Research shows cloud certifications pay off, with AWS leading the pack “The big money” is in cloud computing certifications with AWS and Google Cloud delivering high wages across all regions, according to new research from Global Knowledge. Global Knowledge recently published a new examination on IT compensation and in demand certifications. The 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report breaks up top-paying certifications into different regions. The overall global table shows “AWS Certified Solution Architect – Professional”, who has an average salary of $120,000. [Click on the image to see a larger view.] The Top-Paying Worldwide Certifications (source : Global Knowledge) “GCP Cloud Architect ($118.756) is another cloud certification. CISSP ($116.573) is the third highest-paying certification,” the report stated. “Three other AWS certifications are in the top 10, with AWS Certified SysOps Administration – Associate at No. 5, AWS Certified Developer – Associate at No. 8, and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate at No. 9.” GCP Cloud Architect is the most popular North American job, with an average salary at $152,129. AWS certifications are the top choice in that region. 4, 5, and 6 spots respectively. [Click on the image to see a larger version.] Top-Paying North America Certifications (source : Global Knowledge). The report lists the most frequently held certifications in the AWS camp.

  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate – 72 percent
  • AWS Certified Developer – Associate – 33 percent
  • AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate – 24 Percent
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional – 16 Percent

The report stated that the same AWS certifications have comparable percentages in all regions. Another popular credential is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, which cracked the top five in most regions. Global Knowledge, which publishes this study every year for over a decade, stated that the average global IT professional’s annual salary was $89,732, the highest in history. The average salary for IT professionals in North America is $109,985, which is 23 percent higher than the global average. The company presented the following key findings from its 2019 study:

  • Global IT compensation is at its highest ever level. Salaries are rising. There are many factors that influence the compensation, including job function, responsibility level, tenure, company size and industry. This report examines the roles of top-paying IT professionals in each of these areas.
  • Want a raise? Be better at your job. IT professionals earned on average $5,000 more in 2018 than they did in 2018. The main reason? Performance at work. Pay increases can be achieved by training to acquire skills that are immediately applicable in the workplace. If you want to increase your earnings, professional development is a good idea.
  • Certifications still matter Eighty-five per cent of global IT professionals have at least one certification. More than half of these certifications were acquired in the last 12 months. Another 66% plan to obtain a new certification in the coming year. Tech professionals still believe certifications are important and continue to pursue them in different categories and technologies.
  • The top-paying certifications vary according to region. Instead of focusing on the highest-paying certificates worldwide, we have broken down our lists this year by region. This means that the top-paying credential for North America might not be the same as the one for Latin America. It doesn’t!

Global Knowledge, an IT and professional-training specialist, conducted the survey online between September 2018 and November 2018. Multiple outreach methods (email, newsletters, etc.) were used to gather 12,271 responses.