However, the CCIE is also the most difficult credential to acquire. One has to sit for a grueling exam that is more difficult than the CPA exam or the State Bar of California, which is considered the most difficult of all the states.



The State Bar Exam of California has a pass rate of 48.2%. No other state in the United States has that low a pass rate. By comparison, the CCIE has a pass rate of only 26%. Some examinees attribute some of the difficulty of the exam to the tremendous amount of determination and self-motivation that is required.

However, CCIE holders complain that their achievement garners no respect outside the industry. While mothers brag about their sons and daughters who are lawyers and CPA's, little is said about the son or daughter with a CCIE. Fortunately, in Silicon Valley it is a different story. A CCIE holder can look forward to an annual salary of about $115,000 or more.

Second on the list of "in demand" certifications is the CISA, which certifies auditors. And there is good news for this group. Auditors are much in demand in a dwindling economy.

Due to phishing, hacking, and spamming, security has become a major issue in the IT industry today.

So security certificates are also in demand. A security certificate that is seen on many "Top Ten" lists is the CCSE. This is a high level security certification for employees who work with check point products and are required to maintain secure VPN's.

Another security certificate that usually makes the Top Ten is the CISSP or Certified Information Security Specialist. A holder of this certificate can look forward to an excellent salary of around $94,000 annually. Only a few years of experience or education are required to qualify and only one exam needs to be passed.

On the other hand, the PMP or Project Management Professional requires an extensive amount of skill and experience. However, once these requirements have been fulfilled and the exam has been passed, one can expect an annual salary in excess of $100,000.

The holder of a CAPM or Certified Associate in Project Management also earns a high salary. However, one can qualify for this certificate with 1500 hours of work on a team or twenty-three hours of project management education. In addition, the candidate must pass a three hours exam consisting of 150 questions.

The MCSD or Microsoft Certified Solution Developer is another certificate that commands a high salary from $70,000 to $120,000 per year. However, one is expected to have more than just developer skills. One must be knowledgeable in the field of enterprise solutions and Microsoft products and then be able to apply business analysis skills to recommend the best solution for a particular business.

There are many other certificates available that enable people who qualify for them to earn high salaries. A quick search of job sites such as Monster or Dice will reveal those most in demand and the salaries offered.