DevOps Engineer Salary 2026: How Much Can You Make?

Key Takeaways

• DevOps engineers earn an average salary between $116,000 and $180,000 per year in the US [1].

• Factors that influence your DevOps engineer salary include level of expertise, experience, industry, location, and certifications.

• You can increase your earning potential by sharpening in-demand skills, earning micro-credentials, and gaining experience with emerging tools and technology.

Prepare to negotiate a higher DevOps engineer salary by sharpening your knowledge of test driven development (TDD), RESTful Python microservices, and container technologies through IBM's Applied DevOps Engineering Professional Certificate program. In as little as three months, you'll earn a certificate for your resume and gain hands-on experience with tools like Kubernetes, ZenHub, and Gherkin.

DevOps engineer salary and job outlook in the US

The average base salary for a DevOps engineer in the US is $144,000 per year [1]. DevOps engineers belong to the occupational field of software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers. In this industry, jobs are expected to grow 15 percent between 2024 and 2034, much higher than the average growth rate for all occupations [2]. As of April 2026, 565 DevOps engineer positions were listed on Glassdoor [3].

Factors influencing DevOps engineer salaries

Many factors can influence your salary as a DevOps engineer, namely, location, level of experience, specialization, and credentials. Over the next few sections, we'll examine DevOps engineer salaries across the US, at different levels of experience, and in high-demand areas of expertise.

DevOps engineer salaries by location: Top 5 highest-paying cities

Entry-level DevOps engineer salary

The average annual salary for someone with less than one year of experience as a DevOps engineer is $118,271 [1]. Qualifications for entry-level DevOps engineers may include:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field or demonstrated technical ability.

• Understanding of Agile principles, object-oriented programming, and cloud computing concepts

• Knowledge of software development and networking principles

• Workplace skills (also known as non-technical skills or soft skills) like written and verbal communication.

If you don’t yet qualify for an entry-level position, try not to feel discouraged. Consider building upon your skill set while earning a certificate to enhance your resume. For example, you can learn from an industry leader with IBM’s DevOps, Cloud, and Agile Foundations Specialization.

Mid-level DevOps engineer salary

The average annual salary for someone with between four and six years of experience as a DevOps engineer is $174,000 [1]. Qualifications for mid-level DevOps engineers may include:

• Strong background in containerization

• Familiarity with essential DevOps tools and frameworks such as Kubernetes, Git, Docker, Bamboo, and Ansible

• Understanding of computer systems, data structures, and scripting 

By taking a self-paced online course like DevOps on AWS Specialization, you can enhance your mid-level DevOps skills and demonstrate your tool-specific abilities to potential employers. This option especially benefits those who want to pursue a cloud engineer specialization.

Senior DevOps engineer salary

The average base salary for someone with 10 to 14 years of experience as a DevOps engineer is $179,000 [1]. Qualifications for senior DevOps engineers may include:

• Experience with infrastructure orchestration

• Expert knowledge of the DevOps lifecycle and Agile principles

• Deep understanding of Git workflows and cybersecurity 

Consider pursuing popular DevOps certifications to keep your skills and knowledge current. 

Cloud DevOps engineer salary

With specialized knowledge, you may be able to increase your earning potential. Cloud computing skills are in demand as the market continues to grow year over year. In the US, a cloud DevOps engineer earns an average salary of $156,000 per year [5].

A cloud DevOps engineer has many of the same responsibilities as a DevOps engineer, but specializes in working with cloud based technologies. Some of the tasks you might work on include the following: 

• Analyze cloud-based software programs to find the root cause of problems

• Write and develop scripts to correct bugs or update the software

• Create cloud-based infrastructure for development projects

• Test software and monitor security

• Continuous integration and delivery of code and updates

Read more: DevOps Engineer vs. Cloud Engineer: Which Career Path Is Right for You?

AWS DevOps engineer salary

If you're looking to specialize further, focusing on Amazon Web Services (AWS) can expand your skill set, as AWS is one of the top cloud platforms worldwide. In the US, the average salary for an AWS DevOps engineer is around $140,000 per year [6]. Earning relevant certifications like the AWS Solutions Architect can increase your earning potential further.

An AWS DevOps engineer applies core DevOps principles specifically within the AWS ecosystem. Some of the tasks you might work on include the following:

• Provision and manage cloud infrastructure using AWS services

• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using tools like AWS CodePipeline

• Monitor application performance and reliability using AWS CloudWatch

• Automate infrastructure deployment with tools like AWS CloudFormation

• Enforce security best practices and compliance across AWS environments

Read more: AWS DevOps Engineer Salary: 2026 Guide

How to obtain a more competitive DevOps engineer salary

DevOps engineer salaries vary based on location, but many software development positions are fully remote. Consider expanding the scope of your search to encompass both in-person and remote opportunities. Staying current on industry trends and technologies may also strengthen your candidacy for a DevOps engineer role. Social media pages, YouTube channels, and blogs can be exceptional resources for job seekers. For example, you can register to join the DevOps Slack community, where over 30,000 DevOps professionals share insights.

Professional Certificates and portfolios

When seeking a new position, it’s crucial to demonstrate the value of your skill set to potential employers. However, showcasing your abilities can be challenging without work experience. You can enhance your resume and obtain the compensation you deserve with Professional Certificates in relevant fields of expertise. For example, someone eager to build upon their DevOps-centric leadership skills might consider earning a credential in DevOps Culture and Mindset from the University of California, Davis.

Read more: How to Write a DevOps Engineer Resume (Step-by-Step With Examples)

Enhance your DevOps engineer skills with Coursera's free resources

Looking for more ways to grow? Get career advice and expert insights into your industry by subscribing to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat! Or if you want to keep exploring DevOps skills, careers, and courses, check out these free resources: 

• Take the quiz: Which DevOps Course Should You Take? 

• Watch on YouTube: Breaking Down SRE and DevOps: Which One Fits You Best?

• Hear from a fellow learner: How One Software Developer’s Leadership Aspirations Led Her to Graduate School 

Accelerate your career growth with a Coursera Plus subscription. When you enroll in either the monthly or annual option, you’ll get access to over 10,000 courses. 

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