IT certifications can help you quickly gain and validate valuable skills and know-how in a domain that will further your career. Certifications can validate your IT skills and experience to show employers you have the expertise to get the job done. You can get certified in skills you already have or skills you’d like to put to use in your career — whatever your reason, certifications are a great way to strengthen your resume and set yourself apart from other candidates in a job search.

According to the 2021 IT Salary report from Robert Half, IT professionals holding the following popular certifications can earn 5% to 10% more than their peers. Whether you’re just starting out and building your resume or you’ve been in the industry for 20 years, there’s a certification that can help boost your salary and your career.

5 Most In-Demand Certifications For 2021

Here are the most popular IT certs today:

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
• Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)
• Certified Data Professional (CDP)

1: Project Management Professional (PMP)

The PMP Certification Online is offered through Project Management Institute and is targeted at advanced project management professionals. The certification covers the fundamentals of project management, including the five main stages of a project’s life cycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling, and closing. To take the exam, you’ll need at least a four-year degree and three years of experience in project management, 4,500 hours of leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education. If you have a secondary degree, you’ll need five years of experience, 7,500 hours leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education.

Average annual salary: $106,000

2: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

Amazon offers a long list of AWS certifications, but the AWS Certified Solutions Architect is one of the most popular cloud computing certifications you can earn. AWS is widely used at companies large and small, so whether you already work for a company using AWS or plan to in the future, it’s a good choice for your resume. The certification focuses on your ability to design and deploy scalable systems on AWS with a focus on keeping it cost-effective without sacrificing security, reliability, and quality.

Average annual salary (according to PayScale): $113,000

3: Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

The Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification is offered through the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)². The certification demonstrates your knowledge and abilities when designing, managing, and securing data, applications, and infrastructure in the cloud. It’s designed for those working with cloud technology including enterprise architects, security administrators, systems engineers, security architects, systems architects or consultants, engineers or managers. The certification exam covers cloud concepts, architecture, design, security and risk, and compliance. While not required, the (ISC)² recommends having at least five years of experience in IT, with at least three years in information security and one year in one or more of the six domains found in the CCSP CBOK.

Average annual salary: $118,559

4: Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)

The Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) certification offered through the ISACA is designed to demonstrate you have the skills to navigate the increasing complexity of data privacy and security. It’s an experience-based technical certification that assesses your ability to “implement privacy by design which results in privacy technology platforms and products that build trust and advance data privacy.” To qualify for the exam, you will need at least five years’ experience in privacy governance and architecture. But if you already hold a CISA, CRISC, CISM, CGEIT, or CSX-P certification, the 2 years of experience requirement will be waived.

Average annual salary: No data yet as this is a relatively new certification

5: Certified Data Professional (CDP)

Available from the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP), the Certified Data Professional (CDP) certification offers several learning paths. CDP candidates can choose from a range of domains, including business analytics, data analytics, and design, data governance, data integration and interoperability, data management, data warehousing, enterprise data architecture, information systems or IT management, and more. The CDP is offered at various levels starting with the foundation and moving on to associate, mastery, principal, and ending at the final level of executive management.
Average annual salary: $45,000