Cloud technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate, making it possible for companies to store, manage and process data in a highly secure and cost-effective way. This has led to an increased demand for professionals with cloud-related skills and certifications, making cloud technology one of the most sought-after fields in the job market today.
As the adoption of cloud technology continues to grow, so does the need for professionals with the knowledge and qualifications to design, implement, and manage cloud-based systems. This has led to a significant increase in the number of cloud certifications available, making it difficult for professionals to determine which certifications are most valuable.
The purpose of this article is to highlight the top 13 best highest-paying cloud certifications for 2024. These certifications are in high demand, and holders can expect to earn a significant salary. By highlighting the most valuable certifications in the field, this article aims to help professionals make informed decisions about which certifications to pursue to advance their careers and maximize their earning potential.
Highest Paying Cloud Certifications for 2024
The following are the 13 best highest-paying cloud certifications for 2024:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- AWS Certified Developer – Associate
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Google Cloud Certified – Professional Cloud Architect
- Google Cloud Certified – Associate Cloud Engineer
- Google Cloud Certified – Professional Data Engineer
- (ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
- CompTIA Cloud+
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty
1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certification is designed for individuals who have a deep understanding of the AWS platform and can design, deploy, and scale complex applications on the AWS platform. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to design and deploy scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on the AWS platform. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the AWS platform and its various services.
The average salary for holders of the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certification is around $158,485. This certification is one of the most valuable in the field of cloud technology, and holders can expect to earn a significant salary. According to Skillsoft, the average salary for AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional is around $158,485. Top of Form
2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification is designed for individuals who have a good understanding of the AWS platform and can design scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to design and deploy systems on the AWS platform and is intended for individuals who are just starting their careers in cloud technology. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the AWS platform and its various services.
According to Skillsoft, the average salary for AWS Certified Solutions Architect–Associate is around $148,348, with some professionals earning as much as $150,000. This certification demonstrates that the holder has a good understanding of the AWS platform and can design and deploy systems on it. This is a valuable certification for professionals just starting their careers in cloud technology and can provide an excellent foundation for future advancements.
3. AWS Certified Developer – Associate
The AWS Certified Developer – Associate certification is intended for individuals who have a good understanding of the AWS platform and can develop and maintain applications on the AWS platform. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to write and maintain code on the AWS platform, including the use of AWS services such as Amazon S3, Amazon DynamoDB, and AWS Lambda. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the AWS platform and its various services.
According to Skillsoft, the average salary for AWS Certified Developer – Associate is around $165,333. This certification is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates that the holder has a good understanding of the AWS platform and can develop and maintain applications on it. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to break into the field of cloud development and gain the skills necessary to build and deploy applications on the AWS platform.
4. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification is intended for system administrators who have a good understanding of the AWS platform and can deploy, manage, and operate scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on the AWS platform. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to manage and deploy systems on the AWS platform, including the use of AWS services such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), and Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3). To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the AWS platform and its various services.
According to Payscale, the average salary for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate is around $115,000, with some professionals earning as much as $150,000. This certification is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates that the holder has a good understanding of the AWS platform and can manage and operate systems on it. This certification is particularly valuable for system administrators looking to specialize in the AWS platform and gain the skills necessary to deploy and manage applications on the AWS platform.
5. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification is designed for individuals who have a good understanding of the Azure platform and can manage and maintain Azure resources, including virtual machines and storage. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to manage and maintain Azure services, including Azure Virtual Machines, Azure storage, and Azure virtual networks. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the Azure platform and its various services.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate is around $103,901 /year. This certification is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates that the holder has a good understanding of the Azure platform and can manage and maintain Azure resources. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in the Azure platform and gain the skills necessary to manage and maintain Azure services.
6. Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is designed for individuals who have a deep understanding of the Azure platform and can design and implement solutions on the Azure platform. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to design and implement scalable, highly available, and secure solutions on the Azure platform. To become certified, candidates must pass multiple-choice exams that test their knowledge of Azure architecture, Azure services, and tools, as well as their ability to design and implement Azure solutions.
The average salary for holders of the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is around $133,185 per year. This certification is highly respected in the industry and demonstrates that the holder has an in-depth understanding of the Azure platform and can design and implement solutions on it. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in Azure architecture and gain the skills necessary to design and implement scalable, highly available, and secure solutions on the Azure platform.
7. Google Associate Cloud Engineer
The Google Cloud Certified – Associate Cloud Engineer certification is designed for individuals who have a good understanding of the Google Cloud Platform and can deploy, manage, and troubleshoot cloud infrastructure. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to deploy and manage solutions on the Google Cloud Platform, including the use of Google Cloud services such as Google Compute Engine and Google Cloud Storage. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the Google Cloud Platform and its various services.
The average salary for holders of the Google Cloud Certified – Associate Cloud Engineer certification is around $107,272 per year. This certification is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates that the holder has a good understanding of the Google Cloud Platform and can deploy, manage, and troubleshoot cloud infrastructure on it. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in the Google Cloud Platform and gain the skills necessary to deploy and manage solutions on the Google Cloud Platform.
8. Google Professional Cloud Architect
The Google Cloud Certified – Professional Cloud Architect certification is designed for individuals who have a deep understanding of the Google Cloud Platform and can design, develop, and manage solutions on the Google Cloud Platform. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to design and implement scalable, highly available, and secure solutions on the Google Cloud Platform, including the use of Google Cloud services such as Google Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine, and Google Cloud Storage. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of the Google Cloud Platform and its various services, as well as their ability to design and implement solutions on the platform.
The average salary for holders of the Google Cloud Certified – Professional Cloud Architect certification is around $166,057 per year. This certification is highly respected in the industry and demonstrates that the holder has an in-depth understanding of the Google Cloud Platform and can design, develop, and manage solutions on it. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in cloud architecture and gain the skills necessary to design and implement scalable, highly available, and secure solutions on the Google Cloud Platform.
9. Google Certified Professional Data Engineer
The Google Cloud Certified – Professional Data Engineer certification is designed for individuals who have a deep understanding of data engineering and can design, develop, and manage data solutions on the Google Cloud Platform. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to design and implement data processing systems, build and maintain data pipelines, and manage and analyze data using Google Cloud services such as BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and Cloud Dataflow. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of data engineering and the various data services offered by Google Cloud.
The average salary for holders of the Google Cloud Certified – Professional Data Engineer certification is around $200,848 per year. This certification is highly respected in the industry and demonstrates that the holder has an in-depth understanding of data engineering and can design, develop, and manage data solutions on the Google Cloud Platform. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in data engineering and gain the skills necessary to design, develop and manage data solutions on the Google Cloud Platform.
10. (ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
The (ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification is designed for individuals who have a deep understanding of cloud security and can design, develop, and manage cloud security solutions. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to understand and implement security controls, design and manage secure cloud infrastructure, and understand and apply cloud security concepts such as compliance, risk management, and incident response. To become certified, candidates must pass an exam that tests their knowledge of cloud security, have a minimum of five years of work experience in IT, and must have at least three years of experience in information security.
The average salary for holders of the (ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification is around $122,000 per year. This certification is highly respected in the industry and demonstrates that the holder has an in-depth understanding of cloud security and can design, develop, and manage cloud security solutions. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in cloud security and gain the skills necessary to understand and implement security controls, design and manage secure cloud infrastructure, and understand and apply cloud security concepts.
11. CompTIA Cloud+
The CompTIA Cloud+ certification is designed for individuals who have a good understanding of cloud computing and can design, implement, and maintain cloud infrastructure. This certification demonstrates the holder’s ability to understand and apply cloud concepts, implement and maintain cloud infrastructure, and secure cloud environments. To become certified, candidates must pass a multiple-choice exam that tests their knowledge of cloud computing, including cloud concepts, cloud infrastructure, and cloud security.
The average salary for holders of the CompTIA Cloud+ certification is around $88,614 per year. According to Indeed, the average salary for CompTIA Cloud+ is around $110,000, with some professionals earning as much as $130,000. This certification is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates that the holder has a good understanding of cloud computing and can design, implement, and maintain cloud infrastructure. This certification is particularly valuable for professionals looking to specialize in cloud computing and gain the skills necessary to design, implement and maintain cloud infrastructure, and secure cloud environments.
12.       AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02) is a prestigious certification that validates your expertise in building, deploying, and managing distributed applications on the AWS cloud platform. It demonstrates a high level of skill and knowledge in DevOps practices and their application within the AWS ecosystem. This certification is ideal for experienced professionals with at least 2+ years of experience in provisioning, operating, and managing AWS environments, building automated infrastructure, and developing code in at least one high-level programming language.
With the DOP-C02 certification, you can expect a significant salary boost. According to Skillsoft, certified DevOps engineers often earn 20-30% more than their non-certified counterparts. This is due to the increased demand for professionals who can effectively implement and manage DevOps practices in AWS environments.However, based on industry trends and general salary data, we can estimate that the average salary for AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professionals aligns with the broader market range mentioned earlier, this range typically falls between $110,000 to $150,000 per year in the United States. Moreover, the certification can open doors to higher-level roles and greater career opportunities within the AWS ecosystem.
13.       AWS Certified Security – Specialty
The AWS Certified Security – Specialty is a coveted certification that validates your expertise in securing applications and infrastructure on the AWS cloud platform. This certification demonstrates a deep understanding of security best practices, threat modeling, and compliance requirements within the AWS ecosystem. It’s ideal for security professionals, architects, and DevOps engineers who want to enhance their skills in safeguarding AWS environments.
By obtaining the AWS Certified Security – Specialty, you can expect a substantial increase in your salary. According to Skillsoft, certified security professionals often earn 20-30% more than their non-certified counterparts. This is due to the growing demand for individuals who can effectively protect sensitive data and mitigate security risks in the cloud.
annual salary for professionals holding the AWS Certified Security – Specialty certification is around $166,449.
This certification is highly valued in the industry due to the specialized knowledge it demonstrates in securing AWS environments. Additionally, the certification can open doors to higher-level roles and greater career opportunities within the AWS ecosystem.
13 Best Highest Paying Cloud Certifications for 2024: Conclusion
Cloud technology and certifications continue to be in high demand as more and more businesses are moving to the cloud. With the increasing importance of cloud technology in the current job market, obtaining one or more of the top 13 highest-paying cloud certifications for 2024 can greatly increase your career growth and earning potential.
These certifications demonstrate your knowledge and skills in cloud technology and can open the door to many high-paying job opportunities in the field of cloud administration, operations, architecture, security, and data engineering.
It’s worth noting that, while the salaries mentioned in this article are averages and can vary depending on location, experience, and other factors, obtaining one or more of these certifications will still be a valuable asset in your career and can greatly increase your earning potential.
Finally, it’s important to note that the technology and the demand for certifications are constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay current with the latest developments in cloud technology and continue to pursue further education and certifications. Additionally, there are many resources available for obtaining these certifications and staying current with the latest developments in cloud technology, such as online courses, tutorials, and training programs.
