The average cloud support engineer at AWS earns $78,000 in their first year — and many of them had zero cloud experience 12 months before they got that offer. Cloud computing entry level jobs are genuinely accessible without a CS degree or years of experience, but only if you know which roles exist, what hiring managers actually screen for, and which certifications move the needle. This guide skips the vague career-pivot inspiration and gets into specifics.
What Cloud Computing Entry Level Jobs Actually Exist
Most job boards mix seniority levels carelessly. Here are the roles that consistently appear with 0–2 years experience required and where cloud skills are the core requirement, not a nice-to-have:
Cloud Support Associate / Engineer
This is the most common true entry point. AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure all hire at this level. You're handling customer tickets, diagnosing infrastructure issues, and escalating complex bugs. AWS's own Cloud Support Associate program is explicitly designed for career changers. Starting salary: $65,000–$85,000 depending on region.
Junior Cloud Engineer / Cloud Infrastructure Engineer
Found more often at mid-size companies than hyperscalers. Responsibilities include provisioning VMs, setting up basic networking (VPCs, subnets, security groups), and writing simple automation scripts. Employers typically want one certification (AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Google Associate Cloud Engineer, or Azure AZ-900/AZ-104). Pay range: $70,000–$95,000.
DevOps Engineer (Entry Level)
Technically DevOps, but the cloud is 80% of the job. You'll manage CI/CD pipelines, containerize applications with Docker, and deploy to Kubernetes clusters. This role trends higher in pay ($80,000–$105,000 entry) but expects a working portfolio — deployed projects on GitHub, not just certifications.
Cloud Operations Analyst
More monitoring than building. You're watching dashboards, triaging alerts, and running runbooks during incidents. It's less glamorous but extremely common in enterprises and MSPs (managed service providers). Good entry point if you have a sysadmin or IT helpdesk background. Salary: $55,000–$75,000.
Solutions Architect Associate (Pre-Sales / Internal)
Rare at true entry level, but some consulting firms hire junior SAs fresh from certifications. You're helping clients design cloud architectures. Requires stronger communication skills alongside technical ones. Not the right first role if you have no IT experience at all.
What Entry Level Cloud Jobs Actually Pay in 2026
Salary ranges vary significantly by location, employer type, and the specific cloud platform. Here's what the data shows across major markets:
- United States (national median): $72,000–$88,000 for roles with 0–2 years experience
- San Francisco / Seattle / NYC: Add 25–40% — senior-adjacent titles start at $110,000+
- Remote-first companies: Typically benchmark to 75th percentile of the national range to compete
- Hyperscalers (AWS, Google, Azure): Base salary plus RSUs and bonus commonly pushes total comp to $100,000–$130,000 even at associate level
- MSPs and consulting firms: Lower base ($60,000–$75,000) but fast promotion cycles and broad exposure to different tech stacks
The cloud premium is real. Bureau of Labor Statistics data consistently shows cloud-adjacent roles outpacing general IT salaries by 15–20%. The shortage of practitioners — not just certified people — is the driver. Certifications signal intent; actual hands-on projects are what get offers.
The Certification Stack That Opens Doors to Entry Level Cloud Jobs
There's a sequencing problem most career guides ignore: some certifications are gatekeepers, some are differentiators, and some are noise. Here's how to think about it:
Start with platform fundamentals
Pick one cloud: AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure. Going wide too early is a mistake. Employers care about depth. If you're unsure which, AWS has the largest market share (~31%), Google Cloud is growing fastest in enterprise AI workloads, and Azure dominates Microsoft-heavy enterprises.
- AWS: AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) → AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03)
- Google Cloud: Cloud Digital Leader → Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE)
- Azure: AZ-900 (Fundamentals) → AZ-104 (Administrator Associate)
Add a networking or security cert
Networking knowledge separates junior candidates who can set up a VPC from candidates who understand why it's configured a certain way. Google's networking-specific courses are some of the best structured content available for this.
Build something real
Before sending applications, deploy a project that uses: an auto-scaling compute group, a managed database, a storage bucket with lifecycle rules, and a basic IAM role structure. Document it on GitHub with a README explaining your design decisions. This is what interviewers actually ask about.
Top Courses for Cloud Computing Entry Level Jobs
These are the courses with the highest ratings from verified learners on this site. All are relevant for the career pivot into entry-level cloud roles.
Essential Google Cloud Infrastructure: Foundation Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. Covers the core compute and storage primitives that appear in every GCP job description — Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, VMs, and basic IAM. Good starting point before tackling the Associate Cloud Engineer exam.
Networking in Google Cloud: Fundamentals Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. Cloud networking is the skill gap most entry-level candidates have. This course covers VPCs, firewall rules, load balancers, and DNS in GCP — exactly what comes up in cloud support and junior engineer interviews.
Networking in Google Cloud: Routing and Addressing Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. The follow-on to the Fundamentals course above. Goes deeper into BGP, dynamic routing, hybrid connectivity (VPN and Interconnect), and address management — skills that differentiate candidates at the junior cloud engineer level.
Managing Security in Google Cloud Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. Security is consistently listed in cloud job descriptions even at entry level. This course covers IAM best practices, encryption, security command center, and compliance frameworks. Pairs well with the Google Associate Cloud Engineer prep.
Elastic Google Cloud Infrastructure: Scaling and Automation Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. Covers autoscaling, load balancing, and infrastructure automation — the operational skills that move a cloud support role into a cloud engineer role. Strong for anyone targeting DevOps or SRE adjacent entry positions.
Modernize Infrastructure and Applications with Google Cloud Course
Rated 9.7/10 on Coursera. Practical focus on containerization, managed databases, and serverless — the modernization patterns enterprises are actively hiring for. Useful for anyone targeting cloud engineering roles at consulting firms or in enterprise IT.
How to Get a Cloud Job With No Experience
The honest answer is that "no experience" isn't quite right — you need project experience even if you don't have job experience. Here's what actually works:
The portfolio-first approach
Document everything you build in a public GitHub repo. Three decent projects beats 10 certifications in a hiring manager's eyes. Aim for projects that solve real problems: a serverless web scraper, a cost-optimized media transcoding pipeline, a Terraform module for a repeatable dev environment.
Apply to managed service providers (MSPs) first
MSPs like Rackspace, Cloudreach, Bespin Global, and dozens of smaller regional players hire cloud support and junior engineer roles constantly. They're less competitive than hyperscalers, pay reasonably well, and give you exposure to dozens of different AWS/GCP/Azure architectures in year one. Two years at an MSP often leads directly to senior cloud roles at enterprise companies.
Target companies mid-migration
Companies actively migrating from on-premises to cloud are desperate for help. They're willing to hire less experienced candidates who know the target platform well. LinkedIn job searches filtered by "cloud migration" or "lift and shift" surface these roles. The interview is often more practical than algorithmic — they want to know you can help immediately.
Get internal transfer experience
If you're already in IT (helpdesk, sysadmin, network operations), cloud certifications can unlock internal transfers to cloud teams. Many large enterprises have explicit programs for this. Internal hires have massive advantages: no negotiation from zero, reference network already in place, and familiarity with the company's existing infrastructure.
FAQ: Cloud Computing Entry Level Jobs
Do I need a degree to get an entry level cloud computing job?
Not usually. AWS, Google, and Microsoft have all explicitly removed degree requirements from many cloud roles. What replaces the degree signal is a combination of certifications (particularly vendor associate-level certs) and demonstrable projects. Some employers, particularly large enterprises with legacy HR policies, still list degrees as required but will waive it for candidates with strong portfolios. Government and defense contracting roles are the exception — many require degrees for compliance reasons.
How long does it take to get a cloud computing entry level job?
With dedicated study (15–20 hours per week), most people land an entry-level role within 6–12 months of starting from scratch. The floor is about 3 months for someone with an existing IT background who needs to add cloud skills. The ceiling is 18 months if you're starting from zero and need to build both technical skills and a portfolio simultaneously. Certifications alone take most people 2–3 months per exam with proper preparation.
Which cloud platform should I learn for entry level jobs?
AWS has the most job listings by volume (roughly 45% of cloud job postings reference AWS). Google Cloud is the best choice if you're targeting data engineering, machine learning, or AI-adjacent roles — GCP dominates those workloads. Azure is the right call if you're targeting enterprise and financial services companies with heavy Microsoft infrastructure. Don't try to learn all three simultaneously — depth on one platform beats surface knowledge of three.
What's the difference between a cloud certification and cloud accreditation?
Certifications are issued by vendors (AWS, Google, Microsoft) or industry bodies (CompTIA, ISC2). Accreditation applies to academic programs — universities and colleges that meet standards set by accreditation bodies like ABET or regional accreditors. For entry-level cloud jobs, vendor certifications are far more valuable than accredited academic programs. Hiring managers recognize AWS Solutions Architect Associate; they rarely care whether your bootcamp was regionally accredited.
Are cloud computing jobs remote?
Yes, at higher rates than most tech roles. Cloud infrastructure is inherently remote-manageable, and the talent shortage has pushed companies to hire globally. A significant portion of cloud support, junior cloud engineer, and DevOps roles are either fully remote or hybrid. Hyperscaler support roles (AWS, Google Cloud Support) are often fully remote. On-site requirements tend to appear in roles that intersect with physical hardware (data center operations, network engineering) or in regulated industries.
What's the career path after an entry level cloud job?
The typical progression: Cloud Support Associate → Cloud Engineer → Senior Cloud Engineer → Cloud Architect. Alternatively: Cloud Engineer → DevOps Engineer → Site Reliability Engineer (SRE). The SRE path generally pays highest (senior SREs at Google/Meta earn $250,000+ total comp) but requires stronger software engineering fundamentals alongside infrastructure skills. Cloud Architect roles pivot toward design and client-facing work. Most practitioners reach senior engineer within 3–5 years of their first cloud role.
Bottom Line
Cloud computing entry level jobs are real, they pay well, and they're accessible without a traditional CS background. The path that actually works: pick one cloud platform, get to associate-level certification, build 2–3 real projects, and target MSPs or companies mid-migration before going after hyperscaler roles. The candidates who fail to land jobs usually have certifications but no hands-on proof — hiring managers have learned to screen for that gap. The courses linked above cover the foundational skills that appear most often in entry-level job descriptions: networking, IAM, compute infrastructure, and security. Start with the fundamentals and go from there.