As businesses continue their digital transformation journeys, cloud computing has become the pillars of modern IT infrastructure.
From fast-growing startups to global enterprises, organizations rely on cloud platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud to power their operations, improve scalability, and drive innovation—with a massive 97% of organizations utilizing at least one public cloud.
And cloud adoption continues to accelerate, with 39% of AWS partners and 44% of Microsoft partners in our industry-leading Careers and Hiring Guides reporting an increase in demand for their respective services in the past 12 months.
However, this adoption also skyrockets the demand for skilled professionals who can design, implement, and manage these cloud environments effectively.
Among these hotly demanded cloud roles are Cloud Architects and Cloud Engineers. While these professionals work closely together, their responsibilities, skill sets, and career trajectories differ significantly.
This means that if you’re considering starting or advancing a career in cloud computing, understanding the differences—and the skills required—can be pivotal to making the right choice.
Explore our industry-leading Careers and Hiring Guides
What Does a Cloud Architect Do?
Cloud Architects are responsible for designing and implementing cloud infrastructure solutions that align with business objectives.
The role is suited to strategic thinkers with a focus on long-term planning and solution design, and often requires close collaboration with stakeholders to understand business requirements and translate them into scalable cloud solutions.
They develop cloud strategies, select appropriate platforms and technologies, and oversee the integration of cloud services into existing IT environments. As a result, the role requires a deep understanding of cloud architecture principles, security protocols, and best practices for scalability and efficiency.
AWS, for example, emphasizes that a Solutions Architect must be proficient in designing resilient, high-performing, secure, and cost-optimized architectures.
They need to understand how to design and deploy dynamically scalable systems and ensure fault tolerance through techniques like load balancing and automated recovery, and be skilled in setting up hybrid and multi-cloud architectures, implementing zero-trust security models, and optimizing workloads to maximize cost efficiency and performance.
Professionals in this role must also be well-versed in infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform and AWS CloudFormation to design and automate infrastructure deployments, and often work with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Kubernetes and Docker to ensure seamless application management across cloud environments.
A final key aspect of the role is governance—defining policies for identity and access management (IAM), regulatory compliance, and disaster recovery planning.
Key Technical Skills for a Cloud Architect
- Proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce)
- Network and systems architecture
- Security and compliance expertise
- Infrastructure as code (IaC) and automation (Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, ARM Templates)
- Cost optimization strategies
- Knowledge of cloud architecture frameworks (like AWS Well-Architected Framework, Azure Architecture Center, and Google Cloud Architecture Framework)
- Hybrid and multi-cloud strategies
Key Soft Skills for a Cloud Architect
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving
- Project management and stakeholder communication
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Adaptability to evolving technologies
- Leadership and decision-making abilities
- Attention to detail and analytical mindset
What Does a Cloud Engineer Do?
While Cloud Architects focus on planning and strategy, Cloud Engineers are the hands-on implementers who bring cloud solutions to life.
They are responsible for building, maintaining, and optimizing cloud environments to ensure seamless performance, security, and scalability. This role demands deep technical expertise in cloud deployment, automation, and ongoing system maintenance.
Cloud Engineers work extensively with infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools like Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, and Azure Resource Manager (ARM) to automate infrastructure deployment and management.
They also manage CI/CD pipelines with platforms such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD, and Azure DevOps, ensuring rapid and reliable software releases.
A key responsibility is cloud security and compliance—implementing identity and access management (IAM), setting up firewalls, enforcing encryption protocols, and conducting vulnerability assessments to prevent cyber threats. Cloud Engineers also play a crucial role in incident response and disaster recovery, using automated failover strategies and backup solutions to minimize downtime.
They must be proficient in container orchestration using Kubernetes and Docker, enabling efficient application deployment across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Many Cloud Engineers also work with serverless computing solutions like AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, and Google Cloud Functions, reducing infrastructure overhead while enhancing scalability.
Additionally, Cloud Engineers monitor system performance and optimize cloud environments using observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, AWS CloudWatch, Azure Monitor, and Google Cloud Operations Suite. By analyzing logs and metrics, they proactively identify bottlenecks and fine-tune cloud resources for cost efficiency.
Key Technical Skills for a Cloud Engineer
- Expertise in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
- Proficiency in scripting and automation (Python, Bash, PowerShell)
- Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, ARM Templates)
- Networking and security fundamentals
- CI/CD pipeline development (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD)
- Containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
- System monitoring and logging (Prometheus, ELK Stack, CloudWatch)
Key Soft Skills for a Cloud Engineer
- Strong problem-solving abilities
- Effective communication and teamwork
- Attention to detail and troubleshooting skills
- Ability to adapt to new technologies and methodologies
- Time management and prioritization
Key Certifications for Cloud Architects and Cloud Engineers
Certifications offer a range of benefits to cloud professionals, showcasing their dedication to learning and development and validating their expertise, making them more attractive to prospective employers.
A massive 79% of AWS professionals and 73% of Microsoft Cloud professionals in our surveys agreed that holding a certification makes you a more valuable professional—but which certifications can help cloud architects and cloud engineers stand out from their competition?
Here the most relevant certifications for both roles across the three biggest cloud ecosystems:
Cloud Architect Certifications
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate/Professional: Demonstrates your ability to design and deploy scalable systems on AWS
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert: Validates skills in implementing and designing Azure infrastructure solutions
- Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect: Proves your ability to design and manage secure, scalable cloud architecture on Google Cloud
Cloud Engineer Certifications
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional: Focuses on managing continuous delivery systems and automating processes on AWS.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert: Demonstrates expertise in integrating processes, delivering high-quality applications, and managing cloud environments.
- Google Cloud Professional Cloud Engineer: Validates your skills in deploying, managing, and operating cloud solutions on the Google Cloud Platform.
Working towards these certifications will equip you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to prosper in Cloud Architect and Engineer roles, making them the perfect tool to ensure you’re ticking all the right boxes and standing out in a competitive job market.
Cloud Architect vs. Cloud Engineer: Key Differences
The primary difference between a Cloud Architect and a Cloud Engineer lies in their focus and responsibilities. While the architect designs the overall structure and strategy, the engineer implements and maintains it.
Cloud Architects are often more involved in stakeholder communication and aligning technical solutions with business goals. In contrast, Cloud Engineers focus on operational tasks and ensuring that systems are running smoothly and securely.
In other words: architects are the visionaries, while engineers are the hands-on builders that bring it to life.
Feature | Cloud Architect | Cloud Engineer |
Primary Focus | Designs overall cloud strategy and architecture | Implements, maintains, and optimizes cloud systems |
Key Responsibilities | Solution design, platform selection, stakeholder communication | Deployment, automation, monitoring, and security enforcement |
Interaction with Stakeholders | High – Aligns solutions with business goals | Medium – Collaborates with teams to execute solutions |
Technical Expertise | Deep understanding of architecture frameworks and cost optimization | Hands-on experience with cloud deployment, automation, and troubleshooting |
Soft Skills | Strategic thinking and problem-solving, project management and stakeholder communication, strong communication and collaboration skills | Strong problem-solving abilities, effective communication and teamwork, attention to detail and troubleshooting skills, ability to adapt to new technologies and methodologies |
Certifications | AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Architect, Salesforce Technical Architect | AWS DevOps Engineer, Azure DevOps Engineer, Google Cloud Engineer, Salesforce DevOps Engineer |
Which Role Is Right for You?
Choosing between a Cloud Architect and Cloud Engineer role largely depends on your career goals and strengths.
If you enjoy strategic planning, designing systems, and collaborating with stakeholders, then a Cloud Architect role might be the perfect fit. On the other hand, if you prefer hands-on technical work and building practical solutions, then a position as a Cloud Engineer could be more suitable.
Of course, another key consideration when deciding between the two is earning potential. While this differs based on your experience, industry and location, benchmarking salaries for the role can help you gain a better understanding of what’s offered.
Cloud Architect: Earning Potential
Using the AWS ecosystem as our example, our research found that a Cloud Architect in the United States can expect to earn between $148,000 – $223,000 per year, with a median salary of $185,000 per year in the current market.
Cloud architects exploring opportunities in contracting within the US receive, on average, $180 per hour.
*To benchmark cloud architect salaries for your location and specialist ecosystem, download our free salary tables in our Careers and Hiring Guide Key Findings for AWS, Microsoft Cloud, Salesforce, and more.
Cloud Engineer: Earning Potential
Using the AWS ecosystem as our example, our research found that a Cloud Engineer in the United States can expect to earn between $120,000 – $200,000 per year, with a median salary of $155,000 per year in the current market.
Cloud engineers exploring opportunities in contracting within the US receive, on average, $153 per hour.
*To benchmark cloud architect salaries for your location and specialist ecosystem, download our free salary tables in our Careers and Hiring Guide Key Findings for AWS, Microsoft Cloud, Salesforce, and more.
At Tenth Revolution Group, we specialize in connecting professionals with the most exciting and rapidly growing cloud computing opportunities.
Whether you’re aiming to become a Cloud Architect or a Cloud Engineer, we provide the guidance and support to help you build a successful career. With our global network and deep expertise in cloud talent solutions, you can trust us to find your dream role that aligns with your skills and ambitions.
Get in touch with us today to take the next step in your cloud career.
