In just one year, the field of DevOps has grown by over 40%. Many companies are fast-tracking their operations onto the cloud; hence, in such cases, a DevOps engineer’s role becomes very highly needed. Demand at this level opens opportunities for IT professionals and new entrants who would like to begin their careers in this field. But how do you begin? Whether you want to switch from your current IT job or start fresh, DevOps seems a bit overwhelming. That is where we come in. This blog on the DevOps career path explains the key skills, roles, responsibilities, and certifications that you need to get started with your DevOps career.
Table of Contents
What is DevOps Career Path?
In a DevOps career path, progression usually involves several steps, each with a distinct purpose, like the development of technical skills, the acquisition of practical experience, and the study of development and operations. Here is the career path of a typical DevOps employee:
- Entry-Level (DevOps Engineer/Junior DevOps Engineer)
- Intermediate Level (DevOps Specialist / DevOps Analyst Career Path)
- Senior Level (DevOps Architect / DevOps Lead Career Path)
In order to follow this route one often needs ongoing education, approval from various institutions, as well as practical work. It is important for those interested in DevOps careers to stay connected with other professionals, contribute towards open-source programs, and keep a lot of changes in their fields of operation.
Attractive Salary for DevOps Roles
Of course, competitive salaries await DevOps roles, as the demand for the same skills runs very high. Beginning with India, this ranges from ₹7,37,000 annually to $1,23,712 in the United States. Only these numbers show that investing time in mastering DevOps is very financially rewarding and satisfactory.
DevOps Career Path
Entry-Level DevOps Job Roles
- DevOps Engineer
- Junior DevOps Engineer
Entry-Level DevOps Roles & Responsibilities
- Assist in setting up and maintaining CI/CD pipelines.
- Manage cloud resources and on-premises infrastructure.
- Automate routine tasks with scripts.
- Monitor system performance and troubleshoot issues.
- Collaborate with development and operations teams.
Entry-Level DevOps Essential Skills
- Basic Linux/Windows administration.
- Proficiency in Git.
- Experience with CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins).
- Understanding of Docker and basic Kubernetes.
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure).
- Scripting skills (Bash, PowerShell).
Entry-Level DevOps Salary
- USA Average Salary: $80,000 per year.
- India Average Salary: ₹7,00,000 per year.
Advancement Opportunities
- Move into roles such as Senior DevOps Engineer, Cloud Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer (SRE).
Starting as a Junior DevOps Engineer provides a strong foundation for career growth with competitive salaries and diverse opportunities.
Intermediate Level DevOps Job Roles
- DevOps Specialist
- DevOps Analyst
Intermediate Level DevOps Roles & Responsibilities
- Design and optimize CI/CD pipelines.
- Manage and scale cloud infrastructure.
- Develop and enhance automation scripts.
- Implement advanced monitoring and performance tuning.
- Collaborate on integrating new tools and processes.
Intermediate Level DevOps Essential Skills
- Advanced CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins).
- Expertise in IaC tools (e.g., Terraform).
- In-depth knowledge of Docker and Kubernetes.
- Strong experience with cloud platforms (AWS).
- Advanced scripting (Bash, Python) and automation.
Intermediate Level DevOps Salary
- US Average Salary: $110,000 per year.
- India Average Salary: ₹12,00,000 per year.
Advancement Opportunities:
- Senior DevOps Engineer
- DevOps Architect
Intermediate-level DevOps roles offer competitive salaries and involve managing complex tasks, with growth opportunities into senior and specialized positions.
Senior Level DevOps Job Roles
- DevOps Architect
- DevOps Lead
Senior Level DevOps Roles & Responsibilities
- Design and implement scalable DevOps frameworks and infrastructure.
- Lead and mentor DevOps teams, oversee project execution.
- Develop and execute strategies for CI/CD, automation, and cloud infrastructure.
- Integrate new tools and optimize processes for performance and efficiency.
Senior Level DevOps Essential Skills
- Expertise in DevOps architecture and infrastructure.
- Leadership and team management.
- Strategic planning and advanced tools (CI/CD, IaC, Kubernetes, cloud platforms).
- Strong understanding of security and compliance.
Senior Level DevOps Salary
- USA Average Salary: $180,000 per year.
- India Average Salary: ₹30,00,000 per year.
Advancement Opportunities
- Transition to executive positions such as CTO or Head of Engineering.
- Senior DevOps Architects and Leads shape DevOps strategies, lead teams, and enjoy high salaries and significant career growth.
DevOps Certifications
This DevOps certification adds a credibility tag to your skills, making the job search very potent. Moreover, it means higher salary and career growth, with the added advantage of being updated at all times on the current tools and best practices. Certification does not stand as the only way, but it gives a huge advantage in the job market.
You can also check out our Edurekas course DevOps Engineer Masters Program that will make you proficient in DevOps principles like CI/CD, Continuous Monitoring, and Continuous Delivery, using tools like Puppet, Nagios, Chef, Docker, Git & Jenkins. As a result it includes training on Linux, Python, Docker, AWS DevOps, and Splunk. DevOps Engineer certification training course curriculum created by extensive research on 5000+ job descriptions across the globe to make you a certified DevOps expert.
Conclusion
DevOps is a very important process bridging the gap between development and operations in collaborative efforts with efficiency and result-oriented goals for continuous delivery of high-quality software. With increased needs for speed and reliability in software solutions, more DevOps practices and professionals are required. Whether starting with entry-level roles or advancing to senior positions, DevOps offers substantial career opportunities and competitive salaries. Embracing DevOps principles and obtaining relevant certifications can significantly enhance your career prospects in this dynamic field.
Do you have any questions about the DevOps career path or need further information? Feel free to leave a comment below, and we’ll respond as soon as possible!