The list could help you as a CIO to better understand how to attract and compensate the best and the brightest. Anything to make hiring easier is always welcome. Plus it’s a good list for those trying to crack six figures in annual salary.
According to a white paper from Global Knowledge, the top 15 certifications are based “on the 2014 IT Skills and Salary Survey conducted by Global Knowledge and Penton and completed in October 2013 … the rankings … are derived from certifications that received the minimum number of responses to be statistically relevant. Certain certifications pay more but are not represented due to their exclusive nature. Examples include Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE) and VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX).”
Here is the ranking by Global Knowledge along with the average compensation.
1. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) – $118,253
The CRISC certification is designed for IT professionals, project managers, and others whose job it is to identify and manage risks through appropriate Information Systems (IS) controls, covering the entire lifecycle, from design to implementation to ongoing maintenance.
2. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) – $114,844
It’s aimed at management more than the IT professional and focuses on security strategy and assessing the systems and policies in place more than it focuses on the person who actually implements those policies using a particular vendor’s platform.
3. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) – $112,040
CISA certification requires at least five years of experience in IS auditing, control, or security in addition to passing an exam that is only offered three times per year.
4. Six Sigma Green Belt – $109,165
Six Sigma is a process of analyzing defects (anything outside a customer’s specifications) in a production (manufacturing) process, with a goal of no more than 3.4 defects per million “opportunities” or chances for a defect to occur. This certification is different from the others in this list, as it is not IT specific. Instead, it is primarily focused on manufacturing and producing better quality products.
5. Project Management Professional (PMP®) – $108,525
The PMP certification exam tests five areas relating to the lifecycle of a project: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. PMP certification is for running any kind of project, and it is not special- ized into sub types, such as manufacturing, construction, or IT.
6. Certified Scrum Master – $107,396
In software development, Scrum is a project management process that is designed … for software (application development) projects in which a customer often changes his or her mind during the development process.
7. Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer (CCEE) – $104,240
The CCEE certification is a legacy certification from Citrix that proves expertise in XenApp 6, XenDesktop 5, and XenServer 6 via the Citrix Certified Administrator (CCS) exams for each, the Citrix Certified Advanced Adminis- trator (CCAA) for XenApp 6, and an engineering (advanced implementation-type) exam around implementing, securing, managing, monitoring, and troubleshooting a complete virtualization solution using Citrix products.
8. Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA) for Citrix NetScaler – $103,904
The CCA for NetScaler certification has been discontinued for NetScaler 9, and those with a current certification are encouraged to upgrade to the new Citrix Certified Professional – Networking (CCP-N). In any case, those with this certification have the ability to implement, manage, and optimize NetScaler networking performance and optimization, including the ability to support app and desktop solutions.
9. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – $103,822
The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) created and manages CEH certification. It is designed to test the candidate’s abilities to prod for holes, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities in a company’s network defenses using techniques and methods that hackers employ.