In the information technology (IT) world, certifications can be an excellent way to signal to hiring managers that you know what you're doing and may give your career the boost you’re looking for. You can learn new skills and become qualified for new jobs or promotions by getting a certification.
What's Covered:
IT Certification Paths
Here’s a breakdown of some popular IT certifications by different roles.
Remember that your certifications don’t all need to be from the same organization. It’s possible to obtain certificates from different providers, depending on what you want your career to look like and what skills you’re trying to get. This list is meant to be a guide to help you understand what certifications are out there and isn’t a list of all existing certificates. There also may be other unlisted certifications that better fit your needs.
Foundational certifications: Certifications listed as foundational are generally those labeled by providers as entry-level or for early career professionals.
Professional certifications: These are designed for those with some experience and looking to move into the next stage of their career.
Advanced certifications: Advanced certifications will show a high level of mastery of the field or mastery of a specific area within the field.
Help Desk Certifications
A starting point for many IT careers, help desk support positions support a company’s employees by providing technical assistance and troubleshooting various computer issues. These positions might include IT support technicians, help desk technicians, IT associates, etc. An entry-level certification can make you eligible for one of these roles. From there, you can go on to get a more advanced help desk certificate, but many choose to move into a more specialized field in IT.
Foundational | Professional |
ITIL Managing Professional | Strategic Level | |
Information technology has been a growing field that features many career opportunities. In the United States, jobs in IT are projected to grow much faster than other occupations over the next decade.
It can be incredibly versatile, too. You can start at the help desk and work up to specialized jobs as you grow your knowledge and skills. Or, if you have some background knowledge, you can jump straight into a field you’re interested in. Here are a couple of good help desk jobs.
Help desk Technician
Median annual US salary: $67,910
Job outlook: 6% yearly growth
Requirements: Knowledge of computer systems and troubleshooting. Certifications, associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees may be requested.
When computer users or employees have problems with hardware, software, or a network, they call on a help desk specialist to assist. A help desk technician might maintain, install, or troubleshoot hardware and software, resolve networking issues, or help resolve other problems for other company employees.
The title for this role might vary. Help desk technicians can also be called help desk analysts, desktop support technicians, service desk technicians, and computer support specialists. These positions collectively are sometimes referred to as help desk positions.
Many IT professionals start their careers in help desk roles. If you don’t know where to start in IT, this may be an excellent role to consider because it’ll expose you to other areas of IT. As you gain experience, you can move into other jobs, like system or network administrator, cloud engineer, or information security analyst.
IT Technician
Average annual US salary: $58,594
Job outlook: 6% yearly growth
Requirements: Knowledge of computer systems and troubleshooting. Certifications, associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees may be requested.
Like help desk technicians, IT technicians support the technical issues within an organization’s computer system. But while help desk technicians might spend more time resolving user issues, IT technicians are more likely to do the technical work to resolve the issue. An IT technician should be able to troubleshoot, use several operating systems, and understand the basics of IT networks.
IT technicians can also be called IT associates, analysts, or specialists. Some companies may have IT technicians do help desk work as well.
Server and Network Certifications
Troubleshooting and maintaining computer systems, servers, and networks are essential to IT work. These certifications can bring you the credentials to get started or further your career in one of these areas.
A network certification may give you the skills and knowledge to progress in an IT network career.
Network certifications are credentials you can earn to demonstrate your ability to work with networks in the information technology (IT) field. They can be vendor-specific—focusing on the technology from one company, like Cisco or Microsoft—or vendor-neutral, meaning the things you learn should be applicable across different networking technologies.
Network Technician
Average annual US salary: $72,000
Job outlook: 12% yearly growth
Network technicians set up and maintain the physical infrastructure for both local and wide area networks.
Responsibilities
Network technicians are responsible for installing, configuring, and repairing everything from routers and switches to cables and servers. They are also typically responsible for backing up data, carrying out security updates, troubleshooting issues, and looking for ways to improve network performance.
Experience Level
This is another popular entry-level computer networking job. New graduates commonly begin as network technicians. These individuals tend to do more hands-on work with computer hardware than tech support specialists, who focus more on user support.
Network Architect
Average annual US salary: $115,000
Job outlook: 17% yearly growth
Network architects come up with the big-picture design for a data communication network. They design the infrastructure that meets an organization's operational needs.
Responsibilities
Network architects talk to various stakeholders, analyze costs, assess risks, recommend equipment, and develop a technical solution that meets the organization's present and future business needs. They often work as contractors or consultants, although some organizations keep them on staff.
Experience Level
Architects have one of the most senior jobs in computer networking. They typically report to a C-level executive, such as the chief technology officer. They usually have a degree in computer science or a related area. They also typically have 10+ years of experience managing projects and building, monitoring, administering, and securing networks.
Cloud Certifications
Cloud computing is one of the most in-demand IT skills of recent years. The following certifications can familiarize you with the basics and prepare you for more advanced roles in cloud computing.
Foundational | Professional | Advanced |
CompTIA Cloud Essentials+| Network+ | | |
VMWare | ||
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Certified Foundations Associate | ||
Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals |
Companies have different job requirements and descriptions regarding their specific needs for cloud computing roles. To start a career in Cloud computing, you may consider the following top Cloud computing jobs, salary, and functions.
Cloud System Engineer
Average annual US salary: $153,000
Job outlook: 13% yearly growth
A cloud system engineer is an IT professional responsible for building and maintaining an organization's cloud infrastructure. Depending on the platform they work with, they may design solutions or code. It is often considered among the highest-paying cloud jobs and those related to cloud computing.
Education requirements: Individuals must have a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, engineering, or other related fields that provide similar skills to work in this role. A Cloud System Engineer must possess excellent general programming skills to interpret and implement code as needed. Managing a team of IT professionals is also a requirement since they are responsible for developing and maintaining the organization's infrastructure.
Cloud Developer
Average annual US salary: $132,000
Job outlook: 22% yearly growth
Cloud developers develop cloud applications as part of their job duties. Cloud developers are known as cloud engineers in cloud computing jobs' virtual and global network.
The role of a cloud developer is similar to that of a computer programmer or a web designer. Cyber-attacks are expected since the infrastructure they work on is virtual and global. It is, therefore, essential for cloud developers to design their programs and apps to be as hack-proof as possible.
Education requirements: Individuals must graduate with a bachelor's degree from a technical school. They should finish cloud-related courses at a reputable institute. They have to become proficient in any programming language. They have to gain practical experience by working on cloud-specific projects.
Cybersecurity Certifications
Cybersecurity, along with cloud computing, is one of the most in-demand fields in IT. Certifications can come from vendor-neutral organizations like CompTIA or ISACA—meaning what you’re being tested on for a certification exam can be applied to different operating systems. They can also be vendor-specific, like the Microsoft certifications.
Foundational | Professional | Advanced |
ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals | ||
CompTIA Security+ | ||
Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals |
The cybersecurity field is constantly adapting to keep up with current threats and new technology. Fortunately, this means there are a variety of roles to pursue, no matter your experience level.
Computer Systems Analysts
Average annual US salary: $136,236
Job outlook: 27% yearly growth
Computer systems analysts, or “systems architects,” devise new ways to improve systems. To do this, they speak with managers to determine what changes must be made to their existing networks, then either locate or design the technology and upgrades needed to improve the networks. These changes may include creating new systems or supervising new upgrades. Computer systems analysts also test these new systems and train others to use them.
To become a computer systems analyst, you will need a bachelor’s degree, which can be in various subjects. The most common are computer and information technology and mathematics, but people with an education in business or management information systems can also find jobs in this field. You can also major in liberal arts and obtain experience in programming or another technology field, although this pathway to a career as a computer systems analyst is less common.
IT Security Consultants
Average annual US salary: $106,810
Job outlook: 18% yearly growth
IT security consultants are critical to modern business operations by guiding clients on the most efficient and cost-effective methods for safeguarding their organization's cybersecurity objectives. They evaluate different aspects of the system, such as software and networking equipment, to enhance network performance.
IT security consultants differ from security analysts by specializing in a specific field, allowing them to advise on various issues within that field. Security analysts typically specialize in one particular area within a lot and may offer advice related to that area only. IT security consultants may entail long, flexible work hours and frequent travel to various client sites. Over time, this role can be rewarding, mainly due to the flexibility it offers.
Database Certifications
Data professionals in the IT realm can be database administrators, database developers, database engineers, data warehousing specialists, or similar roles. Which database certification you pursue will depend on which vendor’s database technology you expect to use most heavily.
Foundational | Professional | Advanced |
Microsoft Certified | ||
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Foundation | ||
IBM Certified |
The demand for skilled database professionals continues to grow. With the increasing amount of data businesses generate and store, organizations seek individuals to help them manage and analyze this information effectively.
Database Administrator
Average annual US salary: $93,000
Job outlook: 18% yearly growth
Another well-known database job is a database administrator (DBA). A DBA is responsible for a database's overall operation and performance, including installing and configuring the database software, setting up user accounts, and performing regular backups and maintenance. They also play a crucial role in ensuring the security and integrity of the database, as well as implementing and enforcing policies and procedures for access and use. So, if you are going to apply for DBA, you should have a solid knowledge of cybersecurity and ways internet thieves can get information.
Data Architect
Average annual US salary: $119,000
Job outlook: 23% yearly growth
Another popular job in the field of databases is that of a data architect. They are responsible for designing and implementing a database's overall structure and organization, including defining its data models, schemas, and relationships. They also work closely with other IT professionals to ensure that the database can support the needs of the organization and can scale and evolve as needed.
What Certification Should I Get?
The certification you pursue will likely depend on your area of interest in IT, your experience level, and what the jobs you’re interested in require. If you’re currently in an IT role, you can ask your employer what skills will be most beneficial for learning.
As you grow in your career, you’ll want to consider more advanced certifications to continue your professional development. By then, you’ll know what specialties to focus on and what skills you need for your desired career path. But at the entry level, it’s better to stick with more generalized certifications to help get your foot in the door.
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