These rankings use BLS May 2024 salary data for the roles each certification supports. Salary reflects the associated role — not the certification itself — and varies by location, experience, and employer. Verify current details on each official certification page.
Cross-category — ranked by the BLS median salary of the roles each certification leads to.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary reflects the associated role, not the certification.
Roles ranked by BLS median salary (May 2024). Each links to its career guide — responsibilities, in-demand certifications, and how to break in.
Lower-barrier certifications (Foundational, Associate, and Beginner level) associated with strong-earning roles — for those who want strong salary potential without a Professional or Expert-tier entry barrier.
| Certification | Difficulty | Role Pay (BLS) | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Certified DevNet Associate (DevNet Associate) | Associate | $133,080 | IT |
| AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA) | Associate | $133,080 | Cloud |
| Microsoft Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) | Associate | $133,080 | Cloud |
| Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) | Associate | $133,080 | Cloud |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA) | Associate | $130,390 | Cloud |
| TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation (TOGAF Foundation) | Foundational | $130,390 | IT |
| ArchiMate Foundation (ArchiMate Foundation) | Foundational | $130,390 | IT |
| CompTIA Security+ (Security+) | Foundational | $124,910 | IT |
| Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate (CyberOps Associate) | Associate | $124,910 | IT |
| Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) | Associate | $124,910 | Cloud |
"Lower-barrier" = Foundational, Associate, or Beginner difficulty tier. Salary reflects the associated role, not the certification.
HR certifications (SHRM-SCP, SPHR) are associated with HR Manager roles at a $140,030 BLS median. Cloud and network certifications (AWS SA, CCIE) link to Computer Network Architect roles at $130,390. Cybersecurity certifications (CISSP, Security+) link to Information Security Analyst roles at $124,910. Salary reflects the role, not the certification itself.
Associate and Foundational-level certifications with strong earning potential include AWS Certified Developer Associate, Microsoft Azure Developer Associate, and Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate — all associated with Software Developer roles at a $133,080 BLS median. CompTIA Security+ (Foundational) links to Information Security Analyst roles at $124,910.
Among roles with associated professional certifications: HR Managers median $140,030 (SHRM, PHR certs), Computer Network Architects $130,390 (cloud certs), Information Security Analysts $124,910 (cybersecurity certs), Data Scientists $112,590 (data analytics certs), and Project Management Specialists $100,750 (PMP, CAPM). All figures from BLS May 2024.