Here’s a couple of interesting articles on Top-Paying IT Certifications for 2018. The quotes below are direct from each article.

According to a Global Knowledge article: 15 Top-Paying IT Certifications for 2018

• The only top 15 certification for Microsoft at number 12 was Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) – Server Infrastructure with an average yearly salary of $100,656.
• In March 2017, it was retired and replaced by the MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure certification.
• The MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure certification aligns with roles such as cloud administrator, cloud architect, computer support specialist, and information security analyst.
• All but three of the top 15 certifications pay $100,000 or more. The other three are just short of $100,000.

According to a related Forbes article: 15 Top Paying IT Certifications In 2018

• Average salary across all 15 certifications is $108,109 per year.
• Virtualization and cloud computing certifications pay an average salary of $112,955 per year.
• Security certifications pay an average salary of $109,989 per year.
• Network certifications pay an average salary of $99,310 per year.
• Project Management Professional (PMP®) certifications are the most popular, with 770,000 active PMPs in 210 countries and territories worldwide.

On a personal note, I hold 7 Microsoft certifications. None of the IT certifications really was a factor in my salary or raises. However, the IT certifications did help landing a DBA job at a couple of companies that I really wanted to work for in my career. My IT certifications were the tie breaker for getting the job I wanted (I asked my manager why I was selected after I was hired). So while salary is important, your choice where to work should be another big consideration in taking and hopefully passing any of the many IT certification tests.