DevOps engineer certifications: what 3,861 US job ads name
DevOps engineer certifications are optional: learn the tools first, then take one exam that your target ads name. If you work in IT and your employer runs AWS (Amazon's cloud), start with AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate ($150); for Kubernetes work, take the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA, $445).
Your first step is a small project with Linux, Git and Docker (see Step 1). To find which exam your local ads name, search a job board in your country for "devops engineer" plus the exam name. In October 2026 we counted 3,861 US DevOps-engineer ads on Adzuna, a job-ad search site. Kubernetes, software that runs app containers, appeared in 47% of the ads, and the phrase aws certified (as written in the ad; Amazon's cloud exams) in 3.8% of the ads.
A DevOps engineer builds and runs the systems that test and release a company's software automatically. The work covers CI/CD pipelines (continuous integration and delivery: scripts that build, test and ship each code change). It also covers containers (packages that hold an app and everything it needs to run) and infrastructure as code (servers and networks written down in text files, so a tool can build them).
- Picking one: which DevOps certification is best, by situation (AWS, CKA, Terraform)
- Starting from zero: the beginner path and its cost
- Reading the data: what the ads name, by country
What do devops engineer job ads ask for?
Instant answer from October 2026 job ads. No email needed.
Certificates named
Skills asked for
Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.
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Show the numbers
| Item | Ads | Share of ads |
|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes | 1,825 | 47% |
| Terraform | 1,677 | 43% |
| Docker | 1,445 | 37% |
| AWS | 148 | 3.8% |
| AWS Solutions Architect Associate | 66 | 1.7% |
| CKA | 53 | 1.4% |
| CKAD | 27 | 27 of 3,861 |
| Terraform Associate | 24 | 24 of 3,861 |
On this page
- What do DevOps-engineer job ads ask for?
- Which certificate phrases appear in DevOps-engineer ads?
- Which DevOps certification is best?
- DevOps certification for beginners: where to start
- Is a DevOps engineer certification worth it?
- Best certifications for DevOps engineers: what Reddit posters say
- Where to go next
- What we did not check
- Sources
What do DevOps-engineer job ads ask for?
DevOps-engineer ads name tools, and we track three of them. Kubernetes runs containers on a cluster (a group of servers), Terraform (from HashiCorp) is an infrastructure-as-code tool, and Docker builds and runs containers. Of the 3,861 US DevOps-engineer ads we counted on Adzuna in October 2026, Kubernetes appeared in 47%, Terraform in 43% and Docker in 37%.
We searched each country's Adzuna site for the words devops engineer (in France, ingénieur devops). Then we counted the ads that also contain the tool's name anywhere in the text. A tool in an ad can be a requirement or a plus; our count does not separate the two.
| Country | DevOps-engineer ads | Kubernetes | Terraform | Docker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 3,861 | 47% | 43% | 37% |
| UK | 555 | 54% | 64% | 41% |
| India | 1,549 | 56% | 52% | 47% |
| Germany | 1,077 | 54% | 41% | 32% |
| France | 745 | 45% | 34% | 33% |
| Poland | 483 | 59% | 57% | 43% |
Source: Adzuna, share of DevOps-engineer ads containing each tool name, October 2026. Analysis: CertWorthIt.
We leave out Italy (120 ads; small sample, read with care) and Brazil, Mexico and Spain (25, 14 and 19 ads), where we count no tool names for this job.
The three tools describe the daily work, and you can practice each one on a laptop. Our reading: an exam is one way to prove you know a tool, and a working project you can explain in an interview is another.
Which certificate phrases appear in DevOps-engineer ads?
In October 2026, the phrase aws certified appeared in 3.8% of the ads for US DevOps engineers on Adzuna. We count five certificate phrases for this job, each matched word for word anywhere in the ad:
aws certified: the opening words of AWS certification titles, so it catches an ad that names any AWS exam, at any level.aws certified solutions architect: the Solutions Architect exams at Associate or Professional level. Every ad with this phrase also counts towardaws certified.certified kubernetes administrator: the full name of the CKA, the Linux Foundation's Kubernetes exam for people who run clusters. The Linux Foundation is a non-profit that maintains Linux and Kubernetes.certified kubernetes application developer: the full name of the CKAD, the related exam for people who put apps live on clusters.terraform associate: HashiCorp's Terraform exam. Every ad with this phrase also counts toward the Terraform tool figure in the previous section.
| Phrase in the ad | US | UK | India |
|---|---|---|---|
| DevOps-engineer ads counted | 3,861 | 555 | 1,549 |
aws certified |
3.8% | 3% | 3.3% |
aws certified solutions architect |
1.7% | 2% | 1.6% |
certified kubernetes administrator |
1.4% | 1% | 1.6% |
certified kubernetes application developer |
27 of 3,861 | 0 of 555 | 6 of 1,549 |
terraform associate |
24 of 3,861 | 2% | 1.3% |
Source: Adzuna, DevOps-engineer ads containing each phrase, October 2026. Analysis: CertWorthIt.
Ads written in German, French or Polish can name a certificate in their own words, which our English phrases do not match. Read the next figures as minimums, not as a sign that employers there ignore certificates.
| Phrase in the ad | Germany | France | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| DevOps-engineer ads counted | 1,077 | 745 | 483 |
aws certified |
1.0% | 2 of 745 | 1 of 483 |
aws certified solutions architect |
8 of 1,077 | 0 of 745 | 0 of 483 |
certified kubernetes administrator |
2 of 1,077 | 3 of 745 | 2 of 483 |
certified kubernetes application developer |
0 of 1,077 | 0 of 745 | 0 of 483 |
terraform associate |
1 of 1,077 | 3 of 745 | 3 of 483 |
Source: Adzuna, DevOps-engineer ads containing each phrase, October 2026. Analysis: CertWorthIt.
What the count misses: an ad that writes only CKA, AWS certification or a Kubernetes certificate does not contain our phrases and is not counted. The figures show how often employers write a phrase into the ad, not how a recruiter weighs a certificate on a resume. How we count.
Which DevOps certification is best?
Which DevOps certification is best depends on the platform your target employers run and on how much IT work you have done. For a reader who already works in IT, the best certification for DevOps work is the first exam on that platform: AWS, Kubernetes or Terraform. The table sorts the common options by situation.
Which certification is best for a DevOps engineer, by situation:
| Your situation | Certification to consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New to IT and to cloud (take it after the Step 1 project) | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner ($100) or Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate, KCNA ($250) | Neither has a prerequisite; both use multiple-choice questions |
| Working in IT, employer on AWS | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate ($150) | AWS calls it an ideal starting point for people with AWS experience or strong experience with servers a company runs in its own building |
| Running Kubernetes clusters (groups of servers that run containers) at work | Certified Kubernetes Administrator, CKA ($445) | Hands-on exam (you do tasks, not pick answers), one retake included |
| Putting apps live on Kubernetes | Certified Kubernetes Application Developer, CKAD ($445) | Same format, fee and retake as the CKA |
| Writing infrastructure as code | Terraform Associate, version 004 ($70.50) | One-hour multiple-choice exam; HashiCorp lists basic terminal skills as a prerequisite |
| Two or more years on AWS | AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional ($300) | AWS recommends two or more years of setting up, running and looking after AWS environments |
| Employer on Microsoft Azure | Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert (exam AZ-400) | You must first hold Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate; fee and validity: see Microsoft's exam page |
| Employer on Google Cloud | Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer ($200 plus tax) | Google recommends three or more years in the industry, including one or more on Google Cloud; validity: see Google's certification page |
Source: vendor pages listed in the Sources section.
Only the AWS, CKA, CKAD and Terraform rows match phrases we count in DevOps-engineer ads. We do not count the KCNA, AZ-400 or the Google exam, so we have no figure for how often employers name them. Microsoft sets the AZ-400 fee by the country where you take the exam, and we did not record a US price. In the AWS rows, Foundational means entry level, Associate mid level and Professional advanced.
What the five counted exams cost and test
The five phrases we count point to four exams with fixed fees. Two of the four are hands-on: the CKA and the CKAD are performance-based, which means you solve tasks at a command line (a text window where you type commands) on practice Kubernetes clusters instead of picking answers. Both are online and proctored, watched by a remote examiner through your webcam.
| Exam (vendor) | Format | Exam fee | Valid for | Fee plus one renewal, at today's price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (AWS) | 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response (pick two or more answers) questions, 130 minutes | $150 | 3 years | $150 + $150 = $300 for six years |
| Certified Kubernetes Administrator, CKA (Linux Foundation) | Performance-based (hands-on), 2 hours, passing score 66% | $445, one retake included | 2 years | $445 + $445 = $890 for four years |
| Certified Kubernetes Application Developer, CKAD (Linux Foundation) | Performance-based (hands-on), 2 hours, passing score 66% | $445, one retake included | 2 years | $445 + $445 = $890 for four years |
| Terraform Associate, exam 004 (HashiCorp) | Multiple choice, 1 hour, online proctored, English only | $70.50, no free retake | 2 years | $70.50 + $70.50 = $141 for four years |
Source: AWS, Linux Foundation and HashiCorp exam pages listed in the Sources section.
The totals assume you pass each time. A failed Terraform or AWS attempt costs a full fee again, and the CKA and the CKAD include one retake.
Renewal works differently at each vendor. AWS renews Solutions Architect – Associate when you pass the latest version of the exam or earn the Professional-level Solutions Architect certification. The Linux Foundation renews the CKA and the CKAD when you pass the exam again. HashiCorp lets you renew Terraform Associate by passing the current exam, starting six months before your credential expires.
The aws certified phrase covers every AWS exam. AWS charges $100 at the Foundational level (entry), $150 at Associate (mid) and $300 at Professional (advanced) and Specialty, and you pay the full fee again for each retake. The three AWS exams on this page are valid for three years.
DevOps certification for beginners: where to start
The best DevOps certification for beginners is one you take after you can use a Linux command line, Git and Docker. Linux is a free operating system for servers and computers. Git tracks changes to code. Docker packages an app so it runs the same anywhere. You can practice all three on your own computer. The first step works even without a target job: install Linux in a virtual machine (a pretend computer running inside your computer), put a small web app in a Docker container and keep the files in a public Git repository (an online folder for code).
Show the numbers
| Item | United States | United Kingdom | India | France | Germany | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | 3.8% | 3% | 3.3% | 2 ads | 1.0% | 1 ad |
| AWS Solutions Architect Associate | 1.7% | 2% | 1.6% | 0 ads | 8 ads | 0 ads |
| CKA | 1.4% | 1% | 1.6% | 3 ads | 2 ads | 2 ads |
| CKAD | 27 ads | 0 ads | 6 ads | 0 ads | 0 ads | 0 ads |
| Terraform Associate | 24 ads | 2% | 1.3% | 3 ads | 1 ad | 3 ads |
Step 1: hands-on practice
Build one small, finished project. A useful one puts a web app in a container, runs it on a local Kubernetes setup and builds the cloud parts with Terraform. Add a README file (a text page stored with the code) that explains each step. If you use a cloud account, set a billing alert first (a message when your cloud bill passes a limit) and shut resources down after each session, because the cloud provider charges for what you leave running.
Step 2: an entry-level DevOps engineer certification
After the Step 1 project, if you are new to cloud, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner costs $100 and has 65 questions in 90 minutes. AWS says candidates could have up to six months of exposure to its cloud, but that this is not required. The Linux Foundation's KCNA costs $250, includes two attempts and is a 90-minute multiple-choice exam with no prerequisites. If you already work in IT, you can skip this step and go to Solutions Architect – Associate ($150). People who posted about that exam on Reddit report a median of two months of study (the middle value; 15 reports, middle half 1.2 to 3 months).
Step 3: Terraform Associate or the CKA
Terraform Associate ($70.50) tests the infrastructure-as-code tool from the skills table, in a one-hour multiple-choice exam. The CKA ($445) suits people who already run a Kubernetes cluster, even a home one, because the exam is all hands-on tasks. After Step 3, search job ads in your target country for "devops engineer" and pick the exam they name.
What the beginner path costs: if you take Cloud Practitioner ($100) and Terraform Associate ($70.50), the exam fees come to $170.50. Over three years, add one Terraform renewal at the two-year mark ($70.50), for a total of $241; Cloud Practitioner stays valid for all three years. With Solutions Architect – Associate in place of Cloud Practitioner, the same three years come to $291 ($150 plus $70.50 plus $70.50).
Coming from IT support or systems administration
Server and support work builds the Linux, networking and scripting knowledge that DevOps work rests on. Our systems-administrator page shows what ads for that job name, and the cloud-engineer page covers the cloud exams in more depth. If you have no degree, see our guide to becoming a DevOps engineer without a degree.
Is a DevOps engineer certification worth it?
A DevOps engineer certification is worth it when it fills a gap you can name: an employer you want to work for names it in its ads, or you know a tool but have nothing to show for it. The fees run from $70.50 for Terraform Associate through $150 for Solutions Architect – Associate to $445 for the CKA. Multiple-choice exams show you know the concepts; they do not show you can build or fix a pipeline. Next: do Step 1, then check five local ads.
A stack of certificates without a project is a weak case. The tools in the skills section describe the job, and an interviewer can ask you to show them. The CKA and the CKAD are the exception among the exams on this page, because passing them means completing timed tasks at a command line on practice clusters; it does not show you can run production.
Do DevOps engineers need certifications?
No. We found no law or licensing body that requires a certification for DevOps work. Some employers write one into the ad: in October 2026, certified kubernetes administrator appeared in 1.4% of the ads for US DevOps engineers on Adzuna, and terraform associate in 24 of the 3,861 US DevOps-engineer ads.
Best certifications for DevOps engineers: what Reddit posters say
Reddit gives no ranking; the CKA comes up with arguments on both sides, and posters advise building a project first. We read DevOps and Kubernetes threads in the Reddit posts we collected from r/kubernetes, r/AWSCertifications and r/ITCareerQuestions. Posters are a self-selected group, so these show what people ask and argue, not how many hold a view.
- A poster moving from IT support to DevOps asked what got people their first DevOps role: hands-on projects, work experience or certifications (r/ITCareerQuestions). Our answer: the ads we count name tools, so a project that uses Kubernetes, Terraform and Docker answers the ads directly, and one exam that your local ads name can sit next to it.
- In a thread on why people dislike certifications, one commenter said the dislike comes from employers who had a bad experience hiring someone who passed the CKA (r/kubernetes). Another in the same thread called the certificate "a door opener to get invited at screening" (a first phone call with a recruiter) for someone switching from backend work to DevOps (r/kubernetes).
- A support worker asking about Kubernetes was told not to start with a certificate, and to run k3s or kind (small Kubernetes setups for one computer) at home, put something real live and break it on purpose (r/kubernetes).
- An experienced DevOps engineer moving into Kubernetes work was advised to get the CKA and to stress Linux and configuration-as-code (settings kept in text files) experience in interviews (r/kubernetes).
- In a thread from a software engineer weighing certificates, one commenter called the Terraform certificate resume filler (something added to a resume to fill space) (r/AWSCertifications), and another found Terraform easier to learn by doing (r/AWSCertifications).
- A poster asked holders of AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional whether it had helped their careers (r/AWSCertifications). We do not count that exam's full name; it falls under the
aws certifiedphrase in the country tables.
Our reading of these threads: the CKA draws arguments on both sides, and the advice that comes up in more than one thread is to build something first.
Where to go next
Coming from support work, see the IT support page. A cloud engineer builds and runs the cloud systems that DevOps pipelines deploy to, and that page compares the AWS and Azure exams. Our AWS certification overview lists every AWS level, the Solutions Architect – Associate page covers the first AWS exam for people already in IT, and the Cloud Practitioner page covers the entry exam.
Show the numbers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Fees to get certified: Exam | $150 |
| Fees to get certified: One retake (optional) | $150 |
What we did not check
- Pay: we count job ads, not salaries, and none of our sources isolates what a certificate adds to pay.
- The AZ-400 exam fee, which Microsoft sets per country, and how long Google's Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer stays valid.
- The KCNA's renewal rules.
- The format and length of AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional.
- Whether an ad lists a tool or certificate as required or as preferred.
Sources
All vendor pages below were read October 11, 2026.
- Adzuna job-ad counts, DevOps-engineer ads in 10 countries, October 2026; analysis: CertWorthIt. How we count.
- AWS, exam pricing, retake and scoring policy, Cloud Practitioner, Solutions Architect – Associate and DevOps Engineer – Professional.
- Linux Foundation, CKA, CKAD, CKA, CKAD and CKS FAQ and KCNA.
- HashiCorp, Terraform Associate, retake rules and recertification policy.
- Microsoft Learn, DevOps Engineer Expert and exam AZ-400.
- Google Cloud, Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer.
- Reddit threads linked in the text, from the posts we collected; study-time median from Reddit posts about Solutions Architect – Associate.
Edited by Jere Salmisto · Data checked October 11, 2026
Questions people ask
What is the best certification for a DevOps engineer?
The best certification for a DevOps engineer is the first exam on the platform that your target employers run. On AWS (Amazon Web Services, a cloud provider), for someone already working in IT, that is AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate ($150). For Kubernetes, software that runs app containers on a cluster (a group of servers), it is the hands-on Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA, $445 with one retake, a second attempt, included), from the Linux Foundation, a non-profit that maintains Linux and Kubernetes. For infrastructure as code (servers written down as text files), it is Terraform Associate ($70.50) from HashiCorp, the company that makes Terraform. In October 2026, the phrase aws certified appeared in 3.8% of the ads for US DevOps engineers on Adzuna, a job-ad search site.
What is a good DevOps engineer certification for beginners?
A good DevOps engineer certification for beginners has few or no prerequisites and a low fee. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner costs $100 and requires no experience. The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) from the Linux Foundation, a non-profit that maintains Linux and Kubernetes, costs $250, includes two attempts and has no prerequisites. HashiCorp's Terraform Associate costs $70.50; HashiCorp, the company that makes Terraform, lists basic terminal skills as a prerequisite. Learn Linux (a free operating system for servers and computers), Git (a tool that tracks changes to code) and Docker (a tool that packages an app to run anywhere) on your own computer before you pay for any of them.
Do you need a certification to be a DevOps engineer?
No. We found no law or licensing body that requires a certification for DevOps work. Of the 3,861 US DevOps-engineer ads we counted on Adzuna, a job-ad search site, in October 2026, 47% contained the word Kubernetes (software that runs app containers) and 3.8% contained the phrase aws certified. An ad that names a tool or a certificate may list it as required or as a plus; our count does not separate the two.
Which DevOps exams are hands-on?
Among the common DevOps exams, the Linux Foundation's Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) are performance-based, which means hands-on. You solve tasks at a command line on practice Kubernetes clusters (groups of servers that run containers) for two hours, and you need 66% to pass. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, HashiCorp Terraform Associate, the KCNA and Google's Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer use multiple-choice questions.
Do DevOps certifications expire?
Yes, the main DevOps certifications have an expiration date or a renewal rule. The three AWS exams we cover (Cloud Practitioner, Solutions Architect – Associate and DevOps Engineer – Professional) are valid for three years. The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and HashiCorp's Terraform Associate are valid for two years. Microsoft's DevOps Engineer Expert (exam AZ-400) expires unless you renew it, and Microsoft renews it at no cost when you pass an online assessment on Microsoft Learn, Microsoft's free training site. We did not record how long Google's Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer stays valid; check Google's certification page.
Which are the best certifications for DevOps, according to Reddit?
Reddit gives no ranking, only opinions. In the DevOps and Kubernetes threads we collected, one commenter called the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) a way to get invited to a screening call (a first phone call with a recruiter) when switching into DevOps. Another said the dislike of certificates comes from employers who had a bad experience hiring a CKA holder. A third called the Terraform certificate resume filler (something added to a resume to fill space). Posters advised learning by building a small project first. CertWorthIt counts certificate phrases in job ads instead: in October 2026, certified kubernetes administrator appeared in 1.4% of the ads for US DevOps engineers on Adzuna, a job-ad search site.