// Certification Index2026 Edition
Cloud Engineering Cert Roadmap
The certs you should pursue depend less on the title and more on the kind of work you want to do. The cloud cert landscape is also shifting fast right now -- AWS retired several specialty certs in 2024 and replaced them with focused role-based alternatives, Microsoft is pivoting its Azure developer and security tracks toward AI (AZ-204 exits July 2026 for AI-200; AZ-500 becomes SC-500), and HashiCorp Terraform Associate 004 launched in January 2026 following IBM's acquisition.
Below are 22 of the more common cloud engineering roles and the credentials typically tied to each. This list isn't exhaustive -- mostly built from research into where the field is heading and what employers are actually asking for.
- Cloud EngineerAWS SAAAZ-104Google ACECloud+
- Cloud ArchitectAWS SAPAZ-305Google PCA
- Solutions ArchitectAWS SAAAWS SAPAZ-305Google PCA
- Cloud Security EngineerAWS SCSSC-500Google PCSECCSP
- Cloud Network EngineerAWS ANSAZ-700Google PCNECCNA
- Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)CKAAWS DOPAZ-400Google PCDE
- DevOps EngineerAWS DOPAZ-400CKAGoogle PCDE
- Platform EngineerCKACKADTerraform AssocAZ-400
- Cloud Systems AdministratorAZ-104AWS CloudOpsGoogle ACECloud+
- Cloud Database AdministratorDP-300OCI DB AssocGoogle PCDBE
- Cloud Data EngineerAWS DEADP-203Google PDEDatabricks
- ML / AI EngineerAWS AIFAI-102Google PCMLETF Dev Cert
- FinOps EngineerFOCPAWS CLPAZ-900Google CDL
- Cloud Automation / IaC EngineerTerraform AssocAWS DOPAZ-400CKA
- Cloud DeveloperAWS DVAAZ-204Google PCDevCKAD
- Cloud Operations EngineerAWS CloudOpsAZ-104Google ACEITIL 4
- Cloud Migration EngineerAWS SAAAZ-305Google PCATerraform
- Cloud IAM EngineerSC-300AWS SCSGoogle PCSEOkta Pro
- Cloud Compliance / GRC EngineerCCSPCISASC-400AWS SCS
- Multi-Cloud EngineerAWS SAAAZ-104Google ACETerraform Assoc
- Cloud Infrastructure EngineerAWS SAAAZ-104Terraform AssocCKA
- Cloud Support EngineerAWS CLPAZ-900Google CDLITIL 4
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This list isn't exhaustive and shouldn't be treated as authoritative career advice. Cert relevance varies by employer, region, and cloud platform -- an AWS SAP carries different weight at an AWS shop, a multi-cloud consultancy, and an Azure-first enterprise. If you're currently in one of these roles and would swap a recommendation for a better one, I want to hear it -- reach out via the contact page.