- Be part of the future! Information
Technology is one of the fastest growing fields of employment, accounting
for 1 of every 4 new jobs created between 2000 and 2010.
("Occupational Outlook Handbook - 2002" US Bureau of Labor
Statistics).
- Earn what you’re worth! The
average salary of a professional with an IT certification is $55,577.
(Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- Work in any industry! 92 percent
of all Information Technology professionals work outside of technology
companies. (Information Technology
Association of America)
- Job opportunities in business! In
a press release, Bill Gates said Microsoft plans to hire more than 5,000
people over the next year. Current employees are getting raises, too.
(“Microsoft Maintaining Strong Product
Momentum and Long-Term Focus, Gates Tells Analysts” – Company Press Release,
PRNewswire, July 25, 2002)
- Job opportunities in government!
Over 50% of federal government IT professionals will be eligible for
retirement by 2006. (“Changes in Federal Civilian Employment: An Update” Congressional
Budget Office, May 2001)
- Get a raise! 53 percent of
professionals reported they had received a raise within the first year of
attaining their primary certification. Of those who received a raise in
salary, 74 percent said their primary certification had a significant impact
on their salary increase. 39 percent said they received a definite,
certification-related raise within the first year of attaining their
certification. (Certification Magazine -
2002 Salary Survey)
- Get promoted! 37 percent of
professionals received a promotion within the first year of attaining their
primary certification. Of those receiving promotions, 83 percent felt their
certifications played a major role in the advancement.
(Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- Work internationally! While the US
is home to half of all IT workers worldwide, the size of the IT workforce
outside of this country is growing twice as fast. (about 20% annual growth
internationally) (eWeek magazine “Fair
Trade on Jobs?” by Lisa Vaas, May 13, 2002)
- Job Satisfaction! 91 percent of
professionals in IT state that they are satisfied with their career choice,
with over 56 percent stating that they are “very satisfied”.
(Computerworld Magazine - 2001 Job
Satisfaction Survey)
- Join the club! 79 percent of those
who already have technical certifications will seek additional
certifications in the coming year. (Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- Average earnings in the computer
and data processing industry are 89% higher than the national average for
all industries. (“Career Guide for
Industries: 2002 - 2003” Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Information Technology Association
of America Survey – Almost half of all new jobs created in Information
Technology go unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates.
(“When Can You Start?” ITAA April 2001)
- 56 percent of professionals in IT
state that flexible work hours and casual work environment contribute to
their job satisfaction (Computerworld
Magazine - 2001 Job Satisfaction Survey)
- 50 percent of professionals in IT
state that opportunities to use new technologies and work on interesting
projects contribute to their job satisfaction.
(Computerworld Magazine - 2001 Job
Satisfaction Survey)
- 51 percent of all IT and technical
professionals invest in technical certifications every year.
(Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- More technical professionals hold
certifications now than last year—an increase of some 29 percent over 2000.
(Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary
Survey)
- According to study results, the
average professional currently holds nearly four (3.86 on average) different
technical certifications. (Certification
Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- The average professional reported a
10.2 percent salary increase, equating to an average of $4,477, within the
first year of attaining their certification.
(Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- The average IT professional
received a certification-related raise of 10.2 percent, which equated to a
$4,477 increase in salary. Given that the average cost of a certification
was $1,934, the average first-year ROI was 2.3 to 1, which means that on
average, for every dollar invested in a certification, the certificant
realized a $2.30 return within the first year.
(Certification Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
- Additional certifications lead to
higher earnings.
# of Certifications |
1 |
2-3 |
4-5 |
6-7 |
Avg. Salary |
$49,852 |
$53,559 |
$59,868 |
$64,560 |
% increase |
0.00% |
7.43% |
20.09% |
29.50% |
(Certification
Magazine - 2002 Salary Survey)
|