If you’re exploring a career in tech, you’re probably discovering a lot of exciting potential career paths, including cloud engineering. But, before you start putting all that time into building your skills, it makes sense to first ask: How much does a Cloud Engineer make, anyway?
The short answer is, “a lot.”
Over the last decade, there’s been a digital mass migration as companies moved their data and resources from local servers to cloud-based services and adopted cloud computing. This is much easier said than done, and businesses in every industry rely on Cloud Engineers to make sure the transition to the cloud is a smooth one. Once the new systems are up and running, Cloud Engineers keep those systems maintained and updated.
The bad news for companies is that there just aren’t enough Cloud Engineers to satisfy all this demand. This is good news for new developers like you though, since it means Cloud Engineers are likely to land secure, well-paying jobs.
In this article, we’ll go over how much Cloud Engineers can expect to be paid, as well as factors that affect a Cloud Engineer’s average salary.
What is the average Cloud Engineer’s salary?
According to the latest survey of Cloud Engineer salary information in 2021, Cloud Engineers in the U.S. can expect to make $118,250 per year on average. They can also count on an average annual bonus of $10,000.
Remember that these numbers include salaries for Cloud Engineers from all over the country with different experience levels and different employers. Let’s take a closer look at what factors have the biggest effect on a Cloud Engineer’s salary.
Factors that affect how much a Cloud Engineer makes
Your location
Cloud engineers are needed all over the country, from small towns to big cities and everything in between. And just like other jobs, where you live impacts your salary since the cost of living is higher in some areas than in others.
To account for this, employers adjust the salaries they offer, and some of the highest salaries for Cloud Engineers are offered in the biggest cities in the country.
Here are the seven U.S. cities with the highest average annual salary for a Cloud Engineer:
Your company
Even within a particular city or area, some companies are willing to pay their employees well above the regional average salary. This is usually for one of two reasons:
- First, big cities that are home to a lot of companies’ headquarters are all competing to hire the same talented Cloud Engineers
- Second, companies located outside of the biggest and most desirable areas are at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting. So, they offer high salaries to convince more Cloud Engineers to move out of the city and work for them.
Here are 10 companies that offer some of the highest average salaries for Cloud Engineers.
Your skillset
It’s no surprise that a Cloud Engineer with more hard and soft skills can command a higher salary at the negotiating table. But it’s also important to remember that certain skills are more helpful to Cloud Engineers than others. And, while Cloud Engineers have overlapping skill sets with Back-End Developers and cybersecurity specialists, they also use their own specific tools on the job.
Here are the top hard skills for Cloud Engineers and how much more you can expect to make when you have those skills, according to Indeed.
As far as soft skills, team management is critical for Cloud Engineers, and companies are willing to pay over 50% more for people who bring that experience with them. So, if your previous job involved managing teams and projects, make sure to emphasize that experience as you put together your technical resume.
Salary isn’t the only kind of compensation
It’s exciting to think about a six-figure paycheck once you land your dream job as a Cloud Engineer, but keep in mind that salary is just one part of the story when it comes to compensation.
So, as you start to apply to cloud engineering jobs and compare job offers, remember that a company offering a lower starting salary can make up the difference in other ways, such as:
- Annual bonuses based on your performance
- Health and dental insurance coverage
- A good remote working or flextime policy
- More vacation and comp days
- An employee ownership structure and stock purchase options
- Contributions to your 401(k) or retirement account
- Sign-on bonuses and relocation reimbursement
Becoming a Cloud Engineer will pay off
As you continue along your path to becoming a Cloud Engineer, always remember these words: It’ll all pay off in the end. And we don’t just mean financially, but personally and professionally too.
Cloud Engineers can look forward to a stable, well-paid, and fulfilling career for years to come, so there’s no better time to build up your skills. Our online programming courses, like Python and Ruby, will help you focus on all the skills you need to succeed.
