Resource Library

As IT professionals gravitate away from classroom training and toward on-demand courses and e-learning, IT skills gaps have spiked. Instructor-led training is still the best option to fill critical skills needs and shouldn't be pushed aside entirely for more convenient and cost-effective options.

Explore how IT decision-makers’ training views have changed since we first released our annual IT Skills and Salary Report 12 years ago. Once viewed as an expense, IT leadership now sees professional development as an investment. Even with shrinking budgets and a recent rise in skills gaps, the value of training is currently at an all-time high.

The value of IT certifications has grown considerably over the last decade. Examine the evolution of certification trends, see the top-paying certifications and learn how decision-makers are struggling to hire certified employees.

Looking ahead at new and emerging certifications provides insight into the areas deemed valuable in the IT industry. If you are an early adopter or in a position where you need to show that you have the bleeding-edge expertise of a technology, this list of recent and upcoming certifications is for you. 

Google Cloud certifications had a breakout year according to the Global Knowledge 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report. GCP Cloud Architect is the top-paying IT certification in North America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), while Google Cloud salaries are 34% higher than the average for North America. As more IT departments adopt multi-cloud strategies, Google Cloud skills are increasing in popularity.

If you’re worn out by daily road rage—how many middle fingers can you see in one day—or irked at the prospect of being taxed to death, maybe it’s time for a change. Future job opportunity, salary, cost of living and quality of life are a balancing act. We can’t tell you what to do, but we can let you know where IT professionals are making the highest average salaries in the U.S.

ISACA certifications are some of the most popular and highest-paying in the Global Knowledge 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report. Eleven percent of IT professionals in the United States and Canada are ISACA-certified, and their salaries are 12% above the North American average.

There’s undeniably good news for Citrix-certified IT professionals this year. Pursuing at least one Citrix certification has the potential to unlock a host of benefits ranging from above average salaries to greater prestige in the workplace thanks to improved knowledge and capabilities resulting from certifications. Simply put: Citrix certifications pay big dividends according to the Global Knowledge 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report.

There’s a reason why one out of four certified IT professionals in North America hold at least one CompTIA certification. IT professionals who hold at least one certification have higher salaries, are more productive and generally are more satisfied in their job than their non-certified peers.

This year, CISSP-certified IT professionals have the third highest global salary ($116,573) and the 10th highest in North America ($123,815). This is nothing new—CISSP has ranked in the top 10 in the U.S. each year since 2015, even coming in first in 2018. CISSP is a top-paying certification year after year. But how has it remained so relevant and valuable?