Software Engineering Certifications: Highest-Paying Certification, Exam Preparation, and Job Outlook

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is a must-have credential for IT workers seeking leadership positions. It demonstrates a high level of technical proficiency and aptitude for leadership positions. It is ideal for those working in incident management, risk management, or information security governance.

CISM – Certified Information Security Manager Overview

• Average Salary: $130,000
• Cost: $575 (member); $760 (non-member)
• Requirements: Five or more years of experience in information security management, submit the certification application and fee
• Valid For: Three years. Professionals can maintain the certification by earning a minimum of 120 CPE credits within those three years, abiding by the (ISC)² code of ethics, and paying an annual maintenance fee.
• Exam Length: Four hours
• Best Suited For: Those with domain expertise in IS/IT security and management who wish to go from team member to manager

Potential Careers With CISM – Certified Information Security Manager

• Information Security Manager: $159,010 
• Information Security Analyst: $102,600  
• Computer Systems Analyst: $99,270

CRISC certifies IT specialists to detect, assess and monitor IT risk. They create and apply control mechanisms and frameworks. The certification helps individuals build a standard IT vocabulary regarding security and systems control.

CRISC - Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control Overview

• Average Salary: $129,000
• Cost: $575 (member); $760 (non-member)
• Requirements: At least three years of experience in IT risk management and IS control, submit application and processing fee
• Valid For: You can maintain the certification if you comply with its annual and three year CPE policy
• Exam Length: Four hours
• Best Suited For: Mid-career IT/IS audit, risk and security professionals

Potential Careers With CRISC - Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control

• Information Security Manager: $159,010 
• Information Security Analyst: $102,600  
• Computer Systems Analyst: $99,270

This (ISC)² accreditation signifies skill level and years of professional experience in cybersecurity. The CISSP certification has been equated to a Master's Degree in IT Security since it demonstrates a professional's ability to plan, implement, and administer a cybersecurity strategy effectively.

CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional Overview

• Average Salary: $120,000
• Cost: $749
• Requirements: At least five years of cumulative paid job experience in two or more of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge's eight domains
• Valid For: You can maintain the certification by earning a minimum of 120 CPE credits every three years, abiding by the (ISC)² code of ethics, paying annual maintenance fee
• Exam Length: Four hours
• Best Suited For: Cyber security experts who want to formally prove their skills

Potential Careers With CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional

• Information Security Manager: $159,010
• Cyber Security Analyst: $102,600
• Cyber Security Engineer: $98,391

The certification proves an individual's ability to develop and implement scalable systems on AWS. It is ideal for people involved in the design and deployment of cloud infrastructures as well as reference designs.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate Overview

• Average Salary: $118,000
• Cost: $150
• Requirements: Pass AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification as a prerequisite. One year of experience in designing systems on AWS.
• Valid For: Three years
• Exam Length: 130 minutes
• Best Suited For: Anyone with at least one year of practical experience in designing fault-tolerant, cost-effective, and flexible distributed systems on AWS

Potential Careers With AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

• Senior Solutions Architect: $138,677 
• Senior Software Engineer: $121,572
• Development Operations (DevOps) Engineer: $98,900

The success or failure of a project is directly related to the quality of its leadership and management. Earning the PMP certification qualifies you to define, organize, and manage projects from beginning to end. 

PMP - Project Management Professional Overview

• Average Salary: $111,000
• Cost: $405 (member); $555 (non-member)
• Requirements: A four-year degree, 36 months leading projects, 35 hours of project management education or a high school diploma, at least five years of project management experience, 35 hours of project management coursework
• Valid For: Earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) over three years to maintain your certification
• Exam Length: 230 minutes
• Best Suited For: Project professionals who want to formally prove their skills

Potential Careers With PMP - Project Management Professional

• Senior Project Manager, IT: $159,010
• Information Technology Director: $122,484 
• Project Manager, Information Technology: $88,899

Organizations develop policies to safeguard important corporate assets with more confidence when they work with a CISA-certified expert. CISA has long been regarded as the gold standard for IT and business systems auditors. This certification proves you can audit, control, and monitor an organization's systems.

CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor Overview

• Average Salary: $107,000
• Cost: $575 (member); $760 (non-member)
• Requirements: Five or more years of IS/IT audit, control, assurance, or security experience, submit the application and processing fee
• Valid For: You can maintain the certification by earning a minimum of 120 CPE credits over three years, abiding by the (ISC)² code of ethics, and paying the annual maintenance fee
• Exam Length: Four hours
• Best Suited For: Entry-level software engineers to mid-career professionals who want to showcase expertise in different spheres of audit engagements

Potential Careers With CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor

• Information Security Manager: $159,010
• Senior Information Technology Auditor: $87,682
• Information Technology Auditor: $77,250

This certification shows an architect's capacity to develop, implement, and maintain safe, flexible and sustainable cloud infrastructures. This credential distinguishes professionals from the competition and demonstrates to potential employers that they possess the skills necessary to succeed in a Google Cloud environment.

Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect Overview

• Average Salary: $100,000
• Cost: $200 (plus tax where applicable)
• Requirements: Recommended three years of professional experience, one year creating and managing Google Cloud solutions
• Valid For: Two years
• Exam Length: Two hours
• Best Suited For: Cloud architects who want to formally prove their skills

Potential Careers With Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect

• Cloud Solutions Architect: $129,718
• Cloud Data Architect: $128,418
• Cloud Security Architect: $120,520

The VCP-DCV certification verifies that a professional can develop a scalable virtual infrastructure with the VMware vSphere server virtualization technology. You will discover how to govern, consolidate, and implement VMware virtualization technologies with vSphere High Availability and Distributed Resource Scheduler clusters.

VMware Certified Professional Overview

• Average Salary: $99,000
• Cost: $250
• Requirements: Recommended experience with vSphere 7. x, complete at least one of the training courses
• Valid For: Candidates can recertify every two years but it is no longer mandatory
• Exam Length: 130 Minutes
• Best Suited For: IT professionals who want to enhance their skills in vSphere technology

Potential Careers With VMware Certified Professional

• Information Technology (IT) Manager: $159,010
• Senior Systems Engineer: $109,985
• Systems Administrator: $80,600

There is a growing interest for experts with knowledge and abilities in cyber security. Due to the ever-changing nature of an organization's attack surface, the CompTIA's Security+ certification program is a vital step in the professional development of individuals pursuing careers in cyber security. It is ranked as one of the best certifications for cloud computing.

CompTIA Security+ Overview

• Average Salary: $79,000
• Cost: $381
• Requirements: CompTIA Network+ certification and two years of IT administration expertise with a security focus.
• Valid For: Three years
• Exam Length: 90 minutes
• Best Suited For: Cyber security experts who want to formally prove their skills

Potential Careers With CompTIA Security+

• Network Engineer: $120,520
• Cyber Security Analyst: $102,600
• Systems Administrator: $80,600

Data engineers analyze information to acquire insight into business results, software engineering design statistical frameworks to help judgment and develop machine learning algorithms to streamline and optimize essential business processes. The certification facilitates data-driven information processing by gathering, manipulating, and displaying data.

Google Certified Professional Data Engineer Overview

• Average Salary: $58,000
• Cost: $200 (plus tax where applicable)
• Requirements: More than three years of professional experience, including at least one year using Google Cloud.
• Valid For: Two years
• Exam Length: Two hours
• Best Suited For: Data engineering professionals who want to formally prove their skills

Potential Careers With Google Certified Professional Data Engineer

• Cloud Data Architect: $128,418
• Computer Network Architect: $120,520
• Google Cloud Solution Architect: $112,500

• Cost: Free (audit track); $192 (verified track)
• Duration: Four weeks at six to eight hours per week
• Best Suited For: VCP-DCV: VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization

Learn the fundamentals of Java programming skills with this edX course. You will learn about the development and testing of software. As a result, you can develop technical skills and build Java-based software and tools after the successful completion of this course.

• Cost: $119/year
• Duration: 10 hours and 45 minutes
• Best Suited For: PMP - Project Management Professional

Unlike most other online video courses, these text-based lesson plans are designed to help you learn more quickly. If you want to become a better engineering manager, this training will help you rise in the ranks of your profession. With built-in exams, you will be able to improve your professional talents and develop an in-depth understanding of software engineering practices.

• Cost: $19.99
• Duration: Two hours
• Best Suited For: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

This course will help all aspiring and experienced developers gain key knowledge to build and design better code. Take this course if you want to take your software engineering profession to the next level. Use SOLID design principles to produce code that is both visually appealing and professional looking.

• Cost: Free (audit/free trial)
• Duration: 13 hours
• Best Suited For: Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect

In this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of cloud computing from both a commercial and technical standpoint. Cloud computing functions will become clear to you, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of using it in your business.

• Cost: Free (audit/free trial)
• Duration: 20 hours
• Best Suited For: CompTIA Security+

During this course, you will learn basic knowledge about cyber security as well as various reasons and solutions for cyber assaults. This course will include a review of key ideas, tools, and terminology related to cyber security.

These professionals keep an eye on network activity to make sure that security policies are being followed. The job involves constant monitoring of changes in IT security protocols and potential threats to data security. As an information security officer, you are also responsible for penetration testing, which is carried out to identify any security holes. 

Best Certification for the Job Role

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). ISACA provides this certification for software engineers to specialize in cyber security management.

Solution architects are responsible for building apps and services that are later employed by an organization's solution development team. Typically, their customer is a business that requires support with their technological infrastructure.

Best Certification for the Job Role

Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect. Google provides this certification for software engineers to specialize in cloud solutions architecture.

A cloud data architect’s role is to guide cloud data technologies and implement best industry practices in the fields of data management design and analytics. In simple terms, a cloud data architect manages data flow within an organization and around its external network. This job may include software testing and working on various database development projects.

Best Certification for the Job Role

Google Certified Professional Data Engineer. Google provides this certification for software engineers to specialize in cloud data architecture.

A cloud security architect is someone who constructs, plans, and implements protection mechanisms for cloud-based storage systems. They are responsible for evaluating and testing the cloud computing security measures that are already in place, as well as building firewalls to make the system even safer.

Best Certification for the Job Role

Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect. Google provides this certification for software engineers to specialize in cloud security architecture.

These professionals design flexible, fault-tolerant, and secure architectures using the Google Cloud Platform. Additionally, they develop solution designs, implementation plans, and cost estimates for the projects. They spend most of their time managing products and solutions on Google Cloud. They are high in demand because they allow businesses to leverage Google Cloud technologies.

Best Certification for the Job Role

Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect. This certification entails all the skills necessary for a GCP solution architect.