Technology professionals with an active security clearance still earn higher average salaries than their non-cleared counterparts. But given new demands on the government IT workforce, it also pays to have a certification, according to a new study by ClearanceJobs.com and Dice.com.
Qualified, security-cleared cybersecurity professionals are in high demand, particularly as a new Defense Department directive requires all government employees and contractors with privileged access to federal computer networks to hold a certification, the study found.
So what are the most frequently held certifications by technology professionals with security clearance? CompTIA's Security+ certification was number one on the list, with 21 percent of security-cleared professionals holding that certification. A+ and Network+ each were held by 10 percent of security-cleared workers, and both certifications were cited as being a solid foundation for any network technician.
Information Technology Infrastructure Library, Certified Information Systems Security Professional and the Project Management Professional certifications also were among the most popular for security-cleared professionals. Microsoft certifications (MCSE, MCP and MCSA) as well as the Cisco Certified Network Associate finished out the list of the top certifications, according to the study.
Meanwhile, technology professionals with an active security clearance earn average salaries that are 12 percent higher than their non-cleared counterparts. In Washington, D.C., that premium jumps to 20 percent, the study found.
In addition, earning a certification not only proved valuable for tech professionals to demonstrate their skills. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed said their certification helped them earn a new position, the study found.
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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