By Quick answer: Which tech certifications increase your salary the most in 2027?
- Cloud architecture — AWS Solutions Architect – Associate, the most recognised cloud credential.
- Platform engineering — Kubernetes CKA and Terraform Associate for DevOps and SRE roles.
- AI engineering — Microsoft AI-102, AWS ML Engineer and Google Cloud Professional ML Engineer.
- First steps — AWS Cloud Practitioner and Azure AZ-900 lead into the above.
Key takeaways
- Pay rises follow skills employers struggle to hire for: cloud architecture, platform engineering and AI engineering.
- A certification boosts salary most when it backs up a move into a better-paid role, not as a stand-alone badge.
- Hands-on exams (CKA) and design-scenario exams (AWS SAA) carry more weight than recall-based ones.
In tech, a certification rarely raises your salary by itself. What it does is make a move into a better-paid role credible: from developer to cloud engineer, from sysadmin to platform engineer, from software engineer to ML engineer. Skillsoft's 2025 survey puts US holders of AWS Solutions Architect – Associate at an average of $155,597, among the highest of widely held certifications.1 This list ranks the credentials that back those moves, plus two first steps and a free training platform.
Ten salary-boosting tech certifications
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1502 | 130 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 2 | Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)Linux Foundation / CNCF | $4453 | 2-hour hands-on, performance-based exam | Free test |
| 3 | HashiCorp Certified: Terraform AssociateHashiCorp | Check the official page4 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 4 | Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)Microsoft | Exam priced by country5 | 100 minutes | Free test |
| 5 | AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1506 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 6 | Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning EngineerGoogle Cloud | $2007 | 2 hours, multiple choice | Free test |
| 7 | Google Cloud Associate Cloud EngineerGoogle Cloud | $1258 | 2 hours, multiple choice | Free test |
| 8 | AWS Certified Cloud PractitionerAmazon Web Services | $1009 | 90 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 9 | Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)Microsoft | Exam priced by country10 | 45 minutes | Free test |
| 10 | Microsoft Learn Free AI & Cloud TrainingMicrosoft | Free11 | Self-paced | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- AWS Solutions Architect Associate Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- Kubernetes CKA & CKAD Practice ExamPractise for Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) before you pay.Start free test →
- Terraform Associate Practice ExamPractise for HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- AI-102 Practice TestPractise for Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) before you pay.Start free test →
Each certification, and the role it pays off in
- AWSAWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateEngineers moving into cloud architecture$150
- Linux FoundationCertified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)Platform and SRE roles$445
- HashiCorpHashiCorp Certified: Terraform AssociateInfrastructure-as-code rolesCheck the official page
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Cost
- $1502
- Format
- 130 minutes, 65 questions
The cloud credential employers name most for architecture and senior cloud roles, at $150. It tests designing secure, resilient and cost-aware systems. For developers and sysadmins, it's the single most useful step towards better-paid cloud work.
Best forengineers moving into cloud architecture
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
- Cost
- $4453
- Format
- 2-hour hands-on, performance-based exam
Kubernetes skills are scarce and well paid, and the CKA proves them in a two-hour, hands-on exam in a live cluster. It's highly valued for platform, DevOps and site reliability roles. Prepare with real clusters, not just videos.
Best forplatform and SRE roles
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
- Cost
- Check the official page4
Terraform is the most common tool for managing infrastructure as code across clouds. HashiCorp's associate certification proves you can use it, and it pairs naturally with AWS SAA or CKA for platform roles.
Best forinfrastructure-as-code roles
Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country5
- Format
- 100 minutes
The developer credential for building AI solutions on Azure, including retrieval, agents, language and vision with Azure OpenAI. Demand is rising as enterprises put generative AI into production.
Best fordevelopers building AI on Azure
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate
- Cost
- $1506
For engineers who build, deploy and monitor machine learning systems on AWS, at $150. It's a strong signal for ML engineering and MLOps roles, which are among the best paid in software.
Best forML engineers on AWS
Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer
- Cost
- $2007
- Format
- 2 hours, multiple choice
Google Cloud's professional ML credential, $200 for two hours, and one of the more demanding exams in tech. It signals seniority for ML engineers working on Google Cloud.
Best forsenior ML engineers on Google Cloud
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
- Cost
- $1258
- Format
- 2 hours, multiple choice
Google Cloud's associate credential for engineers who deploy and operate workloads, at $125. It's the Google Cloud equivalent of an AWS associate certification and a sensible step for teams on GCP.
Best forcloud engineers on Google Cloud
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Cost
- $1009
- Format
- 90 minutes, 65 questions
A first step rather than a salary booster on its own, but the gateway to the AWS path. Take it if you're new to cloud, then move to Solutions Architect.
Best fora cheap first cloud step
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country10
- Format
- 45 minutes
Microsoft's cloud fundamentals exam, with free training on Microsoft Learn. Like Cloud Practitioner, it's a first step that makes AZ-104, AI-102 and other Azure credentials easier.
Best fora first step into Azure
Microsoft Learn Free AI & Cloud Training
- Cost
- Free11
The free training platform for every Microsoft exam above, with sandboxes for practice. Use it to prepare without paying for courses. Microsoft Learn's free learning paths and sandboxes cover every Microsoft certification, from Azure and AI to Power BI. The training is free; only the certification exams are paid, and they're priced by country.
Best forfree preparation for Microsoft exams
Which salary jump are you aiming for?
| From | To | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Cloud engineer | AWS Solutions Architect – Associate |
| Sysadmin | Platform engineer / SRE | CKA, Terraform Associate |
| Software engineer | ML engineer | AWS ML Engineer, Google Cloud PMLE |
| .NET / Azure developer | AI engineer | Microsoft AI-102 |
| Non-technical | Cloud support | AWS Cloud Practitioner |
Table: Tech career moves and the certification that backs each one
Why the same certification pays differently
Salary data mixes people at very different stages. A certification held by senior engineers will show a high average even if it adds little to a junior's pay. Use averages to choose a direction, then judge your own likely pay from job posts for the role you'd move into, in your city.
How we ranked these picks
We ranked credentials by how strongly they back moves into well-paid engineering roles (cloud architecture, platform engineering and AI engineering), using published salary data where available and employer demand otherwise, then added first steps and a free training platform. Costs and formats come from official pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which tech certification increases salary the most?
Among widely held credentials, AWS Solutions Architect – Associate is consistently near the top of published salary surveys. Kubernetes CKA and AI engineering certifications such as AI-102 and AWS ML Engineer are associated with well-paid, in-demand roles.
Do certifications really raise your salary?
They help most when they support a move into a better-paid role or a promotion case. On their own, without matching experience, they rarely change pay. The biggest increases come from combining a certification with hands-on work in the new role.
Which certification is best for software engineers?
AWS Solutions Architect – Associate for moving into cloud, CKA and Terraform for platform work, and AI-102 or AWS ML Engineer for AI engineering. Choose the one aligned with the role you want next.
Are tech certifications worth it in India?
Yes, especially cloud and AI credentials, which are widely requested by global capability centres and product companies. They are most valuable when paired with project experience you can discuss in interviews.
Which tech certification is easiest to start with?
AWS Cloud Practitioner and Azure AZ-900 are the easiest starting points, with free official training. They're first steps; plan the associate-level certification as your next goal.
Sources
- Skillsoft — 20+ Top-Paying IT Certifications (2025 IT Skills and Salary data)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Linux Foundation — Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- HashiCorp — HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google Cloud — Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google Cloud — Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Learn Free AI & Cloud Training, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- The best online certifications of 2027 — the full top 10 across every field
- Best AI Certifications of 2027: 10 Ranked by Career Impact — related guide
- Science of Apps free certification catalogue — 1,200+ free tests
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The highest-paying AI certifications of 2027: seven tied to the best-paid AI rolesThe 7 AI certifications tied to the best-paid AI roles in 2027: AWS ML Engineer, Google Cloud ML Engineer, Azure AI-102, Databricks GenAI and more.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The top 10 certifications for software engineers in 2027: cloud, platform, security and AIThe top 10 certifications for software engineers in 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, CKA, Terraform, AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, AI-102, AWS ML Engineer and more.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The highest-paying cloud computing certifications for 2027, from survey dataThe highest-paying cloud certifications for 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, Google Cloud ML Engineer, CKA, AZ-104 and more, with survey salaries and fees.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best DevOps certifications of 2027: eight for cloud, containers, automation and deliveryThe 8 best DevOps certifications of 2027: CKA, Terraform, AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, ITIL 4, PSM I and AWS Cloud Practitioner.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 DevOps certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones job posts nameThe top 5 DevOps certifications to get hired in 2027: CKA, Terraform, AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104 and Google Cloud ACE.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 cloud computing certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones cloud job posts nameThe top 5 cloud certifications to get hired in 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, CKA and Terraform, matched to job titles.
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