The most significant change in this year's rankings is the Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect certification, which advanced from third place to first. This shift is noteworthy when considering that individuals holding this certification experienced a substantial increase in average compensation to $200,960, marking a significant year-over-year rise of 25%. This surge undoubtedly reflects the growing interest in the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), which historically had a slower rate of adoption compared to AWS.

The Professional Cloud Architect program offered by Google certifies an individual's extensive knowledge of GCP's intricacies. To successfully pass the examination, candidates must demonstrate their ability to design, develop, and manage resources within Google's cloud architecture using GCP-specific technologies and APIs. Additionally, they must address various common scenarios encountered in cloud computing.

The test usually covers different topics, including:

• Designing and planning a cloud solution architecture
• Managing and provisioning GCP resources
• Designing for security and compliance
• Optimizing GCP costs and resources
• Designing for reliability and business continuity

Average salary: $200,960

Course: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-architect

Among the more specialized certifications featured in this year's list is the Google Cloud – Professional Data Engineer program. This certification is designed to equip data engineers, scientists, and other professionals with the necessary skills to manage data processing workloads on Google's cloud platform. The program covers various competencies, including designing, constructing, deploying, monitoring, maintaining, and securing data processing solutions.

The certification exam evaluates candidates' proficiency in tasks such as ingesting and storing data in Google Cloud, preparing data for analysis, and managing and operating data workloads. Successful completion of this exam demonstrates a candidate's expertise in effectively handling data-related tasks within the Google Cloud environment.

By earning the Professional Data Engineer certification, you demonstrate your ability to design and implement data solutions on the Google Cloud Platform. This certification can enhance your credibility and open up opportunities for data engineer and data architect roles, as well as other related positions. It can also contribute to higher-paying job opportunities in the data engineering and analytics domains.

The exam typically consists of various topics, including:

• Designing data processing systems
• Building and maintaining data structures and databases
• Data analysis and machine learning
• Designing for reliability and performance
• Ensuring data security and compliance

Average salary: $193,621

Course: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/data-engineer

The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification continues to be a top performer on the list, and for good reason. IT managers who obtain this certification consistently earn some of the highest salaries in the industry, and the trend suggests that their earnings will continue to increase in 2024.

Administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the PMP certification is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious project management accreditations available today. Unfortunately, there is a downside to obtaining the Google Cloud – Professional Data Engineer certification: it requires a significant time commitment. Prior to becoming certified, candidates must accumulate 4,500 hours of project management experience, equivalent to two years of full-time work at 40 hours per week. If a candidate does not possess a Bachelor's degree, the required experience doubles to 7,500 hours.

However, the upside is that earning the Professional Data Engineer certification can be highly rewarding. According to the latest survey results, individuals who hold this certification can expect an average salary of $176,116, which is a remarkable 19% increase compared to the results from 2023. This substantial increase in salary highlights the value and demand for professionals with expertise in data engineering on the Google Cloud Platform.

The exam assesses five key project management areas, which are:

• Initiating
• Planning
• Executing
• Monitoring and Controlling
• Closing

Average salary: $176,116

Course: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional certification is an advanced-level credential offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is designed for experienced cloud architects who are responsible for designing and deploying scalable, fault-tolerant, and highly available applications on AWS.

To earn the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional certification, candidates must demonstrate a deep understanding of AWS architectural best practices and have extensive hands-on experience in designing and implementing cloud solutions. They need to possess not only technical expertise but also the ability to make informed decisions based on business requirements.

The certification exam covers a wide range of topics, including architectural design, deployment management, network design, data storage, security, scalability, and cost optimization. Candidates are expected to have a solid understanding of various AWS services and how they can be integrated to create robust and efficient solutions. The Professional certificate will earn you an average of $168,080, which is $13,060 more than the average earnings of an Associate certificate holder.

Main levels:

• Foundational: To achieve this level, candidates need at least 6 months of work experience in any position that involves basic knowledge of AWS Cloud.
• Associate: For this level, candidates need about 1 year of experience in solving problems and implementing solutions using AWS Cloud.
• Professional: To achieve the professional level, candidates need at least 2 years of comprehensive experience designing, operating, and troubleshooting using AWS Cloud.
• Specialty: This level requires candidates to have technical experience working with AWS Cloud in a specific area of expertise.

Average salary: $174,137

Course: https://aws.amazon.com/vi/certification/certified-solutions-architect-professional/

The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification is a globally recognized credential for information security management. It is offered by ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association), a professional association for IT governance, risk management, and cybersecurity professionals.

The CISM certification is designed for individuals who manage, design, and oversee an enterprise's information security program. It validates the knowledge and skills required to develop and manage an organization's information security program in alignment with business objectives.

By earning the CISM certification, professionals demonstrate their expertise in information security management and their ability to align security initiatives with organizational goals. CISM-certified individuals are equipped to identify and manage the risks and challenges associated with information security, and they are well-positioned to lead and support information security programs within their organizations. Skillsoft says you can make $162,347 per year, on average.

Main topics:

• Information Security Governance
• Information Risk Management
• Information Security Program Development and Management
• Information Security Incident Management

Average salary: $167,396

Course: https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cism

The AWS Certified Security - Specialty certification is designed to address the unique security concerns related to cloud infrastructure. AWS aims to ensure that Security Architects possess comprehensive knowledge of its platform and security best practices. This certification combines elements of cloud computing and security to validate candidates' expertise in securing AWS environments.

To successfully pass the exam, candidates need to demonstrate proficiency in security features specific to the AWS environment. This includes understanding the shared responsibility model, security controls, logging and monitoring strategies, as well as securing AWS workloads using third-party tools such as backup systems, encryption, and identity management.

While AWS recommends having five years of real-world experience before attempting the exam, with at least two years specifically focused on securing AWS workloads, it is important to note that this is a recommendation rather than a strict requirement.

On the positive side, if candidates fulfill the prerequisites, pass the exam, and earn the AWS Certified Security - Specialty certification, they can expect an average salary of $166,449. This represents an 11% increase compared to the previous year, highlighting the demand for professionals with expertise in securing AWS environments.

The exam covers a range of topics, including:

• Identity and Access Management
• Detective Controls
• Infrastructure Protection
• Data Protection
• Incident Response
• Security Assessment and Compliance

Average salary: $166,449

Course: https://aws.amazon.com/vi/certification/certified-security-specialty/

Another recent addition to the list is the Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Database Engineer certification. This certification is one of the four Google Cloud certifications featured on the list and focuses specifically on databases and their deployment and management on Google's platform. However, it should be noted that this task is not as straightforward as it may seem. In order to be eligible to take the certification exam, candidates are required to have a minimum of two years of Google Cloud experience and five years of overall IT and database experience (although these two requirements can overlap).

To earn this certification, candidates must demonstrate their proficiency in designing and implementing scalable and highly available database solutions on the Google Cloud platform. Additionally, they should possess the knowledge and skills to migrate existing databases to the platform and manage solutions that encompass multiple databases. While this certification presents a significant challenge, achieving it can lead to lucrative opportunities, with an average salary of $163,193. It is important to note that this certification should not be confused with the Google Cloud – Professional Data Engineer certification.

The Professional Cloud Database Engineer exam assesses your ability to:

• Design scalable and highly available cloud database solutions
• Manage a solution that can span multiple database solutions
• Migrate data solutions
• Deploy scalable and highly available databases in Google Cloud

Average salary: $163,193
Course: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-database-engineer

A recent addition to the list is the Google Cloud - Associate Cloud Engineer certification, which is the first of four Google Cloud certifications featured on the list. This marks a shift from last year's survey, where AWS had three certifications compared to Google's four.

Among the four Google certifications, the Associate Cloud Engineer certification is the most comprehensive and entry-level. Unlike some certifications that require extensive real-world experience in a specific field, Google recommends just six months of experience with its cloud platform before applying for the Associate Cloud Engineer certification, although it is not a mandatory prerequisite.

The certification exam evaluates candidates' proficiency in planning, configuring, implementing, and deploying IT solutions on the Google Cloud platform using both console tools and the command line. Successfully achieving this certification not only demonstrates a wide range of skills in working with Google Cloud but also positions individuals to command an average salary of $161,075.

The exam typically covers a range of topics, including:

• Setting up a cloud solution environment
• Planning and configuring a cloud solution
• Deploying and implementing a cloud solution
• Ensuring successful operations of a cloud solution
• Configuring access and security

Average salary: $161,075

Course: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-engineer

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate program is designed to validate individuals' hands-on experience with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and their ability to architect large-scale, distributed systems. AWS recommends at least one year of practical experience in designing systems on AWS before attempting the certification exam, which typically takes around 80 minutes to complete.

However, it is worth noting that the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate certification has experienced a decline in its ranking for the third consecutive year, dropping from fifth place in the previous year. Nevertheless, this decline is not accompanied by a decrease in average salary. In fact, this certification still commands an average salary of $160,052, representing a modest increase of just over 3% compared to the previous year.

It's important to acknowledge that other AWS certification programs offer higher salaries, notably the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional certificate, which secured the fourth position in this year's rankings. Pursuing the Professional certificate may be advantageous for individuals aiming to maximize their AWS knowledge, as it earns its holders an average salary that is $14,085 higher than the Associate certification.

The exam typically covers a range of topics, including:

• Designing resilient architectures
• Defining performant architectures
• Specifying secure applications and architectures
• Designing cost-optimized architectures
• Designing scalable and elastic architectures

Average salary: $160,052

Course: https://aws.amazon.com/vi/certification/certified-solutions-architect-associate/

This certification program was developed by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, known as (ISC)², and is generally one of the most sought-after security certifications. Upon completing it, you'll demonstrate that you're capable of guiding the security aspects of an IT organization's overall architecture, controls, and management.

Be aware that you'll need five years of real-world experience to pass the exam, and you must accrue continuing education credits each year to maintain your credential. These tough requirements are one reason why this certification is so highly sought-after by employers.

It's the only cert to see its average salary decrease. Although certificate holders reported an average salary that's approximately 1% less than last year, $156,699 is nothing to sneeze at. To earn the CISSP certification, candidates must meet specific experience requirements and pass the CISSP exam.

The exam covers eight domains of information security knowledge:

• Security and Risk Management
• Asset Security
• Security Architecture and Engineering
• Communication and Network Security
• Identity and Access Management
• Security Assessment and Testing
• Security Operations
• Software Development Securit

Average salary: $156,699

Course: https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp