9 IT Certifications to Consider in 2024

You have likely seen the terms “certification” and “certificate” used in relation to IT education requirements and been curious about their similarities and differences. There is a distinct difference between a certification versus a certificate. In short, a certification comes from a professional organization that verifies the holders’ skills, while a certificate is an educational credential in a particular discipline from a university or similar institution. Take a look at online job listings on platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn and you’ll see that employers list qualifications that include both educational credentials and industry certifications.

Going into more detail, IT certifications are usually conferred by an independent third-party organization that establishes standards and best practices for some aspect of the IT industry, or one of the major tech companies, such as Microsoft or Amazon Web Services (AWS). By meeting eligibility requirements and passing a certification exam, individuals can obtain the certification and include the credential in their title, which would be the letters after someone’s name, such as CDP (Certified Data Professional) or CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor). Employers sometimes prefer to hire candidates with specific credentials, or they may help entry-level employees obtain certification after they’re hired. Industrial or professional certification programs often require credential holders to participate in continuing professional education programs or to re-certify every few years to keep their skills up to date, and IT certifications are no exception.

A certificate is a credential awarded by an academic institution that confirms an individual has successfully completed a course of study, similar to a degree program but typically shorter. Certificate programs are often available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They typically can be completed in less time and at a lower cost than a full degree program and can be used to enhance or deepen your knowledge of a particular skill, which may then aid in a job search or potential career advancement opportunity.

While being configured and obtained in different ways, certifications and certificates can intersect in meaningful ways. Elements of the coursework in academic certificate programs are sometimes designed to prepare students for widely accepted certification exams. This is evident in the IT certificates offered here at DeVry:
 

Many information technology-related certifications can help you prepare to pursue that first job in cyber security, data analysis, software design or some other area of IT, or help you sharpen your skills to prepare for what’s next. As promised, here’s our list of 9 important IT certifications:
 

According to CompTIA, this fundamental IT credential appears in more tech support job listings than any other. This certification verifies skills involved in critical IT support tasks for professionals supporting networking, security and virtualization and more.
 

Validating the baseline skills required to pursue an IT security career, CompTIA’s Security+ certification establishes core knowledge required in cyber security and can be used as a springboard to intermediate-level roles in the continuously evolving tech environment. Incorporating best practices and hands-on troubleshooting, this IT certification verifies the skills required to identify, analyze and respond to security incidents.
 

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate credential is intended to demonstrate knowledge and skills across the range of AWS services and increase the credential holder’s confidence and credibility when interacting with customers and stakeholders. This certification focuses on the design of cost and performance-optimized solutions while highlighting an understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
 

Google’s Professional Cloud Architect certification verifies skills associated with an understanding of cloud architecture and Google Cloud. The certification exam assesses candidates’ abilities to manage implementations of cloud architecture, analyze and optimize technical and business processes and manage and provision cloud solution infrastructure.
 

Described as a good starting point for IT professionals on the AWS certification journey, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner validates foundational skills and understanding of AWS Cloud, services and terminology. This IT certification, according to AWS, is appropriate for individuals switching to a cloud career with no prior IT or cloud experience, or for those looking for foundational cloud literacy.
 

This certificate program is intended to provide the skills required to gain entry-level employment in the field of IT support. The fully online Google IT Support Professional program covers tech support fundamentals, operating systems, networks, security and system administration, with an emphasis on troubleshooting and problem-solving to keep computers and networks running without interruption.
 

Microsoft’s family of 365 certifications consists of three levels: Fundamentals, Associate and Expert. This Fundamental certification is right for you if you’d like to demonstrate a base-level knowledge of cloud services, show fluency in SaaS (software as a solution) solutions, particularly the various Microsoft 365 offerings, and showcase your familiarity with the currently available Microsoft 365 cloud service options.
 

The EC-Council’s CEH certification is a globally-recognized, structured professional course for aspiring professionals in cyber security. With an extensive program that covers 5 phases of ethical hacking, this program allows you to learn the commercial-grade hacking tools and techniques used by information security professionals to lawfully hack an organization.
 

Offered by the ISACA network of IT and information systems (IS) professionals, the CISA credential is recognized as the standard of achievement for professionals who audit, control, monitor and assess organizational IT and business systems. Intended for mid-level IT and IS practitioners, CISA certification verifies skills in the IS auditing process, IT governance and management, IS operations and business resilience, and protection of information assets.

The array of certifications available to aspiring or experienced IT professionals can be overwhelming. You can, however, get your bearings by establishing clear professional goals. Are you looking for an entry-level position or advancing your career after gaining a few years of on-the-job experience? If you know where you’re headed in your job search, the decision may become much easier.

As we mentioned earlier on, it’s a good idea to look at the certifications employers may include in the qualifications section of their online job postings. Employers may prefer to hire candidates with certifications that align with the duties and responsibilities of the positions for which they’re hiring and may specify those certifications in their job listings. Even if you don’t find a specific certification requirement there, you can do a side-by-side comparison of the job descriptions and the certifications in the corresponding IT area to see where they align.

All our undergraduate tech certificates, like our Undergraduate Certificate in Cloud Computing, Undergraduate Certificate in Networking Essentials, Undergraduate Certificate in Cyber Security, Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Technology and others, are aligned with industry-recognized certifications. While these are just one step toward earning a certification, they can help you gain familiarity with tech and IT principles, give you hands-on experience with current technology and applications and provide you with guidance from knowledgeable professors who work in the field. 

If you’re planning to pursue a tech career or change direction with the experience you’ve already earned, DeVry can help you pursue your professional goals. We offer a range of tech certificate and degree programs with the innovation that you’d expect from an institution that’s been progress driven for nearly a century.

Gain a hands-on foundation of tech knowledge in topics like operating systems, hardware, connectivity, programming and security while you build the skills needed in today’s Internet of Things (IoT) economy.

Online learning with DeVry can help you balance your commitment to education with work, family and other aspects of your busy life. Let’s talk about getting you enrolled in the program that fits your personal and professional goals.