IT certifications for cloud architects, data security engineers, and ethical hackers yield the biggest pay boosts

Cloud architects, data security engineers, and ethical hackers are among the highest-paying skills that can be attained through IT certifications — and AI technology didn’t even make the list.

Online learning platform Skillsoft analyzed the top reported salaries of IT professionals around the world to find the highest-paying certifications and developed a list of more than 20.

This year’s list shows that cloud computing skills remain in high demand and can be quite lucrative. The AWS Certified Security Specialty training jumped from sixth-highest to the top-paying certification this year to now command a $204,000 annual salary on average — a up 22% or $40,000 over last year.

The presence of certifications for Google Cloud Platform (GCP), AWS, Azure, and Nutanix also highlights the value of a diverse cloud skillset, as organizations adopt multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategies, according to Skillsoft.

Its list is similar to one published earlier this year by job search platform Indeed, which also placed an AWS certification in the No. 1 slot. (Indeed found AWS Certified Solutions Architects could earn from $133,200 to $246,900 a year at some firms.)

“So, are they worth it? For those looking for any of the above, it’s a resounding yes,” Skillsoft said a blog post. “But, earning a certification takes time, effort, and often money.”

Are certifications worth the price?

Earning a certification led to pay raises, promotions and new jobs, according to Skillsoft. In addition to AWS training, rounding out the top five certifications were:

Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect, averages $190,204.

Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) v6.5, averages $175,409.

CCSP – Certified Cloud Security Professional, averages $171,524.

CCNP Security, averages $168,159.

Indeed’s list of 17 top certifications had these top five:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)

Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Certified Data Professional (CDP)

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Gartner Research, in an August report, also found that AWS Certified Cloud Practitioners and Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals certifications were top upskilling opportunities for tech workers. Other IT certifications with fast-growing demand this year are in cybersecurity, including the CISSP certification, CISA, and CompTIA Security+, according to Gartner. (The latter — IT certifications from the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), a non-profit trade association — were also among the general class of top certifications on multiple lists.)

“While learning new technology skills is vital, the ability for employees to demonstrate practical expertise through industry-recognized certifications is increasingly valued,” Gartner said. “Though they may not be a mandatory prerequisite for every position, certifications can empower individuals and organizations alike.”

“Our data suggests that tech professionals skilled in cloud computing, security, data privacy, and risk management, as well as able to handle complex, multi-faceted IT environments, will be well positioned for success,” said Greg Fuller, vice president of online learning platform Codecademy Enterprise. “Overall, the IT job market is characterized by a significant imbalance between supply and demand, which continues to drive salaries higher.”

What’s happening with AI training?

While AI certifications have not yet to the top of IT certification lists, the increasing emphasis on data privacy and compliance is closely tied to the rollout of AI technologies. And while AI skills are gaining popularity, it often takes time for certifications to gain traction, Fuller said.

“Right now, what we see with areas like AWS Security at the top is that organizations are still preparing for large scale AI rollouts,” he said. “So more adjacent skills are on this year’s list. Ultimately, it’s a mix of certifications being a bit slower to evolve and adjacent skills rising in criticality.

“In the meantime, the backbone of AI is cloud, so getting cloud certified is a good first step. Then, look at some of the more specialized Cloud AI certifications,” Fuller added.

Recruitment and talent consulting firm WilsonHCG released a report this week indicating that while AI certifications might not be on the top 20 lists, there is rising demand for AI skills across sectors. The market for AI-skilled workers is expanding, too, with 5,898 average monthly job postings in October, according to WilsonHCG.

The rise in the number AI-focused certifications reflects a significant increase from the 12-month average of 5,147, driven by heightened interest in roles like data scientist, AI research engineer, and machine learning engineer.

Companies such as TikTok, Apple, Google, Amazon, and Deloitte are among the most active in AI recruitment, underscoring the technology’s growing adoption in sectors from tech to finance and professional services, according to WilsonHCG.

“The need for AI skills extends beyond traditional tech positions. Companies are seeking professionals across a range of roles, including Founding AI Engineer and Senior Software Engineer for AI products,” WilsonHCG said in its report. “This trend is reshaping hiring practices and job titles as more organizations prioritize data-driven and AI-enabled functions across departments.”

Skills continue to matter more than formal education

Skills-based hiring approaches that emphasize strong work backgrounds, certifications, assessments, and endorsements, continue to dominate the tech industry. And soft skills are becoming a key focus of hiring managers, even over hard skills.

Elise Smith, co-founder and CEO of Praxis Labs, an AI-based learning platform, said she has worked with enterprises like Google, Uber, and ServiceNow to help senior leaders develop the skillsets needed for “new-age talent retention” and collaboration in the workplace.

“As workplaces continue to transform — whether its emerging technologies like genAI transforming how we work or sociopolitical conflicts that cause disruption to our workflows — human skills will become more and more important,” Smith said.

What’s often missing from higher education is a focus on skills building around interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, critical reasoning, and the ability to determine fact from opinion or misinformation. “What once may have been called soft skills will be seen as power skills, and workforces who focus and develop these skills will differentiate in market outcomes,” Smith said.

While building relations and moving beyond “transactional trust” in the workplace can be challenging — especially for a hybrid global workforce — it’s important to build skills around workplace connection.

“When managers are skilled in asking open-ended questions, coaching disengaged team members, learning more about individuals’ backstories and contexts, and encouraging them in their work, teams thrive,” she said. “These are the skillsets we help our clients and their people leaders develop.”