AWS DevOps Engineer Salary: 2024 Guide

Knowing your earning potential as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) DevOps Engineer and the factors that may affect your salary can help you decide whether this career path is for you. Continue reading to discover salary ranges, the benefits of working in the DevOps market, and how to start or advance your career in this field.

Read more: What Does a DevOps Engineer Do? A Career Guide

AWS DevOps Engineer salary: what to know in 2024

DevOps engineer roles provide the potential to earn a higher-than-average salary. Below, you'll find the average AWS-certified DevOps engineer salary in the US, including base salary and additional compensation such as bonuses, as listed on these four career sites in February 2024:

• Glassdoor: $123,000 [1]

• Talent.com: $136,500 [2]

• ZipRecruiter: $125,908 [3]

• Payscale: $131,000 [4]

How much can you earn? 4 factors to consider

Your AWS DevOps Engineer salary will likely be determined by your location, the industry in which you work, your experience level, and the certifications you hold. When conducting your job search, be sure to take these factors into consideration and get accurate information about your earning potential.

1. Location

Where you work can play a role in how much you make due to regional salary differences or the cost of living. To give you an idea of the range you can expect, here is the typical compensation for AWS DevOps Engineers in different US cities and states, according to ZipRecruiter in February 2024.

Top paying cities, as reported on ZipRecruiter, include: 

• Berkeley, CA: $161,430

• Bailey's Crossroads, VA: $153,206

• Palo Alto, CA: $152,928

• Daly City, CA: $152,774

• San Mateo, CA: $148,165

2. Industry 

Different industries have varying levels of demand, competition, and profitability, all of which may affect your AWS DevOps Engineer salary. Here is the average total pay for the two highest-paying industries in the US, according to Glassdoor:

1. Human Resources and Staffing: $130,554 per year

2. Information Technology: $123,995 per year

3. Experience

The amount of experience you have can affect your salary, with more experience typically leading to higher pay. For example, Glassdoor reports that someone with less than a year of experience in this role can earn $107,000 on average, while someone with 4-6 years of experience can expect to earn $120,000.

4. Certification 

Getting AWS certified may boost your salary possibilities. PayScale’s reports show the potential salary differences that certification can mean:

• DevOps Engineer: $104,780

• DevOps Engineer with AWS skills: $109,780

• AWS Certified DevOps Engineers: $141,499

Read more: DevOps Engineer Salary 2023: How Much Can You Make?

Benefits of becoming an AWS-certified DevOps engineer

Becoming an AWS DevOps Engineer can be a great way to explore your interest in technology while meeting your optimal compensation range. An AWS DevOps Engineer is someone who demonstrates technical expertise in managing AWS environments and has passed the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional exam.

There are many benefits to becoming an AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, including: 

• Getting the attention of employers with an industry-recognized credential 

• Helping organizations deliver secure, compliant systems 

• Collaborating more effectively 

• Delivering systems faster

• Scaling up productivity 

According to Glassdoor, people who work in this role enjoy work-life balance and career opportunities, rating these qualities 4 out of 5 for this career.   

Top companies hiring AWS DevOps Engineers

As of February 2024, you can find thousands of job listings in the US for AWS DevOps Engineers on Glassdoor. Here, we’ve listed some of Glassdoor’s top-rated* companies that are hiring for AWS DevOps. 

*On Glassdoor, companies are rated by their employees in the areas of culture and values, diversity and inclusion, work-life balance, compensation and benefits, career opportunities, and senior management.  

How to earn more as an AWS DevOps Engineer 

Now that you know the AWS DevOps Engineer earning possibilities, the next thing to consider is how to turn your passion for cloud computing, automation, and software development into the salary you desire. Work toward your AWS DevOps Engineer salary goals by following these steps.

1. Identify your DevOps career goals. 

At any point along your DevOps Engineer career path, it’s a good idea to reflect on your goals and clarify what it is you want to accomplish. For example, your goals may be to find an advanced role in DevOps, master cloud technologies like AWS, or remain on the cutting edge of this field. 

Here are some questions to spark new ideas and sharpen your focus: 

• How much do you want to earn? 

• How does this figure compare to the salary averages for your location and experience? 

• What industries most interest you?

• What kind of companies would you like to work for? 

Is DevOps a good career? DevOps can be a great career for you if you want to be in a growing field and help to shape the future of technology. With the availability of certifications in AWS and other technologies, DevOps is a field in which you can continue learning and offering value to organizations. 

Read more: What Does a DevOps Engineer Do? A Career Guide

2. Get AWS DevOps certified. 

The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional is designed for people with over two years of experience in AWS environments. Getting this credential can open up more career opportunities and increase your earning potential in this field.

Additionally, getting this credential signals to employers your commitment to AWS technology and to delivering secure, compliant systems. 

Here are the steps along the AWS DevOps certification path:

• Schedule your certification exam, DOP-CO2.

• Download the guide and sample questions.

• Explore the practice question set (20 questions). 

• Complete the exam readiness training and DevOps Engineering learning plan. 

• Take the official practice exam. 

• Pass the exam and share your digital badge. 

This exam takes up to 180 minutes to complete and costs $300. It includes 75 questions—multiple choice and multiple response—and you can take the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center or online with a proctor. 

3. Apply for AWS DevOps Engineer jobs. 

Once you have the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional credential, begin your job search. Scour job listings on a variety of career sites to get a sense of who’s hiring, current salaries, qualifications you’ll need, and the responsibilities you’ll take on. 

In addition to the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional credential, you may also need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field to work as an AWS DevOps Engineer.

Be prepared to discuss your salary expectations with recruiters and hiring managers by drawing upon the latest salary data and the value you can bring to a company. 

Read more: How To Negotiate Your Salary: 10 Tips to Earn More

Here are some additional resources for your job search: 

• Job Search Guide: Resources for Your Next Career Move

• 30 Technical Interview Questions and Tips for Answering

• How to List Certifications on Your Resume: Guide + Examples

• 16 Resume Tips for Your 2023 Job Search

Strengthen your AWS DevOps skills with Coursera

Taking online courses can be a great way to build job-ready skills and discover AWS DevOps career opportunities. Learn DevOps principles and how they apply to the AWS environment in the DevOps on AWS Specialization.