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cloud computing

Types of Degrees cloud computing Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing cloud computing have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	192
Associate’s Degree	138
Bachelor’s Degree	396
Master’s Degree	360

What cloud computing Majors Need to Know

Programs in cloud computing develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that cloud computing graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in cloud computing emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a cloud computing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to cloud computing careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, cloud computing graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by cloud computing professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	✓
UNIX	Operating system software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Operating system software	Operating system software	✓
Microsoft Visual Basic	Development environment software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
C	Development environment software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for cloud computing graduates include:

• Computer Instructor
• College Professor
• C++ Professor
• Computer Information Systems Instructor (CIS Instructor)
• Adjunct Instructor
• IT Adjunct Faculty Member (Information Technology Adjunct Faculty Member)
• Computer Technology Instructor
• Computer Science Adjunct Professor
• Adjunct Computer Science Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Computer Science Professor
• Computer Programming Professor
• Computer Applications Instructor
• Computer Information Systems Professor (CIS Professor)
• Associate Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to cloud computing graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	42.5%
Master’s degree	24.0%
Doctoral degree	19.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.7%
Postsecondary certificate	3.6%
Some college courses	2.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.8%
First professional degree	0.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%
Post-master’s certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in cloud computing?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 83.4% of cloud computing degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	204	16.6%
Men	1,025	83.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of cloud computing graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	599	48.7%
Asian	84	6.8%
Hispanic or Latino	161	13.1%
Black or African American	224	18.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	7	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.2%
Two or More Races	51	4.1%
Race Unknown	88	7.2%
International Students	12	1.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do cloud computing Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of cloud computing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$49,235
4 years	$57,619
5 years	$64,395

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $64,395 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online cloud computing Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for cloud computing. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	6	4
Bachelor’s	5	0
Master’s	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in cloud computing Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, cloud computing graduates earn a median of $57,619 four years after completion — roughly 52% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications	11.09
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Other	11.0999
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications	11.0901
Computer Science	11.0701
Computer and Information Sciences, General	11.0101
Computer Programming/Programmer, General	11.0201
Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst	11.0501
Information Science/Studies	11.0401
Information Technology	11.0103
Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation	11.0804
Artificial Intelligence	11.0102
Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance	11.1003

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.