CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer
CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer salary
What people holding this certification commonly earn, the roles it supports, and how it compares with related certifications.
A range, not a promise. Individual pay depends on the factors below.
What changes the number
The same certification pays differently for an analyst, an engineer and a manager.
Pay varies widely between countries and between cities in the same country.
Certifications add the most on top of hands-on work you can show.
Large firms and regulated industries often pay more for certified staff.
Roles that use CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer
Salary compared with other DevOps certifications
| Certification | Level | Typical salary |
|---|---|---|
| CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer | Intermediate | $110K–$145K |
| HashiCorp Consul Associate | Beginner | $90K–$120K |
| HashiCorp Terraform Associate | Beginner | $95K–$130K |
| Certified Jenkins Engineer | Intermediate | $100K–$135K |
| CKA - Certified Kubernetes Administrator | Intermediate | $120K–$155K |
| Docker Certified Associate (DCA) | Intermediate | $105K–$140K |
| Red Hat OpenShift Administration (EX280) | Intermediate | $115K–$150K |
| RHCE - Red Hat Certified Engineer | Intermediate | $100K–$135K |
| AWS DevOps Engineer Professional | Advanced | $145K–$180K |
| RHCA - Red Hat Certified Architect | Advanced | $130K–$170K |
CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer salary questions
How much do CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer certified professionals earn?
Reported pay for CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer holders is commonly in the $110K–$145K range. Your own pay depends on role, location, employer and total experience.
Which jobs use CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer?
Common roles include Cloud Native Developer, DevOps Engineer, Platform Engineer, Kubernetes Developer.
Will CKAD - Certified Kubernetes Application Developer guarantee a pay rise?
No certification guarantees a raise. It tends to help most when you are applying for a new role or a promotion, alongside real experience you can show.