There are many IT certification programs out there, but which one is right for you? Whether you’re a beginner starting in the industry, or a seasoned professional looking to move your career forward, this is a list of the best IT certifications for your consideration. Let check out the top 8 IT certifications for the highest paying jobs in 2022 that will enhance your worth and propel you forward in your professional journey. 

Here are some of the reasons why you should consider IT certifications for 2022:

• Gain and increase your knowledge about the domain
• Expand your skill set 
• Demonstrate your skills and knowledge to your prospective employers
• Land a great job
• Make yourself stand out from the crowd 

Here is the list of top 8 highest paying IT Certifications for 2022

1. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Certified Professional Cloud Architect
2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
4. PMI – Project Management Professional (PMP)
5. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
6. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
7. Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation
8. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

1. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Certified Professional Cloud Architect

If you are an IT professional with some knowledge about cloud computing, then Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Certified Professional – Cloud Architect certification would offer a great understanding of cloud architecture and Google technology.

Cloud skills are in high demand and after taking up this certification you will master Google’s tools to design, develop, and manage robust, secure, scalable, and dynamic solutions to achieve business goals. 

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Certified Professional – Cloud Architect Certification Exam

Once you gain a thorough understanding of the domain, you will have to take up the Google Cloud Certified – Professional Cloud Architect Certification Exam that will assess your ability on the following parameters: 

• Designing cloud solution architecture.
• Managing the cloud solution infrastructure.
• Optimize technical and business processes.
• Designing for security and compliance.
• Managing cloud architecture implementations.
• Ensuring the reliability of the solution.

Prerequisites: The recommended industry experience for this certification is 3+ years (including 1+ Google Cloud experience)

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

It is one of the most in-demand IT certifications for 2022. It will continue to top the list in 2022 as more and more companies adopt cloud services leading to a significant need for cloud professionals with specialization in cloud security skills who can leverage the cloud security tools. 

This certification will teach you the essential skills to architect your IT solutions on AWS. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the AWS platform and how to leverage AWS services.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Certification Exam

Once you gain a thorough understanding of the domain, you will have to take up AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate examination that will assess your ability to: 

• Demonstrate knowledge of how to architect and deploy secure applications on AWS technologies.
• Define a solution using architectural design principles.
• Provide implementation guidance based on best practices.

The exam takes about 130 minutes to complete. 

Prerequisites: The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate examination is designed for those who perform a solutions architect role and have over one year of hands-on experience in designing cost-efficient, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed systems on AWS.

3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

Offered by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification is designed to assess the expertise and knowledge required to develop and manage an enterprise information security program. 

It is designed for information security managers, IT auditors, and IT consultants and managers who support information security program management. 

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Certification Exam 

To achieve this certification, you must pass a 200 question multiple-choice exam. The exam validates your expertise in the following fours areas:

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

Registration can be done on the ISACA website.

Prerequisites: To qualify, you must have five years of verified experience in the information security management field. The work experience must be gained within ten years preceding the application date for certification. Candidates will have five years from the passing date to apply for certification.

4. PMI – Project Management Professional (PMP)

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). This certification will validate that you have the capacity to manage projects and project teams.

It is one of the top-paying certifications that will prepare you for the PMP and CAPM exams. It offers a wide range of learning tools, practice questions, and post-learning resources with Project Management Institute (PMI) terminology.

Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Exam 

To achieve the PMP certification, you will have to take the PMP examination that will assess you in the following five areas: 

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

Prerequisites: A four-year degree with 36 months leading projects and 35 hours of project management education/CAPM Certification

OR 

A high school diploma or an associate’s degree with 60 months leading projects, and 35 hours of project management education/CAPM Certification.

5. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is another high-demand cybersecurity certification that is intended for experienced security practitioners, managers, and executives who want to prove their knowledge across a wide variety of security practices and principles. CISSP professionals understand vulnerabilities in network systems and create policies to ensure the security of the systems and mitigate risk. 

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certification Exam 

This certification will familiarize you with the concepts and industry best practices. Offered by (ISC)2, the CISSP certification exam will evaluate you across the following eight security domains:

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

After achieving the certification, you will have to earn Continuous Professional Education (CPE) every year to maintain your credentials.

Prerequisites: To qualify for this cybersecurity certification, you must pass the exam and have a minimum of five years of cumulative, paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains. 

If you don’t have the work experience, then you can still earn the certification by passing the exam while working toward the full certification.

6. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

This certification is a foundational certification and a base for a lot of other popular cloud certifications, such as AWS Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer, and SysOps Administrator.

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam is designed for those who have the knowledge and skills to demonstrate an overall understanding of the AWS Cloud. It validated the following abilities: 

• Knowledge of core AWS services and AWS architecture best practices.
• Understanding of developing, deploying, and debugging cloud-based applications using AWS. 

The exam takes about 90 minutes.

Prerequisites: To qualify for this certification, you must have: 

• At least six months of experience with the AWS Cloud in any role, including technical, managerial, sales, purchasing, or financial.
• Basic understanding of IT services and their uses in the AWS Cloud platform.

7. Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation

With companies looking to improve their project delivery and service through the use of best practices, there is a huge demand for ITIL certified professionals.  An Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation certification is a great way to get ahead of the competition and improve your chances of getting a better job.

Designed for IT executives, IT architects, IT audit managers, operations managers, and IT managers, the ITIL Foundation certification course will offer an understanding of the ITIL 4 framework, core concepts, and terminologies of the ITIL service lifecycle. It will familiarize you with the ITIL framework and teach you how it can be used to enhance IT service management.

ITIL Foundation Certification Exam

To achieve this foundational certification, you must pass the ITIL exam. It is a 60 minutes test and you need to score at least 65 percent in the exam. This multiple-choice exam consists of 40 questions and you need to obtain at least 26 marks out of 40 to pass the exam. 

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

8. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification provides knowledge about the basic cloud concepts and services and focuses on topics, such as security, privacy, compliance, and underlying technologies. It is designed for those who come from a non-technical background and are responsible for the procurement, sales, and marketing of Microsoft Azure cloud-based services. 

This certification is intended for those who want to start working with cloud-based solutions and services or are new to Azure. It is the first step on the path to obtaining Microsoft’s role-based certifications. However, it is not a prerequisite.

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification Exam

To achieve this certification, you have to pass AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. This exam will evaluate the following concepts: 

• Cloud Concepts
• Core Azure Services
• Core Solutions And Management Tools On Azure
• General Security And Network Security Features
• Identity, Governance, Privacy, And Compliance Features
• Azure Cost Management And Service Level Agreements