34 of the Best IT Certifications for Boosting Your Tech Career

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If you are a technology professional planning to launch a job search, you may not need to look long for an opportunity, depending on your skill set and experience. Many businesses across industries are eager to hire skilled tech talent to help them keep their critical initiatives on track.

What types of projects do they need to staff? According to research for the Robert Half e-book, Building Future-Forward Tech Teams, these are top priorities for many technology leaders:

Security of IT systems and information

AI, machine learning and automation initiatives

Cloud projects

Technology modernization

Software engineering and development

For roles in tech, including jobs relating to the areas above, credentials are often required. That said, research for the 2025 Salary Guide From Robert Half found that more than half (56%) of technology managers are willing to relax candidate experience requirements to accelerate hiring.

However, many employers are also prepared to offer higher starting salaries for tech and IT professionals with in-demand certifications. So, whatever your current experience level, adding an IT certification that is relevant to your career track not only can boost your chances of landing a new job, but also, earning a higher salary.

So, which IT skills and certifications do employers want most? According to the Salary Guide From Robert Half and data from other sources, hiring managers in technology are on the lookout for candidates with demonstrated experience and knowledge in:

AI and machine learning

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Application development

Information security

Cloud development

Cybersecurity

Data analytics

Next up, we present an assortment of top IT certifications — 34, in all — starting with in-demand credentials you may want to consider earning if you are at the beginning of your career in tech and IT. Keep in mind that there are many other credentials you might want to pursue; these are only some examples.

Best Career-Boosting IT Certifications, by Category

Best IT certifications for beginners
Best IT certifications for mid-level professionals
Best certifications for networking
Best certifications for IT security
Best certifications for cloud computing
Best IT project management certifications
Best help desk certifications
Best certifications in database, analytics and other data technologies
Best certifications for AI and machine learning

The following credentials are two of the best introductory certifications to help you get your first IT job or increase your marketability as an up-and-coming IT pro:

CompTIA certification

CompTIA issues IT certifications for various technologies and platforms, but one stands above the rest in terms of value to IT pros:

CompTIA A+: Get started in IT with this foundational certificate. It’s all about hardware, technical support and troubleshooting. It also covers best practices in security, networking, operational procedures, mobile devices and various operating systems.

Microsoft AZ-900 certification

This certification can help you gain knowledge about core concepts in cloud computing with a focus on Microsoft Azure, a leading cloud platform. It covers core concepts like governance, privacy and compliance; the benefits of cloud computing; and different types of cloud models (public, private and hybrid); and cloud services like Software as a Service (SaaS).

Earning the AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification can help with boosting your IT career by positioning you for roles like systems administrator and network/cloud engineer. Learn more about the exam for this credential here.

After you have built up a few years of work experience and feel ready for a new challenge, you may want to consider earning credentials like the following depending on your career path and professional interests. You can earn these IT certifcations online, usually within a few months:

Google Professional Cloud Architect: This credential demonstrates the ability to design, develop and manage cloud solutions using Google Cloud Platform. It focuses on cloud architecture, security, compliance and more. Professionals with two to three years of experience working with cloud technolgies who want to move into cloud architecture or engineering roles can benefit from earning this credential.

Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA): You can earn this credential through the Linux Foundation in partnership with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. The program covers areas like application life cycle management, cluster setup and troubleshooting. Professionals with experience in cloud infrastructure, containerization and DeveOps can benefit from earning the CKA, which can open the door to roles like cloud platform engineer and site reliability engineer.

As Cisco is a leading provider of infrastructure products, a certificate from this company confirms that you’re well-versed in the latest developments and best practices in networking. The most essential designations are:

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA): A step up from Cisco’s entry-level certification, CCNAs can specialize in the following areas: cloud, collaboration, cyber operations, data center, industrial and Internet of Things, routing and switching, security, service provider, and wireless.

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP): After the associate level, the CCNP is a more advanced IT certificate in one of the above-mentioned specialty areas. You can specialize in CCNP Enterprise, Data Center, Security, Service Provider or Collaboration.

Hacking and cyberattacks are hot topics today, and many jobs in security and risk management are going unstaffed. Many employers have job openings for skilled cybersecurity professionals and are looking to hire credentialed specialists who can help bolster their defenses.

Where can you get those credentials? Look to ISACA for a start. This professional organization manages a number of global certification programs, including:

Certified information systems auditor (CISA): The CISA is a cornerstone certification from ISACA. As its name indicates, it is aimed at information systems professionals who monitor, control and assess a company’s IT or business systems. This certificate requires five years of professional experience in the field.

Certified information security manager (CISM): The leading credential for information security managers, the CISM is for professionals who design, build and manage information security programs. To qualify, you must have at least five years of information security experience and three years as a security manager.

Certified in risk and information systems control (CRISC): The CRISC accredits professionals and project managers responsible for information security and its overall impact on the enterprise. It covers risk identification, risk assessment, risk response and mitigation, and risk control monitoring and reporting.

Certified in the governance of enterprise IT (CGEIT): The CGEIT demonstrates your understanding of enterprise IT governance principles and practices. It is one of the most sought-after certifications in IT, commanding some of the highest salaries.

Cybersecurity nexus (CSX-P): In a time of constantly evolving cybersecurity threats, the CSX-P certification demonstrates that you are up to date on security standards and risks.

Other valuable IT certifications for security include:

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): EC-Council offers several certification programs, and this is one of the most popular. Professionals with this certification specialize in penetration testing. Earning the CEH is often a prerequisite for positions like cyber forensics analyst, cybersecurity engineer and applications developer.

Certified information systems security professional (CISSP): This is another cybersecurity certification in high demand. Designed for experienced IT professionals, CISSP holders understand vulnerabilities in networked systems and create policies to safeguard systems and minimize risk.

Global information assurance certifications (GIACs): All about information security, the GIACs come in several categories: cyber defense; penetration testing; incident response and forensics; cybersecurity management, audit and legal proficiencies; developer; and industrial control systems. The highest level is the GIAC security expert (GSE).

Many cloud computing credentials are specific to individual vendors, such as Microsoft, VMware and Amazon. There are also a few certifications that focus on more general practices across this fast-growing area. Regardless of the credentials you choose to pursue, the time is right to earn an IT certification in the cloud computing field.

Top certifications include:

CompTIA Cloud+: CompTIA cloud+ covers all major elements of cloud computing, including configuration, deployment, security, management and troubleshooting.

VMware Certified Professional Cloud Management and Automation: The VCP-CMA certificate shows that you know how to install, configure, administer and operate VMware Aria Automation to support the self-service and automated provisioning of services into public, private and multicloud environments. This credential can help position you for cloud administrator and cloud architect roles.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional: Amazon is the largest provider of cloud computing services, and this certification affirms your ability to design and deploy cloud environments and automate manual processes using Amazon Web Services.

Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect: Many employers are eager to hire specialists in using this cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) system. This certification is a critical step toward becoming a Salesforce certified systems architect.

Project management is indispensable to IT operations. And because it involves planning, scheduling, budgeting and execution, certification can be a key stepping stone to managerial positions.

Certified associate in project management (CAPM): Offered by the highly respected Project Management Institute (PMI), the CAPM is an ideal entry-level management credential.

Project management professional (PMP): Also offered by PMI, the PMP credential is among the most prestigious in the profession. A number of subspecialty certifications are also available.

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM): This entry-level CSM certification is offered by the Scrum Alliance. It is an excellent way to show your knowledge of Scrum and Agile management practices.

Many IT professionals begin their careers in technical support and help desk roles. And to give students a leg up, schools are increasingly offering courses that prepare students to acquire help desk certifications. You can certify in either the help desk functions as a whole or concentrate on a specific vendor’s platforms and products.

HDI certifications: HDI offers certifications that range from the entry-level HDI desktop support technician to the HDI support center director. The HDI technical support professional certification is particularly popular with hiring managers. HDI also offers credentials for support center analysts, team leaders and customer service representatives.

ITIL: The UK organization AXELOS is charged with promoting best practices for IT service management. ITIL, formerly an acronym for Information Technology Infrastructure Library, is the registered name for a widely accepted framework for managing IT service delivery.

Apple certified support professional (ACSP): You can demonstrate your expertise with macOS support essentials with this ACSP certification from Apple, which you can earn through the digital credentialing platform Credly.

Database technologies remain foundational to IT operations, while growth in big data and analytics initiatives is driving new career opportunities. Certifications tend to be built around a single provider’s platform, including:

Certified data professional (CDP): The Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP) offers one of the most comprehensive certifications for data professionals like data analysts, data scientists and database managers. It signifies a high level of expertise in data management and analytics.

Oracle Certification: Oracle offers credentials for a range of database professions, from database administration and database application development to analytics, data warehousing, big data and enteprise resource planning (ERP).

SAP Certified Associate: SAP has several credential programs for data analysts, data scientists, developers, administrators and technology consultants to certify and validate their SAP expertise.

CCIE Data Center: This Cisco certification demonstrates expert-level skills required to plan, prepare, operate, monitor and troubleshoot complex data center networks.

The rapid uptake of AI and machine learning by businesses across industries has led to a surge in demand for professionals who understand and can work effectively with these technologies.

Certifications in AI and machine learning demonstrate expertise in these emerging fields and help IT professionals stand out in the job market. Here are some examples of certifications you may want to consider pursuing depending your career aims:

Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer: This certification validates your ability to design, build and manage machine learning models on Google Cloud. It covers key areas such as feature engineering, data pipelines, and deploying machine learning solutions that align with business objectives.

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty: Offered by AWS, this certification focuses on developing, deploying and maintaining machine learning models in the AWS cloud environment. Topics covered include data engineering, modeling, machine learning frameworks and tuning.

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate: This certification demonstrates proficiency in implementing AI and machine learning solutions using Microsoft Azure. Key areas include natural language processing, computer vision, conversational AI and integrating AI into existing systems.

Certified AI Practitioner (CAIP): Managed by CertNexus, CAIP is a vendor-neutral certification that covers fundamental AI concepts, machine learning techniques and ethical considerations in AI. It is ideal for professionals who want to prove their AI expertise without focusing on a specific platform.

TensorFlow Developer Certificate: This certification from Google showcases your ability to build and train deep learning models using TensorFlow, a leading open-source machine learning framework. It is a strong choice for professionals focusing on neural networks and deep learning applications.

IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate: Offered through platforms like Coursera, this certification program covers essential AI and ML topics such as supervised learning and unsupervised learning. It also includes hands-on projects with tools like Python and TensorFlow.

Preparing for and attaining a certification is a great way to expand your skill set, impress prospective employers and stand out from the crowd in tech. That’s true whether you’re a recent graduate launching a career in technology or an IT specialist with many years of experience.

It can also be well worth your while from a salary perspective to earn in-demand credentials in your tech field. Robert Half surveyed U.S. employers to learn what percent salary premium they would be willing to pay for a candidate with in-demand accreditation in a given field. Here’s the breakdown of results — from highest to lowest premium — based on the fields we asked about:

Security, privacy and compliance: 19%

Cloud architecture and operations: 18.9%

Data science and database administration: 17.9%

Project and program management: 17.7%

DevOps: 17.6%

Network and systems administration: 17.3%

Business intelligence, analysis and reporting: 16.6%

Software and application development: 16.5%

Technology process automation: 16.5%

Web and mobile development: 16.2%

Help desk and technical support: 15.8%

We hope you find this information about the most valued IT certifications useful as you start a career in tech, search for a new job or seek higher compensation in your current role. With the right lineup of credentials, skills and experience, you may find you are well-positioned to land one of the highest-paying jobs in tech this year.

Ready to launch a technology job search? Learn how Robert Half can help.

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