How Much Can You Earn with an ITIL Foundation Certification? 6 Salary Insights
Breaking into IT service management can feel like you're standing at a crossroads: multiple paths, but unclear outcomes. One credential, though, consistently opens doors and boosts paychecks: the ITIL Foundation Certification. But how much can you really earn with it? Below, you'll find seven real-world salary insights based on current data, job trends, and what employers are actually paying across the board in 2025.
1. Entry-Level Professionals Can Start at $65,000 Annually
If you’re just stepping into IT service roles—help desk support, junior analysts, or operations assistants—this certification instantly sets you apart. In fact, having an ITIL Foundation certification mid-sentence can make your resume stand out in ways that directly increase your hiring potential, as many recruiters see this as proof you understand structured IT frameworks, not just tools.
According to a report, entry-level ITIL-certified professionals in the U.S. are earning between $60,000 and $70,000 annually, depending on location and company size.
2. Project Managers with ITIL Credentials Earn Over $105,000
Project and Service Delivery Managers are always in high demand, but those who blend their PM skills with ITIL methodology tend to earn more. PMI’s 2024 Project Management Salary Survey confirms that cross-skilled pros—think PMP + ITIL—routinely cross the $105,000 mark and scale upwards based on sector.
3. Government Roles Offer Stable, Competitive Pay
Federal and state agencies often look for structured IT knowledge. That’s why earning the ITIL Foundation certification mid-sentence is especially valued in public sector environments, where documented processes and service delivery accountability are non-negotiable and often tied to budget cycles or compliance standards.
You can expect salaries in the $75,000–$90,000 range in most states, with top-tier metro areas paying even more.
4. ITIL + Cloud Skills Push Salaries Beyond $120,000
This is a career recipe: placing cloud certifications (AWS, Azure) and ITIL certifications together makes much sense and, indeed, conversion is good at all. Employers are looking for professionals who understand the service workflows as well as the cloud-native platforms.
According to Dice (2024) reports, professionals with the hybrid skill set will earn $120K or more if they are used in international or complex B2B operations.
5. Senior ITIL Professionals with 10+ Years See $130K+
Experience does pay. From mid-career onward, the incorporation of the ITIL Foundation certification into one's long-term skillset speaks to a real salary advantage: the more value in six-figure leadership roles may be found in those in charge of enterprise service frameworks, CMDBs, and governing models that scale across teams and borders.
That includes Designations such as ITSM Director, Head of Service Operations, or Enterprise Process Consultant.
6. Freelancers and Contractors Get Between $60 and $100 an Hour
Not everybody who wants to sit for a full-time position. If you lean toward contracting, Consultants with ITIL knowledge, especially beyond Foundation, command between $60 and $100 an hour for ITIL-related implementations, audits, or process design—$ 120 K- $ 200 K a year, with perks on flexibility.
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Conclusion
If you’re serious about scaling your IT career—or even pivoting from tech support into strategic roles—the ITIL Foundation certification can be a high-leverage move. It's not just a resume filler; it’s a signal to employers that you think in terms of value, not just tasks.
And that? That always pays.
