Cloud Architect
Cloud architects design an organization's cloud computing strategy, including cloud adoption plans, cloud application design, and cloud management and monitoring. They work with platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud to build scalable, secure infrastructure. The median salary is approximately $140,000 with 23% projected growth. A bachelor's degree in computer science is standard, and cloud certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect) are highly valued.
A Day in the Life
A typical day starts with reviewing cloud infrastructure costs and identifying optimization opportunities. Mid-morning involves designing a multi-region disaster recovery architecture for a client. After lunch, the architect leads a migration planning session to move legacy applications to the cloud. Late afternoon includes reviewing security configurations, mentoring a junior engineer on infrastructure-as-code practices, and evaluating a new cloud service offering.
Key Stats
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Salary Range
Entry: $95,000
Median: $140,000
Senior: $195,000
Job Growth