Cloud computing allows companies and organizations to access IT services remotely. Explore cloud computing job descriptions, including cloud engineer, cloud architect, cloud data scientist, and cloud security engineer.
Cloud computing is a career field that covers many different professions, including cloud engineers, architects, DevOps engineers, and security analysts. Cloud computing technology allows businesses, organizations, and individuals to access the resources they need using the Internet. Companies in finance, health care, retail, government, and manufacturing use it for IT infrastructure, services, and other resources.
Cloud computing is an important resource, and its value will continue to grow. Grand View Research reports the cloud computing market was worth $602.31 billion in 2023 and will grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 21.2 percent to reach a total market value of $2,390.18 billion in 2030 [1]. Additionally, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts computer and information technology jobs will grow at an above-average rate compared to other occupations in the decade leading up to 2033 [2].
Explore cloud computing job descriptions for jobs like cloud engineer, cloud architect, cloud DevOps engineer, and cloud security analyst to explore which area of cloud computing might be right for you.
Cloud computing refers to the process of accessing services, infrastructure, or applications through the internet. Instead of storing data on your device or using your computer, you can access computing power or storage over the internet. This allows you to access only the resources you need and pay as you go for a lower cost to start using technology.
Chances are you already use cloud services in one way or another. For example, when you check your emails, you don’t navigate to a folder on your computer where the computer stores emails, you log in to your email account, the content of which is stored remotely on some other company’s servers, like Google, Outlook, or Yahoo. These companies provide an IT service (email) you can access anywhere you have an internet connection. Logging into social media, using a web-based app for budgeting your personal finances, or using a platform like Google Workspace, where you store documents, are all examples of cloud services made possible through cloud computing.
Without cloud computing, you’d have to download all of Facebook to scroll through your friend’s posts. Instead, Meta offers Facebook as a platform or service through the cloud. Meta, in turn, accesses cloud computing services, for example, when they partner with Microsoft Azure for their AI research.
Cloud computing allows companies and organizations to move quickly in competitive markets, accessing resources they need over the internet instead of creating a solution from scratch or integrating new software company-wide. It also allows organizations to scale their operations as they grow, starting small and paying only for the services they need before increasing what they use as the organization grows. This allows you to avoid choosing between a small-scale solution you’ll outgrow and a larger, more expensive one you won’t need. Instead, you can get precisely what you need, with availability and costs that scale as needed.
You can explore cloud computing careers in many industries, including health care, finance, manufacturing, education, real estate, entertainment, transportation, and more. In the last 20 years, cloud computing has become an important resource for companies in many industries. A few ways organizations use cloud computing include:
Data backup
Virtual desktops
Software development
Data analytics
The exact job responsibilities you’ll have working in cloud computing will depend on the career and title you hold, but you’ll find many common areas where you can refine and develop your skills no matter what part of cloud computing you focus on. Important skills for cloud computing professionals include:
Programming languages: Important languages include Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, Python, SQL, and NoSQL.
Database management: Besides SQL and NoSQL, you should be familiar with database programming and management.
Cloud platforms and services: You should be familiar with cloud providers like AWS, Google, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle.
Containerization: You’ll need to understand the process of bundling files and libraries that programs need to operate, either to package cloud services for other users or to access these services yourself.
Network management: You may need more than one network using cloud computing. This means it’s important to know network management when you’re pursuing a cloud computing career.
Security: Even if you don’t specialize in cloud security, you must understand best practices.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Cloud-based artificial intelligence and machine learning are relatively new trends that you should understand for a career in cloud computing.
Workplace skills: You’ll also need to develop workplace skills, like communication.
Now that you’ve reviewed the many uses of cloud computing and the skills you’ll need to be successful in the field, you can explore some cloud computing job descriptions to help you narrow down which area of the field you want to learn more about. Some popular cloud computing careers include cloud architect, engineer, data scientist, and security analyst. While these represent only a selection of the job titles you can find in the cloud computing field, they can help you explore job responsibilities that sound the most compelling.
Average annual salary in the US (Glassdoor): $147,644 [3]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 13 percent [4]
As a cloud architect, you will be responsible for creating, implementing, and maintaining cloud infrastructure, as well as all the technologies and equipment needed to use cloud computing. As the person planning cloud architecture, you will play an important role in setting the company’s overall cloud strategy because you will plan and deploy the cloud systems as needed. In this role, you may install cloud networks, create or optimize applications based on cloud technology, evaluate the performance of cloud services, and keep your clients up to date about the latest cloud technology.
Average annual salary in the US (Glassdoor): $118,502 [5]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 7 percent [6]
As a cloud engineer, you will have a similar job role to a cloud architect, focusing on designing and creating cloud-based applications focusing on the technical specifications of the development project you’re working on. You may work closely with a cloud architect, software developers, and other professionals. When a cloud architect creates a plan and a framework for a cloud-based application, you will design and create the technical specifications of the architect’s plan. You may also play a direct role in programming, testing, and integrating the cloud applications.
Average annual salary in the US (Glassdoor): $117,664 [7]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 36 percent [8]
As a cloud data scientist, you will be a data scientist working primarily with cloud-based tools to derive meaning from data. By working with cloud technologies, you’ll help clients overcome common infrastructure problems that make data science difficult, such as insufficient processing power or storage. You can work on different problems to gather insight for companies in many fields, including business, entertainment, finance, health care, telecommunications, and more. You will use your knowledge of cloud computing, math, statistics, and probability to manipulate data using cloud computing, machine learning algorithms, and other strategies to make predictions and derive meaning from data.
Average annual salary in the US (Glassdoor): $127,250 [9]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2023 to 2033): 33 percent [10]
As a cloud security analyst, you will help companies protect their data using cloud services. You will work with various tools to look for vulnerabilities and analyze threats, monitor assets, and prepare status reports for other team members. In this position, you will respond to and contain threats, test new security processes and products, and develop recovery plans if an incident occurs.
These are just a selection of the job titles in cloud computing. Other potential careers to explore, along with their average salaries in the US, include:
*All annual base salary details are based on Glassdoor’s January 2025 data and do not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.
Cloud consultant: $133,329
Cloud administrator: $106,696
Cloud automation engineer: $119,819
Cloud network engineer: $118,502
Cloud DevOps engineer: $108,449
AWS cloud engineer: $108,169
Azure cloud engineer: $124,253
Oracle cloud developer: $102,358
Cloud computing allows businesses, organizations, and individuals to access various services and resources through the cloud. If you want to explore a job in cloud computing, you can learn the skills you need to succeed on Coursera. For example, you could enroll in the AWS Fundamentals Specialization to learn cloud computing, data visualization, and data analysis skills. You can also train for a specific career with a Professional Certificate such as the AWS Cloud Technology Consultant Professional Certificate or the AWS Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certificate.
Grand View Research. “Cloud Computing Market Size and Share, https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cloud-computing-industry.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Computer and Information Technology Applications, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Salary: Cloud Architect in the United States, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cloud-architect-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Computer Network Architects: Occupational Outlook Handbook , https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-network-architects.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Salary: Cloud Engineer in the United States, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cloud-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Computer Hardware Engineers: Occupational Outlook Handbook , https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Salary: Data Scientist in the United States, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-scientist-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Data Scientists: Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/data-scientists.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Salary: Cloud Security Analyst in the United States, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cloud-security-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Information Security Analysts: Occupational Outlook Handbook , https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm.” Accessed January 16, 2025.
Editorial Team
Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.