How to Become a DevOps Engineer: Education, Salary, and Job Outlook for 2026

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Embarking on a career as a DevOps engineer opens doors to a dynamic and evolving tech landscape. These professionals bridge the gap between software development and IT operations, ensuring faster and more reliable product delivery. Their work streamlines processes, boosts collaboration, and drives innovation within organizations of all sizes.

With demand for automation and cloud expertise rising, DevOps engineers play a crucial role in shaping modern infrastructure. This article will guide you through the education needed, the exciting skills you'll develop, and what to expect from this impactful profession.

What are the benefits of becoming a DevOps engineer?

The DevOps engineer role is expected to grow 25% by 2025, reflecting high demand in cloud computing and automation.
Average salaries range from $90,000 to $130,000 annually, offering competitive compensation for skilled professionals.
This career blends software development and IT operations, ideal for those eager to innovate and streamline system deployments.

What credentials do you need to become a DevOps engineer?

Starting a career as a DevOps engineer involves blending practical experience with targeted education and certifications. While a formal degree can help, many professionals successfully enter the field through self-study and hands-on projects. Understanding the DevOps engineer certification requirements is essential to navigate this evolving domain.

Here are key credentials that can boost your journey:

Degree in Computer Science or IT: Although not strictly required, this traditional educational background provides a strong foundation. Some students may pursue the best associate's degree in 6 months to jumpstart their career swiftly.
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer: This certification validates expertise in deploying and managing applications on Amazon Web Services, a leading cloud platform.
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA): Mastering Kubernetes is critical for container orchestration, making this a highly regarded credential.
Docker Certified Associate: Demonstrates proficiency in containerization technologies essential for modern DevOps practices.

The best DevOps certifications for 2025 reflect a strong emphasis on cloud platforms, automation, and container management. While advanced degrees are not typically mandatory, continuous learning is vital, given the rapid evolution of DevOps tools and practices. There are no formal licensing requirements by state or country; however, different employers may prioritize particular certifications or relevant experience depending on job roles and company needs.

What skills do you need to have as a DevOps engineer?

Becoming a DevOps engineer means stepping into a multifaceted role where adaptability and a passion for learning drive success. Developing the right skill set is essential to navigate the blend of software development and IT operations effectively. Mastery of both technical tools and collaborative abilities lays the foundation for thriving in this ever-evolving field.

Programming and Scripting: Basic knowledge of Python, Bash, or similar languages helps automate tasks and solve system issues.
Linux/Unix Fundamentals: Comfort using command-line interfaces and working with popular distributions is key.
Networking Basics: Understanding concepts like the OSI model, IP addressing, subnetting, firewalls, and DNS is crucial for managing software-defined networks.
Cloud Platforms: Hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud for provisioning and automating resources is vital.
Version Control: Expertise with Git enables efficient tracking of code changes and team collaboration.
CI/CD Pipelines: Building and maintaining automated workflows using tools such as Jenkins or GitLab CI ensures smooth code integration and deployment.
Containers and Orchestration: Familiarity with Docker for containerization and Kubernetes for orchestrating applications enhances scalability and flexibility.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Using tools like Terraform and Ansible allows management of infrastructure through code, reducing errors and improving consistency.
Monitoring and Observability: Skills in Prometheus and Grafana help track system health and catch problems early.
Security Practices: Incorporating cybersecurity principles throughout the development lifecycle guards against vulnerabilities.
Collaboration and Communication: Strong interpersonal abilities enable smooth teamwork and clear explanation of complex ideas.

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What is the typical career progression for a DevOps engineer?

Launching a career as a DevOps engineer opens doors to continuous learning and varied opportunities within tech. The path is dynamic, blending technical mastery with collaboration, automation, and innovation. Each stage introduces new challenges that sharpen your skills and broaden your impact.

Entry-Level Roles: Positions like Junior DevOps Engineer or DevOps Intern focus on mastering continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD), automation, and teamwork fundamentals. These roles typically require a bachelor's degree and offer salaries ranging from $60,000 to $75,000 annually.
Mid-Level Positions: Advancing to roles such as DevOps Engineer or Cloud DevOps Engineer involves managing IT infrastructure, overseeing code releases, and implementing DevOps strategies. Compensation in this phase usually falls between $90,000 and $115,000 per year.
Senior and Leadership Roles: Experienced professionals often progress to titles like DevOps Architect or Senior DevOps Engineer. These positions command salaries that often surpass $130,000 and emphasize strategic oversight and mentoring.
Specializations and Lateral Moves: DevOps offers paths into specialized areas such as Automation Architect, who refines workflow efficiency, or DevOps Security Engineer, who embeds security within the lifecycle. Alternatively, roles like Cloud Infrastructure Engineer or Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) allow for deeper technical and strategic involvement.

How much can you earn as a DevOps engineer?

Curious what a career in DevOps engineering offers in terms of growth and rewards? This field promises exciting opportunities for those ready to embrace continuous learning and adaptability. Let's explore the potential earnings and factors influencing your pay.

How much can you earn as a DevOps engineer? In the United States for 2025, the median salary stands around $108,160 annually, with typical hourly rates near $52.00. However, these numbers vary widely depending on experience and location, reflecting the broader trend of average DevOps engineer pay by experience level. Entry-level roles usually start between $80,000 and $95,000, already higher than the national median for all jobs. With five years of experience, salaries often rise above $115,000, and after a decade, they can exceed $133,000-a significant jump from starting wages.

Education is another key factor. Most employers require a bachelor's degree, but advanced degrees boost earning potential. Those with a master's degree average about $130,400, while PhD holders can earn $155,480 or more. Specialized certifications in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud also enhance compensation. The choice of degree can impact pay, so if you're wondering what's the easiest degree to get that aligns with your goals, exploring options carefully is vital.

Geography matters too. Tech centers like San Francisco and Columbus, Ohio, often see salaries surpassing $150,000, influenced by demand and living costs. Industry sectors like finance, healthcare tech, and major cloud providers typically offer higher wages than smaller firms or non-tech fields. Furthermore, expertise in niche skills like Kubernetes, security automation, or FinOps is increasingly rewarded, allowing top earners to surpass $200,000 annually in some cases.

What internships can you apply for to gain experience as a DevOps engineer?

Internships for aspiring DevOps engineers open doors to automation, cloud computing, and continuous integration in dynamic work settings. These positions offer invaluable hands-on experience with modern tools and workflows that define the evolving DevOps landscape for summer 2025.

Exploring DevOps internship remote opportunities can broaden access to roles that build both technical and collaborative skills across diverse industries.

Lumen and Alarm.com: Interns work alongside senior engineers to automate manual tasks, create CI/CD pipelines, and optimize cloud infrastructure using industry-standard tools like Kubernetes, Terraform, and Prometheus.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: Government lab internships immerse undergraduates in high-performance computing projects, Agile methodologies, and rapid web application development within fast-paced sprints.
Nonprofits and healthcare providers: These organizations offer internships focused on digital transformation and infrastructure automation, often addressing the unique challenges of their sectors.
Financial services firms: DevOps interns gain exposure to security, compliance, and regulatory environments while enhancing automation and infrastructure management.

No matter the setting, these internships sharpen technical skills and foster a collaborative mindset. They offer a front-row seat to the rapidly changing DevOps ecosystem-perfect for any curious mind eager to explore. For those seeking pathways into tech, pursuing the fastest associate degree can also be an efficient start toward a DevOps career.

As interest grows in DevOps engineer internships for summer 2025, students should leverage remote opportunities and diverse organizational environments to maximize learning and career prospects.

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How can you advance your career as a DevOps engineer?

Growth as a DevOps engineer requires navigating a dynamic field where technology changes swiftly and collaboration drives progress. Success means embracing new challenges and continuously evolving your expertise.

Continued Learning: Staying current involves engaging in targeted training like workshops, online classes, or bootcamps. Exploring emerging trends such as AI-powered development, chaos engineering, and cloud automation helps maintain a competitive edge.
Certifications: Earning recognized qualifications-such as AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Docker Certified Associate, or Kubernetes Administrator-validates your skills to employers and peers. These certificates often emphasize practical knowledge aligned with today's industry expectations.
Networking: Active participation in DevOps groups, events, and meetups connects you with professionals who share your drive. These interactions open doors to collaborations, unadvertised job opportunities, and new viewpoints on challenges.
Mentorship: Engaging as either a mentor or mentee accelerates development by exchanging real-world expertise. Experienced engineers provide guidance on problem-solving and adapting to shifting trends, embodying the cooperative spirit central to DevOps culture.

Where can you work as a DevOps engineer?

Curious where DevOps engineers can build vibrant careers? Almost every industry needs them to accelerate software delivery, ensure reliability, and secure critical systems. Exploring the Best States for DevOps Engineers and the Top Cities for DevOps Jobs reveals a growing landscape of opportunities beyond traditional tech hubs.

Technology & Software Development: Giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft rely on DevOps to optimize cloud infrastructure, manage CI/CD pipelines, and maintain uptime for millions of users.
Financial Services: Banks and fintech firms such as JPMorgan Chase and Stripe modernize legacy systems and drive cloud migration, all while meeting stringent security and compliance challenges.
Healthcare: Organizations like Mayo Clinic leverage DevOps for electronic health records, telemedicine, and AI diagnostics, focusing heavily on patient data security and HIPAA compliance.
E-commerce & Retail: Retail leaders including Walmart and Target use DevOps to handle traffic spikes, deliver personalized experiences, and deploy rapid feature updates.
Telecommunications: Verizon and AT&T employ DevOps professionals to maintain networks, roll out 5G updates, and ensure seamless connectivity for millions of users.
Government & Education: Federal agencies, states, and universities modernize digital services and improve cybersecurity. Nonprofits and research institutions also adopt DevOps to expand their impact.
Manufacturing & Logistics: Tesla, GE, FedEx, and UPS implement DevOps to streamline supply chains, deploy IoT solutions, and enable smart predictive maintenance.

Wherever you look, the demand for DevOps expertise is thriving-whether in large metro areas or emerging tech centers. For flexible education options, consider exploring cheapest online universities that accept financial aid to kickstart your path toward these exciting roles.

What challenges will you encounter as a DevOps engineer?

Embarking on a career as a DevOps engineer means stepping into a world of rapid innovation and constant change. This role demands not only technical expertise but also a flexible mindset and a readiness to engage across different teams. Challenges are plenty, but each offers an opportunity to grow and adapt.

Resistance to cultural change: DevOps requires breaking down traditional departmental walls, fostering strong cooperation between development and operations teams. This shift challenges organizations that are used to working in isolated groups, making effective communication and openness to continuous learning essential.
Rapid technological evolution: The DevOps arena evolves quickly, with new tools and methods appearing regularly. Mastery of diverse technologies like Infrastructure as Code and AI-enabled automation is critical, making continuous education indispensable to keep skills current.
High workload and pressure: Often stretched thin, DevOps engineers support numerous developers while managing complex infrastructure environments. This can result in long working hours and stressful situations, especially when tasked with maintaining system stability and security.
Complex tool integration: Building a smooth and reliable workflow involves juggling multiple automation, monitoring, and deployment tools. With the rise of cloud-native and serverless platforms, engineers must also navigate changing security standards and compliance rules throughout development stages.

What tips do you need to know to excel as a DevOps engineer?

Becoming a skilled DevOps engineer means embracing constant growth and hands-on learning. The field moves fast, demanding both technical ability and strong teamwork skills.

Focus on mastering automation and scripting tools such as Bash, Python, and Git to streamline workflows and manage deployments efficiently.
Gain practical experience by engaging in real projects, whether through contributing to open-source software or experimenting in cloud environments, showcasing your problem-solving capabilities.
Develop your collaboration skills by linking development and operations teams and communicating clearly to foster smooth workflows.
Expand your professional network through platforms like LinkedIn to learn from experienced peers and industry veterans, opening doors to hidden opportunities.
Stay current in this ever-evolving landscape by regularly reading industry blogs, attending webinars, and pursuing certifications like AWS Certified DevOps Engineer or Kubernetes Administrator to keep your expertise sharp.
Highlight measurable accomplishments on your resume, such as accelerating deployment times, improving security, or boosting system reliability, to demonstrate the tangible impact of your skills.

How do you know if becoming a DevOps engineer is the right career choice for you?

Becoming a DevOps engineer means stepping into a dynamic space where technology meets continuous learning and collaboration. The skills needed to become a DevOps engineer go beyond coding-they involve adaptability, teamwork, and a passion for problem-solving. Before diving in, consider whether this career fits your work style and ambitions.

Growth Mindset: Successful DevOps engineers have a hunger to master new tools and technologies, often investing extra time to deepen their knowledge.
Collaboration: This role thrives on communication and empathy, requiring you to work closely with developers, operations, and business teams rather than in isolation.
Love of Challenge: If you enjoy experimenting, embracing change, and learning from failure, you'll likely find DevOps engineering rewarding and exciting.
Responsibility and Agility: The fast-paced nature of continuous integration and rapid releases demands comfort with responsibility and quick adaptation.
Passion for Improvement: DevOps culture centers on constant enhancement, so being motivated by continuous learning and sharing knowledge is essential.
Career Outlook: Demand for DevOps engineers is projected to grow well beyond 2025, suggesting stable opportunities for those with the right mindset.

If you want to explore education pathways that strengthen your foundation, consider enrolling in nationally accredited online schools to acquire the versatile skills needed. Reflecting on whether is DevOps engineering a good career choice for you will help ensure your adventure into this field is both fulfilling and aligned with your personal values.

What Professionals Who Work a DevOps Engineer Say About Their Careers

Ravi: "Working as a DevOps engineer has given me the opportunity to bridge the gap between development and operations while constantly improving systems performance. The demand for professionals who can streamline deployment and automate infrastructure is growing fast, providing strong job stability and impressive earning potential. I feel empowered knowing my skills are essential in every modern tech organization. "

Lennard: "The pace of DevOps keeps me constantly learning. Every day brings a new challenge, whether it’s optimizing CI/CD pipelines, managing cloud environments, or ensuring system reliability under pressure. I love the balance between technical depth and collaboration across teams that this career provides. It’s dynamic, demanding, and incredibly rewarding. "

Maki: "Career growth in DevOps is exceptional, especially with so many certifications and cloud technologies to specialize in. I’ve advanced into senior engineering and architecture roles by mastering automation tools and monitoring systems. This path has sharpened both my technical and leadership skills, and I take pride in building infrastructure that supports innovation company-wide."

Other Things You Should Know About Becoming a DevOps Engineer

What programming languages are most useful for a DevOps engineer?

While DevOps engineers benefit from familiarity with several programming languages, Python, Bash, and Ruby are among the most widely used. These languages help automate tasks, write scripts for deployments, and manage infrastructure efficiently. Knowledge of these languages can streamline workflows and improve collaboration between development and operations teams.

How important is cloud computing experience for DevOps engineers?

Cloud computing experience is essential for modern DevOps engineers, as many organizations deploy and manage their applications using cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Understanding cloud services, storage, and networking concepts enables DevOps engineers to design scalable, flexible infrastructure and optimize resource use in cloud environments.

Do DevOps engineers work closely with software developers and IT teams?

Yes, collaboration is a core aspect of a DevOps engineer's role. They act as a bridge between software developers and IT operations teams to ensure smooth continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. This teamwork minimizes delays in releases and helps maintain system stability.

What types of tools should a DevOps engineer be familiar with?

DevOps engineers commonly use a broad range of tools including configuration management tools like Ansible or Puppet, containerization platforms such as Docker and Kubernetes, and CI/CD tools like Jenkins or GitLab CI. Familiarity with monitoring tools like Nagios or Prometheus is also beneficial to ensure application and infrastructure health.