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CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer

CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer vs 3 alternatives compared

Exam fee, level, duration, validity and salary side by side. Blank cells mean we do not have verified data yet.

CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application DeveloperAWS DevOps Engineer ProfessionalCKA - Certified Kubernetes AdministratorDocker Certified Associate (DCA)
VendorLinux Foundation / CNCFAmazon Web ServicesLinux Foundation / CNCFDocker
LevelIntermediateAdvancedIntermediateIntermediate
Exam fee$445$300$445$195
Durationapproximately 2 hours—2 hours—
Passing score————
Valid for————
Typical salary$110K–$145K$145K–$180K$120K–$155K$105K–$140K
Prerequisites————

Which should you choose?

Should I take CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer or AWS DevOps Engineer Professional first?

CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer is the lower-level certification (Intermediate vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.

Should I take CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer or CKA - Certified Kubernetes Administrator first?

Both are rated Intermediate. Pick the one whose exam domains match the job you want, and check which one employers in your area ask for.

Should I take CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer or DCA first?

Both are rated Intermediate. Pick the one whose exam domains match the job you want, and check which one employers in your area ask for.