9 highest-paying IT certifications in the United States

Earning one of the highest-paying IT certifications in the United States can be a career game changer for an IT pro. Not only can it help establish you as an expert in a tech specialty area, such as cloud architecture, incident management and mitigation, cloud infrastructure, cloud services, IT security or auditing, but it can also increase your salary

IT professionals are known for earning a good income, even during the worst of economic times. Skillsofts 2023 IT Skills & Salary Report indicated that the salaries of IT professionals in the United States grew an average of $20,000 between 2022 and 2023. The average salary for a technologist was $96,185 during this time, despite the fact that the state of the United States economy was causing many organizations to make budget cuts. Many high-demand IT pros proved they had the skills needed to make themselves indispensable during times of global inflation from the highest-paying IT certifications on the market.  

It makes sense that a combination of skills, certifications and experience can help IT pros land lucrative positions. But which IT certifications are so in demand that some employers will pay top dollar for the candidates who hold them? 

Indeed showcases the top-paying IT certified jobs in the United States. 

CompTIA A+, CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA Network+ lead to lucrative jobs

The certifications listed above are in the highest-paying IT certifications category because they help IT pros gain the skills needed to land top-dollar tech roles. The CompTIA certifications that made Certification Magazine's list help you secure in-demand IT jobs related to tech support, networking and cybersecurity that lead to a lucrative tech career. 

Because CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ are foundational IT certifications, IT pros who earn them gain the skills they need now and to succeed throughout their IT career. 

For example, someone who just earned CompTIA A+ and is in their first tech support job may not necessarily be earning the global average of $95,560 for A+ certified individuals as cited by a recent Skillsoft report. But honing the skills covered by CompTIA A+ and adding new skills and certifications to advance their career leads to more money over time. 

CompTIA A+

CompTIA A+ is the industry standard for launching IT careers.

This certification helps you:

• Troubleshoot and problem solve core IT service and support challenges
• Configure and support a wide range of devices and operating systems
• Support basic IT infrastructure and networking
• Demonstrate baseline security skills for IT support professionals
• Administer client-based as well as cloud-based (SaaS) software
• Implement basic data backup and recovery methods

CompTIA A+ proves you have the skills needed to get into IT and gives you the building blocks to prepare you for more advanced IT jobs. With this certification alone, you could become a help desk technician, which is a jumping off point for many specialized IT positions. 

IT support specialists solve technical issues and work with people. They often provide remote technical support over the phone, backup and restore data files and repair hardware. This is the starting point for many IT careers. According to CompTIA's IT Salary Calculator, IT support specialists earn a median annual salary of $57,890.  

CompTIA Network+

CompTIA Network+ helps you develop a solid foundation of computer networking and IT infrastructure skills. It covers the following tasks related to jobs like systems administrator. 

This certification helps you:

• Design, implement and troubleshoot functional networks
• Configure, manage and maintain essential network devices
• Use devices such as switches and routers to segment network traffic and create resilient networks
• Identify benefits and drawbacks of existing network configurations
• Implement network security standards and protocols
• Support the creation of virtualized networks

Systems administrators evaluate different problems in computer systems and implement and improve systems when needed. According to CompTIA's IT Salary Calculator, the median salary for those starting as a systems analyst is $90,520 yearly.

CompTIA Security+

CompTIA Security+ covers baseline cybersecurity skills and prepares you for a cybersecurity career in roles such as cybersecurity specialist.

This certification helps you:

• Assess the security posture of wired and wireless networks to recommend and implement appropriate security solutions 
• Monitor and secure hybrid environments including cloud, mobile, Internet of Things (IoT), and operational technology 
• Operate with an awareness of applicable regulations and policies, including principles of governance, risk, and compliance 
• Understand common vulnerabilities and attack vector exploits 
  
• Operate with an awareness of applicable laws and policies, including principles of governance, risk and compliance

IT pros who have CompTIA Security+ can fill any number of top-paying IT cybersecurity jobs including the role of a cybersecurity specialist. These IT pros are vital to an organization, as they ensure networks remain secure and protected against ever-evolving cyber threats through threat mitigation, incidence response, and detailed reporting. This role calls for skills like using the latest security tools to monitor and assess risk and vulnerability, applying security models to secure a network’s infrastructure, and a general understanding of evolving cyber threats. A cybersecurity specialist starting their career will make a median annual salary of $112,000, as indicated by CompTIA's IT Salary Calculator.

Build critical vendor-neutral skills with CompTIA certifications

CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ are perfect for building and implementing vendor-neutral skills that can be applied to any platform or equipment. While these certifications aren’t formal prerequisites for vendor-specific certifications, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Cloud Practitioner, Azure Fundamentals and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), they provide the foundational IT skills that can be applied to them. 

Are you an employer looking to upskill your staff? Find out more about CompTIA's Custom Training Solutions!

Get into IT and start earning: CompTIA can help

CompTIA certifications and IT experience equal career success and generous income. No matter what IT job or salary is on your radar, CompTIA will see that you reach your goals. 

Here are five ways that + means IT careers:

1. Choose your CompTIA certification
2. Study for your CompTIA certification
3. Save money on a CompTIA certification
4. Take a CompTIA certification exam, either in person or online
5. Get an IT job with CompTIA certifications

Find out more about how CompTIA can help you get started in IT and build the career of your dreams.

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