Want To Make More Money? Here Are the Top 5 Highest-Paying InfoSec Certifications

When it comes to information security, certifications are a very good way to raise your salary or land a new, higher-paying job. In this article, we’ll look at the top five highest-paying infosec certifications, what kinds of salaries they offer, what you need to in order to qualify and where to take them.

Why Certify?

Receiving a certification in an IT field can be very important for a variety of different reasons. First and foremost, it’s a good measure of current knowledge in a specific skill set or area of expertise that alerts HR and IT recruiters looking to fill certain jobs that you are qualified for them. Every year, different “hot” certifications are in demand, causing salaries to get extremely competitive. Having an in-demand certification can make it much easier to switch from a lower-paying IT job.

Second, it’s a way to rise in the ranks within your current occupation. This is especially true in government-related security certifications: having the required training can many times lead to an automatic increase in pay.

Finally, spending the time, money and energy to pass these often-difficult certification courses shows a current or prospective employer that you are serious about your career.

So which certification should you take? Ultimately, it’s your choice. But according to data from Payscale.com, the following are highly-sought-after and having them will result in commanding a larger salary.

5. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) — $89K

For those with less infosec experience or who are interested in learning/using hacking skills for good rather than evil, the Certified Ethical Hacker credential may be right for you. Many companies hire so-called “white-hat” hackers” with the CEH to try to penetrate their networks, reporting any flaws or vulnerabilities and making recommendations for better security.

This intermediate certification requires two years’ experience, but (Read more...)