enterprise’s information security.
This is an essential certificate for professionals who are pursuing leadership IT positions. It confirms your leadership qualities in management and competency.
Due to the high demand for this certification and the level at which it places certified individuals, CISM boasts of an average salary of $149,246.
•Certified Information Systems Security Professionals
CISSP certification is one of the highest-paying and in demand certification in IT today. It is well renowned and sometimes assumed to be the master’s degree in IT security.
This program is centred around eight information security domain:
- Asset security
- Security operation
- Security Architecture and engineering
- Security and risk management
- Software development security
- Communication and Network security
- Security assessment and testing
- Identity and Access management
Candidates would need at least 5 year experience in any of the above CISSP domains to qualify for the certification program. The average salary of a Certified Information System Security Professionals is $151,853.
•Certified in Risk and Information System Control
In the world today, there is a growing need for professionals who understand IT risk and its relation to the organisation as there has been a drastic increase in security breaches recently.
CRISC helps equip individuals with the knowledge to evaluate, identify and manage IT risks to tackle the problem of security breaches thereby planning and implementing control measures and frameworks.
Security managers, directors, engineers, analysts and even security architects can apply and take the CRISC certification program. An average salary of $151,995 is paid to certified professionals, depending on the organisation.
•AWS Certified Solutions Architect-Associate
This certification validates an individual’s ability to design and deploy scalable systems on AWS platform.
This certification is most suitable for individuals who design deploy systems, reference architecture for Cloud infrastructure and application. AWS recommends at least a year of hands-on experience designing systems on the AWS platform before taking the exams. The average salary for the certification is $159,033.
•Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect
This certification validates an architect’s ability in designing, developing and managing scalable, reliable and secured cloud architecture.
This certification makes professionals stand out in this field and gives organisations confidence that they have what it takes to successfully handle Google Cloud environment.
The certificate is well renowned as it takes a lot of skills and vast knowledge of Google cloud environment to excel and gain the certification. Thanks to it’s high demand and level of trust, certified professionals can earn an average of $169,029.
•Google Certified Professional Data Engineer
This tops the list of the highest paying in demand IT certification today. With the need for every organisation to have a cable engineer, the demand for a Google Certified professional Data Engineer continues to rise every year.
Data engineers create machine learning models to simplify key business processes. They get insight into business outcomes by analysing information and therefore build statistical models to help decision making for the organisation. This certification helps professionals make data-driven decisions by collecting, transforming and analysing data.
The average salary of Google Certified Professional Data Engineers is $171,749.
•Certified Data Privacy Solution Engineers
Although this is a new certification, there has been vast recognition and a wide increase in demand for certified professionals.
This certification is designed to validate a professional’s ability to design privacy technology platforms and build products that seals data privacy through advanced privacy and security based models.
Applicants need to have prior knowledge in privacy governance and architecture, and at least 5 years experience working on privacy building software. Due to how new and uncommon this Certification is, there is no recorded estimated salary, but there is an increase in demand for certificate holders.
Although most of these certifications require a prior or basic knowledge of the particular program, they can be applied for and taken while still researching or studying the particular course. Most of the courses are easy to learn and might take 3-6 months (depending on the particular course) to study before applying for the certification compared to the normal 4-6 years you spend getting a university degree.
In conclusion, these are one of the highest paying certifications in the world today. They are also the most sought after certificates and are highly valued.
