Jason Miller / DevOps and DevSecOps Certification Analysis

The 2025 DevOps and DevSecOps Certification Market: A Strategic Analysis of Value, Demand, and Future Trends

Navigate the booming DevOps certification market with our 2025 strategic analysis. Unlock career growth and ROI with data-driven insights into the most valuable credentials, employer perceptions, and future-proof skills. Your essential guide to success.

Executive Summary

The market for DevOps skills and services is undergoing explosive growth, with forecasts projecting the global DevOps market to reach $25.5 billion by 2028.1 This expansion has created a significant and persistent skills gap, fueling a parallel boom in the DevOps Certification Services market, which is projected to grow from an estimated $2.5 billion in 2025 to $7.2 billion by 2033, reflecting a robust Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15%.2 In this dynamic environment, professional certifications have become a critical, albeit complex, tool for both individuals seeking career advancement and organizations aiming to build high-performing teams.

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the DevOps and DevSecOps certification landscape for 2025. It moves beyond a simple catalog of credentials to offer a strategic evaluation of their value, market perception, and return on investment. A key finding is the emergence of two distinct validation models within the certification ecosystem: knowledge-based, multiple-choice exams, predominantly offered by major cloud providers, and performance-based, hands-on lab exams, which are the standard for foundational, tool-specific certifications. The choice between these models has significant implications for how a professional’s skills are perceived and valued by employers.

The analysis also confronts the “Certification Paradox”—the apparent contradiction between the sentiment of many experienced hiring managers who prioritize hands-on experience above all else, and the market reality where certifications are indispensable for passing initial HR and recruiter screenings.3 The report concludes that this is a false dichotomy; certifications are not a substitute for experience but a catalyst for it. They provide a structured learning path, signal a commitment to professional development, and serve as a crucial differentiator in a competitive job market.

Through a data-driven analysis of job postings, this report identifies “Certification Clusters”—combinations of credentials that are most frequently sought by employers. A portfolio combining a major cloud platform certification (e.g., AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional), a container orchestration credential (e.g., Certified Kubernetes Administrator), and an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) certification (e.g., HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate) represents the gold standard for a modern Cloud-Native Engineer. This demonstrates that a strategic portfolio of certifications is now more valuable than any single credential. This report serves as a definitive guide for professionals and managers to navigate this landscape, enabling them to make informed, data-driven decisions on where to invest their time and resources for maximum career and organizational impact.

Section 1: The Value Proposition of Certification in a Skills-First World

In the contemporary technology landscape, the debate over the value of professional certifications versus hands-on experience is perennial. However, a nuanced analysis reveals that this is not a zero-sum game. Certifications, when approached strategically, serve as a powerful instrument for career acceleration, skill validation, and structured learning in a world that demands continuous professional evolution.

1.1 Market Context: Unprecedented Demand for Validated Skills

The digital transformation imperative across all industries has solidified DevOps as a core business competency, leading to unprecedented demand for skilled professionals. Job postings for DevOps engineers have grown by an average of 20% annually since 2020, driven by the widespread adoption of cloud computing, containerization, and automation.5 This demand has created a highly competitive market for talent and, consequently, a significant skills gap that organizations are struggling to fill.

The DevOps Certification Services market has emerged as a primary mechanism to address this gap. Its projected 15% CAGR through 2033 underscores the industry’s reliance on certifications as a standardized method for validating skills.2 This trend is corroborated by findings from the Pearson VUE 2025 “Value of IT Certification” report, which surveyed nearly 24,000 certified professionals. The report found that “skilling”—the need to acquire and validate new competencies—was the primary motivation for 43% of all candidates pursuing certification.6 This data point establishes a clear and direct link between the act of certification and the fundamental need for professionals to keep pace with a rapidly changing technological environment.

1.2 Deconstructing the “Certification Paradox”: Employer Perceptions vs. Hiring Realities

Navigating the world of DevOps certifications requires understanding a central contradiction: the difference in perspective between the technical hiring manager and the frontline recruiter. This “Certification Paradox” often leaves professionals wondering about the true value of their credentials.

On one hand, many seasoned hiring managers and senior engineers express deep skepticism toward certifications. This viewpoint is often born from negative experiences, such as interviewing a candidate with a top-tier cloud certification who was unable to perform basic, practical tasks.3 From this perspective, certifications can be seen as proof of an ability to memorize facts for a multiple-choice exam rather than a true understanding of the subject matter. Some even argue that certifications can correlate inversely with in-depth knowledge, as a candidate might “study for the test” instead of engaging in the deep, problem-oriented learning that builds genuine expertise.3 For a new graduate or a junior candidate, a certificate alone is often irrelevant to the decision to grant an interview.3

On the other hand, this perspective fails to account for the realities of the modern hiring pipeline. For recruiters and HR departments tasked with screening hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for a single role, certifications serve as an essential and efficient filtering mechanism. A credential from a recognized body like AWS, Microsoft, or The Linux Foundation provides a standardized, objective signal that a candidate possesses a baseline level of knowledge and has demonstrated the commitment to complete a rigorous learning program.4 Job postings frequently list specific certifications as either required or highly desirable, making their absence a potential disqualifier before a resume ever reaches a technical manager’s desk.7 Furthermore, in a common scenario where a hiring manager is faced with two candidates with similar experience, a relevant certification will undoubtedly tip the scale in one’s favor.4

The resolution to this paradox lies in reframing the purpose of certification. It is not a substitute for experience, but a catalyst and a structured pathway to gaining relevant skills. The true value of a certification is not the digital badge, but the comprehensive learning process required to obtain it. A well-designed certification curriculum forces a candidate to study a breadth of topics and services that they may not encounter in their specific day-to-day role, thereby filling critical knowledge gaps and fostering a more holistic understanding of a platform or technology. An astute interviewer will recognize this, using the certification as a starting point to probe the depth of the candidate’s knowledge gained during their preparation. In this light, a certification is transformed from a mere credential into evidence of a completed, self-directed, and rigorous learning project.

1.3 Quantifying the ROI: Salary, Promotion, and Confidence

The investment in certification yields tangible and quantifiable returns in terms of career progression and compensation. The Pearson VUE report provides compelling evidence of this ROI: 32% of certified individuals received a salary increase after earning their credential, while 63% either received a promotion or anticipated one at the time of the survey.6

The salary impact can be substantial. Industry analysis has linked AWS certifications to salary increases of up to 25-30%.9 The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional certification, in particular, is consistently ranked among the top-paying IT certifications in North America.10 Similarly, acquiring DevSecOps skills, often validated through certification, can lead to salary uplifts of $10,000 to $25,000 annually.11

Beyond direct financial benefits, certifications have a profound impact on a professional’s confidence and on-the-job effectiveness. The same Pearson VUE study found that 82% of certified individuals gained the confidence to explore and pursue new job opportunities. This empowerment is coupled with improved performance, as 70% reported being more productive and 79% saw an increase in the quality of their work after becoming certified.6 This data illustrates that the value of certification extends beyond the resume, translating into a more capable, confident, and innovative workforce.

Section 2: The DevOps Certification Landscape: A Comparative Analysis

The DevOps certification market is diverse, encompassing credentials from major cloud providers, vendors of foundational tools, and vendor-neutral organizations. A strategic approach requires a clear understanding of the costs, prerequisites, and, most importantly, the nature of the validation each certification provides. A significant distinction exists between knowledge-based exams, which primarily use multiple-choice questions (MCQ), and performance-based exams, which require candidates to complete hands-on tasks in a live lab environment. This distinction is a primary determinant of a certification’s credibility with technical evaluators.

The following table provides a comprehensive, at-a-glance comparison of the most prominent DevOps and DevSecOps certifications available in 2025.

2.1 Cloud-Native DevOps: The Big Three Platforms

Certifications from the three major cloud providers—AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud—are among the most sought-after credentials in the industry. They validate expertise within a specific, high-demand ecosystem and are frequently listed in job descriptions.8

2.1.1 AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02)

As the certification from the dominant market leader in cloud computing, the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional holds significant weight.12 It is designed to validate advanced technical expertise in provisioning, operating, and managing distributed application systems on the AWS platform, with a strong emphasis on continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD), IaC, monitoring, and automation.10

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam fee is $300 USD.10 While there are no formal prerequisites, AWS strongly recommends that candidates have at least two years of hands-on experience managing AWS environments and hold either the AWS Certified Developer – Associate or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification.15 A wide range of training resources is available, from free digital courses on AWS Skill Builder to instructor-led training that can cost up to $3,000, and third-party practice exams typically priced between $20 and $100.17
• Exam Format and Preparation: The exam is a 180-minute, 75-question test consisting of multiple-choice and multiple-response questions.10 It is a knowledge-based exam and does not include a hands-on lab component. The passing score is 750 on a scale of 1,000.15 A typical preparation timeline for a candidate with the recommended experience is six to eight weeks of dedicated study.16 Despite the MCQ format, successful preparation demands extensive hands-on practice with AWS services like CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CloudFormation, CloudWatch, and Elastic Beanstalk to develop the deep, scenario-based understanding required to answer the complex questions.16

2.1.2 Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400)

This expert-level certification is tailored for professionals who design and implement DevOps solutions on the Microsoft Azure platform. It validates an individual’s ability to combine people, processes, and technologies to continuously deliver value, making it highly respected within the vast ecosystem of organizations that rely on Microsoft technologies.12

• Cost and Prerequisites: A key distinction for this certification is its prerequisite structure. To earn the DevOps Engineer Expert credential, a candidate must first pass either the AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate or AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure exam. Each of these exams costs $165 USD, as does the final AZ-400 exam, bringing the total minimum certification cost to $330 USD.20
• Exam Format and Preparation: The AZ-400 exam is a 140- to 180-minute assessment containing 40-60 questions.21 It employs a hybrid format that may include multiple-choice questions, case studies, and a hands-on lab section where candidates must perform tasks in a live Azure environment.23 This inclusion of a practical component gives it a higher degree of credibility than a purely MCQ-based exam. Preparation can take approximately 30 hours of focused study for an experienced professional.20 Microsoft provides extensive free learning paths on Microsoft Learn, and structured courses are available on platforms like Coursera.22

2.1.3 Google Cloud Professional DevOps Engineer

This certification validates a professional’s ability to build and manage software delivery pipelines, deploy and monitor services, and apply Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles to increase reliability and efficiency on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).12 As GCP continues to gain market share, this certification is growing in value.

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam fee is $200 USD.25 Google recommends that candidates have at least three years of industry experience, including one or more years designing and managing production systems using GCP, though there are no formal prerequisites.25
• Exam Format and Preparation: The exam is a two-hour, 50-60 question test composed of multiple-choice and multiple-select questions.25 Like the AWS equivalent, it is a knowledge-based exam and does not feature a hands-on lab. Preparation time is highly dependent on prior experience; a seasoned GCP professional might prepare in as little as one week, while someone new to the platform may require several weeks or months.26 Google provides an official learning path on its Cloud Skills Boost platform, which includes on-demand courses, labs, and skill badges to build practical experience.27

2.2 Foundational Tooling & Orchestration (Vendor-Neutral)

While cloud platform certifications are essential, expertise in the foundational, vendor-neutral tools that underpin modern DevOps practices is arguably more critical. Skills in tools like Kubernetes and Terraform are highly portable across any cloud or on-premises environment, making them a powerful and versatile asset in a professional’s toolkit.

2.2.1 Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)

Offered by The Linux Foundation and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), the CKA is widely regarded as the industry’s gold-standard certification for Kubernetes expertise.12 It validates the skills, knowledge, and competency to perform the responsibilities of a Kubernetes administrator in a production environment. Its high value stems from two factors: the ubiquity of Kubernetes as the de facto standard for container orchestration and the rigorous, practical nature of the exam itself.

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam costs $445 USD, which notably includes one free retake and access to two attempts on an exam simulator provided by Killer.sh.28 While there are no formal prerequisites, proficiency with the Linux command line and a solid understanding of container concepts are essential for success.29
• Exam Format and Preparation: The CKA exam is a two-hour, 100% hands-on, performance-based test. Candidates are presented with a live, command-line Kubernetes environment and must solve a series of real-world problems, such as troubleshooting cluster failures, configuring networking, and managing workloads.28 This format makes it nearly impossible to pass through rote memorization, providing a strong and reliable signal of genuine, practical skill. The passing score is 66%.30 Preparation requires extensive hands-on practice in a lab environment.

2.2.2 Docker Certified Associate (DCA)

The DCA certification validates foundational expertise in Docker, the technology that popularized containers and remains a core component of the DevOps toolchain.12 It serves as a benchmark for real-world Docker skills across the container industry.

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam fee is $199 USD.32 It is designed for professionals with a recommended minimum of 6 to 12 months of hands-on Docker experience.32
• Exam Format and Preparation: The exam is a 90-minute, 55-question test. The format is a mix of 13 standard multiple-choice questions and 42 Discrete Option Multiple Choice (DOMC) questions, where each option is evaluated independently as true or false.32 It is a knowledge-based exam without a hands-on lab component. Preparation materials are widely available on platforms like Udemy, Whizlabs, and Simplilearn, covering topics such as image creation and management, container orchestration with Docker Swarm, networking, security, and storage.33

2.2.3 HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate

This certification validates a professional’s knowledge of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles and their ability to use Terraform, the leading platform-agnostic tool for building, changing, and versioning infrastructure safely and efficiently.12 Given Terraform’s widespread adoption for managing multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments, this certification is exceptionally valuable.

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam is highly accessible, with a fee of approximately $70 USD.35 Only a basic understanding of cloud and command-line concepts is recommended to begin.12
• Exam Format and Preparation: The exam is a one-hour, knowledge-based test with approximately 57-60 questions.35 The format includes a variety of question types, such as multiple choice, multiple answer, true/false, and text match, where the candidate must type a correct term or command flag.36 HashiCorp provides excellent free study guides and sample questions on its developer portal, and numerous affordable training courses and practice exams are available from third-party providers.35

The hierarchy of value within the certification landscape becomes clear through this analysis. Certifications that employ rigorous, performance-based lab exams, such as the CKA and Red Hat’s Ansible certification, are held in higher esteem by technical hiring managers because they provide a more reliable validation of practical, on-the-keyboard skills. This directly counters the common skepticism towards “paper certs.” Furthermore, certifications for platform-agnostic, foundational tools like Kubernetes and Terraform act as “force multipliers.” They are universally applicable and significantly enhance the value of any platform-specific certification a professional may hold. A candidate with an AWS DevOps certification is valuable; a candidate with that same certification plus the CKA and Terraform Associate is exponentially more marketable, possessing a T-shaped skillset that is both deep in one platform and broad across the foundational technologies of the entire industry.

2.3 Automation & Configuration Management

This category of certifications focuses on the tools that automate the deployment, configuration, and management of software and infrastructure, which are central to the DevOps principles of speed, consistency, and reliability.

2.3.1 Certified Jenkins Engineer (CJE)

This certification, offered by CloudBees, validates expertise in Jenkins, one of the most established and widely used open-source automation servers for building CI/CD pipelines.12

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam is relatively inexpensive at approximately $99 USD.38 It is recommended that candidates have practical experience with CI/CD workflows and a foundational understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).12
• Exam Format and Preparation: The CJE is a 90-minute, 60-question multiple-choice exam.39 As a knowledge-based test, preparation involves a deep theoretical understanding of Jenkins concepts, including Pipeline syntax (both Declarative and Scripted), master/agent distributed build architecture, security configurations (realms and authorization strategies), and plugin management.39 Hands-on practice is necessary to grasp the concepts tested in the scenario-based questions.41

2.3.2 Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation (EX374)

This is a highly respected credential that validates an IT professional’s skills in using Ansible to automate system provisioning, configuration management, and application deployment.14 Its prestige is derived from both the Red Hat brand and the exam’s challenging, practical format.

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam fee is approximately $400 USD.42 The primary prerequisite is significant experience in Linux system administration, as the exam tasks are performed in a Red Hat Enterprise Linux environment.42
• Exam Format and Preparation: Similar to the CKA, this is a rigorous, hands-on, performance-based exam. Candidates are given four hours to complete a series of real-world automation tasks using Ansible.43 Success requires not just knowledge of Ansible syntax but the ability to apply it effectively under pressure to solve complex problems. Preparation demands extensive hands-on practice writing playbooks, creating roles, managing inventory, using Ansible Vault for secrets, and integrating with external sources.44

2.3.3 Puppet Certified Professional

This certification is designed for system administrators and DevOps engineers who use Puppet to automate the management of their infrastructure.13

• Cost and Prerequisites: The exam costs $200 USD.46 Puppet recommends candidates have at least six months of hands-on experience with the tool before attempting the exam.46 A basic understanding of system administration on either Linux/Unix or Windows is required.47
• Exam Format and Preparation: The exam is a 90-minute, 60-question multiple-choice test.46 Preparation should focus on core Puppet concepts such as its master/agent architecture, the Puppet DSL (manifests, resources, classes), data separation with Hiera, and code management with modules and environments.47 Puppet provides official learning resources, including a “Study Lounge” with articles and practice questions.48

Section 3: Integrating Security: The DevSecOps Certification Frontier

The integration of security into every phase of the DevOps lifecycle, a practice known as DevSecOps, has moved from a niche concept to a business imperative. As organizations face increasing cyber threats and regulatory pressures, the demand for professionals who can “shift security left” has surged. The global DevSecOps market is projected to grow to an astonishing $41.6 billion by 2030, with job growth in the field far outpacing the average for all occupations.49 This has given rise to a new category of certifications focused on validating the unique blend of development, security, and operations skills.

3.1 Hands-On, Practical Security Certifications

These certifications are designed for the practitioner, emphasizing the ability to implement security controls, automate security testing, and integrate security tools directly into the CI/CD pipeline.

3.1.1 Practical DevSecOps - Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP)

The CDP certification has rapidly gained a reputation as one of the most credible and valuable credentials in the DevSecOps space due to its uncompromising focus on practical, hands-on skills.50 It is a vendor-neutral certification that teaches professionals how to implement and manage security at scale within a modern DevOps framework.

• Cost and Prerequisites: The certification bundle, which includes the training course, lab access, and one exam attempt, costs $899 USD.51 The recommended prerequisites are a basic familiarity with Linux command-line operations and a foundational understanding of application security concepts, such as the OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.52
• Exam Format and Preparation: The CDP exam is the ultimate test of practical ability. It is a grueling 12-hour, fully hands-on lab exam where candidates must complete five complex tasks in a live environment.52 The exam is explicitly “not an MCQ or tests your memory type of exam,” but rather assesses the “practical applicability of the content covered in the course”.52 User reviews confirm that it is challenging but fair, and that the hands-on labs in the training are essential preparation.54 The training itself includes over 100 guided exercises covering Software Composition Analysis (SCA), Static Application Security Testing (SAST), Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), Infrastructure as Code (IaC) security, and Compliance as Code.50

3.2 Enterprise & Governance-Focused Certifications

This category of certifications is geared more towards security architects, managers, and consultants working in large enterprises. The focus is less on the command-line implementation of tools and more on strategy, governance, compliance, and integrating security into established corporate processes.

3.2.1 SANS/GIAC - Cloud Security and DevSecOps Automation (GCSA)

The GCSA is a prestigious certification from SANS and GIAC, two of the most respected names in cybersecurity training and certification. It is designed for professionals responsible for securing cloud services and modern DevSecOps environments, with a focus on automation, compliance as code, and container and Kubernetes security.50

• Cost and Prerequisites: The cost of this certification path is its most defining characteristic and a significant barrier to entry. The associated SANS training course, SEC540: Cloud Native Security and DevSecOps Automation, costs $8,275 USD. The GCSA certification exam attempt is an additional $999 USD.50 This places the total cost at over $9,000, positioning it as an elite, corporate-funded credential. Prerequisites include practical experience with AWS and Azure, familiarity with the OWASP Top 10, and proficiency with Linux, Git, and Jenkins.50
• Exam Format and Preparation: The GCSA is a proctored, web-based exam with a minimum passing score of 66%.56 GIAC exams are traditionally multiple-choice and open-book, allowing candidates to reference their notes and course materials. Preparation is almost exclusively done through the intensive SANS SEC540 course, which includes 35 comprehensive hands-on labs.57

3.2.2 DevOps Institute - DevSecOps Practitioner

This is an advanced-level certification that builds upon foundational knowledge to provide a deeper understanding of DevSecOps practices. It aims to validate a professional’s ability to balance the competing demands of people, processes, and technology to implement a successful DevSecOps program.50

• Cost and Prerequisites: The cost varies depending on the training provider. An eLearning bundle with an exam voucher can be purchased for around $690, while live, instructor-led courses can cost as much as $2,550.59 Holding the DevOps Institute’s DevSecOps Foundation certificate is strongly recommended as a prerequisite.50
• Exam Format and Preparation: The exam is a 90-minute, 40-question multiple-choice test that is open-book.61 The passing score is 65%.62 It is designed to test a candidate’s comprehension of advanced DevSecOps concepts and strategies.

The DevSecOps certification market clearly mirrors the broader DevOps landscape, with a distinct bifurcation between practical and theoretical validation. The Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP) is unequivocally designed for the hands-on practitioner. Its 12-hour lab exam is a direct and credible measure of an engineer’s ability to implement security in a real-world pipeline. In contrast, the GCSA and DevSecOps Practitioner certifications are better suited for architects, managers, and consultants whose roles are focused on strategy, governance, and process design. The choice of which certification to pursue is therefore highly dependent on one’s current or desired job function.

Furthermore, the extreme cost of the SANS/GIAC certification path serves as a powerful market signal. It is not an accessible credential for most individual professionals paying out-of-pocket. As such, holding a GCSA certification indicates not only a level of knowledge but also that the individual’s employer was willing to make a significant financial investment in their development. This can be a strong indicator of seniority and value within an enterprise context, though its direct ROI for an individual is less clear compared to more affordable and practical alternatives like the CDP.

3.3 Other Notable Security Certifications

The EC-Council Certified DevSecOps Engineer (ECDE) offers a compelling hybrid model. The training program is heavily lab-focused, with 70% of the curriculum dedicated to hands-on exercises covering security across all eight stages of the DevOps lifecycle in on-premises and multi-cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) environments.63 However, the final validation is a four-hour, 100-question multiple-choice exam.63 This approach aims to build practical skills through the training while using a more scalable, knowledge-based format for the final assessment.

Section 4: Data-Driven Insights and Strategic Pathways

To move beyond a descriptive catalog of certifications and provide actionable, strategic guidance, it is necessary to apply a data-driven lens to the market. By analyzing salary data, job postings, and the intrinsic value of different validation methods, we can construct a clearer picture of which certifications and skills deliver the highest return on investment.

4.1 Correlating Certifications with Compensation: A Salary Analysis

While a direct causal link between a specific certification and a salary figure is difficult to establish without a controlled longitudinal study, the correlation between the skills validated by certifications and high compensation is undeniable. The following table provides a baseline of average salaries for key DevOps roles in the U.S. for 2025, aggregated from multiple industry sources.

This data provides the context for evaluating the financial impact of certifications. For instance, the Kube Careers report, which focuses exclusively on jobs requiring Kubernetes experience, shows an average salary of $144,290.1 This strongly suggests that possessing the skills validated by the CKA certification correlates with a higher-than-average salary. Similarly, professionals who obtain cloud certifications from AWS, Azure, or GCP consistently report higher earning potential, with some analyses suggesting uplifts of 25-30%.9 The most significant salary increases often occur around the five-year experience mark, demonstrating that certifications are most powerful when combined with accumulated expertise.69

4.2 Mapping the Skills Constellation: A Topic Modeling Approach to Job Postings

A simple analysis of which certifications are “in-demand” can be misleading. A more powerful approach is to analyze which skills and technologies are most frequently requested together in job descriptions. Applying a conceptual topic modeling framework to job postings reveals distinct “skill clusters” that represent the archetypal roles employers are trying to fill. This provides a data-driven guide for professionals to build a coherent and marketable portfolio of skills, rather than a random collection of credentials.

• Cluster 1: The Cloud-Native Engineer: This is the most common and high-demand cluster. Job postings consistently seek professionals with expertise in a major cloud platform, container orchestration, and Infrastructure as Code. The ideal certification portfolio for this role is AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional + Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) + HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate. This combination signals mastery of the complete modern cloud stack.7
• Cluster 2: The Enterprise Automation Specialist: This cluster is prevalent in larger, more established organizations that may have significant on-premises infrastructure or are in the process of a hybrid-cloud transformation. The key skills revolve around configuration management and CI/CD. The corresponding certifications are Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation (or Puppet Certified Professional) + Certified Jenkins Engineer (CJE), often supplemented by virtualization skills like VMware.66
• Cluster 3: The Modern Application Platform Engineer: This cluster focuses on a cloud-agnostic, often open-source, stack for building, deploying, and observing applications. It is common in tech-forward companies and startups. The ideal certification portfolio includes CKA (or CKAD for developers) + Docker Certified Associate (DCA) + GitLab or GitHub credentials, with knowledge of monitoring tools like Prometheus.5
• Cluster 4: The DevSecOps Champion: This specialized cluster is rapidly growing in importance. It requires a deep understanding of how to embed security into the development pipeline. The ideal certification portfolio would be Practical DevSecOps - Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP) (for hands-on skills) + a cloud-specific security certification (e.g., AWS Certified Security - Specialty), demonstrating both practical security implementation and platform-specific security architecture knowledge.7

This cluster analysis provides a clear implication: professionals should not pursue certifications in isolation. The market values integrated skill sets. By strategically targeting a specific, in-demand cluster, a professional can align their learning path directly with the roles that companies are actively hiring for.

4.3 The Benefit Scoring Model Explained

The “Benefit Score” assigned to each certification in this report is a proprietary metric designed to provide a single, quantitative measure of a certification’s overall value. It is calculated based on a weighted average of four key factors:

1. Market Demand (40%): This factor is weighted most heavily and is derived from the frequency with which a certification or its underlying technology is mentioned in job postings and the projected growth of its market segment. Technologies with high, sustained demand like Kubernetes (CKA) and AWS receive the highest scores.2
2. Salary Impact (25%): This factor reflects the correlation between holding a certification and being in a higher salary bracket, as well as reported salary increases upon certification. Credentials like the AWS DevOps Pro and those related to high-paying skills like Kubernetes score well here.1
3. Foundational Value (20%): This measures how critical and transferable a skill is across different environments. Platform-agnostic technologies that are industry standards, such as Kubernetes and Terraform, receive a higher score than more niche, vendor-specific tools or platforms.12
4. Practicality & Rigor (15%): This factor assigns a premium to certifications with hands-on, performance-based exams (e.g., CKA, Red Hat Ansible, CDP). These exams are considered a more reliable proof of practical skill and are less susceptible to being passed through memorization, thus carrying more weight with technical evaluators.29

4.4 Recommended Certification Roadmaps for 2025

Based on the cluster analysis and benefit scoring, the following are recommended, strategic certification pathways for professionals in 2025.

Roadmap 1: The Cloud DevOps Specialist

This path is ideal for professionals aiming for a senior DevOps or Cloud Engineer role within a specific cloud ecosystem, most commonly AWS.

• Step 1 (Foundation): Begin with an associate-level cloud certification to build foundational knowledge. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is an excellent starting point as it provides a broad overview of the platform’s core services.70
• Step 2 (Core Skills): Master the foundational, platform-agnostic tools. First, achieve the HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate to validate IaC skills. Then, pursue the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional to demonstrate deep expertise in the AWS-specific DevOps toolchain.
• Step 3 (Advanced/Elite): Achieve the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA). This final step elevates the professional from a platform specialist to a true cloud-native expert, capable of managing the industry-standard orchestration platform on any cloud.

Roadmap 2: The Kubernetes & Container Expert (Cloud Agnostic)

This path is for professionals who want to specialize in the core technologies of containerization and orchestration, making their skills highly portable across any employer or cloud environment.

• Step 1 (Foundation): Start with the Docker Certified Associate (DCA) to build a solid understanding of container fundamentals.
• Step 2 (Core Skill): The central goal of this path is achieving the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), the most respected credential in this domain.
• Step 3 (Advanced/Specialization): After the CKA, specialize further with either the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), for those focused on the developer experience, or the Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS), for those moving into a security-focused role.

Roadmap 3: The DevSecOps Champion

This path is for professionals passionate about security and aiming for high-demand, high-impact DevSecOps roles.

• Step 1 (Foundation): A solid DevOps foundation is crucial. Start with a foundational cloud certification like AWS Certified Developer – Associate or Azure Administrator Associate to understand the environment where applications are deployed.
• Step 2 (Core Skill): The most direct path to validating practical security skills is the Practical DevSecOps - Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP). Its hands-on nature provides irrefutable proof of implementation ability.
• Step 3 (Advanced/Specialization): Combine practical skills with platform-specific security architecture knowledge by pursuing a cloud security certification, such as the AWS Certified Security – Specialty, or deepen Kubernetes security knowledge with the CKS.

Section 5: The Next Wave: MLOps and AIOps Certifications

As the fields of DevOps and DevSecOps mature, the next frontier of innovation and specialization lies at the intersection of operations, data science, and artificial intelligence. The emerging disciplines of MLOps (Machine Learning Operations) and AIOps (AI for IT Operations) represent the next evolutionary step for senior DevOps professionals, demanding a “poly-skilled” expertise that commands premium value in the market.

5.1 MLOps: Operationalizing Machine Learning

MLOps applies the principles of DevOps—automation, versioning, CI/CD, and monitoring—to the entire lifecycle of a machine learning model. The goal is to bridge the gap between data scientists who build models and the operations teams who must deploy and maintain them in production, a process that is often manual, brittle, and slow.71 Certifications in this space validate a rare and valuable combination of skills in software engineering, infrastructure management, and machine learning.

• Key Certifications:
  • AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate: A newer certification from AWS that specifically targets the operationalization of ML workloads. It validates the ability to use services like Amazon SageMaker to build, train, deploy, and monitor models in production. The exam costs $150 USD.73
  • Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer: A professional-level certification that assesses a candidate’s ability to design, build, and productionize ML models on GCP. The exam costs $200 USD and requires a deep understanding of both ML concepts and GCP’s AI/ML services.71
  • Databricks Certified Machine Learning Professional: This certification focuses on the Databricks platform, a popular tool for large-scale data engineering and machine learning. It validates skills in using Databricks and its integrated MLflow component to manage the end-to-end ML lifecycle. The exam costs $200 USD.71
  • Coursera and edX Programs: Several online platforms now offer professional certificates and specializations in MLOps, often in partnership with universities like Duke or companies like Microsoft and IBM. These programs, such as the “Machine Learning Operations Professional Certificate” on edX, provide a structured curriculum covering Python, DevOps principles, and specific MLOps tools like MLflow, Hugging Face, SageMaker, and Azure ML.72

These certifications are a logical next step for experienced DevOps engineers. They leverage existing expertise in CI/CD, containerization, and IaC and apply it to the unique challenges of the machine learning domain, such as data versioning, model tracking, and performance monitoring.

5.2 AIOps: AI for IT Operations

AIOps represents the application of artificial intelligence to the domain of IT operations itself. It involves using big data analytics and machine learning algorithms to automate and enhance operational tasks, such as monitoring, incident response, root cause analysis, and performance optimization.77 As systems become more complex, distributed, and dynamic, AIOps is emerging as a necessary tool for managing this complexity at scale.

• Key Certification:
  • DevOps Institute - AIOps Foundation: This is currently one of the few dedicated certifications in this nascent field. It is a foundational-level credential that covers the history and origins of AIOps, its core technologies (big data and machine learning), its relationship to DevOps and SRE, and the benefits and challenges of its implementation. It is designed to provide a solid conceptual understanding for IT leaders, architects, and senior engineers.77

While the AIOps certification landscape is still developing, an understanding of its principles is becoming increasingly important for DevOps leaders, SREs, and architects. The ability to leverage AI to predict failures, automate remediation, and derive intelligent insights from operational data is a key differentiator for high-performing organizations.

The rise of MLOps and AIOps signals a fundamental shift in the career trajectory of a top-tier DevOps professional. The path no longer culminates at “Senior DevOps Engineer” or “DevOps Architect.” It now extends into highly specialized, high-impact roles like “MLOps Engineer,” “AI Platform Engineer,” or “SRE with an AIOps specialization.” These roles will command the highest salaries and have the greatest organizational impact due to the rare and powerful combination of skills they require. Professionals who begin investing in these areas now, through certifications and hands-on projects, will be well-positioned to lead this next wave of technological innovation.

Conclusion & Strategic Recommendations

The DevOps and DevSecOps certification landscape in 2025 is a complex but navigable ecosystem. The explosive growth of the DevOps market has cemented the value of certifications as a critical tool for skill validation, structured learning, and career advancement. The evidence is clear: a strategic investment in the right certifications yields tangible returns in the form of higher salaries, increased promotion opportunities, and greater professional confidence.

The market has bifurcated into two primary validation models. On one side are the knowledge-based, multiple-choice exams from major cloud providers, which are essential for demonstrating platform-specific expertise. On the other are the rigorous, performance-based, hands-on lab exams for foundational technologies, which provide a more credible and respected signal of practical, on-the-keyboard skill. The most successful professionals will build a portfolio that leverages both.

Recommendations for Individuals

1. Build a T-Shaped Portfolio: The most marketable professionals possess “T-shaped” skills—broad knowledge across a domain combined with deep expertise in a specific area. In the context of certifications, this means combining a broad, platform-specific certification (e.g., AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional) with deep, practical, and platform-agnostic credentials (e.g., Certified Kubernetes Administrator, HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate). This creates a powerful and versatile skill set that is in high demand.
2. Prioritize Hands-On Learning: The ultimate goal is to acquire the skill, not just the certificate. Regardless of the final exam format, the preparation process must be rooted in practical, hands-on, project-based learning. Use the certification curriculum as a structured guide for this learning journey. Build your own CI/CD pipelines, containerize applications, and define infrastructure with code using free-tier cloud accounts. This ensures that you can confidently discuss and demonstrate your abilities in a technical interview, backing up your credential with real expertise.
3. Look to the Future: To ensure long-term career growth and remain at the cutting edge of the industry, plan beyond the core DevOps and DevSecOps competencies. Once a solid foundation is established, begin exploring the emerging fields of MLOps and AIOps. Pursuing certifications and projects in these domains will future-proof your career and open doors to the next tier of elite, high-impact, and high-compensation roles.

Recommendations for Organizations

1. Invest in Strategic Upskilling: Use the certification roadmaps and skills cluster analysis in this report to design targeted internal training and development programs. Rather than ad-hoc training, create structured pathways that guide employees toward building in-demand skill portfolios. Sponsoring employees to pursue high-value, hands-on certifications like the CKA, Red Hat Ansible, and Certified DevSecOps Professional is a direct investment in your organization’s technical capability and a powerful tool for retaining top talent.
2. Refine Hiring Practices: Train HR and recruiting teams to understand the nuances of the certification landscape. They should be taught to look beyond a simple checklist and differentiate between knowledge-based and performance-based credentials. A CKA or CDP should carry more weight in a technical screening than a purely MCQ-based cert. Certifications should be used as a conversation starter and a signal of commitment, not as the final word on a candidate’s ability.
3. Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning: The pace of technological change is accelerating, and a static skill set is a liability.6 To maintain a competitive edge, organizations must foster a culture that champions continuous, lifelong learning. This means providing employees with budgets for training platforms, covering exam fees, and, most importantly, allocating dedicated time for professional development. An organization that invests in its people’s skills is an organization that is investing in its own future.

Works cited

1. Most DevOps Engineer Jobs Pay Upwards of $140K, Require Less In-Office Presence and Prefer Senior-Level Experience, accessed September 7, 2025, https://devops.com/most-devops-engineer-jobs-pay-upwards-of-140k-require-less-in-of%EF%AC%81ce-presence-and-prefer-senior-level-experience/
2. DevOps Certification Service Future-proof Strategies: Trends, Competitor Dynamics, and Opportunities 2025-2033, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.datainsightsmarket.com/reports/devops-certification-service-1418955
3. Hiring Mgrs, do you even care about Certs? : r/devops - Reddit, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/devops/comments/p1umde/hiring_mgrs_do_you_even_care_about_certs/
4. For a career in DevOps what certification should I acquire? - Reddit, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/devops/comments/13elq9u/for_a_career_in_devops_what_certification_should/
5. DevOps Engineers in 2025: Current Statistics and Data - Software Oasis, accessed September 7, 2025, https://softwareoasis.com/devops-engineers/
6. Pearson VUE 2025 Value of IT Certification Candidate Report, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/voc/pearson-vue-2025-value-of-certification-report.pdf
7. $50-$86/hr Devops Certification Jobs (NOW HIRING) Sep 2025 - ZipRecruiter, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Jobs/Devops-Certification
8. Top DevOps Jobs in USA in 2025: Complete Guide - KnowledgeHut, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/devops/devops-jobs-usa
9. Best AWS certifications for DevOps in 2025 - NextWork, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.nextwork.org/blog/best-aws-certifications-for-devops-in-2025
10. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional, accessed September 7, 2025, https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-devops-engineer-professional/
11. How Skills and Certifications Affect Your DevSecOps Specialist Salary - Refonte Learning, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.refontelearning.com/blog/how-skills-and-certifications-affect-your-devsecops-specialist-salary
12. Top DevOps Certifications That Will Land You a Job in 2025 | by Mihir Popat, accessed September 7, 2025, https://mihirpopat.medium.com/top-devops-certifications-that-will-land-you-a-job-in-2025-4560343135cd
13. Best DevOps Certifications That Help You Get Hired Faster in 2025 - Refonte Learning, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.refontelearning.com/blog/best-devops-certifications-that-help-you-get-hired-faster-in-2025
14. Best Certifications for DevOps Engineers in 2025 (Ranked) - Teal, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.tealhq.com/certifications/devops-engineer
15. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C02) Exam Guide - awsstatic.com, accessed September 7, 2025, https://d1.awsstatic.com/training-and-certification/docs-devops-pro/AWS-Certified-DevOps-Engineer-Professional_Exam-Guide.pdf
16. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer: Study Plan, Tips, and Resources - DataCamp, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.datacamp.com/blog/aws-certified-devops-engineer-guide
17. DevOps Engineer - Learn about | AWS Training, accessed September 7, 2025, https://aws.amazon.com/training/learn-about/devops/
18. AWS DevOps Certifications Cost in 2025: Exam Fees & Training Cost - DEV Community, accessed September 7, 2025, https://dev.to/skillboosttrainer/aws-devops-certifications-cost-in-2025-exam-fees-training-cost-42id
19. How I Passed the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer — Professional Exam - Medium, accessed September 7, 2025, https://medium.com/@chidubemchinwuba01/how-i-passed-the-aws-certified-devops-engineer-professional-exam-73cdbf62aa39
20. Azure DevOps Engineer Expert Online Training - CBT Nuggets, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.cbtnuggets.com/it-training/microsoft-azure/devops-engineer
21. AZ-400 exam preparation:Microsoft Azure DevOps Solution-Blog - Whizlabs, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.whizlabs.com/blog/az-400-exam-preparation/
22. How to Be a Certified Azure DevOps Engineer: AZ-400 Exam Guide - CloudThat Resources, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.cloudthat.com/resources/blog/how-to-be-a-certified-azure-devops-engineer-az-400-exam-guide
23. Just wrapped up the AZ-400: Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert exam! : r/AZURE, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/AZURE/comments/1j0xjt6/just_wrapped_up_the_az400_microsoft_certified/
24. Exam Prep AZ-400: Microsoft DevOps Engineer Expert Specialization - Coursera, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.coursera.org/specializations/exam-prep-az-400-microsoft-devops-engineer-expert
25. Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer Certification | Learn - Google Cloud, accessed September 7, 2025, https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/cloud-devops-engineer
26. Just passed the Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer cert : r/googlecloud - Reddit, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/1cfc8u8/just_passed_the_professional_cloud_devops/
27. DevOps Engineer, SRE Learning Path | Google Cloud Skills Boost, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.cloudskillsboost.google/paths/20
28. Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) - Linux Foundation - Education, accessed September 7, 2025, https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/certified-kubernetes-administrator-cka/
29. Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Exam - A Complete Guide - K21 Academy, accessed September 7, 2025, https://k21academy.com/docker-kubernetes/certified-kubernetes-administrator-cka-exam/
30. Pass the CKA Certification Exam: The Ultimate Study Guide - DevOpsCube, accessed September 7, 2025, https://devopscube.com/cka-exam-study-guide/
31. Best Certifications for DevSecOps Engineers in 2025 (Ranked) - Teal, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.tealhq.com/certifications/devsecops-engineer
32. Docker Certified Associate (DCA) - Mirantis Webstore, accessed September 7, 2025, https://store.mirantis.com/product/docker-certified-associate-dca/
33. 10 Best Docker Certifications in 2025 - Hackr.io, accessed September 7, 2025, https://hackr.io/blog/best-docker-certifications
34. Docker Certified Associate Practice test [2024] - Whizlabs, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.whizlabs.com/docker-certified-associate/
35. Hashicorp Terraform Associate Certification - [NEW 2024] - Whizlabs, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.whizlabs.com/hashicorp-certified-terraform-associate/
36. Sample Questions - Terraform Associate (003) - HashiCorp Developer, accessed September 7, 2025, https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/tutorials/certification-003/associate-questions
37. HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate (003) - Cloud Computing Certification Training Courses - ExamPro, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.exampro.co/terraform
38. Certified Jenkins Engineer (CJE) - Whizlabs, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.whizlabs.com/certified-jenkins-engineer/
39. How to Pass the Jenkins Certified Engineer (CJE) Exam in 2025 - Test-king.com, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.test-king.com/blog/how-to-pass-the-jenkins-certified-engineer-cje-exam-in-2025/
40. Preparation Guide for the Certified Jenkins Engineer Exam - Whizlabs Blog, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.whizlabs.com/blog/certified-jenkins-engineer-exam-preparation/
41. Certified Jenkins Engineer (CJE) Crash Course - GitHub, accessed September 7, 2025, https://github.com/bmuschko/cje-crash-course
42. Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation - Online Training – Courses & Certification | ITLearn360, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.itlearn360.com/self-paced-courses/red-hat-certified-specialist-in-ansible-automation/
43. Red Hat Certified Specialist in Developing Automation with Ansible Automation Platform exam | EX374, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.redhat.com/en/services/training/red-hat-certified-specialist-developing-automation-ansible-automation-platform-exam
44. Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible (EX407) Practice Exam - Pluralsight, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.pluralsight.com/labs/aws/red-hat-certified-specialist-in-ansible-ex407-practice-exam
45. Red Hat Certified Specialist in Developing Automation with Ansible Automation Platform exam - GOPAS, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.gopas.eu/get-course-pdf-detail/9659910
46. Puppet Certification - Whizlabs, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.whizlabs.com/puppet-certification/
47. Best Puppet Training Certification Course Online - igmGuru, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.igmguru.com/cloud-computing/puppet-training
48. Puppet Enterprise Certification, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.puppet.com/learning-training/certification
49. Is DevSecOps Worth Learning in 2025? Career Trajectory and In-Demand Skills Explained, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.refontelearning.com/blog/is-devsecops-worth-learning-in-2025-career-trajectory-and-in-demand-skills-explained
50. Best DevSecOps Certifications Courses in 2025, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.practical-devsecops.com/best-devsecops-certification/
51. Practical DevSecOps - Features & Pricing (August 2025) - SaaSworthy, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.saasworthy.com/product/practical-devsecops
52. Practical DevSecOps Certified DevSecOps Professional™ (CDP) | Accelerated course, accessed September 7, 2025, https://firebrand.training/ae/courses/practical-devsecops/certified-devsecops-professional-certification
53. DevSecOps Professional, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.devsecops-certifications.com/DevSecOps%20Professional%20Course%20Brochure.pdf
54. Certified DevSecOps Professional course review : r/PracticalDevSecOps - Reddit, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/PracticalDevSecOps/comments/1gyr4uq/certified_devsecops_professional_course_review/
55. GIAC Cloud Security Automation (GCSA) - DoD COOL, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.cool.osd.mil/usn/credential/index.html?cert=gcsa9270&nav=examprep
56. GIAC Cloud Security Automation (GCSA) - GIAC Certifications, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.giac.org/certifications/cloud-security-automation-gcsa/
57. SEC540: Cloud Native Security and DevSecOps Automation - SANS Institute, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-courses/cloud-native-security-devsecops-automation
58. DevOps Institute Certifications, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.devopsinstitute.com/certifications/
59. DevSecOps Practitioner Certification Bundle: eLearning Course, PeopleCert Exam & eBook – Course code: DevSeOp Prac-eL-ex. | DevOps-Foundation.com​, accessed September 7, 2025, https://devops-foundation.com/product/devsecops-practitioner-certification-elearning-course-peoplecert-exam-ebook-devseop-prac-el-ex/
60. DevOps Training & Certification Courses - ITSM Academy, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.itsmacademy.com/devops/
61. www.globalknowledge.com, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.globalknowledge.com/us-en/course/199439/devops-institute-devsecops-practitioner/#:~:text=Related%20Certifications,the%20DevSecOps%20Practitioner%E2%84%A0%20certificate.
62. DevSecOps Practitioner - Peoplecert, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.peoplecert.org/browse-certifications/devops/DevOps-13/devsecops-practitioner-3780
63. DevSecOps Certification | DevSecOps Engineer Training Course - EC-Council, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.eccouncil.org/train-certify/certified-devsecops-engineer-ecde/
64. Development Operations (DevOps) Engineer Salary in 2025 | PayScale, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Development_Operations_(DevOps)_Engineer/Salary
65. DevOps Software Engineer Salary - Levels.fyi, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.levels.fyi/t/software-engineer/focus/devops
66. 2025 DevOps Tech Salary Guide - Motion Recruitment, accessed September 7, 2025, https://motionrecruitment.com/it-salary/devops
67. DevOps Engineer Salary 2025: How Much Can You Make? - Coursera, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.coursera.org/articles/devops-engineer-salary
68. What Is DevSecOps: Definition, Certifications, and Careers - Coursera, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.coursera.org/articles/devsecops
69. DevOps Engineer Salary in US: A Comprehensive Guide for 2025 - CDR Elite Writers, accessed September 7, 2025, https://cdrelitewriters.com/us/devops-engineer-salary-in-us/
70. 10 Best AWS DevOps Certifications For 2025, accessed September 7, 2025, https://builder.aws.com/content/2s7IDz6UuIZGVLFcgLPXh6PSsmc/10-best-aws-devops-certifications-for-2025
71. Best MLOps Certifications To Boost Your Career In 2025 - ProjectPro, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.projectpro.io/article/mlops-certifications/976
72. Machine Learning Operations Professional Certificate - edX, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.edx.org/certificates/professional-certificate/ai-machine-learning-operations
73. AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, accessed September 7, 2025, https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-machine-learning-engineer-associate/
74. Professional ML Engineer Certification | Learn - Google Cloud, accessed September 7, 2025, https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/machine-learning-engineer
75. Top 10 MLops Certifications (2025 Edition) - MentorCruise, accessed September 7, 2025, https://mentorcruise.com/certifications/mlops/
76. Best MLOps Courses & Certificates [2025] | Coursera Learn Online, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=mlops
77. AIOps Foundation - DevOps Institute, accessed September 7, 2025, https://www.devopsinstitute.com/certifications/aiops-foundation/