Rolling Meadows, IL, USA (23 November 2010)—ISACA’s Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation has been recognized as the highest paying IT security certification by the  IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index (ITSCPI) from independent research firm Foote Partners. ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) designation also earned a place on the list of highest wage earners.

Monitoring certifications since 1999, Foote Partners’ ITSCPI surveyed pay premiums for 457 individual certified and noncertified IT skills. The industry-leading benchmark survey is updated and published four times a year.

 “The report indicates three growing trends,” said Mark H. Petterson, CISA, chair of ISACA’s CISA Certification Committee. “First, organizations are experiencing difficulty with internal sourcing for security, given the cost for this expertise and the challenge of reducing overall IT costs. Second, larger organizations are becoming more comfortable outsourcing key services such as security. Third, organizations that have not traditionally looked to outsource security are beginning to leverage small and medium consulting organizations to fill the gaps in their security programs. As a result of more robust cloud services, these trends could have a significant impact on the security and assurance profession and on ISACA members.”

 Petterson continued, “Earning the number-one ranking of security certification salaries shows that the CISA designation is a beneficial credential for information systems auditors and professionals worldwide. The CISA and CISM certifications continue to achieve global respect as designations that are highly regarded by employers and information security professionals seeking to advance their knowledge, careers and salaries.”

The CISA certification has been earned by more than 70,000 professionals since its inception in 1978. It is recognized internationally as the global standard for IS audit, control and security professionals. CISM, introduced in 2002, has been earned by more than 12,500 professionals. ISACA, a global nonprofit association serving more than 95,000 IT governance, audit, assurance and security professionals, offers its certification exams twice per year, in June and December.

“There’s really no other area of IT today that enjoys the same powerful combination of business and technology drivers that has made security one of the surest long-term career bets for an IT professional,” said David Foote, Foote Partners co-founder, CEO and chief research officer.

Details on ISACA’s CISA and CISM certifications, as well as the Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) and the new Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) designations, are at www.isaca.org/certification. The latest Foote Partners’ IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index is at http://www.footepartners.com/htscpi_latest.htm.

About ISACA

With 95,000 constituents in 160 countries, ISACA® (www.isaca.org) is a leading global provider of knowledge, certifications, community, advocacy and education on information systems (IS) assurance and security, enterprise governance and management of IT, and IT-related risk and compliance. Founded in 1969, the nonprofit, independent ISACA hosts international conferences, publishes the ISACA® Journal, and develops international IS auditing and control standards, which help its constituents ensure trust in, and value from, information systems. It also advances and attests IT skills and knowledge through the globally respected Certified Information Systems Auditor™ (CISA®), Certified Information Security Manager® (CISM®), Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT® (CGEIT®) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control™ (CRISC™) designations. ISACA continually updates COBIT®, which helps IT professionals and enterprise leaders fulfill their IT governance and management responsibilities, particularly in the areas of assurance, security, risk and control, and deliver value to the business.

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