AWS Cloud Practitioner Salary: Your 2026 Guide
Discover the average AWS cloud practitioner salary and how it varies based on where you work, your experience, level of education, and the certifications you hold.
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Key takeaways
AWS cloud practitioners can earn high salaries in the US due to increased demand for computer and information technology (IT) professionals.
The average annual salary for an entry-level AWS cloud practitioner in the US is $85,866 [].
Factors such as education level, location, and additional years of experience can impact your salary as an AWS cloud practitioner.
You can earn higher salaries by getting an associate or professional-level AWS certification.
Learn more about the average AWS cloud practitioner's salary and the factors that can affect it. If you鈥檙e ready to start preparing for an AWS role, enroll in the AWS Fundamentals: Your First Steps into the AWS Cloud Specialization. You鈥檒l have the opportunity to learn about fundamental AWS services and cloud computing concepts in as little as four weeks. Upon completion, you鈥檒l have earned a career certificate for your resume.
What is an AWS cloud practitioner?聽
An Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud practitioner is a professional in the information technology (IT) space who specializes in cloud computing. What separates an AWS cloud practitioner from other cloud computing specialists is that they have specialized knowledge in AWS to support cloud operations for various organizations.听
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is a certification offered by Amazon Web Services that validates the recipient has a foundational yet high-level competence in using the AWS cloud, as well as its services and terminology. This certification is generally the starting point for all other AWS certifications, which include professional, associate, and specialty role-based certifications.
Read more: What's the Difference Between AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud?
AWS certified cloud practitioner salary
The average salary for an entry-level AWS cloud practitioner is $85,866, according to ZipRecruiter []. Keep in mind that a certified AWS cloud practitioner can work in various positions within the AWS cloud ecosystem. Let鈥檚 review some of these potential jobs and their median total US salaries*:聽
AWS cloud engineer: $134,000 []
AWS DevOps engineer: $133,000 []
AWS cloud architect: $164,000 []
AWS developer: $126,000 []
*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of October 2025. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.
Keep in mind that salaries vary based on factors such as experience, location, education, and other certifications.
Does an AWS cloud practitioner certification increase salary?
According to research by Jefferson Frank, 73 percent of AWS cloud practitioners received a raise after certification []. Altogether, these raises averaged 27 percent on these professionals鈥� salaries [].
AWS cloud practitioner salary by location
Let鈥檚 review the average entry-level AWS cloud practitioner salary in cities across the US, according to ZipRecruiter [闭.听
Green River, WY: $102,915
Santa Clara, CA: $97,494
San Francisco, CA: $98,795
Bolinas, CA: $99,235
Sunnyvale, CA: $97,936
Fremont, CA: $97,206
Berkeley, CA: $95,913听
Average salary for AWS cloud practitioners by education level
It is possible to become an AWS cloud practitioner with an associate degree; however, most employers will typically require a bachelor鈥檚 degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field.听
The average salary for AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification holders varies by education. Below are the US salaries for various roles held by AWS cloud practitioners by education level, according to Zippia.听
| Network engineer [] | DevOps engineer [] | Network architect [] | Systems administrator [] | Developer [] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate degree | $82,204 | $103,469 | $76,033 | ||
| Bachelor鈥檚 degree | $89,932 | $102,255 | $114,409 | $82,424 | $86,035 |
| Master鈥檚 degree | $92,877 | $110,066 | $118,608 | $84,844 | $92,617 |
| Doctorate degree | $117,886 | $99,206 |
AWS cloud practitioner salary based on certification type
AWS provides certification at four levels for IT professionals who want to work in the cloud: foundational, associate, professional, and specialty.
Foundational
Entry-level AWS cloud practitioner salary (US): $85,866 []
At the foundational level is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, which is an overview and introduction to AWS. It focuses on the overall AWS system and structure, instead of going too in-depth on any one subject. Amazon recommends the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification for people who are new to the cloud and may lack an IT background.听
Associate
Average base salary for AWS Certified Solutions Architect 鈥� Associate holders: $129,000 []
You can advance your career by earning associate AWS certifications. For example, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect 鈥� Associate certification is for people with experience in AWS technology, strong on-premises IT experience, or experience with other cloud technology.听
Average base salary for AWS Certified Developer 鈥� Associate holders: $119,000 [闭听
Other AWS associate certifications to consider are the AWS Certified Developer 鈥� Associate and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator 鈥� Associate. On top of the recommended experience for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect 鈥� Associate exam, AWS recommends the AWS Certified Developer 鈥� Associate for those with developer or IT experience.听
Average base salary for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator 鈥� Associate holders: $122,000 []
If you have experience as a systems administrator, AWS recommends pursuing an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator 鈥� Associate certification.听
Professional
After gaining a few years of experience as an AWS cloud practitioner, you can pursue one of AWS鈥檚 professional certifications. Two core professional certifications to consider include:
AWS Certified Solutions Architect 鈥� Professional聽
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer 鈥� Professional
AWS recommends both exams for professionals with at least two years of experience operating and managing AWS environments and architecture. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect 鈥� Professional pushes the average base salary to $151,000, and the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer 鈥� Professional average base salary is $142,000 annually [, 闭.听
*All certification salary information is from PayScale and is current as of October 2025.
AWS cloud practitioner entry-level salary to senior-level salary
The average AWS cloud practitioner salary also varies by experience. The median total salaries based on years of experience, according to Glassdoor, are as follows:
| AWS cloud engineer [] | AWS DevOps engineer [] | AWS cloud architect [] | AWS developer [] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0鈥�1 years | $121,000 | $115,000 | $133,000 | $111,000 |
| 1鈥�3 years | $127,000 | $123,000 | $141,000 | $119,000 |
| 4鈥�6 years | $136,000 | $132,000 | $155,000 | $127,000 |
| 7鈥�9 years | $143,000 | $139,000 | $162,000 | $131,000 |
| 10鈥�14 years | $153,000 | $151,000 | $173,000 | $137,000 |
| 15 or more years | $164,000 | $163,000 | $184,000 | $149,000 |
*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of October 2025. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.
Are AWS cloud practitioners in demand?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects employment for computer and IT professionals to grow much faster than average between 2024 to 2034, expecting approximately 317,700 new openings annually through 2034 []. These openings will mostly come from workers transferring to new jobs or leaving the workforce and from growth in the IT field.
Industries that hire AWS cloud practitioners聽
An AWS cloud practitioner can work in any industry using the AWS cloud. Some of the top-paying industries for AWS cloud practitioners include:
Information technology
Management and consulting
Financial services
Health care
Insurance
Personal consumer services
Legal
Some industries pay higher by role than others. Below, we outline the highest-paying industries by role.
AWS cloud engineer []:
Insurance: $136,000
Health care: $147,000
Financial services: $142,000
AWS DevOps engineer []:
Information technology: $135,000
Insurance: $139,000
Financial services: $143,000
AWS cloud architect []:
Health care: $194,000
Insurance: $182,000
Information technology: $181,000
AWS developer []:
Insurance: $128,000
Financial services: $139,000
Health care: $140,000
Skills
To develop your career as an AWS cloud practitioner, you鈥檒l need a collection of specific skills. These skills include:聽
Understanding the AWS cloud and its value proposition
Identifying the aspects of AWS cloud economics
Knowing AWS cloud security and compliance concepts
Understanding AWS access management capabilities
Deploying and operating in the AWS cloud
Knowing the core AWS services
Being familiar with AWS cloud billing and pricing models
Discover resources to help you at every step
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Article sources
ZipRecruiter. ", https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Entry-Level-AWS-Cloud-Practitioner-Salary." Accessed October 29, 2025.
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