Research reveals which qualifications can earn IT pros over £100k, as demand for tech skills surge

Skillsoft is releasing a ranking of the 15 top-paying IT qualifications in 2022, determining that cloud and cybersecurity certifications remain the highest paying for IT professionals in EMEA. With an increasing number of employees looking to up their salaries in light of the current economic climate, would you be interested to see which qualifications can bag IT pros over 100k a year?

With the threat of a sharp rise in interest rates looming, the cost of living crisis is bearing heavy on most. Recently, the BBC reported that mortgage interest rates could reach 6% - equating to £661 a month for mortgages of £300k. As inflation increases, people across the board are looking for ways to up their income.

For those working in the technology sector, the average salary is 50 percent higher. And, as the tech skills gap encroaches on all industries, companies have kept salaries high to win over top talent and prevent future job-hopping, with the average UK tech salary increasing by 9.2% in 2022.

It should come as little surprise, therefore, that London ranks second globally for tech salaries vs. cost of living, with tech vacancies in the UK now commanding an average salary premium of 65% of non-tech economy jobs, at £58,000 compared to £35,000.

15 Top-Paying Certifications for 2022 - EMEA Qualifications and Salary in GBP and USD:

CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional

£97,008.72 $104,862.96

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

£93,095.55 $100,718.97

CISM - Certified Information Security Manager

£89,938.66 $97,303.57

ITIL Practitioner

£87,280.87 $94,428.14

CCDA Design

£84,508.47 $91,428.71

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

£80,914.93 $87,540.91

Professional Cloud Security Engineer

£80,739.19 $87,350.77

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate

£77,678.86 $84,039.84

PRINCE2 Foundation

£76,940.83 $83,279.21

Cloud Digital Leader

£76,789.78 $83,115.72

Professional Data Engineer

£76,507.16 $82,809.81

Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate

£75,966.35 $82,224.45

CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor

£75,101.25 $81,364.70

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate

£74,119.60 $80,301.18

Professional Cloud Architect

£73,918.34 $80,083.14

Based on over 2,500 IT professionals in EMEA

Salaries conversions correct as of Thursday 29th September

About the certifications list

The top-paying certifications list is the result of thousands of IT professionals sharing their data and experiences in Skillsoft’s annual IT Skills and Salary survey. The survey is distributed to millions of professionals worldwide by Skillsoft, technology providers and vendors, certification bodies and individuals.

In the coming weeks, Skillsoft will release the 2022 IT Skills and Salary Report, an in-depth research report on skills, salaries, certifications, challenges and far more. The cumulative result is thousands of responses that yield fascinating insights into the value of skills and certifications.

While the data shows these certifications have higher salaries associated with them, it’s important to remember salaries are the culmination of several factors, including the ability to apply certified skills at work, job role, continuous professional development, tenure and hard work.

The top three credentials:

#1: CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional - $104,862.96

Earning the CISSP certification has been compared to earning a master’s degree in IT security, as it proves professionals have what it takes to effectively design, implement and manage a cybersecurity program.

The CISSP exam is based around eight domains in information security:

• 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

To achieve this certification, candidates also need at least five years of paid, relevant work experience in two or more of the CISSP domains.

If people lack the necessary experience, they can still take the certification exam and become an Associate of (ISC)2 if they pass. Then, they’ll have up to six years to obtain the required experience to earn the CISSP. The exam is $749 USD (up from $699).

#2: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional - $100,718.97

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (not Associate) is the second highest paying IT certification in 2022, according to the 2,500+ survey respondents in 2022.

Solutions architects are among the most in-demand job roles right now. These professionals design, deploy and support often complex cloud infrastructure, and given the need for professionals with these skills, it’s not surprising to see a certification like this landing toward the top of our list.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional validates a professional’s ability in this area. AWS recommends two or more years of hands-on experience and familiarity with a scripting language, Windows, Linux and many AWS services. Earning this certification requires professionals to pass the current exam (SAP-C01). Changes to the exam are coming in November 2022 to more closely align with the AWS Well-Architected Framework. The exam costs $300 USD.

#3: CISM - Certified Information Security Manager - $97,303.57

Cybersecurity continues to remain a top priority for organisations who must protect sensitive data from ceaseless threat actors. The ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification signals to organisations and industry peers that a professional can lead security teams and efforts effectively.

CISM validates a professional’s ability to manage, design and assess an enterprise’s information security. It proves expertise in these domains: information security governance, information security risk management, information security program, and incident management.

To earn this certification, professionals must first have five years of professional work experience in the required domains before they can sit the exam, which costs $575 USD for ISACA members and $760 USD for non-members.

Visit Skillsoft for more details.