Top 29 IT Certifications To Advance Your Career

The right skills and qualifications can make a big difference in advancing your IT career beyond the help desk.

Brushing up on your IT skills and gaining IT certifications are great ways to demonstrate your dedication, knowledge, and expertise in a particular area of technology and can make you stand out in a crowded job market.

We've curated a list of the top 29 programs to help you navigate the world of IT certifications. Whether you're interested in automation, cloud computing, or big data, there's sure to be a certification that's right for you. ‍

Cloud and infrastructure certifications

Cloud and infrastructure certifications focus on designing, deploying, and managing modern cloud environments across platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. These credentials are ideal for professionals responsible for architecture, system reliability, scalability, and multicloud operations.

Google-certified professional cloud architect

The Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect exam assesses your ability to design, develop, manage, and secure cloud architectures and cloud solutions built on the Google Cloud platform. ‍

‍Level. Advanced

Length. 2 hours

Exam format. 50–60 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions

Cost. $200 to take the exam

Prerequisites. At least three years of industry experience is recommended, including one year designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud‍.

Microsoft certified — Azure fundamentals

The Azure Fundamentals certification covers foundational knowledge about cloud technologies and core Microsoft Azure services.

Level. Beginner

Length. 45 minutes

Exam format. 40 to 60 questions, which include multiple-choice, multiple-response, drag-and-drop, and scenario-based items

Cost. $99 exam fee

Prerequisites. None

Microsoft certified — Azure administrator associate

The Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate certification covers the implementation, management, and monitoring of an organization's cloud infrastructure via Microsoft Azure. ‍

Level. Intermediate

Length. 100 minutes

Exam format. 40 to 60 questions, which include multiple-choice, multiple-response, drag-and-drop, and scenario-based items

Cost. $165 exam fee

Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites, but experience with operating systems, networking, servers, virtualization, PowerShell, and Azure CLI is recommended.

AWS certified security — specialty

Amazon recommends at least five years of IT security experience for its AWS Certified Security — Specialty certification, which tests expertise in cloud computing and security. It validates your skills in key AWS technologies, including data classification and protection mechanisms.

Level. Advanced

Length. 170 minutes

Exam format. 65 questions; multiple-response or multiple-choice

Cost. $300 test fee. Once you earn one AWS Certification, you get a 50% discount on your next AWS Certification exam. 

Prerequisites. Five years of IT security experience and two or more years of hands-on experience in securing AWS workloads.

Nutanix certified professional — multicloud infrastructure (NCP-MCI)

The Nutanix Certified Professional — Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) certification comes from a rapidly growing cloud solutions company. This certification validates your skills and abilities in deploying and administering Nutanix's proprietary cloud solutions technology.

Level. Intermediate

Length. 120 minutes

Exam format. 75 multiple-choice questions

Cost. $199 per test attempt

Prerequisites. A minimum of one year of general IT infrastructure experience and six months of Nutanix virtualization experience are recommended.

Google Cloud — Cloud digital leader

The Google Cloud Digital Leader certification focuses on Google Cloud's core products and services. It addresses cloud computing basics and touches on using cloud solutions to support an enterprise.

Level. Advanced

Length. 90 minutes

Exam format. 50–60 multiple-choice questions

Cost. $99 exam fee

Prerequisites. None

AWS certified cloud practitioner

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner covers a generalized proficiency in AWS Cloud technologies independent of specific technical roles.

Level. Beginner

Length. 90 minutes

Exam format. 65 multiple-response or multiple-choice questions

‍Cost. $100 exam fee. Once you earn one AWS Certification, you get a 50% discount on other AWS Certification exams. 

Prerequisites. None

AWS certified solutions architect — associate

Amazon's AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate) exam tests professionals on their ability to architect and deploy cost-efficient, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed software solutions on AWS.

Level. Intermediate

Length. 130 minutes

Exam format. 65 questions, which can be multiple-response or multiple-choice

Cost. $150 to take the exam

Prerequisites. There are no hard prerequisites, but completing the training course material covered by the exam is recommended. 

Cybersecurity and risk management certifications

Cybersecurity and risk management certifications validate your ability to protect systems, manage risk, and ensure compliance in increasingly regulated IT environments. They're especially valuable for professionals working in security leadership, auditing, governance, and defensive security roles.

Certified information security manager (CISM)

ISACA's CISM certification covers general information security governance, program management, incident management, and risk management. ‍

Level. Advanced

Length. 4 hours

Exam format. 150 multiple-choice questions

Cost. $575 for members and $760 for nonmembers, and an additional $50 to apply for certification (within five years of passing the exam)

Prerequisites. The CISM has a robust application process and requires relevant full-time work experience in the CISM Job Practice Areas at the time of certification.

Certified information systems security professional (CISSP)

The (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) qualification is for experienced cybersecurity professionals, such as CIOs, CISOs, and security managers.

Level. Advanced

Length. 3 hours

Exam format. Between 100 and 150 multiple-choice questions and advanced items

Cost. $749 exam fee (in U.S.)

Prerequisites. At least five years of cumulative experience working in two or more of the eight domains of the ISC2 CISSP Exam Outline.

Certified information systems auditor (CISA)

ISACA's Certified Systems Auditor (CISA) is an entry-level to mid-career IT certification that covers the auditing, governance, management, development, implementation, and protection of information systems and operations.

‍Level. Intermediate

Length. 4 hours

Exam format. 150 multiple-choice questions

Cost. The CISA exam fee is $575 for members and $760 for nonmembers. It costs an additional $50 to apply for certification (within five years of passing).

Prerequisites. CISA candidates must have at least five years of professional information systems auditing, control, or security work experience within the last 10 years before applying for certification.

ISACA certified in risk and information systems control (CRISC)

ISACA's Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) qualification is for IT professionals specializing in IT risk management and information systems control.

‍Level. Advanced

Length. 4 hours 

Exam format. 150 multiple-choice questions

Cost. The CRISC exam fee is $575 for members and $760 for nonmembers, and an additional $50 to apply for certification (within five years of passing the exam).

Prerequisites. The CRISC has a robust application process and requires relevant full-time work experience in the CRISC Job Practice Areas at the time of certification.

CompTIA Security+

The CompTIA Security+ certification exam covers cybersecurity fundamentals needed in an IT environment. This certification also qualifies you for DoD 8140 compliance.

Level. Beginner

Length. 90 minutes

Exam format. About 90 performance-based and multiple-choice questions

‍Cost. $425 exam fee

Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites, but CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience working in a security or systems administrator job role are recommended.

Certified ethical hacker

EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker qualifications are for InfoSec professionals seeking to practice as white-hat hackers. The course and exam are designed to validate your ability to perform vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and other security testing techniques.

Level. Beginner

Length. Knowledge exam takes 4 hours and practical exam takes 6 hours

Exam format. Knowledge exam has 125 multiple-select and multiple-choice questions

‍Cost. $100 application fee and $1,199 exam fee

Prerequisites. At least two years of work experience in the InfoSec domain

DevOps and containers certifications

DevOps and containers certifications focus on automation, continuous delivery, and modern application deployment using tools like Kubernetes and cloud-native workflows. They're a strong fit for engineers working at the intersection of development, operations, and infrastructure.

Certified Kubernetes administrator (CKA)

The Linux Foundation offers the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) for IT professionals looking for proof of competency in the popular container orchestration tool. This exam certifies that Kubernetes (K8s) administrators can leverage Kubernetes for networking, storage, security, maintenance, logging and monitoring, application life cycle, troubleshooting, and API object primitives.‍

Level. Intermediate

Length. 2 hours

Exam format. Practical tests involving solving different Kubernetes tasks from a command line

Cost. $445 exam fee, with a course bundle available for $645

Prerequisites. None 

AWS certified devOps engineer

The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer exam is for DevOps engineers with two or more years of experience provisioning, operating, and managing AWS environments.

Level. Advanced

Length. 180 minutes

Exam format. 75 questions; multiple-response or multiple-choice 

Cost. $300 exam fee. Once you earn one AWS Certification, you get a 50% discount on your next AWS Certification exam.

Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites, but experience with developing code in at least one high-level programming language, building automated infrastructures, and administering operating systems is recommended.

Data engineering and big data certifications

Data engineering and big data certifications emphasize building, managing, and analyzing large-scale data systems. These programs are designed for professionals working with data pipelines, analytics platforms, and machine learning–ready infrastructure.

Certification of professional achievement in data sciences

Columbia University's Certification of Professional Achievement in Data Sciences differs slightly from the other professional certificates on this list because it's a graduate certificate program with a curriculum and tuition. This certification is for professionals wanting to grow their statistics, data science, data visualization, algorithms, data analytics, deep learning, and machine learning knowledge and skills in a graduate setting.

Level. Advanced

Length. Varies per course

Exam format. Learners must complete a minimum of 12 credits

Cost. Around $2,200 per credit, and a nonrefundable technology fee of $395 per course

Prerequisites. None

Google-certified professional data engineer

The Google-Certified Professional Data Engineer exam is for data engineers looking for proof of competency in designing, building, maintaining, and securing data processing systems.

‍Level. Intermediate

Length. 2 hours

Exam format. 40 to 50 multiple-select and multiple-choice questions

Cost. $200 exam fee

Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites, but it's recommended to have three or more years of industry experience and one year managing solutions using Google Cloud.

Cloudera generalist

The Cloudera Generalist exam tests your knowledge and ability to use the Cloudera data platform.

‍Level. Beginners 

Length. 90 minutes

Exam format. 60 multiple-select and multiple-choice questions

‍Cost. $330 exam fee

Prerequisites. None

Networking and systems administration certifications

Networking and systems administration certifications cover the core technologies that keep IT environments running smoothly. These credentials are well suited for professionals managing networks, servers, operating systems, virtualization platforms, and enterprise infrastructure.

CCNP enterprise

Cisco's Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) Enterprise certification covers the planning, implementation, verification, and troubleshooting of local and wide-area enterprise networks.‍ One needs to pass two CCNP exams to earn a certification.

Level. Intermediate

Length. 120 minutes for the core exam and concentration exam is 90 minutes

Exam format. Multiple-choice and multiple-response questions

Cost. Core exam available for $400, while a concentration exam goes for $300

Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites, but three to five years of experience is a plus.

CompTIA Network+

The CompTIA Network+ certification exam validates your proficiency in configuring, managing, and troubleshooting networks.

Level. Beginner

Length. 90 minutes

Exam format. 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions

Cost. $390 exam fee

Prerequisites. There are no prerequisites, but CompTIA A+ certification and a minimum of nine months of hands-on experience working in a junior network administrator or network support technician job role are recommended.

Oracle database administration

The Oracle Database Administration exam validates your ability to configure and manage Oracle Databases. The first exam covers SQL programming, database management, and network administration.

Level. Advanced

Length. 120 minutes

Exam format. 72 multiple-choice questions

Cost. $245 exam fee

Prerequisites. None

Citrix certified professional — virtualization (CCP-V)

The Citrix Certified Professional — Virtualization (CCP-V) qualification is for IT professionals who install, configure, and manage complex solutions based on Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.

‍Level. Intermediate

Length. 90 minutes 

Exam format. 60-65 multiple-choice and multiple-response questions

Cost. $300 exam fee

Prerequisites. You must pass the CCA-V as a prerequisite before taking this exam.

Red Hat certified system administrator (RHCSA)

The Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) exam certifies your skills as a system administrator and your familiarity with Red Hat products. This certification counts as a qualification for taking the Red Hat Certified Architect exam.

Level. Advanced

Length. 3 hours

Exam format. One is assessed based on how they complete real-world tasks

Cost. $400 exam fee

Prerequisites. Applicants must possess valid work experience or one of the qualifying Red Hat Administration certifications to take the exam.

Linux Professional Institute (LPIC-1)

The Linux Professional Institute (LPIC-1) certification is the first in a series of specializations that validate your skills as a Linux system administrator. LPIC-1 is broken into two parts and covers the basics, from system architecture to GNU and Unix commands to network security.

Level. Intermediate

Length. 90 minutes

Exam format. 60 fill-in-the-blank  and multiple-choice questions

Cost. $200 exam fee for each part

Prerequisites. None

General and foundational IT certifications

General and foundational IT certifications provide broad, transferable knowledge across IT service management, architecture, and project leadership. They're often a smart starting point for early-career professionals or those transitioning into new IT roles.

Project management professional (PMP)

The Project Management Institute's Project Management Professional (PMP) certification recognizes the ability to manage projects. It's popular in the IT industry.

Level. Intermediate

Length. 230 minutes

Exam format. 180 questions

Cost. The PMP exam fee is $425 for members and $675 for nonmembers.

Prerequisites. The PMP exam requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent, three to five years of project management experience, and 35 hours of formal project management education. Alternatively, you may qualify with a high school diploma or associate degree if you have 60 months of hands-on experience leading projects and 35 hours of formal project management education.

TOGAF certification — foundation

The TOGAF 9 Foundation certification validates your knowledge of TOGAF, an internationally recognized open enterprise architecture standard. The Foundation level covers TOGAF terminology, structure, and basic concepts of enterprise architecture.‍

‍Level. Intermediate

Length. TOGAF Part 1 is timed at 1 hour, while Part 2 is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Exam format. TOGAF Part 1 has 40 multiple-choice questions, while Part 2 has 8 complex scenario questions.

Cost. The TOGAF 9 Foundation exam is divided into two parts, each with an exam fee of $360. Alternatively, you can take both at once for $550.

Prerequisites. None

Certified scrummaster (CSM)

The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) exam validates knowledge in Scrum — an Agile development methodology for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex projects.

‍Level. Beginner

Length. 1 hour

Exam format. 50 multiple-choice questions

Cost. CSM exam fees depend on when and where you take the 16-hour Scrum course. Currently, ScrumAlliance has course listings ranging from $250 to $2,495, with the more expensive options including one-on-one tutoring.

Prerequisites. None

Information technology infrastructure library (ITIL)

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL 4) Foundation qualification is the official certification for the popular IT management framework. Beyond fundamentals, the latest version also certifies professionals for knowledge in DevOps, Agile, and Lean IT.

Level. Beginner

Length. 40 multiple-choice questions

Exam format. 60 minutes

Cost. The ITIL 4 Foundation exam fee is $699 when administered online through PeopleCert.

Prerequisites. None

Other platforms for IT training and certifications

IT professionals often build skills beyond formal certification programs, and several online learning platforms make this easier with flexible courses, microcredentials, and hands-on practice. These options can help you prepare for top exams, broaden your technical range, or pick up emerging skills such as automation or cloud scripting in Python.

Popular platforms include.

• Udemy offers a wide catalog of beginner through advanced IT courses, including cloud computing, cybersecurity, generative AI, Linux administration, and programming tracks like Python. Many courses include practice tests or lab-style exercises that align with major certification objectives, making it a budget-friendly way to prepare for technical exams.
• Coursera partners with universities and technology companies to deliver structured certificate programs and certification courses with graded assignments, guided projects, and instructor feedback. Specializations in topics like IT support, artificial intelligence, data engineering, and cloud fundamentals often map directly to industry certifications and provide portfolio-ready project work.
• LinkedIn Learning provides short, skimmable video modules focused on technical skill building, productivity tools, and certification prep. The platform also integrates skill badges into your LinkedIn profile, which helps freelancers showcase expertise to potential clients.
• Pluralsight blends videos, interactive labs, and skill assessments. Its cloud and security tracks are especially useful for learners preparing for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and cybersecurity certifications.

Find IT jobs on Upwork

An IT career offers plenty of opportunities to work with a variety of technologies across various industries. Professional development to grow your skill set will set you apart. We hope this in-depth look at the top IT certifications can help you gain technical in-demand skills to advance your career.

Ready to start your journey? Create a freelancer's Upwork profile and start applying for IT support and software development jobs. Get started today!

FAQs

Browse answers to some common questions below about IT certifications.

What is an IT certification?

An IT certification is a document that verifies the competency of an IT professional with a specific skill or technology. Reputable vendors within the IT industry often administer IT certifications upon assessment or course completion. Popular IT certification-issuing vendors include Amazon, Cisco, CompTIA, IASCA, Google, and Microsoft.

If you want to demonstrate core competency in a particular technology, that vendor likely offers a certification. An IT professional holding a popular IT certification may earn 10% to 25% more than their peers.

Do you need an IT certification?

You may not need an IT certification to practice, but they can certainly help you win projects. IT certifications help you to showcase competency in certain technologies, operating systems, or IT services and stand out from the competition. Depending on the program, they also provide opportunities to increase your skills and knowledge to help you grow as a professional.

A professional can benefit from an IT certification in three ways: skill building, personal branding, and higher pay. Finding data on how IT certifications affect independent contractors' hourly rates or fixed-price contracts is difficult, but salary information is widely reported and can provide a good idea of how valuable adding a certification to your profile might be. 

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