One of the most sought-after and well recognized credentials in the cloud computing industry is the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification. The typical yearly salary for an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate is $106,458, as reported by PayScale. This qualification verifies a candidate’s technical competence in Amazon Web Services (AWS) implementation, management, and operations.
Obtaining the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification can be a major boost for your career. What kind of pay and employment prospects can you anticipate? This comprehensive guide provides key insights into the salary, job prospects, and overall career outlook for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associates.
An Overview of AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate Salary
Professionals that have worked with AWS deployments, management, and operations will benefit most from the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate credential.
To earn the certification, In order to become an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate, you will need to pass the official SOA-C02 exam. This exam tests your knowledge across a wide range of topics, including:
- Monitoring and reporting
- High availability
- Deployment and provisioning
- Storage and data management
- Security and compliance
- Networking
- Troubleshooting
Passing the certification exam is the first step toward showing prospective employers that you have the requisite knowledge and skills. The certification is valid for three years, after which you need to recertify to maintain your credentials.
Why Earn the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Certification?
Here are some of the key reasons to consider obtaining the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification:
- Increase your earning potential – According to PayScale, the average salary for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associates in the US is $109,302 per year. Earning this certification can potentially lead to higher salaries, bonuses, and more lucrative job opportunities.
- Career advancement – The certification can help fast-track your ability to get promoted into senior technical roles and leadership positions within IT organizations. AWS skills are in high demand, so this certification can boost your resume.
- Gain a competitive edge – Certified professionals stand out from their non-certified peers when applying for AWS-related roles. The certification demonstrates up-to-date cloud skills.
- Industry recognition – AWS has become the gold standard in cloud computing. Having an AWS certification proves you can operate effectively in the AWS environment.
- Fill skills gaps – The certification training helps develop and validate your hands-on technical abilities using core AWS services. It enhances your real-world cloud skills.
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Job Roles and Salaries
There is significant demand for AWS certified professionals across industries. What are some of the specific job roles and average salaries for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associates?
AWS SysOps Administrator
An Amazon Web Services SysOps Administrator is the person in charge of managing operations on Amazon Web Services (AWS), which includes deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting infrastructure.
Average Salary: $95,000
AWS Solutions Architect
The job of an AWS Solutions Architect is to plan and execute the development of solutions for use with Amazon Web Services. Architects work closely with organizations to align technology solutions with business goals.
Average Salary: $150,000
Cloud Engineer
Maintaining and providing support for an organization’s cloud infrastructure on services such as Amazon Web Services are the responsibilities of a Cloud Engineer. Key duties include automation, security, and optimization of cloud resources.
Average Salary: $125,000
Cloud System Administrator
A Cloud System Administrator handles day-to-day operations and management of cloud infrastructure. Core responsibilities include provisioning, patching, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
Average Salary: $85,000
Senior AWS SysOps Engineer
A Senior AWS SysOps Engineer leads teams that handle technical operations on AWS. This role requires advanced skills in scripting, automation, and cloud architecture.
Average Salary: $140,000
These figures illustrate that AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associates can earn lucrative salaries in a variety of roles. With some experience, six-figure salaries are attainable.
Factors That Influence AWS SysOps Administrator Salaries
Salaries for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associates can vary significantly based on several key factors:
Experience Level
Higher pay are typically associated with higher levels of professional expertise. Entry-level salaries may start around $70,000, while senior-level salaries can exceed $140,000.
Location
Your geographic location impacts salary. Large metro areas and tech hubs tend to pay more for AWS skills. The average salary in San Francisco is $140,000.
Company Size
Larger enterprises typically pay higher salaries than smaller companies. Amazon and Microsoft pay top rates for AWS talent.
Industry
Your industry or company specialization influences salary levels. Fintech companies or startups may pay more for AWS expertise.
Job Role and Responsibilities
Your specific job role and responsibilities affect your salary potential. Software engineering and architecture roles often pay more than sysadmin roles.
AWS Certifications Held
Professionals with multiple AWS certifications generally command higher salaries than those with just one certification.
How Experience Influences AWS SysOps Administrator Salaries
One of the biggest factors impacting your salary is your experience level. How does experience affect the salaries of AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associates specifically?
Entry-Level (0-2 years)
Professionals just starting out in their AWS SysOps careers generally earn between $70,000 to $90,000. Gaining some hands-on experience is key before transitioning fully into AWS.
Mid-Level (3-6 years)
With a few years of AWS experience under your belt, you can expect to earn between $95,000 to $115,000. This experience level is the sweet spot for many organizations hiring AWS talent.
Senior-Level (7+ years)
Once you have substantial experience managing large-scale AWS environments, salaries can reach up to $140,000. Proven experience commanding six-figure cloud engineering salaries.
Management/Executive
For AWS SysOps professionals who move into people management or executive roles, salaries can exceed $160,000. Leadership experience brings higher compensation.
This breakdown illustrates how strategic career planning and developing your AWS expertise progressively can lead to sizable salary growth over your career lifespan.
How to Boost Your Salary as an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
Beyond gaining more experience, here are some other tips to maximize your salary potential:
- Obtain multiple AWS certifications – Earning advanced certifications like the AWS Solutions Architect Professional demonstrates broader AWS mastery.
- Learn automation and infrastructure as code skills – Automation skills like Ansible, Terraform, and AWS CloudFormation are highly valued.
- Master Linux and scripting – Linux and Bash scripting abilities allow you to automate and optimize AWS infrastructure.
- Develop specialized niche skills – Gain deeper skills in security, cost optimization, high availability, or other AWS focus areas.
- Contribute to the AWS community – Blogging, open source contributions, and public speaking build your reputation.
- Move into leadership roles – Transition into team management or architecture roles to access higher compensation.
- Change companies strategically – Change jobs periodically to leverage new opportunities and salary increases.
The Road to AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Certification: Preparation
Now that you understand the potential salaries and career paths available, Let’s talk about what you can do to get ready for the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator test.
Here are some tips for developing the skills needed to pass the exam:
- Gain at least one year of hands-on experience working with AWS services like EC2, S3, VPC, IAM, CloudWatch, and CloudFormation.
- Study AWS whitepapers and documentation for key services covered on the exam.
- Take an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator exam prep course to review key concepts.
- Use AWS Training content and practice exams to test your knowledge.
- Get hands-on practice with the AWS CLI and SDKs.
- Study exam domains like monitoring, networking, security, troubleshooting, and automation.
- Leverage online study resources, flashcards, and practice questions.
- Review use cases, architecture diagrams, and sample scenarios.
With diligent preparation using these tips, you can pass your AWS Certified SysOps Administrator exam and get certified!
Conclusion
The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification opens the door to a rewarding career managing production operations on AWS.
Salaries for certified professionals range from around $70,000 for entry-level roles up to $140,000+ for senior positions. Location, company size, industry, job role, and experience level all impact potential compensation. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for “aws certified sysops administrator associate” roles is around $109,000 per year.
By earning this certification and developing your technical expertise on AWS, you can propel your career growth and maximize your earning potential. The certification demonstrates you have the skills to operate, manage, and troubleshoot critical systems running on AWS.
So get certified as an AWS SysOps Administrator Associate today, and embark on an exciting and lucrative cloud computing career!
