DevOps Engineer Salary in USA 2025
Cloud infrastructure, SRE, and automation specialist pay
Average DevOps Engineer Salary
How Much Do DevOps Engineers Earn in 2025?
DevOps engineers bridge development and operations, building CI/CD pipelines, managing cloud infrastructure, and automating deployment processes. They ensure software can be reliably released and maintained at scale. Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) focus more on system reliability, uptime, and incident response.
2025 DevOps engineer salaries reflect strong demand: average $115,000–$155,000, with SREs earning $130,000–$180,000 and FAANG DevOps/SRE roles paying $180,000–$300,000+ total compensation. Senior DevOps engineers earn $140,000–$190,000.
Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, GCP) add $15,000–$25,000 to earning potential. Kubernetes expertise particularly valued. The role sits at the intersection of development, operations, and security—demanding broad skills and paying accordingly. For context, see jobs that pay $100K and salary trends 2025.
DevOps Engineer Salary Snapshot
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer (Average) | $115,000–$155,000 |
| Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) | $130,000–$180,000 |
| Entry-Level DevOps | $85,000–$110,000 |
| Senior DevOps | $140,000–$190,000 |
| Staff/Principal | $170,000–$250,000 |
| Hourly Rate | $55–$95/hour |
Use our salary calculator for conversions.
DevOps Engineer vs. SRE Salary
| Role | Salary Range | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer | $115K–$155K | CI/CD, automation, deployment |
| Site Reliability Engineer | $130K–$180K | Reliability, uptime, incident response |
| Platform Engineer | $125K–$170K | Internal developer platforms |
| Cloud Engineer | $110K–$150K | Cloud infrastructure |
| Infrastructure Engineer | $105K–$145K | Systems, networking |
DevOps Engineer
Salary: $115,000–$155,000
Builds and maintains CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and deployment automation. Broad role spanning development and operations.
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
Salary: $130,000–$180,000 (+10–15% premium)
Originated at Google. Focuses on system reliability, SLOs/SLIs, incident response, and reducing toil. More emphasis on software engineering approach to operations. Generally higher pay than DevOps due to stronger coding requirements.
Platform Engineer
Salary: $125,000–$170,000
Builds internal developer platforms and tooling. Growing specialty as organizations invest in developer experience. Combines DevOps with product thinking.
DevOps Engineer Salary by Experience Level
| Level | DevOps Salary | SRE Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Entry (0–2 yrs) | $85K–$110K | $95K–$125K |
| Mid (2–5 yrs) | $110K–$145K | $125K–$160K |
| Senior (5–8 yrs) | $140K–$180K | $155K–$200K |
| Staff (8–12 yrs) | $165K–$220K | $180K–$250K |
| Principal (12+ yrs) | $190K–$280K | $210K–$320K |
Entry-Level DevOps (0–2 Years)
Salary: $85,000–$110,000
Often transition from sysadmin, developer, or IT support roles. Learn CI/CD basics, cloud fundamentals, scripting. Entry SRE roles require stronger coding background.
Senior DevOps Engineer (5–8 Years)
Salary: $140,000–$180,000
Designs infrastructure architecture, leads major initiatives, mentors juniors. Deep expertise in cloud platforms, IaC, and automation. May lead small teams.
DevOps Engineer Salary by Location
| Location | Salary Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $145K–$200K | +25–35% |
| Seattle, WA | $140K–$190K | +20–30% |
| New York, NY | $135K–$185K | +15–25% |
| Austin, TX | $120K–$165K | +5–15% |
| Remote (US) | $110K–$155K | Variable |
| National Average | $115K–$155K | Baseline |
Remote Work
DevOps roles highly remote-friendly—infrastructure is managed remotely by nature. Many companies hire nationally. Remote DevOps engineers earn $110K–$155K typically. Some pay location-adjusted, others flat national rates. See our remote job salary guide.
DevOps Engineer Salary by Industry
| Industry | Salary/TC Range | Key Factors |
|---|---|---|
| Big Tech (FAANG) | $180K–$300K+ TC | Highest equity, scale |
| Finance/Fintech | $140K–$200K | Critical systems, compliance |
| Tech Startups | $120K–$170K | Equity upside, broad scope |
| Healthcare Tech | $115K–$160K | HIPAA, security focus |
| Enterprise | $110K–$150K | Stable, hybrid environments |
| Consulting | $105K–$145K | Varied clients, travel |
Big Tech (Highest Pay)
Total Comp: $180,000–$300,000+
Google SRE, Amazon/AWS, Meta, Microsoft. Significant RSU component. L5 SRE at Google: $280K–$350K TC. Focus on massive scale, reliability engineering.
Certifications and Salary Impact
| Certification | Salary Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Solutions Architect Pro | +$15K–$25K | Most valued cloud cert |
| CKA (Kubernetes Admin) | +$12K–$20K | K8s expertise validated |
| Azure DevOps Expert | +$10K–$18K | Microsoft ecosystem |
| HashiCorp Terraform | +$8K–$15K | IaC standard |
| GCP Professional DevOps | +$12K–$20K | Growing demand |
Multiple certifications compound value. AWS + CKA combination particularly valuable for cloud-native roles.
How to Increase Your DevOps Engineer Salary
Get Cloud Certifications
AWS Pro, CKA, or Azure Expert add $12K–$25K. Essential for senior roles.
Move to SRE
SREs earn $130K–$180K versus DevOps $115K–$155K (+10–15%). Requires stronger coding skills.
Target FAANG/Big Tech
FAANG SRE pays $180K–$300K+ TC versus market $115K–$155K.
Master Kubernetes
K8s expertise increasingly essential. CKA certification demonstrates competence.
Progress to Staff/Principal
Staff DevOps/SRE: $170K–$250K versus senior $140K–$190K.
Specialize in Security (DevSecOps)
Security-focused DevOps commands $10K–$20K premium.
See our salary negotiation guide for strategies.
Career Path and Related Roles
| Career Stage | Position | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation | Sysadmin/Jr. Developer | $60K–$90K |
| Entry | DevOps Engineer | $85K–$120K |
| Mid | Senior DevOps/SRE | $130K–$180K |
| Staff | Staff SRE/Platform Eng | $170K–$250K |
| Principal | Principal Engineer | $200K–$320K |
Related Roles
Software Engineer: $100,000–$180,000
Cloud Architect: $150,000–$220,000
Security Engineer: $130,000–$190,000
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average DevOps engineer salary in 2025?
DevOps engineers earn $115,000–$155,000 on average. SREs earn $130K–$180K. Entry-level starts at $85K–$110K, senior reaches $140K–$190K. FAANG DevOps/SRE earns $180K–$300K+ total compensation.
Do SREs make more than DevOps engineers?
Yes, typically 10–15% more. SREs earn $130K–$180K versus DevOps $115K–$155K. SRE requires stronger software engineering skills and often has more rigorous hiring processes. Google originated the SRE title.
Can DevOps engineers make $200K?
Yes. Staff/Principal DevOps earns $170K–$280K. FAANG SRE earns $200K–$350K+ TC. Senior DevOps at top companies reaches $200K+. Requires experience + top employer or location premium. See jobs that pay $100K.
What certifications are best for DevOps salary?
AWS Solutions Architect Professional adds most value ($15K–$25K). CKA (Kubernetes) highly valued ($12K–$20K). Azure and GCP certs valuable for respective ecosystems. Multiple certs compound value.
Is DevOps a good career in 2025?
Excellent career. Strong demand, high pay ($115K–$300K+ range), remote-friendly, and clear growth path. Every tech organization needs DevOps/SRE capabilities. Skills transfer across industries. Requires continuous learning as tools evolve.