The market for cloud and cloud-related services is quickly growing. Thanks to global organizations migrating different functions to cloud-based systems, cloud engineers are in high demand.
According to a Robert Half report, 94% of managers surveyed are either currently using the cloud or expect to do so within the next three to five years.
If you want to break into cloud engineering in 2021, here is everything you need to know about the career opportunities and earning potential in this field.
What Do Cloud Engineer Roles Look Like?
Despite all the initial scepticism around privacy and security of cloud, organizations have begun to realize the potential and power of the platform.
So much so that cloud engineering appears as one of the top 25 jobs on Glassdoors Best 50 Jobs in America for 2021 list. With a job satisfaction rating of 3.9 out of 5, some of the most common responsibilities of a cloud engineer are:
- Coordinate with the IT and engineering teams and implement cloud-based solutions
- Planning, designing and developing cloud-based applications
- Managing the cloud infrastructure in tandem with the company security guidelines
- Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in the industry and taking appropriate initiatives
Earning Potential for Cloud Engineers
According to Indeed.com, the average annual salary for cloud engineers is $115,418. The salary varies according to your jobs profile, geographical location and the organization you work with.
Highest Paying Cloud Related Roles at Top Companies
There is no doubt about the fact that companies are ready to shell out big bucks for hiring top talent in the field. According to an in-depth study conducted by Business Insider, companies like Google, AWS and Microsoft pay handsome salaries. Take a look:
- A Cloud Application Architect at AWS can earn between $140,000 and $150,00
- A Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft can pull in anywhere between $89,149 and $183,116.
- Recent cloud-related hires at Google include sales engineers and program managers, with salaries ranging from $134,000 to $174,000.
- Cloud Engineers at Cisco can earn as much as $187,300
- Cloud Ops Engineers at Citrix can make around $150,000
- Cloud Developers at VMware can earn $202,982
- Cloud DevOps Engineers at Lenovo can bring home $163,645
Highest Paying Cities in the United States for Cloud Engineers
- San Jose: $145,079
- New York: $132,082
- San Diego: $128,709
- Washington, DC: $125,754
- Seattle: $122,280
Highest Paying Companies in the United States for Cloud Engineers
- Stanford Healthcare: $229,000
- Deloitte: $221,674
- Citrix Systems Inc.: $179,638
- Selby Jennings: $173,107
- Epsilon: $168,313
Adding some skills and cloud training courses to your resume can help you get an edge during your interviews. For instance, team management is the most recommended skill which can help you earn up to 50% more than the average salary. Other critical skills and qualifications include PPM tools, Informatica, Docker and Drupal which can help you increase your salary anywhere from 10% – 67%.
How Can You Become A Cloud Engineer?
Business leaders are fast adopting cloud — public, private or hybrid — to boost their digital transformation efforts. If your future is in the cloud, check out our School of Cloud Computing which has various Nanodegree programs to prepare you for various roles like Cloud Developer, Cloud DevOps and even specialized roles like Solutions Architects and Security Engineers.
