Technology
Will AI replace cloud solutions architects?
BLS places computer network architects in its “Very high” AI-exposure category (of four, relative to other occupations). BLS projects employment to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,600 openings a year. OEWS May 2025 median pay is $134,050 (10th–90th percentile $79,900–$202,680). Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
Sources: BLS AI exposure categories and Employment Projections 2025–35 (released 27 August 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025; tasks from O*NET 31.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Figures are for the BLS occupation Computer network architects (SOC 15-1241), the closest occupation BLS tracks. BLS has no cloud-architect occupation. O*NET lists “Solutions Architect” under Computer Network Architects, the closest occupation BLS tracks.
Cloud solutions architects design the systems a product runs on in the cloud, weighing cost, security and reliability.
The figures, with their sources
| AI-exposure category | Very high (of Low, Moderate, High, Very high)BLS AI exposure categories, 2025–35 |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 → 2035 | 181,800 → 195,800BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 |
| Projected change, 2025–35 | +7.7%BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 |
| Openings per year (2025–35 average) | 9,600BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 |
| Median annual pay | $134,050BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 10th–90th percentile pay | $79,900 – $202,680BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degreeBLS Employment Projections 2025–35 |
National figures, all industries and all experience levels. Employment and openings are published by BLS in thousands; pay is annual, in US dollars.
What BLS says, in its own words
“Very high” relative AI exposure generally indicates that, compared to other occupations, a larger fraction of an occupation’s tasks can be completed or assisted by AI technology, and that LLMs have been observed performing some of the occupation’s tasks.
“An exposure category is not a forecast of employment growth or decline.” “Exposure does not imply job loss, productivity gains, automation probability, or wage effects.”
Our count from the BLS table: 141 of the 206 occupations in the “Very high” category are projected to grow from 2025 to 2035. That is our arithmetic on BLS data, not a BLS statement.
What the work is: O*NET® tasks
The occupation’s core tasks, most important first, as O*NET 31.0 words them.
- 1.Document technical specifications and operating standards for telecommunications equipment.
- 2.Develop disaster recovery plans.Accountability
- 3.Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.Judgment
- 4.Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions.Judgment
- 5.Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
- 6.Implement system renovation projects in collaboration with technical staff, engineering consultants, installers, and vendors.Relationships
- 7.Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.Relationships
- 8.Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.
How we tag: a task is tagged Judgment, Accountability or Relationships when O*NET’s wording uses one of these verbs. Judgment: evaluate, assess, determine, decide, interpret, diagnose, recommend, investigate, approve, prioritize, resolve. Accountability: direct, supervise, manage, oversee, ensure, plan, establish, authorize, comply. Relationships: confer, consult, negotiate, advise, collaborate, liaise, mentor, train, counsel, persuade, interview, present, meet with. This is our reading of the task text, not an O*NET or BLS classification, and it is not a measure of AI exposure.
For new graduates
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
- Openings per year
- 9,600
- All levels, not entry-level only
The tasks to show proof for: 5 of 8 are about judgment, accountability or relationships
We point you at these because our method treats them as the work that is hardest to hand to AI. That is our judgment, not a BLS or O*NET finding. A capstone, an internship or a part-time job where you made the call, owned the outcome or worked with the people involved is proof. Write what you did, not what you were assigned.
Show the 5 tasks
- Develop disaster recovery plans.
- Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
- Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions.
- Implement system renovation projects in collaboration with technical staff, engineering consultants, installers, and vendors.
- Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences.
What this data does not tell you
- How many openings are entry-level, or how many go to new graduates. BLS counts openings at every level.
- How AI will change hiring for junior roles in this occupation. The exposure category is about the occupation’s tasks, and BLS says it is not a forecast.
- Pay or openings in your city or industry. These are national figures.
- Whether your own tasks match these. O*NET describes the occupation, not your job.
BLS also publishes the work experience and on-the-job training usually needed; see the BLS projections table.
Proof worth finding for a Cloud Solutions Architect application
Our editorial starting list, not a survey of postings. The posting you apply to decides what counts.
- Architecture design with documented scale, reliability, cost, and performance outcomes
- Multi-cloud or cloud-native design patterns (containers, serverless, microservices, event-driven)
- FinOps and cloud cost optimization with measurable savings delivered
- Security architecture and compliance framework implementation (SOC 2, HIPAA, or PCI)
- Cross-functional leadership with engineering and business stakeholders on architecture decisions
Show your proof for one real posting
- Step 1Job Match · 5 tokensPaste a real posting. For each requirement, we quote the line in your resume that proves it, or say nothing was found.
- Step 2Resume · 15 tokensRewrite toward that posting from your own words. Any number we could not find in them is listed for you to check.
- Step 3Know your tasks · FreeYour own tasks against the computer network architects data above, labeled task by task.
Related role guides
Technology guide- Product Marketing ManagerProduct marketing managers position a product for its market: launches, competitive analysis, messaging and the material sales teams use.
- Software EngineerSoftware engineers design, build, test and maintain software, from a single feature to the systems many teams depend on.
- Data AnalystData analysts turn business questions into queries, charts and recommendations that someone can act on.
Questions people ask
Will AI replace cloud solutions architects?
The data does not say so. BLS places computer network architects in its “Very high” relative AI-exposure category and states that “An exposure category is not a forecast of employment growth or decline.” In BLS’s words: “Very high” relative AI exposure generally indicates that, compared to other occupations, a larger fraction of an occupation’s tasks can be completed or assisted by AI technology, and that LLMs have been observed performing some of the occupation’s tasks. BLS projects employment to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035 (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35). By our count from the BLS table, 141 of the 206 occupations in the “Very high” category are projected to grow.
How many cloud solutions architects jobs open each year?
BLS projects about 9,600 openings a year for computer network architects, averaged over 2025–35. BLS defines openings as net employment change plus workers permanently leaving the occupation, so a declining occupation can still have openings. Employment was 181,800 in 2025.
How much do cloud solutions architects earn?
BLS OEWS (May 2025) puts the national median annual wage for computer network architects at $134,050. The 10th percentile is $79,900, the 25th $104,620, the 75th $168,200 and the 90th $202,680. These are all industries and all experience levels in the United States; pay in your city and at your level will differ.
What education do cloud solutions architects need?
BLS lists “Bachelor's degree” as the typical education needed to enter computer network architects. It is the typical path, not a rule: postings set their own requirements.
How does AISkillScore check a Cloud Solutions Architect application?
We count, we do not guess. Job Match reads the posting’s requirements and, for each one, quotes the line in your resume that proves it, or says nothing was found. The resume rewrite keeps your claims and lists any number it could not find in your own words so you can check it before you send.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Artificial Intelligence (AI) exposure categories; Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics; Employment Projections definitions; Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Computer network architects. BLS data is in the public domain.
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0 · Computer network architects on O*NET OnLine. Changes: we show up to eight of the occupation’s core tasks, most important first, merged across the O*NET codes BLS groups into one occupation, and we add our own task tags.
Check your proof against a real Cloud Solutions Architect posting
Job Match shows which of the posting’s requirements your resume proves, quote by quote. 30 free tokens when you sign up.
Run Job MatchOr, free and without an account: check which Cloud Solutions Architect tasks still need you.