IT Certification Pay Surges as Noncertified Skills Slump
Network World, Thursday, April 30th, 2026
IT certification pay premiums jump sharply while noncertified skills face steepest decline in over two decades.
According to Foote Partners' latest IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index, cash pay premiums for IT certifications surged 1.8% in Q1 2026, marking their strongest quarterly jump in roughly a decade, while compensation for noncertified IT skills dropped 2.2%, the steepest decline since 2002.
AI-driven certifications like the Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist command the highest premiums at 18% of base salary, as employers reassess which skills are critical going forward. Even as noncertified skills decline overall, high-value areas like risk analytics, smart contracts, and AIOps continue commanding significant premiums of 15-24% of base salary.
The shift reflects a fundamental change in how organizations value IT work, moving from skill-based compensation to task-based valuation as AI transitions from experimental to operational. For network and security professionals, skills at the intersection of infrastructure, security, and AI are commanding the highest market premiums.