Top 10 Cloud Certifications for 2024

In 2024, global business spend on Cloud Computing infrastructure is expected to exceed $1 trillion for the first time. Demand for skilled Cloud professionals is on the rise! 

Whether you seek to specialise in Cloud Security, Cloud Architecture, Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, or other platforms, you need to become certified to prove your skills.

But, with so many certifications available, how to pick the right one?

Best Cloud certifications for 2024

At Firebrand Training, we’re at a vantage point to spot trends in the market. We’ve used the knowledge that comes from our position to compile a list of the top cloud certifications of 2024. 

Our picks include certifications from Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, CompTIA, and ISC2 (in no particular order). All of them are industry leaders, proving the resilience of their programmes!

Let’s take a look at each one.

ISC2 Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

CCSP has been in our Top 10 list for several years in a row.

With Cloud and Cyber Security being perhaps the two hottest sectors within the IT industry, the demand for Cloud Security experts is on the rise. That is why certification from ISC2, one of the leading experts in Cybersecurity, will definitely put you on the better side of the market!

The ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) course offers a chance to develop your skills in designing, managing, and securing data. The industry’s highest authority on the topic will teach you everything you need to know about cloud security — design, architecture, as well as service and operations organization.

Co-created by ISC2 and Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), this certificate will open any door you need.

The most significant advantages of CCSP:

• Validity — The certificate holds tremendous weight in the cloud computing industry.
• Up-To-Date — Going through the course will not only further your current knowledge but also educate you on cutting-edge technologies.
• Adaptability — The certificate isn’t bound to any specific platform. Instead, it equips you to deal with the global cloud environment security issues.
• Marketable — With a CCSP, the world is your oyster (in terms of jobs). You can apply for multiple positions with impressive earning prospects. 

Salary expectations: CCSP can land you a job as a Cloud Security Specialist with an average annual salary of around £62,500. 

CompTIA Cloud+

An ideal choice for those looking for vendor-neutral certifications, CompTIA Cloud+ is a market favourite. It packs a lot of content, and it’s certainly not an introductory course, but it doesn’t require as many years of experience as CCSP.

This course is ideal for professionals with one or two years of experience in positions such as Cloud Developers, System Administrators, and Network Engineers.

Expected salary: Cloud Project Managers might also benefit from this course, as a cloud certification can significantly increase potential earnings at this position (to around £50,000).

Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)

After retiring the MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure certification, Microsoft introduced three role-based ones, Azure Administrator Associate being one of them. All three have been featured on our list for years, showing that the software giant packs quite a punch in the cloud world as well.

The Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate course teaches managing both subscriptions and resources, as well as storage and virtual machines. Furthermore, it also includes handling identities and configuring virtual networks.

Expected salary: With these skills, you’ll be able to compete for coveted positions of Azure Cloud Administrators with median salaries of £57,500.

Microsoft Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)

The second of the three Microsoft role-based certificates on this list, the Developer Associate course teaches the necessary skills for cloud development.

The training in development includes IaaS, Paas, storage, security, and solution optimisation training.

Expected salary: a Microsoft Certified Azure Developer Associate can earn anywhere between £30,000 to £75,000, depending on their level of experience.

Microsoft 365 Administrator (MS-102)

Another successor in the Microsoft universe, Microsoft 365 Administrator has replaced the Microsoft 365 Enterprise Administrator Expert (MS-100/MS-101). This is a highly specialized course that teaches skills necessary for a high-level administrator.

Expected salary: A Microsoft 365 Administrator is one of the highest paying Microsoft certifications, with an average salary of around £75,000.

Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-104)

The final Microsoft certification is the Azure Solutions Architect Expert. A Solutions Architect does everything from gathering information, determining the requirements and the infrastructure for potential solutions, and then designing and implementing said solutions.

A Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert is also in charge of advocating the best solutions
and the potential benefits to end-users.

Expected salary: With this certificate, you can expect a starting salary of around £56,000 and a senior salary of around £75,000.

AWS Solutions Architect — Associate

Another industry titan that makes our list — and for a good reason — is Amazon Web Services.

The AWS Associate Solutions Architect is an ideal position for professionals with a few years of experience looking to make strides in the world of cloud computing.

With AWS owning more than 32% of the public cloud computing market share, investing in the Amazon Web Services Certified Solutions Architect Associate course is certainly a good move. As an associate-level course, it does require some previous experience in the field, and it’s a stepping stone to the professional level.

Expected Salary: professionals with this certification design and deploy applications and solutions within the AWS cloud infrastructure and have a base pay average of £80,000.

AWS Solutions Architect — Professional

A professional solutions architect certificate requires a few more years of experience with AWS cloud architecture than the associate level. It teaches you to design, deploy, and migrate AWS applications, solutions, and strategies.

Amazon Web Services Certified Solutions Architect — Professional is the next step in your professional development that will allow you to develop optimal AWS solutions. As AWS continues to conquer the market, having such a highly valued certificate will improve your prospects of getting a high-paying job.

However, it also allows you to build up your skills by acquiring other AWS certificates, and thus, deepen your overall knowledge and hone your skills. Each of these will make you more of an asset on the market.

Expected salary: as experts in their field, senior solutions architects who have an Amazon certification earn around £90,000 per year.

AWS Certified Developer — Associate

An excellent choice for developers, the AWS Associate Developer certification will help you hone your skills in debugging, developing, and deploying AWS applications.

Expected salary: among other positions, Amazon Web Services Certified Developer — Associate earns you a spot in the race for a software engineer, DevOps developer, and senior software engineer. All of these positions have lucrative salaries above £68,000.

Google Cloud Certified — Professional Cloud Architect

Google Cloud Platform has been growing fast, with the professional cloud architect certification being one of the top ones coming from the search giant.

Because the industry is moving towards a multi-cloud infrastructure, Google-certified cloud professionals are in high demand. In other words, there’s a strong possibility that certifications such as this one (and the final one on our list) are the gateway to future job stability.

Expected salary: with this certification, you have a good chance of landing a job that pays a median salary of £80,000.

*Bonus! Google Cloud Certified — Associate Cloud Engineer

We end our list with Google’s Associate Cloud Engineer — the ideal pick for beginners who are looking to get into Cloud Computing.

With so many companies taking the leap and turning to cloud computing, they need skilled, certified professionals to help them make that move as seamless and cost-effective as possible.

Getting the title Google Cloud Certified - Associate Cloud Engineer will put you on the map of enterprises on the lookout for Google-savvy professionals.

Expected salary: A cloud engineer can earn between £48,000 and £65,000, depending on their experience (and certification, of course). As you can see, becoming an expert in the Google Cloud Console pays quite handsomely.

Interested in Cloud Computing?

Breaking into this industry is no easy task, even in the context of the current digital skills gap in the UK. However, getting any one of these certifications will be a step to upgrading your career—or, your team’s skills—to the cloud-based world.

For the past 13 years in a row, we’ve been named one of the Top 20 IT Training Companies in the World. We specialise in accelerated courses that get you certified and into IT at twice the speed.

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