Back in the spring of 2013 when Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled its certification program, could anyone foresee how popular AWS certifications would become in such a short period of time? Fast forward four years, and you’ll notice a significant global demand represented by testing centers around the world. AWS exams are now offered in multiple languages, and an increasing number of IT professionals are interested in knowing what goes into obtaining an AWS certification (or possibly multiple certifications).
Despite only being in the marketplace for four years, AWS certifications have become a featured highlight whenever IT salary reports are released. The high adoption rate of AWS cloud services by organizations around the globe has translated into some of the top salaries for those IT professionals choosing to pursue these certifications in particular.
Of the thousands of IT professionals who participated in the Global Knowledge 2017 IT Skills and Salary Survey, 625 respondents said they hold an AWS certification. The average salary of an AWS-certified IT professional is roughly $114,000 – placing it in the top five highest-paying certifications in the United States and Canada.
In some cases, respondents reported combining AWS certifications with other certifications to expand skill sets and increase salaries even more. For example, the mean salary for those with both AWS and the Project Management Professional (PMP®) credentials is $152,611. For those possessing ITIL® and AWS certifications, the average salary was $116,014—only slightly higher than holding only the AWS credential alone.
The AWS role-based certification program offers candidates both associate and professional-level paths designed for developers, systems operations administrators and solutions architects.
Here are the highlights of each certification including what you need to know to earn them.
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer
The AWS Certified Devops Engineer is the professional-level certification to both the Developer and SysOps Administrator associate level – meaning you must hold one of those certifications prior to obtaining this one. In the 2017 IT Skills and Salary report, a total of 34 respondents from the United States and Canada hold this certification. The small sample pool generated an average salary of $108,315. This certification validates technical expertise in provisioning, operating and managing distributed application systems on the AWS platform. Candidates should have a thorough understanding of concepts such as:
- Implementing and managing continuous delivery systems and methodologies on AWS
- Maintaining tools to automate operational processes
- Security controls and governance processes
As interest in AWS continues to skyrocket, the need to validate AWS skills through certification will continue to grow and shine a light on the IT professionals who achieve these top-paying certifications. As with anything else in life, learning the skills and practicing helps pave the way to success. |