Amazon Web Services

AWS Certified Solutions Architect job outlook: Your complete preparation guide

When Amazon put its fast financial resources behind its cloud solution, the outcome wasn’t surprising: AWS soon became a world leader in cloud solutions. As AWS continues to grow, the title of AWS Certified Solutions Architect becomes increasingly important for IT professionals. With so many companies running their cloud infrastructures on AWS, your certification serves as a badge of honor, showcasing your ability to design, implement and manage workload applications within the AWS cloud. 

In 2024, the AWS Solutions Architect job outlook is especially good because organizations continue to flock to the cloud. Therefore, by earning your AWS Solutions Architect certification, you solidify your AWS expertise in the minds of hiring managers around the world. The cybersecurity sphere offers unique opportunities for your AWS Solutions Architect career because you may be called upon to incorporate security tools within an organization’s general architecture in a way that doesn’t negatively impact operations. 

AWS Certified Solutions Architect role 

An AWS Certified Solutions Architect must design and deploy systems in the AWS environment. At the same time, they must ensure that the systems are scalable and available to those who need them to do their jobs. In addition to designing and deploying the system, an AWS solution architect also must have a deep understanding of the needs of organizations and be comfortable with translating those into effective cloud solutions. 

To deliver winning outcomes, a solutions architect also needs to be able to use the wide variety of services in the AWS ecosystem. 

While building solutions in the AWS cloud, an architect must ensure they’re secure and efficient. This requires understanding cloud security tools such as identity and access management, encryption and network security. To ensure efficiency, an architect also needs to understand the processing requirements of different services and balance those with the bandwidth the organization has available and its cloud services budget. 

From a cybersecurity perspective, a solutions architect can bring a lot to the table. Because they designed the systems through which sensitive information travels, they have an intimate understanding of potential vulnerabilities and ways to prevent attackers from moving laterally through the company’s ecosystem. 

Market demand for AWS Certified Solutions Architects 

The market demand for certified AWS solutions architects has been growing alongside the steady spike in cloud usage. Businesses need the skills of an AWS solutions architect because they don’t want to put their cloud network and data at risk. By having someone who understands the best way to build within the AWS system, IT leaders can rest assured that their cloud resources will continue to support their operations smoothly. As importantly, a security-minded AWS architect also reduces the chances of breaches and sensitive data and systems. 

These factors in combination support the demand for cloud and cybersecurity skills. For instance, by searching “AWS solution architect” on Indeed.com, we got 236 jobs within 25 miles of New York City alone. To put that into perspective, that’s about the distance from the southern tip of Central Park to the north of Mount Vernon. 

The surge in demand for AWS architects hasn’t waned, with Indeed predicting steady growth from now to 2031 at around 4% to 5% annually. To meet the steady uptick in positions, there is a need for more and more certified professionals. 

Salary outlook 

The salary outlook for an AWS solutions architect is similarly strong. According to Salary.com, the average annual pay for this role in the United States is $102,211, but it can range between $80,612 and $129,947. The average salary is about 72% higher than the U.S. national average salary of $59,328. 

By getting additional cybersecurity certifications, you can further boost your job prospects and salary expectations. Each certification you earn gives employers more confidence in your abilities to build effective cloud solutions, so each certification nudges your demand higher and higher. 

AWS Solutions Architect certification and cybersecurity 

There’s a tight connection between cybersecurity and cloud architecture because cloud environments need to be secured to protect the data that flows through them. This requires AWS solutions architects to incorporate security throughout the designs they build. 

This involves addressing several specific challenges, such as: 

• Identity management: AWS architects design secure identity and access management systems to ensure that only legitimate users can work with cloud resources. 
• Data breaches: By using access controls, monitoring and encryption, architects work to prevent unauthorized access to data. 
• Compliance issues: An AWS architect can build solutions that comply with common regulatory standards, such as HIPAA and GDPR. 

One way to gain an even better edge in the job market is to combine AWS solutions architect certification with cybersecurity certifications, such as CompTIA Security+, Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). 

Even though your AWS architect certification touches on security topics, by getting a cybersecurity certification, you provide evidence of your deep knowledge and expertise in protecting both cloud and on-premise environments. This makes you a more viable candidate for a wider range of positions. You also let employees know that your skill set is versatile, so you can be used to security and cloud ecosystem solutions. 

Cloud technology and cypress security are constantly changing, which has given rise to several trends, including: 

• AI and machine learning: AI and machine learning can be used to detect a wide variety of threats and automate incident responses. 
• Using more than one cloud solution: Sometimes, organizations choose cloud platforms only for the things they are best at and then choose another platform to augment their existing system. For instance, a company with existing AWS-based apps may stick with AWS but use Azure for its IBM-based tools. 
• Incorporating security in the development process: Bringing security professionals into the dev team often results in more secure apps with fewer vulnerabilities. 

As the cloud continues to grow, there may be some challenges waiting around the corner. For example: 

• An overwhelming need for cloud developers who can work with containers and microservices instead of using traditional, monolithic architectures. 
• Hackers targeting AWS cloud access using increasingly effective phishing techniques. 
• More international data regulations: AWS architects will have to design systems that meet the needs of multiple regulatory bodies, especially if they work for international companies. 

Preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam 

The exam consists of 65 questions, and they’re either multiple-choice or multiple-response. You have 130 minutes to complete the exam, and the passing score varies from one candidate to another because the questions have different weights. 

It consists of the following domains: 

• Domain 1: Design Secure Architectures (30% of scored content) 
• Domain 2: Design Resilient Architectures (26% of scored content) 
• Domain 3: Design High-Performing Architectures (24% of scored content) 
• Domain 4: Design Cost-Optimized Architectures (20% of scored content) 

To prepare for the exam, many successful candidates choose to use an in-depth dive into its content, such as what you get with an AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Boot Camp. 

Another option is to use an AWS Certified Solutions Architect Learning Path. Infosec’s course consists of almost 23 hours of training that teaches you the foundational elements of AWS that you need to understand to pass the exam. 

When designing your prep strategy, it’s best to establish a solid baseline of knowledge and then build upon it by focusing on the areas where you may be a little weaker. It’s also a good idea to avoid hyper-focusing on specific topics, making sure you have a solid understanding across all domains. In this way, you can avoid underperforming in one or two domains, which could negatively impact your score. 

If you work full-time or have other commitments during the day, it may be best to set aside three or four hours in the evening multiple times each week. For instance, you could set aside four nights a week to review study material or take a self-guided course. 

No matter what you use for your preparation routine, you should also weave in some hands-on experience. This allows you to put what you’ve learned into action, as well as troubleshoot any challenges that may arise. As you think through different situations, you reinforce your learning and learn to think like an experienced AWS architect. 

Also, even after you earn your certification, it’s important to continually learn about different AWS services and ways of using them. This puts you in a better position to design innovative solutions for your employer because it keeps you familiar with the most recent tools on the market. 

Career paths and opportunities 

There are two levels of AWS-certified solutions architects.  

The Associate level ensures you understand the essentials of AWS services and the architecture they run within. 

The Professional level is more advanced and requires a deeper understanding of how to build and support AWS solutions.  

While the Associate certification is good for beginners, the Professional certification is designed for those who want to earn senior roles, such as being a lead architect on an AWS team. 

Earning your certification opens up several opportunities for advancing your career, especially because so many companies leverage the AWS ecosystem. For example, you could qualify for positions such as: 

• AWS IoT architect: In this role, you design the architecture that IoT devices connect to in the cloud as they generate, store, and share information. 
• AWS DevOps engineer: As a DevOps engineer, you use your AWS infrastructure knowledge to build systems that can support the applications your team is designing. Knowledge of how the AWS system manages workloads and the different tools that apps can use to boost their functionality is particularly useful in this role. 
• AWS cloud security architect: A cloud security architect chooses and configures tools for protecting cloud assets. 

The healthcare and financial industries are especially fertile ground for certified AWS architects who want to grow their resumes and salaries. To align with HIPAA standards, for example, healthcare organizations in the U.S. need to design cloud-based systems that keep patient data safe from hackers and away from the eyes of unauthorized individuals. Knowing how data moves through different AWS services is critical in addressing the challenges the healthcare industry faces. 

Financial companies also need to pay special attention to customer data, especially because of regulations like GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). An AWS architect who can guide financial and fintech organizations through this regulatory landscape will be especially valuable in the months and years to come. 

The future of AWS Certified Solutions Architect careers 

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification is a vital career tool for advancing in cloud computing and cybersecurity. It validates your ability to design reliable, secure, scalable and efficient cloud architectures. By earning this certification and leveraging continuous learning afterward, you can stay competitive no matter what comes next in tech. 

FAQs 

Is AWS Solution Architect in demand in 2024? 

Yes. AWS Certified Solutions Architects are in high demand in 2024 due to the widespread adoption of cloud solutions and the need for reliable cloud infrastructures. 

Is AWS Solutions Architect certification enough to get a job? 

Even though the AWS Solutions Architect certification can enhance your job prospects, it’s best to pair it with hands-on experience, as well as the soft skills that come along with it. 

How valuable is AWS Solutions Architect certification for a career in cybersecurity? 

The AWS Solutions Architect certification is highly valuable for your cybersecurity career because it covers critical knowledge and skills regarding designing secure cloud architectures.