Amazon Web Services reported its fastest growth in 13 quarters during Q4 2025, with revenue hitting $35.6 billion and profit increasing to $12.5 billion. The cloud giant now operates at a $142 billion annualized run rate, according to CEO Andy Jassy, who confirmed AWS will invest about $200 billion in capital expenditures across Amazon in 2026.
AWS leads the cloud market with a 30% share, while Microsoft Azure follows with 20%, reflecting strong enterprise and government adoption. The Maryland Department of Information Technology entered a participating addendum with Deloitte Consulting to provide AWS cloud hosting products for state agencies through 2026, demonstrating continued public sector demand.
AT&T expanded its AWS partnership this month to include Amazon Leo satellite services for fixed broadband. The telecom giant will migrate workloads to AWS infrastructure while providing high-capacity fiber connectivity for AWS data centers across the United States. Jan Hofmeyr, AWS VP for telecommunications, said the collaboration creates "new opportunities to deliver services to customers nationwide."
Howard University announced an AWS partnership to prepare students for cloud careers with cutting-edge curriculum. The initiative provides access to AWS Educate resources and will integrate cloud computing concepts into new and existing higher education programs. AWS Training and Certification programs offer structured learning paths aligned with in-demand cloud careers.
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification remains the most popular AWS certification worldwide. According to industry analysis, 80% of cloud engineers who obtain this certification secure cloud jobs. The certification validates expertise in designing and deploying complex systems across AWS services.
Coursera's AWS Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certificate provides training over 3-6 months. The program covers essential AWS services including compute, storage, databases, networking, and monitoring. Udemy's Ultimate AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate course, updated for 2026, includes full practice exams and hands-on labs for the SAA-C03 exam.
AWS exams cost $100-$300, with entry-level exams at $100 and advanced exams up to $300. According to PayScale data, individuals holding the AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Professional credential earn an average of $151,000 per year. Salaries range from $105,000 to $200,000 depending on role and experience level.
Digital Cloud Training offers three tailored bootcamps for AWS certification preparation. Their Cloud Certification Bootcamp provides a 3-month fast-track to first AWS certification with expert-led live sessions. The Cloud Mastery Bootcamp spans 12 months with multiple certifications, real-world projects, and a job guarantee.
KodeKloud's AWS Solutions Architect Associate course focuses on real-life practice with AWS ecosystem labs. The program breaks down AWS Architect exam concepts for the SAA-C03 exam while building skills applicable beyond certification testing. KnowledgeHut provides a future exam-focused curriculum with clear learning paths and practice exams.
AWS certifications matches the fastest-growing IT sectors: cloud, AI, security, and data. GenAI-driven cloud offerings saw growth rates of 140-180% in 2025, according to industry reports. New certifications around AI, machine learning, and prompt engineering are emerging as AWS expands its AI capabilities, with Nvidia reportedly skipping gaming GPU releases in 2026 to focus on AI chips.
Multi-cloud skills are increasingly valuable, with 92% of enterprises operating in multi-cloud environments. Professionals holding both AWS and Azure certifications reportedly earn 20-30% higher compensation. AWS has achieved 100% renewable energy, while Azure committed to becoming carbon-negative by 2030.
Entry-level cloud positions offer salaries of $85,000-$105,000 for AWS professionals and $80,000-$100,000 for Azure roles. AWS engineers typically earn 5-10% more than Azure counterparts due to higher demand in cloud-native companies. Remote job opportunities favor AWS, which dominates the remote-first job market.
The Pluralsight 2025 Tech Skills Report found certifications are the top method for IT professionals to earn raises or promotions. AWS continues to earn most major enterprise and government cloud transitions, according to Jassy.
"We're continuing to see strong growth in core non-AI workloads as enterprises return to focusing on moving infrastructure from on-premises to the cloud," he said.
Amazon plans to start offering Amazon Leo satellite services to business customers later this year ahead of full rollout. The satellite network aims to connect tens of millions of customers globally with an initial constellation of more than 3,000 satellites. The project currently has 180 of the planned 3,200 satellites in orbit.
