Cloud Engineer Salary

July 7, 2023 by

Greg Belding

Are you considering becoming a cloud engineer and have questions about what you can expect for a salary and career outlook for this exciting, in-demand job role? If you are, it is entirely understandable. Did you know that in a recent survey of business leaders, 75% would like to move to the cloud, but only 8% of those surveyed had professionals on staff with experience working with cloud-related tools?

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What this means is there is a high level of demand for cloud engineers, but I’m sure you know that, which is why you are reading this article in the first place! Explore what a cloud engineer does, cloud engineer salary, cloud engineer salary outlook, factors affecting salary level and advice for those looking to increase their salary as a cloud engineer.

What is a cloud engineer?

Cloud engineers are responsible for a variety of cloud-related duties. As a cloud engineer, you are responsible for assessing the cloud-based platform your organization is currently using, securing their cloud-based operations and having the technical know-how to make necessary changes if needed. Due to the wide scope of cloud engineer responsibilities, the role can either encompass the following roles or be referred to by one of the role names listed below:

•       Cloud software engineer
•       Cloud systems engineer
•       Cloud network engineer
•       Cloud architect

Cloud engineer salary

Cloud engineers command an impressively healthy average salary. Below are some of the reported average cloud computing salaries from the leading salary reporting websites:

•       $136,485 - PayScale
•       $139,898 - Talent.com
•       $140,632 - ZipRecruiter

These average cloud engineer salaries are fairly close to each other, but we can get an even more accurate picture by taking an average of these salaries, which would be $139,005. 

Cloud engineer salary and career outlook

Your salary and career outlook as a cloud engineer is so bright that you must wear shades, as they say. In perspective, the average salary in the United States is $61,900. Comparing this average salary to that calculated above, you can expect to make 124% more than the average salary in the United States as a cloud engineer. 

Not only is the average cloud engineer salary very strong, but the career outlook for cloud engineers is also equally impressive. To put this into perspective, in 2010, the cloud computing market was estimated at $13.87 billion and is expected to swell to a massive $800 billion by 2025. If you combine this forecast with the clear need for more cloud engineers in the survey referenced above, it is unlikely that you will be unable to find a good role as a cloud engineer at a hiring organization as we advance into the future.

Factors affecting cloud engineer salary

Multiple factors will affect your average salary as a cloud engineer. Below are the factors that will have the most significant impact.

Years of experience

The number of years of experience you have as a cloud engineer will have one of the largest impacts on what you can expect to earn as a cloud engineer. Below are figures for what you can expect to earn as a percentage of the average salary calculated above based on your years of experience:

•       Entry level: 43% to 53%
•       10 years of experience: 79% to 94%
•       More than 10 years of experience (along with multiple certifications): 8%+ above the average salary for a cloud engineer

For the last category above, multiple certifications are considered along with experience. This is because it is very common for cloud engineers to have multiple certifications when they reach that level of experience.

Certifications

Your number of cloud computing certifications is another factor that will impact your cloud engineer salary. While no direct figure will accurately show exactly how much you will earn based upon the certification, as you saw above, certifications are taken as a whole, along with your years of experience and other factors in determining your salary as a cloud engineer. Below are some commonly held certifications by cloud engineers.

•       Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
•       Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK)
•       Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Visit our cloud engineer hub for more on cloud certifications and career advice. 

Your geographic location

Your location will also significantly impact your average cloud engineer salary. Below are what the average salaries are in different geographic locations:

•       Santa Cruz, CA - $161,681
•       Barnstable Town, MA - $165,998
•       Manhattan, NY - $161,681
•       Green River, WY - $155,523
•       Sunnyvale, CA - $165,745
•       Chicago, IL - $135,000
•       Omaha, NE - $135,000
•       Denver, CO - $140,000
•       San Francisco, CA - $150,000
•       Seattle, WA - $150,000

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Cloud engineer salary

There is much to be said about being a cloud engineer in today’s world, which is increasingly into the cloud. Not only will you have a very positive career outlook, but you also will be commanding an average salary that is more than head and shoulders above the national average of all occupations. With that said, there are certain factors, such as your years of experience working as a cloud engineer, your geographic location and the cloud computing certifications you hold, which will impact your average cloud security engineer salary.

If you would like to boost your cloud engineer salary, there are several things you can do. First, keep working as a cloud engineer and rack up those years of experience. They will truly pay dividends. Second, increase your verifiable knowledge base as you work by leveling up with one or more of the cloud-based certifications mentioned above. Lastly, if you are living in an area of the country that does not pay as well as you would like, think about relocating to a major metropolitan area such as Seattle, San Francisco, or Manhattan, NY. If you follow these recommendations, you're almost assured of a healthy boost to your salary.

 For more information, visit our cloud engineer career hub.