9 Essential IT Certifications for 2026
Whether you’re just starting out or are established in your career, IT certifications have their benefits. Here are 9 prominent IT certifications to consider.
December 16, 2020
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Explore articles about information technology, IT support, and technology systems. Learn about IT career paths, essential skills and qualifications, and how to help keep organizational technology running smoothly.

Explore popular IT support courses
Skills you'll gain: IT Security Architecture, Computer Networking, Operating System Administration, Package and Software Management, Network Troubleshooting, Version Control, IT Automation, Systems Administration, IT Infrastructure, Network Administration, Information Systems Security, TCP/IP, Git (Version Control System), Chef (Configuration Management Tool), Network Security, General Networking, Ruby (Programming Language), Computer Hardware, Web Presence, Interviewing Skills
★ 4.8 (216K) · Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Microsoft
Skills you'll gain: Computer Hardware, Hybrid Cloud Computing, Authorization (Computing), Cloud Services, Computer Networking, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, General Networking, Microsoft Teams, Authentications, Firewall, Hardening, Network Architecture, Data Storage, Productivity Software, Data Security, Security Controls, Multi-Factor Authentication, Technical Communication, Cloud Computing, Network Protocols
★ 4.7 (1.6K) · Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Microsoft
Skills you'll gain: ServiceNow, Help Desk Support, Triage, IT Service Management, Service Management, Technical Support and Services, Technical Communication, Technical Documentation, Service Level, Health Informatics, Technical Support, Information Technology, Issue Tracking, Epic EMR, Microsoft Azure, User Provisioning, Authorization (Computing), Public Health
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
In today's data-driven world, professionals skilled in IT disciplines are in high demand across many industries. A career in this fast-growing field provides opportunities to use technical skills to drive meaningful business impact. Explore the diverse career paths, essential skills, and job types within IT to start your journey in this exciting and rewarding domain.
Interested in entry-level IT? Learn what information technology is and common entry-level roles.
Interested in CompTIA A+? Read about the CompTIA A+ certification, and explore other certifications for IT professionals.
Interested in solutions and support? Dive into a solutions engineer's daily work and learn more about what a technical support engineer does.
Ready to start learning? Explore our catalog of IT support, CompTIA A+, and technical support courses for beginners and experienced professionals.
Though this depends on the role, many entry-level IT positions request some knowledge of operating systems, computer security, networking principles, and troubleshooting. If you want to go into software or web development, a versatile and popular programming language like Python can be good to learn.
If you’re stuck, try finding a few positions you’re interested in on a job search website to see what skills are commonly requested.
Typically, an IT certification refers to a qualification you receive that shows your competency in a specific field of information technology (IT). To get a certification, you generally must pass an exam that tests your capabilities and skills in the field.
IT courses on Coursera are structured to accommodate learners at various levels: