Technology

How to become a Cloud Engineer

From sysadmin or developer: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

2–4 years

Typical pay

$105k–$145k

Starting from

Sysadmin or developer

The steps

1. 1

   Get solid on Linux and networking

   Cloud is someone else's Linux boxes on someone else's network.

   6–12 months

   Course that covers thisCompTIA Network+ N10-009 (V9) Practice Exam QuestionsUdemy · around $19.99 →
2. 2

   Learn one cloud properly

   AWS has the largest job market; Azure wins in enterprise shops. Pick one.

   3–6 months

   Course that covers thisAWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Practice ExamsUdemy · around $19.99 →
3. 3

   Certify

   Solutions Architect Associate or AZ-900 then AZ-104, depending which you picked.

   AWS SAA or Azure Administrator

   Course that covers thisAZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals 6 Practice Tests 2026Udemy · around $19.99 →
4. 4

   Learn infrastructure as code

   Terraform is what makes you an engineer rather than someone clicking in a console.

   Course that covers thisTerraform for the Absolute Beginners with LabsUdemy · around $19.99 →

Course links are Udemy affiliate links — we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Licences and exams named above are issued by state boards and certifying bodies we have no relationship with; we list them because they are what the job actually requires.