(NOTE: This story was originally posted to CRN.com May 24.)

How Certifications Pay Off

As the cloud market matures and customers become savvier about selecting consultants, cloud-focused solution providers are increasingly looking to differentiate their technological capabilities. Brandishing an array of certification badges held by technical staff is an effective way to stand out from the crowd.

At the same time, the many professional certifications offered by vendors and industry organizations are highly useful to IT professionals looking to verify for prospective employers their abilities to deploy and administer the latest-and-greatest technologies.

"For candidates, having the certificate is good visibility. For companies, the certification provides them a benchmark of candidates' skill levels," said Aater Suleman, CEO of Austin, Texas.-based cloud consultancy Flux7. "It is natural for candidates with certifications to stand out."

The recent 2017 IT Skills and Salary Survey conducted by Cary, N.C.-based business training and certification company Global Knowledge reflects demand for IT professionals with security and cloud accreditations. Respondents to that survey with security skills reported the highest overall salaries, and those working with cloud technologies the fifth highest. (Click here to read our recent roundup of architect certifications.)

Click through to read about 25 certifications that help their owners find high-paying jobs, and the firms they work for win big engagements.