10 Certifications That Add Up To $8,000+ To Your Salary

You don’t always need to switch jobs or pivot careers to make more money. Sometimes, boosting your earning potential could be as simple as gaining an industry-specific qualification which helps you develop an in-demand skill in your field.

Some certifications have greater salary potential than others.

For example, one of the certifications recommended in this article, the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate, can boost your current salary by as much as $8,800.

“Certifications open doors for people who don’t have a four-year degree.,” relates Eva Chan, a career expert from Resume Genius. “Many people come from non-traditional backgrounds, which shows how certifications are becoming an important path into well-paying, in-demand tech jobs.”

Chang continued, “High-paying certifications don’t always come with a high price tag. Some cost less than $200 but can still boost your salary by thousands of dollars. That makes certifications one of the most accessible ways to advance your career without a big financial burden.”

In this article, you’ll discover the tech certifications identified by Resume Genius’ recent report, which offer the highest salary premiums.

But first…

Are Career Certifications Worth It?

Career certifications come in all shapes and sizes. Some require a monthly investment, as in the case of Codecademy or Coursera, where you might pay a $49/month membership to access hundreds of courses.

Others are a one-time investment and may cost a couple hundred dollars, or you may only need to pay for the exam, as in the case of some Meta’s online marketing training programs.

In some instances, for industry-leading certifications, particularly within the tech industry, the price can be upwards of $1,000. However, the return on investment is pretty high.

When you study a degree, you often have to wait years before you see the ROI. You have three or four years to graduate, and then after that, you’re often left stranded for six months or more, hoping to land a job that aligns with your field.

However, with certifications and short courses, the ROI doesn’t take that long to achieve. These courses evidence to employers that you’ve upskilled in something that is relevant and in strong demand, and that you have the practical tools and knowledge to solve their business problems, thus closing the talent gap in their organizations. This makes you more attractive as a job candidate, increasing your chances of being hired.

This way, you don’t need to wait years to see the ROI; and as you’ll see with the salary premiums below, even for a certification that costs a few hundred dollars or up to a thousand dollars, this more than pays for itself within the first year of employment alone.

In your job, gaining one of these certifications can lead to promotions to leadership, extra job mobility and more options across multiple companies, being headhunted, and opportunities to build your personal brand and thought leadership outside of your work as well.

And even as a freelancer with these certifications, you can earn a premium. You can manage several projects, work on retainer, become a highly sought-after consultant, and have leverage to increase your pricing due to your specialist expertise.

10 Tech Certifications That Pay Well In 2025

So, what tech certifications hold the strongest promise of ROI in 2025?

1. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate: +$8,800
2. GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC): +$7,900
3. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate: +$6,300
4. AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty: +$6,100
5. Certified Ethical Hacker (Master): +$5,200
6. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA): +$5,100
7. GIAC Information Security Professional: +$4,800
8. SAS Certified Data Scientist: +$4,600
9. Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals: +$3,300
10. Google Associate Cloud Engineer: +$3,000

How Long Does It Take To Complete These Certifications?

As an example, some Reddit users say that a few certifications, like the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate, have taken them up to six months to complete–and that’s still considering the fact that they took a break in between study and were also studying part-time. The Google Associate Cloud Engineer can take anywhere from 10-20 hours (for someone already experienced in the cloud) to 60 hours for a newbie.

Overall, these certifications range from a few weeks to about six months in duration.

The exact length of time it will take you to finish, all depends on several factors, including:

• How much time you’re able and willing to allocate to your professional development
• The frequency of your studies each week, i.e. is it daily, twice a week, on the weekends only, etc.
• The quality of time you’re able to spend upskilling; are you in a distraction-free setting?

But whatever length of time it takes, take the opportunity now to invest in learning and brushing up on your skills. Remember, the most important investment you could ever make is in yourself. You’ll never waste time and resources when you carve out money and quality time to better yourself professionally.

Enjoyed reading this article? Then you’ll enjoy my recent Forbes story, “15+ Free Certifications To Gain High-Income Skills In 2025.”

And if if you’re short on time but still want to invest in yourself, check out “20 Courses & Certificates To Learn High Income Skills In 2 Hours.”