We hope so, or we might be out of a job. Haha. But seriously, they matter a lot. Just look at the studies Comptia came out with which says companies will typically pay 10% more to a I.T person that has an entry level computer certification like A+ or Network+. For more advanced computer certifications, companies will pay up to 40% more for that individual. One great thing about getting certified besides learning as you study for these computer exams is that it lets you get your foot in the door to these businesses. A lot of them will not talk to you without a degree or a certification.
Lets go through a few different Computer Certifications to see if they are worth it.
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CompTia A+
First lets look at the cost. To get A+ Certified (not including study material) it will cost you $336. $168 for CompTIA A+ Essentials, exam code 220-701 and $168 for CompTIA A+ Practical Application, exam code 220-702. This is a lot of money, so is it worth it. Well the answer is yes. People in I.T. roles with these entry level computer certifications typically earn between $40,000 and $80,000 and for most of these computer jobs, Comptia A+ Certification is mandatory. Also now that have changed the rules. Instead of these Comptia Certifications lasting for life, they now only last 3 years. I think our jobs are safe.
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Cisco CCNA
This is one of the most popular computer certifications today which covers installing and managing medium sized networks. The cost of the Cisco CCNA exam is $250 which is not bad considering CompTia A+ is $336. This computer certification is a no brainer. The CCNA is the networking industries baseline for, "do you know how to network". The typical I.T. Administrator can earn $50k to $75k with this computer certification.
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Microsoft MCITP
MCITP requires two years as an IT professional. There are 12 MCITP tracks with each exam costing around $130. If you are going to be working in a company that uses windows computers (which I guess they all do) these computer certifications are a neccesity. You do not need all of them, but at least get the basic microsoft certfications under you belt.