92% of IT Leaders Will Pay Premium Salaries for AI Skills in 2027

Ninety-two percent of IT leaders plan to offer higher salaries for relevant AI skills in 2027, according to the 2027 Salary Guide from Robert Half. The same survey found that 60% intend to pay more for AI-related expertise than for any other tech skill, and 72% of technology leaders say they will make more competitive offers for IT professionals in the new year. For HR teams, the message is direct: certification-based skill signals now sit at the center of compensation planning and IT hiring strategy.

Robert Half also reports that 65% of leaders are willing to exceed their planned salary range to secure candidates with specialized skills. That pressure shows up in certification pay data, where average salaries span from $41,659 for entry-level CompTIA A+ holders to $146,601 for expert-level Microsoft Azure Solutions Architects, according to ZipRecruiter figures cited alongside the guide.

Which certifications carry the highest salary premium?

Robert Half's guide identifies ten credentials as the most valuable IT professionals can hold today:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
• Certified Data Professional (CDP)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• CompTIA A+
• CompTIA Cloud+
• CompTIA Security+
• IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate
• Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect
• Project Management Professional (PMP)

The pay spread is wide. Average salaries attached to these credentials include $128,365 for CompTIA Cloud+ holders and $122,000 for CCSP holders, according to Payscale and ZipRecruiter data respectively, down to $55,353 for CompTIA Security+.

What does each credential require?

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner covers core AWS cloud concepts, global infrastructure and the shared security model. Candidates need at least six months of AWS experience in any role, technical or not. Average salary: $85,866 per year. Exam fee: $100.

The CCSP, offered by ISC2, targets enterprise architects, security administrators, systems engineers and consultants working with cloud technology. ISC2 recommends five years in IT, with three in information security. Average salary: $122,000 per year, according to Payscale. Exam fee: $599.

The Certified Data Professional, from the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals, offers paths in business analytics, data governance, data warehousing and enterprise data architecture, with levels running from Foundation to Executive Management. Average salary: $118,445 per year. Exam fee: $1,050 for the basic professional exam package.

The CISA, offered by ISACA since 1978, certifies IS audit control expertise and requires five years of experience in IS auditing, control or security. Average salary: $109,713 per year. Exam fee: $575 for members, $760 for non-members.

Where do entry-level credentials fit?

CompTIA A+ requires two exams covering hardware, networking, virtualization, cloud computing, operating systems and security, with 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience recommended. It feeds roles such as help desk technician, field service technician and desktop support administrator. Average salary: $41,659 per year at entry level. Exam fee: $274.

CompTIA Cloud+ is vendor-neutral and validates skills in configuring, deploying, managing and securing cloud infrastructure, with two to three years of system administration experience recommended. Average salary: $128,365 per year. Exam fee: $399.

CompTIA Security+ suits network, system and security administrators, junior IT auditors and security engineers, covering threats, risk management, cryptography and identity and access management. Average salary: $55,353 per year. Exam fee: $439.

What about AI and cloud architecture?

The IBM AI Engineering Professional Certificate is a free 13-course series for mid-level employees pursuing machine learning engineering roles. Participants work with Keras, PyTorch and TensorFlow, build deep learning models and neural networks, create LLMs and construct a QA bot using LangChain, finishing with a portfolio for employers. Average salary: $102,938 per year. Exam fee: free.

The Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect certification validates design of cloud and hybrid Azure solutions across networking, compute, storage, monitoring and security, with associate and expert levels. Expert-level holders earn an average of $146,601 per year, the highest figure in the guide. Exam fee: $165.

The PMP, offered by PMI, validates project leadership across conflict management, team building, risk assessment and budget planning. Average salary: $122,388 per year. Exam fee: $425 for members, $675 for non-members.

What should employers take from the data?

Certifications function as both a hiring filter and an internal development lever. Many require coursework that builds new skills before the exam, which makes them relevant to L&D budgets as well as recruitment. As AI skills command the sharpest premiums heading into 2027, HR teams that map these ten credentials to their talent plans will likely hold an edge in both retention and offer acceptance.