Security certifications were the most in-demand specialty among IT pros in a survey by Computing Technology Industry Association, reports CIO.com.

In CompTIA's poll of 1,500 IT workers, 37 percent said they plan to seek a security certification within the next five years, compared with 18 percent who would seek certification in ethical hacking and 13 percent who would pursue study in forensics. (The story isn't clear on the difference between security and ethical hacking certifications. And, of course, because it offers certifications, CompTIA does have a stake in the survey results.)

Ths story quotes Terry Erdle, senior vice president for skills certifications at CompTIA, saying:.

Given the growing reach of security, with threats becoming more pervasive and dangerous and with no business or industry immune to those threats, it makes sense that many IT professionals view this as a must-have for career advancement.

But that's also where many of the jobs are in this lousy economy and where IT workers will find some of the highest pay, as several IT employment experts told me recently.