ISACA is a large association that exists for more than 50 years. Its mission is to help business technology professionals as well as enterprises all over the world implement the positive potential of technology. Thus it offers a range of certifications to equip its candidates with the latest knowledge and skills to boost their careers and transform their organizations. Being one of the most distinguished vendors, Isaca offers a bunch of certifications that can make the career of an IT pro, exploring the domain of IT governance, risk assessment, security management, and system auditing, propel at supersonic speed.

ISACA Certification Offerings

From the house of ISACA, a wide range of vendor-neutral certificates is available. Here are some of the most renowned ones:

#1 – CISA Certification

CISA stands for Certified Information Systems Auditors and is the certification that gives much attention to the processing of the auditing information systems as well as the governance and acquisitions of information systems, and their maintenance. The accreditation holders are acknowledged as the doyens to be entrusted for adequate information system management.

Ideal Audience: Established information system auditors trying to curb the mid-career crises can go for it. The candidate should have convincing proof of hands-on experience in the CISA Job Practice Areas (auditing, controlling, and security, pass an exam during the last 5 years, and pay the processing fee.

Exam Details: Obtaining the CISA certification is possible once a hopeful composes success in the associated exam. The exam features 150 questions and is 240 minutes long. Both online and offline delivery is available. Examinees need to pay $575 (for ISACA members) or $760 (for non-ISACA-members). The exam can be taken in 10 languages and is evaluated on a scale of 200-800 points, while scoring anything above 450 is mandatory to come up with flying colors in the assessment.

Career Prospects: CISA holders are all set to explore the industry as certified Information Technology Auditors and can easily mint a compensation of up to $100k annually in this role, according to PayScale. Being a vendor-neutral certificate, it lets the beneficiary expand the reach at the global level.

Certification Path: The expertise augmented in CISA can be taken up at a whole new level with CRISC. It imparts high-end expertise related to IT risk management and the implementation of system controls.

#2 – CISM Certification

IT enthusiasts, exploring the management aspect of the information system, can gain an edge over peers by earning the CISM or Certified Information Security Manager certification. Throughout the accreditation journey, a best-of-breed understanding about the designing, developing, and implementation of effective information security practices, can be gained.

Ideal Audience: IT pros who have worked in the management sphere of information security for a minimum of 5 years are the perfect candidates for this certification.

Exam Details: The CISM certificate covers crucial tit & bit of information security governance, information risk management, information security program development, and information security incident management. To prove your knowledge of all these topics, you will have to answer 200 questions. Currently, one can take up the test in four languages and the registration fee is the same as for the CISA exam. An online & offline proctored facility are available for it as well.

Career Prospects: There is no dearth of opportunities for those who have tasted success in the CISM exam. Job roles like information security manager, information risk compliance specialist, and CIO are accessible. Speaking of the earning potential, an Information Security Manager can make as much as $118k per year, as per PayScale. CIO is an upper-level profile and can make the money rain on you as the average salary is whooping $167k annually, on average.

Certification Path: Though the CISM certification will give the much-needed push to one’s career, CGEIT will double-up the market worth. This certificate will turn an IT professional into a skilled advisor that an enterprise can bank upon.

#3 – CGEIT Certification

A benchmark of excellence in IT governance, the CGEIT certification is here to hone the skills of IT specialists who are responsible for managing the IT enterprise governance of a given ecosystem. As a CGEIT certified individual, one can demonstrate unmatched excellence in doing end-to-end IT governance management.

Ideal Audience: You are allowed to relish the perks of this certification if you have hands-on experience in IT governance for a minimum of 5 years. Professionals placed in job roles like Audit directors, CISOs, IT directors, and CIOs can take up this certificate to reach new highs.

Exam Details: The CGEIT certification focuses on four exam domains: governance of IT enterprise, IT resources, benefits realization, and risk optimization. The test consists of 150 items and grants 240 times for completion. The applicants’ performance is judged on a scale of 200-800 and scoring anything above 450 is mandatory to claim the certification. The exam is delivered via online & offline proctored methods, and only two languages are allowed as exam mediums.

Career Prospects: Earning the CGEIT certification is a long journey. But, in the end, it’s all worth it as it is one of the most notable qualifications that one can earn in IT governance. They are ideal to get the job roles like Senior IT Internal Auditor, Governance Risk Consultant, IT Governance Controls Specialist, and the like. All these positions are lucrative when the compensation is concerned. As IT Governance Controls Specialist, get ready to make about $101k, as per Glassdoor.

Certification Path: To excel further, one can aim at the COBIT Foundation certification which will take the career of an IT governance professional at zeniths.

#4 – COBIT Foundation

The COBIT Foundation certificate will prove one’s mastery in Enterprise Governance of Information & Technology (EGIT). It will mentor the candidate in detail about the guidance, tools, models, and resources that are essential for IT governance.

Ideal Audience: Professionals working as GRC Managers, Solutions Architects, Consultants, and Assurance Providers can take up this certification to march ahead.

Exam Details: Using the 75 multiple-choice test items, the COBIT Foundation exam assesses the candidates’ expertise on knowledge areas like framework introduction, principles, business case, governance system, implementation, and the like. The exam lasts for 120 minutes and expects a minimum of 65% passing score.

Career Prospects: An in-depth understanding of the COBIT Framework, earned via COBIT Foundation, will help a bearer to make a salary as high as $121k per annum, according to ZipRecruiter, which is very impressive.

Certification Path: Still craving for notable expertise? Aim at the COBIT Design & Implementation certification. It’s a step ahead of COBIT Foundation and provides verified tutelage related to COBIT framework designing.

Conclusion

These are just a couple of certification offered by ISACA, while the complete range of options is way bigger. With their certificates, you will become a recognized professional in the areas like IT audit, risk management, IT governance, and others. Choose the one you find the most valuable and enhance your career with ISACA certifications.