Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect

The most significant change in this year's rankings is the Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect certification, which advanced from third place to first. This shift is noteworthy when considering that individuals holding this certification experienced a substantial increase in average compensation to $200,960, marking a significant year-over-year rise of 25%. This surge undoubtedly reflects the growing interest in the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), which historically had a slower rate of adoption compared to AWS.

The Professional Cloud Architect program offered by Google certifies an individual's extensive knowledge of GCP's intricacies. To successfully pass the examination, candidates must demonstrate their ability to design, develop, and manage resources within Google's cloud architecture using GCP-specific technologies and APIs. Additionally, they must address various common scenarios encountered in cloud computing.

The test usually covers different topics, including:

• Designing and planning a cloud solution architecture
• Managing and provisioning GCP resources
• Designing for security and compliance
• Optimizing GCP costs and resources
• Designing for reliability and business continuity

Average salary: $200,960

Course: https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-architect