The Impact and Benefits of the AWS Certified Security – Specialty Certification
The AWS Certified Security – Specialty certification is becoming increasingly important as more and more technology moves to the cloud. In fact, cloud security is quickly becoming just another part of cybersecurity. This certification, offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), is a great starting point for cybersecurity professionals who want to stay ahead of the game.
The AWS Certified Security – Specialty certification is ranked 10th on our latest Salary Survey 75 list. AWS is a major player in the cloud computing market. Here’s a snapshot of the salaries and satisfaction levels of those who hold this certification:
US Respondents
- Average Annual Salary: $139,760
- Median Annual Salary: $152,500
- Satisfaction with current salary:
- Completely Satisfied: 9.6%
- Very Satisfied: 19.4%
- Satisfied: 38.7%
- Not Very Satisfied: 32.3%
- Not At All Satisfied: 0%
Non-US Respondents
- Average Annual Salary: $71,940
- Median Annual Salary: $55,000
- Satisfaction with current salary:
- Completely Satisfied: 9.6%
- Very Satisfied: 11.5%
- Satisfied: 42.4%
- Not Very Satisfied: 21.1%
- Not At All Satisfied: 15.4%
The survey included AWS Certified Security holders from the US (37.3%) and 25 other countries. Most of the respondents were men (74.5%), but a significant number were women (23.6%). The remaining 2% preferred not to disclose their gender or identified as transgender males.
Most of the respondents were between the ages of 35 and 54. Over 90% had some form of college or university education. About 75% were employed full-time, and many were working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In terms of job roles, the largest group of respondents were senior specialists (36.4%). Others were managers, specialists, senior managers, rank-and-file employees, directors, and executives. More than half of the respondents had been working in IT for more than a decade or between 3 and 5 years.
The survey also asked about the impact of certification on job performance. Most respondents said they use the skills they gained or improved through certification several times a day or week. Many agreed or strongly agreed that there is greater demand for their skills since becoming certified, that certification has increased their problem-solving skills, and that it has increased their productivity at work.
