The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →CIO’s 2025 ranking names AWS Certified Security – Specialty as the highest-paying IT certification, with an average salary of $203,597 among holders in the Skillsoft data CIO reported. That figure describes a surveyed group of credential holders; it is not a salary guarantee, a forecast for an individual, or proof that earning the certification caused higher pay. The list was published on November 6, 2024, as a ranking for 2025—not a current 2026 salary guide.
How to read the 2025 ranking
CIO says its list is based on Skillsoft’s annual IT Skills and Salary Report and survey data from more than 2,000 professionals. It is best understood as a survey-associated ranking of average salaries reported for people holding the credentials, not as a controlled comparison of certification holders and non-holders. The accessible CIO article gives average salary figures for its first five entries, but not all 20; the remaining credentials below are shown in CIO’s published order without invented salary amounts. CIO’s 2025 certification ranking.
The 20 certifications, in CIO’s published order
| Rank | Certification | Average salary reported by CIO |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS Certified Security – Specialty | $203,597 |
| 2 | Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect | $190,204 |
| 3 | Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) v6.5 | $175,409 |
| 4 | Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) | $171,524 |
| 5 | Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) – Security | $168,159 |
| 6 | Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 7 | Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 8 | Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 9 | AWS Certified Developer – Associate | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 10 | Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 11 | Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 12 | Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 13 | Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 14 | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 15 | Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 16 | Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 17 | Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 18 | Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 19 | Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
| 20 | Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) | Not stated in the accessible CIO article |
The five amounts are the average salaries CIO reported from Skillsoft data in its November 2024 article. They are not median salaries, certification premiums, or promises about what a new certificate holder will earn. CIO’s accessible text does not provide the remaining salary values, so the ranking order alone should not be used to infer them.
What the list says about IT career paths
Cloud and cybersecurity credentials dominate the top of the ranking, but the full list also includes networking, software development, privacy, audit, risk, and governance. That variety matters for personal-finance decisions: credentials with very different exam scope and experience expectations are not interchangeable just because they appear in one pay ranking.
#1 Best Overall
Cloud architecture and platform work
Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect focuses on cloud architecture and design, while the list also includes AWS developer and solutions architect credentials, Microsoft Azure administration, Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer, and Nutanix multicloud infrastructure. These credentials point toward different platforms and job functions, rather than a single generic cloud career path.
Security and networking
AWS Certified Security – Specialty is described as intended for experienced security practitioners. CCSP, CISSP, CCNP Security, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, CISM, and CEH cover distinct combinations of cloud security, information security, network engineering, security management, and ethical hacking. Check each issuer’s current eligibility and exam requirements before planning around a credential.
Privacy, audit, risk, and governance
CIPP and CIPM focus on privacy-related work; CDPSE concerns privacy solutions engineering. CISA is an audit credential, while CRISC and CGEIT address risk and enterprise IT governance. These can be relevant where organizations need privacy, compliance, audit, or oversight expertise, rather than hands-on cloud deployment or network operations.
Are IT certifications worth it for salary?
They may support career development, but the available figures do not isolate a certification’s effect from experience, job level, location, employer, or other factors. A separate Pearson VUE survey offers broad self-reported context: among 23,714 candidates in 150 countries who had taken one or more Pearson VUE exams between March 15, 2023 and March 15, 2024, 32% said they received a salary increase after earning certification. Among respondents who reported an increase, 56% said it arrived within three months. These are candidate reports, not proof that certification caused the raise or estimates for any specific credential. Pearson VUE’s 2025 Value of IT Certification Candidate Report.
Another analysis summarized by Forbes, using Burning Glass Institute Credential Value Index Navigator data and the 2024 IT Skills & Salary Report, found average pay growth one year after certification ranging from $3,000 to $8,800 for selected credentials. Its selection and method differ from CIO’s Skillsoft-anchored ranking, so those figures should not be combined or treated as another salary column for the 20-item list. Forbes’ summary of the Resume Genius analysis.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose a certification without overpaying
Compare a credential with the work you want to do and the cost of getting and maintaining it—not just with its place on a salary list. Before paying for an exam or training, assess:
Rank #4
- Target role: Decide whether you are aiming for cloud architecture, security operations, networking, privacy, audit, or another defined job family.
- Experience fit: Check issuer-stated prerequisites and whether the credential is designed for entry-level candidates or experienced practitioners.
- Exam scope and platform: Review the current exam objectives and determine whether the vendor or subject area matches the employers and systems relevant to your goals.
- Total cost: Budget for the exam, preparation materials or training, possible retakes, and time away from paid work. The ranking does not establish that a higher-listed credential is a better return on those costs.
- Maintenance: Verify renewal, continuing-education, and recertification requirements with the issuer; credential names, exams, and policies can change.
- Local employer demand: Look at job postings in the geography and industry where you plan to work, and note whether employers ask for the credential, relevant experience, or both.
For example, someone targeting security work on AWS should evaluate the AWS security credential against their existing security experience and the roles they can realistically pursue. Someone aiming to design Google Cloud environments should compare the Professional Cloud Architect exam scope and requirements with that path instead. The average salary attached to the first credential does not make it the right purchase for the second person.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
