IT certifications signal job-ready skills across support, networking, systems, and administration — and many employers screen for them directly. This guide ranks strong options by experience level and cost, using verified exam data, so you can match a certification to the role you want. Confirm current details on each official page before registering.
| Certification | Level | Provider | Exam cost | Related roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ArchiMate Foundation | Foundational | The Open Group | Exam fee varies by country/region | Enterprise Architecture Analyst, Solution Architect |
| COBIT | Foundational | ISACA | US$175 member and US$175 non-member ex… | IT Governance Analyst, IT Auditor |
| A+ | Foundational | CompTIA | ~$253–265 per exam / ~$506–530 total (… | Help Desk Technician, IT Support Specialist |
| Network+ | Foundational | CompTIA | ~$369–399 voucher | Network Technician, Junior Network Administrator |
| Security+ | Foundational | CompTIA | ~$404–425 voucher | Information Security Analyst, Security Specialist |
| Google IT Support Professional Certificate | Foundational | Google / Coursera | Coursera subscription/program pricing … | IT Support Specialist, Help Desk Technician |
| ITIL 4 Foundation | Foundational | PeopleCert | PeopleCert sells bundles rather than a… | IT Service Desk Analyst, IT Service Manager |
| TOGAF Foundation | Foundational | The Open Group | Exam fees vary by country/region and e… | Enterprise Architect, Business Architect |
| VCTA | Foundational | VMware by Broadcom | $250 USD flat exam fee for VCTA/VCP/VC… | Virtualization Technician, IT Support Specialist |
| CyberOps Associate | Associate | Cisco | — | SOC Analyst, Cybersecurity Analyst |
| DevNet Associate | Associate | Cisco | — | Network Automation Engineer, DevNet Developer |
| CCNA | Associate | Cisco | — | Network Administrator, Network Technician |
| CCNP Collaboration | Professional | Cisco | — | Collaboration Engineer, Unified Communications Engineer |
| CCNP Data Center | Professional | Cisco | — | Data Center Network Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer |
| CCNP Enterprise | Professional | Cisco | — | Network Engineer, Enterprise Network Engineer |
| CCNP Security | Professional | Cisco | — | Network Security Engineer, Security Engineer |
| CCNP Service Provider | Professional | Cisco | — | Service Provider Network Engineer, Network Engineer |
| Cloud+ | Associate | CompTIA | Approximate $369 USD voucher commonly … | Cloud Engineer, Systems Administrator |
| CySA+ | Professional | CompTIA | Approximate $404–425 USD voucher range | Cybersecurity Analyst, SOC Analyst |
| Linux+ | Associate | CompTIA | Approximate $369–390 USD voucher range | Linux Systems Administrator, Systems Administrator |
| PenTest+ | Professional | CompTIA | Approximate $404–425 USD voucher range | Penetration Tester, Vulnerability Analyst |
| ITIL MP | Professional | PeopleCert | — | IT Service Manager, IT Operations Manager |
| ITIL SL | Professional | PeopleCert | — | IT Strategy Manager, Service Management Leader |
| RHCE | Professional | Red Hat | — | Linux Systems Administrator, Automation Engineer |
| RHCS Ansible | Retired | Red Hat | not_applicable_active | Automation Engineer, Linux Systems Administrator |
| RHCS Containers | Professional | Red Hat | — | Container Platform Administrator, DevOps Engineer |
| RHCS OpenShift Admin | Professional | Red Hat | — | OpenShift Administrator, Kubernetes Platform Administrator |
| TOGAF Practitioner | Professional | The Open Group | Exam fees vary by region/exam code | Enterprise Architect, Solution Architect |
| VCP-DCV | Professional | VMware by Broadcom | $250 USD. | Virtualization Administrator, Systems Administrator |
| VCP-NV | Professional | VMware by Broadcom | $250 USD flat exam fee for VCTA/VCP/VC… | Network Virtualization Engineer, Network Administrator |
| CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure | Expert | Cisco | — | Senior Network Engineer, Network Architect |
| CCIE Security | Expert | Cisco | — | Senior Security Engineer, Network Security Architect |
| RHCA | Expert | Red Hat | — | Enterprise Architect, Senior Linux Architect |
Data reflects verified values where available; confirm current details on each official page. "—" means not yet verified.
A well-rounded choice that balances accessibility, recognition, and the roles it supports.
Entry-level requirements make this a practical first certification (Foundational level).
The most advanced option here — commonly associated with senior and leadership roles.
The lowest verified exam cost in this guide at US$175 member and US$175 non-member exam cost shown by ISACA..
Start from your target role, not the certification. If you're entering the field, a lower-cost entry credential gets you past screening fastest. If you already have experience, an advanced certification signals depth for senior roles. Match the certification's typical roles (in the table above) to the jobs you're actually applying for, and confirm cost and prerequisites on the official page before committing.
Build a resume targeted to these roles, then track every application in one place.