From my experience I have wittiness the following with regards to pay increases and certification.

In large IT shops; certification can mean moving into a position with more responsibility and pay.

If you are employed in a union position, certification sometimes will trigger an increase in the step/level you are at within your salary group (have a look at your collective agreement).

Working as a consultant usually results in a pay increase as the company can now bill you out at a higher rate. This happened to me 8 years ago; I was one of the first people in Canada to become a MCSE. The company gave me a 10% increase in salary and bumped my charge out rate 30%.

Typically though, if you are working in a small IT shop and stay in the same position, no salary increase, just a pat on the back (if you are lucky). It’s sad, but all to often in order to move up you have to move on.


Gee