Cloud Engineer vs Software Developer: which pays more?
Cloud Engineers earn about $3,000 more per year than software developers — roughly 2% higher at the national median. Here is how the two careers compare on pay, training, and outlook.
Cloud Engineer
$135,000
median per year
Cloud engineers design, deploy, and maintain infrastructure on cloud platforms.
Full cloud engineer salary data →Software Developer
$132,000
median per year
Software developers design computer applications and systems that run on devices and power networks.
Full software developer salary data →Side-by-side breakdown
| Metric | Cloud Engineer | Software Developer |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $135,000 | $132,000 |
| Median hourly pay | $65 | $63 |
| Entry-level (10th percentile) | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $190,000 | $198,000 |
| Education required | Bachelor's degree plus AWS, Azure, or GCP certifications. | Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field; portfolio matters. |
| Job outlook | 17% growth through 2033 — cloud migration continues. | 25% growth through 2033 — much faster than average. |
Pay by state
| State | Cloud Engineer | Software Developer | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $159,500 | $156,000 | +$3,500 for Cloud Engineer |
| New York | $154,000 | $132,000 | +$22,000 for Cloud Engineer |
| Massachusetts | $152,500 | $138,000 | +$14,500 for Cloud Engineer |
| Washington | $151,000 | $148,000 | +$3,000 for Cloud Engineer |
| Colorado | $140,500 | $126,000 | +$14,500 for Cloud Engineer |
| Illinois | $137,500 | $120,000 | +$17,500 for Cloud Engineer |
| Texas | $131,000 | $124,000 | +$7,000 for Cloud Engineer |
| North Carolina | $125,500 | $112,000 | +$13,500 for Cloud Engineer |
| Florida | $124,000 | $104,000 | +$20,000 for Cloud Engineer |
Which career should you choose?
Pay is only one part of the decision. Cloud Engineers earn more on paper, but bachelor's degree plus aws, azure, or gcp certifications. takes longer and costs more than bachelor's degree in computer science or related field; portfolio matters.. If you want to start earning sooner, software developer is usually the faster route. If long-term earning ceiling matters most, cloud engineer tops out at $190,000 versus $198,000.
Job security also differs: cloud engineer outlook is "17% growth through 2033 — cloud migration continues." while software developer outlook is "25% growth through 2033 — much faster than average."