What is the Salary of a DevOps Engineer? A Complete Guide
The role of a DevOps Engineer has grown increasingly important in modern software development. DevOps engineers play a crucial role in automating the software delivery lifecycle, ensuring continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), managing infrastructure, and improving collaboration between development and operations teams. As a result, the demand for skilled DevOps engineers has surged, and their salaries reflect the growing importance of this role.
In this guide, we’ll break down the average DevOps Engineer salary based on factors such as experience, location, industry, and specific skills. Whether you’re considering a career in DevOps or you’re a hiring manager looking for salary insights, this guide will provide valuable information.
What is a DevOps Engineer?
Before we dive into the salary figures, let’s briefly define the role of a DevOps Engineer.
A DevOps Engineer is a professional who focuses on bridging the gap between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The primary responsibilities include:
- Automating software deployment processes
- Managing cloud infrastructure and ensuring scalability
- Implementing continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines
- Monitoring system performance and resolving issues
- Collaborating between development, testing, and operations teams
DevOps engineers typically have expertise in cloud computing, automation tools, version control systems, and continuous integration tools.
What is the Average DevOps Engineer Salary?
Salaries for DevOps Engineers vary widely based on factors such as experience level, geographical location, the complexity of the industry, and the demand for DevOps professionals in the job market. Here’s a general breakdown of average salaries for DevOps Engineers across different regions:
United States
- Entry-Level (0-2 years experience): $70,000 – $95,000 per year
- Mid-Level (3-5 years experience): $95,000 – $125,000 per year
- Senior-Level (5+ years experience): $125,000 – $160,000+ per year
In major tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle, salaries can be on the higher end of these ranges, or even exceed them, due to the high cost of living and demand for tech professionals.
United Kingdom
- Entry-Level: £30,000 – £40,000 per year
- Mid-Level: £40,000 – £60,000 per year
- Senior-Level: £60,000 – £85,000+ per year
India
- Entry-Level: ₹5,00,000 – ₹8,00,000 per year
- Mid-Level: ₹8,00,000 – ₹15,00,000 per year
- Senior-Level: ₹15,00,000 – ₹25,00,000+ per year
Canada
- Entry-Level: CAD $55,000 – $75,000 per year
- Mid-Level: CAD $75,000 – $95,000 per year
- Senior-Level: CAD $95,000 – $120,000+ per year
Australia
- Entry-Level: AUD $70,000 – $90,000 per year
- Mid-Level: AUD $90,000 – $120,000 per year
- Senior-Level: AUD $120,000 – $150,000+ per year
Factors Affecting DevOps Engineer Salary
Several factors influence the salary of a DevOps Engineer, including:
1. Experience Level
Experience plays a significant role in determining salary. Entry-level DevOps Engineers typically earn less than professionals with several years of hands-on experience. Senior DevOps Engineers with more than five years of experience can command significantly higher salaries due to their expertise and ability to manage more complex systems and projects.
2. Location
Salaries can vary greatly depending on the geographic location. Tech hubs like Silicon Valley, Seattle, New York City, and London offer higher salaries to DevOps Engineers due to a higher demand for skilled professionals and the higher cost of living. In contrast, salaries may be lower in areas where the cost of living is more affordable.
3. Industry
The industry in which a DevOps Engineer works can also impact salary. For example:
- Technology companies (like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft) tend to offer the highest salaries due to the complexity of their systems and infrastructure.
- Finance and healthcare industries, which require strict compliance and security standards, also tend to pay higher salaries for DevOps Engineers.
- Startups and smaller companies may offer lower salaries but compensate with stock options or flexible work arrangements.
4. Skills and Certifications
Having specialized skills or certifications can boost a DevOps Engineer’s earning potential. Some of the most in-demand skills and certifications for DevOps engineers include:
- Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud certifications can significantly increase your salary.
- Automation Tools: Expertise in Ansible, Chef, Puppet, or Terraform.
- Continuous Integration Tools: Familiarity with Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI, or Travis CI.
- Containerization: Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, or other container orchestration tools.
- Scripting: Proficiency in scripting languages like Python, Bash, or Ruby.
DevOps certifications like the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), and Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert can significantly enhance salary potential.
5. Company Size
Larger companies with more complex systems and infrastructure often offer higher salaries. These companies may also provide additional benefits like bonuses, stock options, and flexible work arrangements. Smaller companies or startups may offer slightly lower salaries but could provide more opportunities for growth or equity.
DevOps Engineer Salary by Job Titles
While the title of DevOps Engineer is broad, different job titles within DevOps can have varying salary ranges:
- Junior DevOps Engineer: Generally works under the supervision of senior engineers, focusing on simple automation tasks and system monitoring.
- Salary Range: $70,000 – $90,000 (US)
- DevOps Engineer: A mid-level engineer responsible for implementing and managing the infrastructure and automation pipelines.
- Salary Range: $95,000 – $125,000 (US)
- Senior DevOps Engineer: A senior engineer who leads DevOps initiatives, designs CI/CD pipelines, and manages cloud infrastructure at scale.
- Salary Range: $125,000 – $160,000+ (US)
- Lead DevOps Engineer: A leadership position in charge of guiding the DevOps team, strategy, and technical direction.
- Salary Range: $150,000 – $200,000+ (US)
- DevOps Architect: A role that focuses on designing and implementing scalable, secure, and efficient DevOps infrastructures and processes.
- Salary Range: $160,000 – $200,000+ (US)
DevOps Engineer Salary vs. Other IT Roles
When comparing the salary of a DevOps Engineer with other IT roles, it’s clear that DevOps engineers tend to earn competitive salaries due to the high demand for their skills.
- Software Engineers: $95,000 – $130,000 (US) on average.
- Systems Administrators: $60,000 – $85,000 (US) on average.
- Cloud Engineers: $100,000 – $150,000 (US) on average.
- Site Reliability Engineers (SRE): $110,000 – $150,000 (US) on average.
Conclusion: DevOps Engineer Salary Insights
The salary of a DevOps Engineer is influenced by a combination of experience, location, industry, skill set, and company size. DevOps is a highly sought-after skill set, and as more companies adopt DevOps practices to enhance software delivery and operational efficiency, salaries for these professionals will continue to rise.
In general, DevOps Engineers enjoy a lucrative career with the potential for growth and job security. The right mix of experience, certifications, and technical expertise can help DevOps professionals unlock higher-paying roles and opportunities in this fast-evolving field.