CompTIA-certified IT pros earn an average of £60,000 a year

Skills certifications from CompTIA are the most popular credentials among IT professionals, according to research on tech skills and salaries.

With more than two million certifications awarded, CompTIA says it is the leading provider of vendor-neutral skills certifications and education for the world’s IT workforce, including those working in the channel.

The 2016 IT Skills and Salary Report from Global Knowledge, a professional development and IT training provider, found that 35 percent of certified IT professionals reported holding one or more CompTIA certifications.

That made CompTIA the certification provider mentioned most frequently by respondents in the annual report.

The study found that 25 percent of respondents are CompTIA A+ certified, 20 percent hold a CompTIA Network+ certification, and 17 percent are CompTIA Security+ certified.

IT professionals with CompTIA certifications have an average annual salary of $76,575 (£59,207), according to the study.

Holders of CompTIA speciality and mastery certifications have even higher average salaries. For CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certified individuals, the average salary is $90,579 (£70,035). Holders of the CompTIA Cloud Essentials credential earn, on average, $102,568 (£79,305) per year.

“The Global Knowledge study confirms what we are seeing in the marketplace,” said Dr James Stanger, senior director, products, CompTIA. “Security, the cloud, the advent of mobile devices and the Internet of Things are all major drivers of change.

“With these changes IT professionals are constantly having to re-invent themselves and certification is a big part of that.”

He said: “Certification is a proven and reliable way for an IT pro to demonstrate that they understand underlying technologies and, more importantly, know how to apply the best solution in any circumstance.”

@AntonySavvas