In order to qualify for any of the general or specialised certifications offered by Cisco Systems, applicants must pass an exam. There are seven different paths available for the general certifications, including routing and switching, design, security, and storage networking, and each path is divided into four different levels of expertise.
Among the IT industry’s most sought-after certifications, CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE are the most well-liked. Employers will be confident in your knowledge of networking fundamentals and concepts if you hold a Cisco certification.

This article will look at five justifications for why earning one or more Cisco certifications is unquestionably worthwhile.

Reason #1: Cisco certification improves and validates your networking knowledge.

Enhancing and expanding your knowledge is one of the main goals of Cisco certification training. Numerous technologies and protocols are covered by the majority of Cisco certifications. You can learn how to install, configure, run, and troubleshoot switched and routed networks by obtaining a Cisco certification.
Additionally, a Cisco certification gives professionals the know-how they need to deal with the pressures and risks involved in network deployment and maintenance in large organisations.

Reason #2: Earning a Cisco certification opens up new career paths

When it comes to the roles you’ll be qualified for and that are offered to you, a Cisco certification puts your career on the fast track. This results in much better visibility in terms of your job profile. You’ll be able to handle more responsibility and ownership for a wider range of networking tasks at an advanced level. Even though obtaining a certification won’t prevent you from getting promoted, it will certainly hasten the process.

Reason #3: Earning a Cisco certification increases your salary

Network and system administrators made an average of $79,770 per year, according to the US Bureau of Statistics (BLS), with the highest-paid employees making at least $120,000. Between 2012 and 2022, the BLS forecasts a 12% rise in demand for network professionals.
The average annual salary for CCNA professionals is $118,830, according to the InfoSec Institute. Additionally, a recent PayScale report shows that certified network engineers with a focus on Cisco networking make between $50,971 and $101, 017 annually.

Reason #4: Employers Prefer Professionals Who Are Cisco Certified

Impact of Training: An Analysis by International Data Corporation (IDC), December 2008. Functional Excellence Leads to Operational Productivity affirms that certifications and training help employers increase productivity, reduce costs, and strengthen return on investment.
Because they serve as evidence of networking and troubleshooting abilities, certifications serve to validate that you possess a certain level of knowledge and skills. Some businesses (particularly Cisco partners) favour hiring Cisco certified professionals over non-certified ones. Additionally, your salary increases with the number of certifications you earn.

Reason #5: A Cisco certification has long-term benefits that outweigh the opportunity costs.

Although each person’s experience will be different, the typical professional without prior IT or networking experience could finish an entire Cisco track—for instance, the R/S, or Routing and Switching track—in no more than 1500 hours of study time and earn the CCNA R/S, CCNP R/S, and CCIE R/S certifications.
If the professional were to quit their job to devote all of their time to studying for the certification exams, at the $16/hour average wage for graduates in the US, this would result in a loss of opportunity cost of $24,000. The professional could devote an entire year to studying for a Cisco certification with an average starting salary of more than $50,000 per year.