Cloud Computing Salary: Your 2024 Guide

Cloud computing is one of the hottest skills in the job market, with 16 percent of earners in the US making over $150,000 a year [1]. Cloud computing salaries vary based on experience, from entry-level to senior positions, by job function, location, and the cloud computing qualifications you have. Explore how having cloud skills can lead to a higher salary and discover ways to maximize your earnings potential in this growing field.

What is cloud computing?

You're accessing services and applications over the internet when you use cloud computing. This means you can get the resources you need—when you need them—without investing in hardware or software upfront. Cloud computing offers faster innovation and flexible resources. Plus, it can help you save money on your overall computing costs. With the diversity, utility, and complexity of cloud computing infrastructure and applications, many different roles are available in this growing industry.

What is the average cloud computing salary?

If you're looking to enter the cloud computing field, you may wonder about the average salary. Salaries can vary depending on experience and location, but the average annual base salary for a cloud computing professional in the US is $99,577 [2]. With the demand for cloud computing services expected to grow, now is a great time to enter this exciting and fast-growing field.

Cloud computing salary by experience

Cloud computing salaries vary depending on experience and role. With experience comes the competence to participate in more complex and strategic elements of cloud infrastructure and development projects. You may also supervise or manage other team members as you increase your experience.

Is cloud computing a high-paying job?

• Entry-level positions in the US typically pay an average base salary of $73,320 a year [3].

• Senior roles in the US  can command a base salary of $119,468 per year or more [4].

Cloud computing salary by industry

The cloud computing industry is rapidly growing, and salaries are reflecting that trend. However, salaries vary widely by industry. For example, IT professionals in the financial services industry earn more on average than those in the manufacturing sector.

The difference in salaries may partly be due to the different skill sets needed in each industry. For example, cloud computing professionals in the financial services industry need to handle large amounts of data and transactions quickly and securely and in a highly compliance-driven framework. In the health care industry, you may find that the regulatory demands are less stringent, but you’ll still need to be able to ensure that patient data remains protected and confidential. The environment and demands of roles in cloud computing can vary. Different industries also make different levels of profit, and that can affect wages, too.

Cloud computing salary by location

The average base salary for a cloud computing professional varies based on location within the US. Part of this salary variation relates to the local cost of living. The following offers some examples of the median annual base salaries in different cities:

• New York, NY: $113,948 [5]

• San Francisco, CA: $125,588 [6]

• Seattle, WA: $116,830 [7]

• Atlanta, GA: $97,746 [8]

• Boston, MA: $113,363 [9]

Variations in cloud computing roles and salaries.

When it comes to cloud computing roles and salaries, there can be a lot of variation. As we’ve seen, your salary depends on the specific role you play within the cloud computing industry and the level of experience and expertise you bring to the table. Take a deeper look at the demands of different cloud computing roles and the average salaries they pay.

Cloud engineer

Median annual base salary (US): $116,939 [10]

The average cloud engineer salary offers robust earning power. Your responsibilities will include designing, building, and maintaining business cloud services. You need to have a solid technical background and be able to work with various cloud technologies. 

Read more: What is a Cloud Engineer? Building and Maintaining the Cloud

Cloud architect

Median annual base salary (US): $146,071 [11]

As a cloud architect, you’ll be responsible for designing and implementing cloud solutions. Your focus will be on ensuring that the architecture is scalable and efficient. You need to have a good understanding of both business and technology to be successful in this role.

Read more: Cloud Architect Career Guide: 10 In-Demand Jobs and Skills

Cloud developer

Median annual base salary (US): $98,003 [12]

If you’re more interested in coding and developing applications, you might consider becoming a cloud developer. Your responsibilities would include creating applications that run on the cloud platform. To succeed in this role, you must have strong programming skills and experience with various development tools and frameworks. 

Read more: Cloud Developer Salary: Jobs, Trends and Outlook

Cloud administrator

Median annual base salary (US): $105,730 [13]

Finally, if you’re interested in managing and administering clouds, you could become a cloud administrator. In this role, you’ll be responsible for keeping the clouds running smoothly and troubleshooting any issues that arise. You need good problem-solving skills and experience working with different types of clouds.

Which pays more, cloud or cybersecurity?

Both areas offer competitive wages. For comparison, a cloud specialist makes a median annual base salary of $105,174, while a cybersecurity specialist earns $118,396 [14,15].

Tips for earning more in cloud computing

You can boost your salary in cloud computing roles in several ways. The more relevant and desirable your skill set, the more you are likely to be paid. Check out some tips to make your resume more marketable.

Keep your skills up to date.

The cloud computing landscape is constantly changing, so it’s essential to keep your skills up to date. Whether you’re a developer, system administrator, or network engineer, make sure you’re familiar with the latest tools, trends, and technologies.

Get certified.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, get certified in a popular cloud platform, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. Employers are often willing to pay premium salaries for candidates with cloud certifications.

Read more: 5 Cloud Certifications to Start Your Cloud Career

Learn multiple languages.

Some of the most popular languages for cloud development are Java, Python, and JavaScript. However, learning multiple languages will make you more versatile and marketable. For example, if you know both Java and Python, you can develop more diverse applications for both the AWS and Google App Engine platforms.

Develop a specialty.

While generalists are in demand, specialists are always in high demand, and they command higher salaries. If you can develop expertise in a specific area of cloud computing, such as big data or security, you’ll be in a great position to earn more money.

Is cloud computing in demand?

The job outlook for cloud computing is bright. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that employment opportunities will grow faster than average from 2023 through 2033, adding approximately 356,700 job openings yearly [16]. This growth is driven by trends such as the increasing use of cloud-based services by businesses and the growing demand for more efficient and effective ways to store, manage, and analyze data. 

Cloud computing offers many benefits that increase the adoption of cloud technology, including the ability to scale services up or down quickly and easily, pay only for what you use, and enjoy increased security and reliability.

Ready to take the next step in your cloud computing career?

Take the next step toward a career in cloud computing by enrolling in the AWS Fundamentals Specialization on Coursera. This Specialization is taught by industry leaders and provides an overview of cloud fundamentals that are necessary to perform tasks in cloud computing roles. This program offers a hands-on project that uses industry best practices at your own pace. Upon completion, gain a certificate to include in your resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile.