Which IT Support Certifications Do MSP Engineers Need at Each Tier?

Regina Ongkiko

MSP

14 min read October 20, 2026

Key takeaways

MSP engineers need different IT support certifications at each tier. Tier 1 help desk technicians typically start with CompTIA A+ and ITIL Foundation. Tier 2 adds CompTIA Network+, Security+, and Microsoft administrator credentials. Tier 3 calls for advanced cloud, network, or security certifications matched to client environments.
Certifications get candidates onto your shortlist. A sample ticket or a live troubleshooting scenario shows you whether they can do the job.
Platform experience carries more weight as roles get more specialized, especially for Tier 2 and Tier 3 hires.
Ask an outsourcing partner for its ISO 27001 certificate and the full SOC 2 report. A logo on a website won't tell you what was actually assessed.

Let's say you're hiring a Tier 2 engineer. Half your clients run Microsoft 365 and Azure, and a few have Fortinet firewalls. Every ticket flows through ConnectWise.

So which certifications should be on that engineer's résumé? The answer depends on the tier you're hiring for and the systems your clients use. A help desk technician and a senior cloud engineer need very different proof of skill.

LTVplus offers Managed Technical Support for MSPs, and matching engineers to the certifications and vendor experience each client environment needs is a big part of that work. Here's how we think about it, tier by tier, including which IT certifications for beginners are worth a look and how to test what a certificate can't show you.

Do certifications matter for MSP support engineers?

Yes. Certifications give you a verifiable baseline for hiring and training.

In Skillsoft's 2024 IT Skills and Salary Report, 97% of IT decision-makers said certified staff add value to their organization. The top benefits they named were closing skills gaps (49%), resolving issues more efficiently (49%), and boosting productivity (48%).

Here's where it gets interesting, though. When Huntr analyzed 11,206 help desk job postings, CompTIA A+ was the most-named certification. Yet only 31 postings marked it as required, while 299 listed it as preferred. Customer service, meanwhile, showed up in 52.7% of postings, more than any certification.

What does this mean? Employers like certifications, but they actually hire for skills.

A certification tells you a candidate studied a defined body of knowledge and passed the exam. It won't tell you whether they can:

Troubleshoot under pressure. Understanding DNS on an exam is different from figuring out why a client's laptop can't reach their accounting app at 8 a.m. on a Monday.
Make the right escalation call. Tier 1 engineers need to know when to keep digging and when to hand the ticket to Tier 2 or Tier 3.
Keep a frustrated client calm. Technical knowledge only goes so far if an engineer can't explain an outage in plain language.
Leave clean notes. Good documentation saves the next engineer from repeating every step.

That's why each tier below comes with a practical test alongside its certifications.

The ultimate guide to the certifications each tier needs

Think of certifications as a ladder. The closer an engineer gets to complex escalations and design decisions, the more specialized their credentials should be. Here's a quick view before we go tier by tier.

Tier	Role focus	Start with	Add when relevant	What to test
Tier 1	Help desk, first response, triage	CompTIA A+, ITIL Foundation	Google IT Support Certificate, Cisco CCST Networking, Azure Fundamentals	A sample ticket: troubleshooting steps, notes, escalation call
Tier 2	Network, endpoint, server, and security issues	CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, Microsoft 365 Endpoint Administrator or Azure Administrator	Cisco CCNA, Fortinet NSE, CompTIA CySA+ or Microsoft Security Operations Analyst for security alerts, PSA/RMM vendor training	A live troubleshooting scenario, explained step by step
Tier 3	Complex escalations, architecture, migrations, projects	Azure Solutions Architect Expert or AWS Solutions Architect – Professional, based on client clouds	Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert, Cisco CCNP Enterprise, CISSP, CEH for security assessment work	A walkthrough of a past project or root-cause analysis

Recommended help desk certifications for Tier 1

Tier 1 is the front door of your support operation. These engineers handle triage, password resets, common endpoint issues, and the first call when something breaks. You want people who follow a process well and know when to escalate.

Core Tier 1 certifications

CompTIA A+. The go-to foundational certification for IT support. Across two exams, it covers hardware, operating systems, networking, security, and troubleshooting. It also gives you a consistent baseline to probe during technical interviews.
ITIL Foundation. This one covers IT service management basics like incident management, service requests, and SLAs. It helps new hires understand why ticket notes and escalation rules matter as much as the fix itself. PeopleCert released ITIL Foundation (Version 5) in early 2026, and ITIL 4 Foundation holders can upgrade through a bridge course.

IT certifications for beginners and career changers

With the ongoing MSP technician shortage, you'll likely meet strong Tier 1 candidates who don't have A+ yet. These entry-level options can help you spot potential and plan their training:

Google IT Support Certificate. Built for people with no prior IT experience, this program covers troubleshooting, customer service, networking, operating systems, system administration, and security.
Cisco CCST Networking. A beginner-friendly credential for connectivity, network devices, protocols, and basic troubleshooting.
Azure Fundamentals. Introduces cloud concepts and Azure services. It's a helpful context for clients running cloud resources, though it isn't a hands-on admin credential.
A+ in progress. Someone actively studying for A+ is already building the right foundation. A practical interview will show you how far along they are.

Expert tip: Don't make a finished certification your only Tier 1 filter. A candidate halfway through A+ who writes clear ticket notes and explains their thinking may outperform someone who passed the exam but freezes on an actual live ticket. Bootcamps and community college courses can count too. Just ask what the candidate actually practiced, such as labs, troubleshooting exercises, and networking tasks.

IT certifications that fit Tier 2 engineers

Tier 2 picks up whatever Tier 1 can't solve. Think network connectivity problems, endpoint management failures, server issues, identity and access problems, and security alerts. At this level, certifications should match the systems each engineer actually touches.

Core Tier 2 certifications

CompTIA Network+. Covers networking concepts and troubleshooting. CompTIA recommends having A+ and 9 to 12 months of networking experience first.
CompTIA Security+. Covers security functions, threats, and defensive practices.
Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate. A strong fit for engineers managing devices through Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot, Microsoft Entra ID, and related endpoint security tools.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate. For engineers who administer Azure resources like virtual networks, storage, compute, identity, and governance. Choose this one when your engineers manage Azure environments.
Cisco CCNA. A useful add-on for engineers who handle frequent network escalations. It goes deeper into IP connectivity, network access, network services, and security fundamentals.

Platform and vendor training

Your Tier 2 engineers live inside your PSA and RMM all day, so tool knowledge pays off quickly. It's also a big part of how dedicated engineers learn your clients' environments.

ConnectWise certifications cover ConnectWise PSA service workflows and ConnectWise Automate.
NinjaOne Academy offers technician training and certification. It's free, but currently available only to NinjaOne customers.
Fortinet NSE certifications matter for engineers who manage Fortinet firewalls every day. Fortinet expanded the NSE program to eight levels in July 2026, so check which level a candidate's certification maps to.
Backup vendor certifications make sense when an engineer runs those systems daily. In that case, they may be worth more than a broader credential.

If your Tier 2 engineers handle security alerts

Security operations work, like triaging EDR and SIEM detections, calls for analyst-focused credentials on top of Security+:

CompTIA CySA+. CompTIA's intermediate cybersecurity analyst certification covers threat detection, vulnerability management, and incident response. CompTIA recommends about four years of hands-on experience as a SOC or vulnerability analyst, so it fits your more senior analysts.
Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate. A strong match for engineers working in Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel.

Try this: List the platforms your Tier 2 engineers touch most, from your PSA and RMM to firewalls and backup tools. Next to each one, write the certification or vendor course that covers it. The blank spots on that list are your training priorities.

Top certifications that matter for Tier 3 engineers

Tier 3 is where the hard problems land. We're talking complex escalations, infrastructure design, migrations, root-cause investigations, and projects that touch multiple systems. It's important to pick credentials based on the environments your clients run.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert. Validates skills in designing cloud and hybrid solutions on Azure. (Note: Microsoft requires the Azure Administrator Associate certification first, which many Tier 3 engineers already hold from their Tier 2 days.)
Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert. For senior engineers who manage Microsoft 365 tenants end to end. (Note: this certification is set to retire on November 30, 2026.)
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional. Covers complex cloud architecture, security, cost, and performance decisions. AWS recommends two or more years of hands-on experience designing and deploying AWS architecture.
Cisco CCNP Enterprise. For senior engineers running complex enterprise networks. It builds on CCNA and covers infrastructure, network assurance, security, virtualization, and automation.
CISSP. A good fit for an experienced security lead responsible for security architecture, risk management, and security operations. ISC2 requires five years of cumulative paid work experience in its security domains.
CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker). Optional for engineers who run security assessments, vulnerability analysis, or penetration testing.

Expert Tip: At Tier 3, track record outweighs credential count. Ask candidates to walk you through a project they led: the original problem, the constraints, the options they weighed, and how they confirmed the result actually worked.

Need engineers matched to your stack? LTVplus is the managed technical support partner MSPs trust to handle their most important clients. Our dedicated engineers are matched to the certifications and vendor experience your clients' environments need, from CompTIA A+, Network+, and CCNA to Microsoft, Fortinet NSE, and CySA+ credentials. They work inside your PSA, follow your runbooks, and support your clients under your brand. Book a scoping call.

How to weigh certifications against hands-on skills

Use certifications to build your shortlist, then let the practical test from the table above make the call. Once a candidate passes that test, it's recommended to look at two more factors:

Recent work counts more than an old credential

Picture two candidates for a Tier 2 role:

One has a networking certification several years ago but has spent the past year on password resets and account tickets.
The other has no networking certification yet, but spent the last six months troubleshooting connectivity issues in a managed environment alongside senior engineers.

The second candidate's recent work gives you something concrete to evaluate, but the first candidate's certification still has value. You'll just need to confirm how well that knowledge holds up today. While you're at it, check the credential's status with the issuer. Some certifications need periodic renewal, and a few on older résumés have since been retired or replaced.

Platform experience matters more as roles specialize

A new Tier 1 hire can pick up your professional services automation (PSA) and remote monitoring and management (RMM) workflows through onboarding and documented procedures. Prior experience with the same tools is a bonus, but not a must.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 are a different story. An engineer managing firewalls, endpoint policies, cloud infrastructure, or backups needs to know how those systems behave when something goes wrong. Experience with your specific tools also shortens ramp-up time considerably.

How to pay for certifications without losing the engineer

Certifications are an investment, so plan for them like one. Our breakdown of what an in-house engineer actually costs puts training at about $5,000 a year for a Tier 2 engineer, on top of salary, benefits, recruiting, and management overhead. Study time adds to that.

A few practices help you get a return on that spend:

Set a yearly training budget per engineer. Base it on the role and the engineer's development goals. For example, fund foundational certifications for new Tier 1 hires, networking or endpoint credentials for Tier 2, and cloud or security certifications for senior specialists.
Protect study time. Paid study hours or a lighter queue before an exam keep certification from eating every weekend.
Handle stay-or-repay agreements carefully. Some employers ask engineers to repay training costs if they leave within an agreed period. Get legal advice for the engineer's jurisdiction first, and spell out which costs are covered and how repayment is calculated.
Use free vendor training. Check what your existing vendors offer. NinjaOne Academy, for example, is free for NinjaOne customers.

Of course, certification spending is only one piece. There are still costs tied to recruiting, onboarding, and keeping skills current as client environments change.

If that's stretching your team thin, you have options. Staff augmentation adds engineers you manage directly, while a fully managed model also takes recruiting, training, and day-to-day management off your hands.

What certifications should an MSP's outsourcing partner have?

If an outsourcing partner's engineers will log in to your clients' systems, you need to know how that company protects the access. The two provider-level credentials you'll see most often are ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 report. Quick note: SOC 2 is an attestation report, so it isn't technically a certification.

	ISO 27001	SOC 2
What it is	Certification of an information security management system (ISMS) against an international standard	An independent attestation report on controls tied to security and other trust services criteria
Who assesses it	An independent certification body	An independent CPA firm
What to request	The certificate, its scope, and its validity dates	The latest report, including the report period and any exceptions
What to check	That the scope covers the entity and services supporting your account	That the report covers the relevant services and systems, and whether any exceptions affect you

The truth: Neither one guarantees every client environment is secure. What matters is whether the assessment covers the services you're buying and the access you're granting, so ask for the actual SOC 2 report instead of relying on a badge.

If your clients carry regulatory obligations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, or GDPR, ask how the partner's processes support them. These are compliance requirements rather than credentials. A structured pilot program is also a low-risk way to see those controls in practice before you commit.

For reference, LTVplus holds ISO 27001:2022 certification and a SOC 2 Type II attestation. You'll find the details in the LTVplus Trust Center.

Build a certification path that matches your team

The right IT certifications for beginners and advanced engineers match what each tier does daily. A+ and Microsoft Fundamentals anchor Tier 1. Network+, Security+, and associate-level Microsoft certs power Tier 2. Expert and vendor-specific credentials define Tier 3.

So how do you choose the right certifications for your MSP team? To summarize:

Start with your clients, then work backward to the certifications.
Map the platforms your clients run and the tiers that support them. Wherever a platform has no certified or experienced engineer behind it, you've found a gap to fill through training or hiring.
Revisit that map every time you onboard a client with a different stack. That's usually when certification gaps surface. It's much easier to plan for them before the first escalation than during it.
Audit your escalation data, map certs to real gaps, and measure the results.

When you align credentials with actual work, your engineers resolve tickets faster, escalate more accurately, and stay longer because they see their skills growing in ways that matter.

If scaling your support operation is part of the plan, LTVplus helps MSPs build fully managed support teams that grow with your business. LTVplus consistently delivers higher CSAT scores and faster response times across chat, email, and voice.

Book a scoping call to see how dedicated, certified support engineers can strengthen every tier of your help desk.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best IT certifications for beginners?

CompTIA A+ is the most widely requested starting point for help desk and IT support roles. The Google IT Support Certificate suits people with no IT experience at all. Cisco CCST Networking and Azure Fundamentals add networking or cloud basics, and ITIL Foundation is a useful companion for anyone joining a service desk.

What certifications do help desk technicians need?

For most entry-level help desk roles, CompTIA A+ covers the technical foundation and ITIL Foundation covers service management. Add networking or cloud credentials when your clients' environments call for them. Then confirm candidates can troubleshoot, document tickets, and escalate correctly.

Is CompTIA A+ worth it for help desk roles?

Yes, especially for entry-level hiring. It gives you a consistent way to check foundational knowledge across hardware, operating systems, networking, and security. Pair it with a basic troubleshooting exercise to see whether the candidate can apply what they learned.

What certifications should an MSP have?

At the company level, look for ISO 27001 certification and a SOC 2 report. ISO 27001 certifies an information security management system, while SOC 2 is an independent attestation report on security controls. If a partner will access client systems, ask for the certificate's scope or the full SOC 2 report.

Should MSPs hire for certifications or experience?

Both, weighted by tier. Certifications carry more weight for Tier 1 roles, where candidates have less work history to show. For Tier 2 and Tier 3, recent hands-on experience with your clients' platforms usually tells you more.