Exactly this. I would be ecstatic if my employer paid for my cert tests. I pay for them myself and study on my own time, then leverage them during annual reviews to show why I deserve promotions and raises.
For context, I went from homeless to six figures because of this kind of hustle. If you want to just tread water then do so, otherwise you need to put in the work on your own time.
Microsoft 365 Administrator, $130k USD. I only have an Associate's degree but I have over a decade of experience in the field. Most of my day is spent coordinating with cybersecurity, compliance, and lawyers to ensure our data practices are sound. It's a constantly-moving target.