What are the best online courses for switching to an IT career?
The best online courses for IT career changers are CompTIA-aligned courses on Professor Messer (free) for foundational certifications, Adrian Cantrill's AWS courses for cloud, and CBT Nuggets for broad IT skill building. Udemy courses by Jason Dion and Mike Meyers consistently receive high ratings for certification prep. A Cloud Guru and Linux Foundation offer strong DevOps and Linux paths. Start with CompTIA A+ or Google IT Support Professional Certificate if you have no prior IT background. Budget $300-$800 total for a complete foundational path through online courses and exam fees.
Online courses have democratized access to IT education in ways that were impossible a decade ago. A nurse, an accountant, or a retail manager can now follow the same curriculum used by corporate training programs, at a fraction of the cost and on their own schedule. The challenge is no longer finding IT courses -- it is identifying which courses are genuinely good and building them into a coherent career-change path.
This guide evaluates the best online courses for IT career changers by category, explains how to sequence them for a realistic job outcome, and addresses the practical questions that arise when someone is switching careers while managing existing employment and financial obligations.
What "Best" Means for Career Changers
Career changers have different needs from students or professionals seeking incremental upskilling. The best courses for career changers specifically are those that:
- Cover foundational material without assuming prior technical background
- Include hands-on labs or projects that build portfolio-ready experience
- Align with certifications that employers recognize
- Are taught by instructors who can explain concepts clearly to non-technical learners
- Offer sufficient depth that completion prepares for real job functions, not just exam performance
Many highly rated courses teach to the exam effectively but leave graduates who cannot perform the underlying tasks. For career changers, bridging that gap is essential because entry-level IT roles require hands-on performance from day one.
"The courses that consistently produce job-ready career changers share a common trait: they build confidence through successful execution of real tasks, not just memorization of concepts. When you configure your first firewall, troubleshoot your first network issue, or deploy your first cloud instance, something shifts. You stop feeling like an impostor and start feeling like a practitioner." -- Heath Adams, founder of TCM Security and author of The Practical Ethical Hacking course
Foundational IT Courses
For complete career changers with no IT background, foundation-level courses are essential before pursuing certifications or specializations.
Google IT Support Professional Certificate
Available on Coursera, this six-course certificate was developed by Google specifically for people entering IT without prior experience. Topics include troubleshooting, customer service, networking, operating systems, system administration, and security. The certificate is recognized by many employers as evidence of foundational readiness and can partially prepare students for CompTIA A+.
Cost: $49/month on Coursera (typically 3-6 months to complete) Who it is for: Complete beginners with no IT background
Professor Messer's CompTIA A+ Course
This free video series covers the CompTIA A+ curriculum comprehensively. Professor Messer's teaching style is methodical and accessible. The course is used by thousands of career changers and military veterans transitioning to IT. Supplementing with Professor Messer's study guides ($20-$30) and practice exams ($15-$20) creates a complete, low-cost preparation path.
Cost: Free (video course), $35-$50 for supplemental materials Who it is for: Anyone preparing for CompTIA A+ with limited budget
CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Course by Jason Dion
Jason Dion's Udemy courses consistently receive ratings above 4.7/5.0 and cover certification content with clarity. The Network+ course includes practice questions and covers networking concepts that are foundational for virtually every IT specialty. Udemy frequently discounts courses to $15-$20.
Cost: $15-$20 on Udemy (with frequent sales) Who it is for: A+ holders ready to advance to networking fundamentals
Cloud Computing Courses
Cloud skills are among the highest-value additions a career changer can acquire. AWS, Azure, and GCP certifications are recognized globally and command salary premiums.
| Course | Platform | Certification Target | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Cantrill AWS SAA | learn.cantrill.io | AWS SAA-C03 | $40 | 60+ hours |
| A Cloud Guru AWS Cloud Practitioner | acloudguru.com | AWS CLF-C02 | $47/month | 10 hours |
| AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn | AZ-900 | Free | 15 hours |
| Google Cloud Digital Leader | Coursera | Cloud Digital Leader | $49/month | 8-12 hours |
| Linux Foundation Kubernetes (LFS158) | training.linuxfoundation.org | CKAD prep | Free | 14 hours |
Adrian Cantrill's courses are widely regarded as the most technically thorough AWS preparation available. They go beyond exam content to build genuine understanding. For career changers targeting cloud roles (cloud support engineer, cloud operations, solutions architect), his courses represent significant value despite requiring more time than alternatives.
Microsoft's own AZ-900 learning path on Microsoft Learn is free and comprehensive for the fundamental certification. Many employers in enterprises running Microsoft infrastructure value Azure knowledge, making it a strong complement to AWS for career changers.
Cybersecurity Courses
Security is among the fastest-growing IT sectors, with significant entry-level demand for security operations center (SOC) analysts, security engineers, and compliance professionals.
"The cybersecurity skills gap is real, but it is not a knowledge gap -- it is a proven-skills gap. Employers need people who can actually detect threats, investigate alerts, and respond to incidents. The best online security courses understand this and build practical lab experience, not just theoretical knowledge." -- Gerald Auger, PhD, creator of SimplyCyber and security career mentor
TryHackMe Learning Paths
TryHackMe offers gamified, browser-based labs covering security fundamentals, SOC analysis, penetration testing, and more. The Pre-Security and SOC Level 1 paths are specifically designed for career changers. The platform provides hands-on experience without requiring a home lab setup.
Cost: Free (limited) or $14/month (full access) Who it is for: Career changers targeting security roles
CompTIA Security+ Course by Mike Meyers and Total Seminars
Mike Meyers' Security+ course on Udemy is comprehensive and entertaining. The accompanying All-in-One Security+ textbook is among the most used exam prep books for the SY0-701 exam. Together they form a strong preparation package.
Cost: $15-$20 (Udemy sale price) Who it is for: IT professionals with 1-2 years experience seeking security credentials
ISC2 CC (Certified in Cybersecurity)
ISC2 released the CC certification specifically to address entry-level security workforce development. The self-paced course is available for free for 1 million learners and covers foundational security concepts. The exam costs $199. For career changers, this is an accessible first security credential before pursuing Security+.
Cost: Free course, $199 exam Who it is for: Complete beginners targeting security without networking background
DevOps and Linux Courses
DevOps roles command strong salaries and are accessible to career changers who are willing to learn Linux, scripting, and infrastructure-as-code.
| Course | Platform | Skills Covered | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux Essentials by NDG | Cisco NetAcad | Linux CLI, file systems, scripting | Free |
| The Linux Command Line (book) | nostarch.com | Shell scripting, system admin | $40 |
| Terraform Course by Derek Morgan | Udemy | Infrastructure as Code | $15-20 |
| Docker and Kubernetes by Bret Fisher | Udemy | Containers, orchestration | $15-20 |
| Python for Everybody by Dr. Chuck | Coursera | Python scripting | $49/month |
Linux knowledge underpins DevOps, cloud, and security careers. Cisco's free NDG Linux Essentials course provides a rigorous introduction. William Shotts' The Linux Command Line book is available free online and is one of the most comprehensive introductions to the Linux shell available at any price.
Structured Learning Paths for Career Changers
The challenge most career changers face is not finding courses but sequencing them. Without structure, it is easy to spend months taking courses without progressing toward employment. Recommended paths by target role:
Path 1: IT Support to Cloud Engineer (12-18 months)
- Google IT Support Professional Certificate (months 1-3)
- CompTIA A+ exam (month 4)
- CompTIA Network+ course + exam (months 5-6)
- AWS Cloud Practitioner course + exam (month 7)
- AWS Solutions Architect -- Associate course + exam (months 8-10)
- Home lab projects + GitHub portfolio (ongoing)
- Job search with A+, Network+, CCP, SAA credentials
Path 2: Non-Technical to Cybersecurity Analyst (12-18 months)
- Google IT Support Professional Certificate or Professor Messer A+ (months 1-3)
- CompTIA A+ exam (month 4)
- TryHackMe Pre-Security + SOC Level 1 paths (months 4-7)
- CompTIA Security+ course + exam (months 7-9)
- CySA+ or ISC2 CC (months 9-11)
- Job search targeting junior SOC analyst, security support roles
Path 3: Non-Technical to DevOps Engineer (18-24 months)
- Google IT Support or Linux Essentials (months 1-3)
- Python for Everybody + Linux Command Line (months 3-6)
- Docker and Kubernetes course (months 6-8)
- Terraform + AWS course (months 8-12)
- AWS DevOps or Azure DevOps certification (months 12-15)
- Portfolio of deployed projects on GitHub (ongoing)
What Courses Cannot Replace
Online courses, regardless of quality, cannot replace certain elements that employers evaluate:
Hands-on project experience. A course teaches concepts. Deploying a three-tier web application on AWS, documenting a home network security audit, or contributing to an open-source project demonstrates that you can apply concepts. Build projects as you complete courses, not after.
Communication of technical concepts. IT roles require explaining technical issues to non-technical stakeholders. Practice explaining what you learned as if teaching a friend or family member. Blog posts, YouTube videos, or study group participation build this capability.
Certification credentials. Courses teach content; certifications validate it. Completing a course without taking the certification exam leaves the credential unclaimed. Budget for exam fees from the start and schedule exams shortly after completing preparation.
"I completed seven online courses before I actually scheduled my first certification exam. I kept feeling like I needed to know more. The reality is that scheduling the exam creates the commitment that makes the knowledge stick. Pass or fail, taking the exam is the turning point." -- Career changer, now a cloud support engineer at a managed service provider, quoted in a tech career forum
Evaluating Course Quality
Not all highly rated courses are equally effective. Factors that predict course quality for career changers:
- Instructor background -- instructors who have worked in the field as practitioners (not only as educators) tend to include practical context that improves retention
- Lab inclusion -- browser-based or cloud-hosted labs included in the course are better than pure lecture or even lecture-plus-quiz formats
- Update frequency -- IT changes rapidly; check course update dates and read reviews mentioning outdated content
- Community engagement -- active Discord servers, forums, or Q&A sections indicate instructor engagement and peer support
- Completion rates -- platforms that display completion statistics for courses reveal which courses learners actually finish versus abandon
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I budget for online courses when switching to IT? A complete foundational path through IT support, networking, cloud fundamentals, and a specialty (security or DevOps) costs $300-$800 in course fees and $600-$1,200 in certification exam fees, for a total of $900-$2,000. This compares to $10,000-$20,000 for a bootcamp covering similar content. Many courses go on sale on Udemy for $15-$20 regularly, and free resources (Professor Messer, Microsoft Learn, TryHackMe free tier) cover significant ground.
Can I get an IT job with only online course completions and no certifications? It is significantly harder without certifications. Course completions are not standardized credentials -- employers cannot independently verify the rigor or content. Certifications like CompTIA A+, Network+, and AWS Solutions Architect -- Associate are independently validated and widely recognized. They signal to employers that a third party has verified your knowledge. Treat certifications as the goal and online courses as the preparation method.
Which single online course would make the biggest difference for an IT career changer? For someone with no IT background, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate provides the broadest foundational coverage and is recognized by the most employers. For someone with basic IT familiarity targeting cloud, Adrian Cantrill's AWS Solutions Architect -- Associate course provides the strongest foundation for high-value cloud roles. For security, TryHackMe's SOC Level 1 path provides the most directly applicable skills for entry-level security positions.
References
- Google. (2024). Google IT Support Professional Certificate. coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-it-support
- CompTIA. (2024). A+ Certification Exam Objectives. comptia.org/certifications/a
- Messer, J. (2024). Professor Messer's CompTIA A+ Course Notes. professormesser.com
- Cantrill, A. (2024). AWS Certified Solutions Architect Course. learn.cantrill.io
- ISC2. (2024). One Million Certified in Cybersecurity Initiative. isc2.org/1mcc
- TryHackMe. (2024). Learning Paths. tryhackme.com/paths
- A Cloud Guru. (2024). Cloud Learning Platform. acloudguru.com
- Linux Foundation. (2024). Training and Certification Catalog. training.linuxfoundation.org
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Information Security Analysts Outlook. bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm