CompTIA A+
CompTIA
COST $246 TIME 1–2 mo SALARY $62K
Golden ticket into IT. 3.5M unfilled IT jobs. Fastest path from zero to employed in tech.
IT OPS CATEGORY · 7 CERTS
IT Ops.
Real job placement.
CompTIA, Cisco, ITIL. The fastest path from zero to employed in tech. Every cert below meets the same criteria: proven job placement, real salary impact ($10K+ lift or opens a new role category), accessible without a four-year degree, and from a recognized issuer.
FILTER BY CATEGORY
CompTIA Project+
CompTIA
COST $338 TIME 1–2 mo SALARY $75K
Lighter than PMP. No experience requirement. For entry-level ops or admin-to-PM transitions.
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA
COST $338 TIME 2–3 mo SALARY $75K
Logical next step after A+. Opens networking roles across every industry.
ITIL 4 Foundation
Axelos
COST $435 TIME 1–2 mo SALARY $90K
IT service management standard. Required for many IT ops and support manager roles.
Cisco CCNA
Cisco
COST $330 TIME 3–6 mo SALARY $88K
Networking bible. Recognized worldwide. Strong entry into network engineering careers.
SHRM-CP
SHRM
COST $300–495 TIME 3–6 mo SALARY $75K
HR cert with real employer weight. Opens HR generalist, people ops, and talent roles.
PMP
PMI
COST $555 TIME 3–6 mo SALARY $120K
Listed because employers filter on it. Means little without domain expertise to back it up.
Caveat
Resume-filter cert, not a skill cert. Only pursue if you already have the domain experience to back it up; otherwise it reads as decoration to real hiring managers.
PAST THE LIBRARY
When you're ready to execute.
The library points you at the right cert. The field guides help you actually run the play. Translate your background, rewrite your LinkedIn, prep for the interview, negotiate the offer.