IT Certifications that will earn you the most money

IT Certifications that will earn you the most money

In networking certification there are two classes of credentials involved: foundation certifications and more advanced credentials.

CISSP-ISSMP: $117K:

CISSP-ISSAP: $112K:

Brocade Certified SAN Designer (BCSD): $108K:

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM): $106K:

Cisco Certified Internetwork Engineer (CCIE): $104K:

Project Management Professional (PMP). $96.

http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid7_gci1165106,00.html?track=NL-79&ad=542102

 

Which ones do you have?

 

PMP. Working on the CISSP. . . going to try and take the exam this summer.

 

I hold several and have to say that NOTHING compared to the response i got when i got my CISSP.

I am tossig around the CISM or one of the CISSP specialtys, but i dont work in govt. CISM and/or CISA are both good. CISA/CISSP traveling auditors make about 55-65/hr on average.

The PMP is another good one, that seems to be moving over into other fields too.

The CCIE is truthly the most god awful hard process. VERY technical, and not something you just study for. You MUST have alot of field experience with all forms of networking even to take a specialty test like security.


Another one that pays well is the Red Hat Cert Eng (RHCE), and it not become too common yet.


As for the others like MCSE, CCNA/NP, Novell, Comptia...just get you in a door for an interview and a chance to prove yourself, but I think the big ones acctually plan a signifigant role in landing a job...

 

Steve,

I just talked to a guy in the stick of KY who has a govt job open. They are saying they will get me clearance, which in your area is massive 6 digit salaries and HUGH bonus money, especially with the current international conditions. I have seen helpdesk type positions posted at 85k with clearance.

 

Certcities hottest Certs for 2006: http://certcities.com/editorial/features/story.asp?EditorialsID=95

Certicities hottest Certs for 2005:
http://certcities.com/editorial/features/story.asp?EditorialsID=86

I'm working towards CCNA and Sec+, not sure whether I want to pursue CCNP or CCSP as I am very much leaning towards the Security aspect of things...

Time will tell for sure, though

 

I have my MCSE NT 4, MCSA 2000, A+, Net+, Server+, Security+, Project+. I tried the CCNA and missed it by a bit.

I am looking at the PMP but it looks like a pain in the ass to prove the number of project management hours you have.

 

I think the cisco tests are by far the hardest. I missed CCNA the first time by 3 points and when i studied for wireless field eng i missed all 10 question relating to cisco software so i failed the test. They are tough

I have a coworker who told me this about PMP- You have to have though hours in project work not management> So what is a project? Well by industry terms it is a workload that is not maintenance or service oriented. Installing a new server? Project. Rolling out a new departments PCs? More project hours. You have to make your experience work for you and not against. I highlighted my Anti-Virus clean up duties on the help desk as security work for my CISSP. Same with changing tapes. More time.


The worst part of the PMP is the 40 hours of mandatory class time

 

The worst part about the CCNP, SP, IP, and now VP is the long series of tests. I takes a long time to study, prep and take 5 tests. I am serious consideering a Camp in Bushkill PA for my CCSP in the summer. I am already working with the tech, and dont have weeks to deal with that and persue my degree too...


If you want to do security, the base certs like CCNA and CNA have served me good. You dont need a Senior Eng level of technical knowledge, but you have to have enough knowledge to work with them and really know when they are BSing you...

 

I hear ya there - CCNA I'm taking this June as I have to - part of my INT course @ FHSU ( requirement to take the CCNA ).

I've got Sec+, CWNA and CWSP books in my office now - if all goes as planned ( and that always happens... not ) by the end of this summer, I'll have my CCNA, Sec+ and CWNA... I see CW* Certs becoming more valuable as everything is moving towards wireless ( wicked article in one of my IEEE journals re an ISP in Malaysia going totally wireless ), here is also a good read: http://www.cwnp.com/about/news/2005/2005_01_03.html

CWSP avg Salary: $94k - not bad for a days fun-filled work, eh?

 

Very Interesting...Did not realize the drew that much. There has been some big wireless contracts down my way recently, may have to investigate. How tough does the CWNA look??? I choked on the cisco test, but only on their silly software, not fundementals.



The security test doesnt look to tough though...

 

How do you get security clearance?

 

Well, you just have to find an employer that wants you bad enough to do the clearance on you. An SSBI (Single Scope Background Investigation) will cost your employer thousands, so most employers try to hire people with existing clearances. In most cases these individuals are ex-military.

On top of the cost they are time consuming, the average investigation takes 18 months to process, more time that most employers are willing to invest.

 

Totally correct...There is a boat load of money to be made but you need the clearance...I am 34 with 2 kids, if i was alitle younger and no kids Id make the leap into the military just to get te clearances. Some of thoe guys make in the range of 200-250k....

 

MCSE-IT
MCT
Master CIW
CIW Security Analyst
CIW-Instructor
CCNA
CCWLANSS
CNA
and some CompTIA's...

 

For the user who posted first, where is this money being made? I am a CISSP and CISM, along with others, and have never seen 115K +

Eric Farmer, CISSP, CISSM, CNE, MCSE

 

Not in the Dept of Homeland Security

OTOH - the papers in Chicago are replete with the story of yet another senior DHS official who was found to be fascinated with kiddie porn.

What the hell's going on?

 

Actually, I took this job two years ago. Before that I was in the private sector. The biggest money I ever saw as a CISSP was around 90K - but there was just too much BS involved. My last company was with a large Healtchcare firm - we had meetings constantly, and meetings about meetings. It drove me crazy. That, and all the politics (believe it or not it is better now, lol).

The biggest pitfall to those type of jobs is because they pay you lot they expect you to work 60-70 hours a week, which translates into about 25-30 hour. You can make that without the headaches. Sorry, but life it is too short to slave for "the man".

Now I work 40 hrs a week, anything over is overtime, and I don't have to wear a suit...even for 15k less a year, it is worth it.

As for the porn stuff, those guys are far higher than my pay grade, but definitely disturbing...

 

I sympathize...One of the reasons for my transition to academia was getting paid to talk about technology, far less meetings...and the quality of life.

My predecessor as program chair was working 60-80 hours a week (extra classes, extra duties, etc) in order to maximize his retirement package. He died two months before he was due to retire. I hope to avoid that.