8 Kubernetes Certifications to Boost Your Cloud Career in 2026: Costs, Levels & Resources Compared

As containerized applications become the backbone of modern cloud-native infrastructure, Kubernetes has emerged as the de facto standard for container orchestration. With its increasing adoption across industries, the demand for professionals skilled in deploying, managing, and securing Kubernetes clusters is growing rapidly.

As this demand grows, attaining certifications in Kubernetes can help to fill this skill gap in many modern organizations.

In this article, we’ll break down: why Kubernetes certifications matter, the most well-known certification options, costs, prerequisites, and ideal candidates for each, and recommended learning platforms.

Table of contents

• Why get certified in Kubernetes?
• Certification levels roadmap & overview
• Beginner-level certifications
• Intermediate-level certifications
• Advanced and specialized certifications
• K8s Training platforms

Why should I get certified in Kubernetes?

Kubernetes certifications can be a good signal to employers that you can work effectively with one of the most powerful tools in cloud computing, among several reasons. Here are many reasons why people pursue them.

1. High job demand

Kubernetes skills are consistently listed in top-paying DevOps and cloud job roles. Certified professionals stand out in a competitive hiring market. As more organizations move towards containerization and microservices, the demand for Kubernetes expertise will only continue to grow.

2. Proof of practical skill

Completing a certification program can be a good representation of practical skill, which is highly sought after in a technical field.

For example, certifications like Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) are performance-based. This will guide you through to complete real-world tasks in a live environment, proving you can do the job, and not just pass a multiple-choice test.

3. Better pay

When it comes to hiring Kubernetes professionals, 1 in 10 job positions include the need for certification. And, AWS certifications in Kubernetes have been mentioned almost 45% of the time. This would mean that attaining a certification can lead to a higher chance of getting hired in a competing company. This may lead to better opportunities for higher salaries.

Kubernetes certifications for beginners, intermediate, and advanced practitioners

The following guide categorizes Kubernetes certifications into three levels — Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced — with details on exam costs, prerequisites, ideal candidates, and training providers.

Roadmap for certifications and training

If you're unsure where to start, here’s a suggested roadmap:

Beginner-level certifications

Beginner-level certifications are meant for individuals who have a basic understanding of Kubernetes and its concepts. These certifications can be a great starting point for those looking to enter the world of cloud computing and container orchestration.

Here are some of the most common certifications:

1. Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA)

The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) certification is offered by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). This is a beginner-level certification that covers the fundamentals of Kubernetes and cloud-native technologies. It is designed for individuals with little or no experience in using Kubernetes.

• Cost: The exam costs $250. For learning under the Linux Foundation, the course and exam bundle costs $299. For a combination of the certification and a subscription to unlimited access to e-learning + SkillCreds, it would cost you $495.
• Prerequisites: As this is meant to be an entry-level course, there are no prerequisites.
• Ideal for: Students, beginners, and IT professionals new to cloud-native technologies
• Exam format: 90-minute online multiple-choice exam, with one retake attempt
• Topics covered: Kubernetes basics, cloud-native ecosystem (e.g., containers, microservices), and CI/CD and observability tools

KCNA is the best place to start if you're new to Kubernetes or looking to understand the broader cloud-native landscape. The certification will remain valid for two years before it expires.

(Related reading: Learn how to set up “vanilla” k8s in your environment.)

2. Google Cloud Digital Leader

The Google Cloud Digital Leader certification is designed for beginners who want to be exposed to Google Cloud's core products and to demonstrate their knowledge of cloud computing basics. This certification would cover other areas beyond using Kubernetes with Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

• Cost: A standard exam would cost $99 plus tax, and a renewal exam would cost $60 plus tax.
• Prerequisites: None, but having some experience collaborating with technical professionals would be recommended.
• Ideal for: Beginners exploring cloud platforms with light exposure to Kubernetes
• Exam format: Multiple choice, either through online or on-site proctoring
• Coverage: Cloud infrastructure, Kubernetes on GCP, and security, billing, and cloud operations

This certification is a good introduction suitable for business stakeholders and early-career professionals who want a good focus on Google Cloud products beyond just using k8s. Certificates are valid for 3 years.

Intermediate-level Kubernetes certifications

Intermediate-level certifications are aimed at those who have a good understanding of cloud platforms and are looking to expand their skills and knowledge. These certifications require more technical knowledge and hands-on experience, making them ideal for professionals who are ready to dive deeper into Kubernetes.

Here are some examples of such certifications:

3. Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)

The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) certification is designed for professionals who want to demonstrate their ability to design, install, configure, and manage Kubernetes clusters. The exam covers a wide range of topics, including cluster architecture, networking, security, storage, troubleshooting, and more. It also requires hands-on experience with Kubernetes.

• Cost: The exam costs $445. For training under the Linux Foundation, the Exam and THRIVE Subscription to e-learning courses cost $645.
• Prerequisites: Experience working with Kubernetes is recommended.
• Ideal For: Existing IT administrators, System admins, DevOps engineers, cloud engineers.
• Exam Format: 2-hour online proctored hands-on exam, through performance-based items (problems) solved on the command line. Two exam attempts are given.
• Coverage: Cluster installation and configuration, networking, storage, workloads, and troubleshooting and security.

CKA is the gold standard for Kubernetes administrators. It validates deep hands-on knowledge of managing Kubernetes clusters. (Using Splunk? Learn how Splunk and K8s work together for a secure environment.)

4. Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)

The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) certification is designed for developers who are proficient in creating and configuring applications on Kubernetes clusters. It focuses on the skills needed to develop, deploy, and maintain applications on Kubernetes.

• Cost: The exam costs $445. For training under the Linux Foundation, the Exam and THRIVE Subscription to e-learning courses cost $645.
• Prerequisites: Experience developing applications in Kubernetes.
• Ideal for: Developers, application engineers.
• Exam format: 2-hour online proctored hands-on exam.
• Coverage: Pod and workload design, ConfigMaps, Secrets, and volumes, and Helm, probes, and k8s logging.

CKAD focuses on how to build and run applications efficiently on Kubernetes, not how to administer the cluster.

5. AWS Certified Developer – Associate

The AWS Certified Developer – Associate exam focuses on the skills needed to develop and maintain applications on the AWS platform. This includes understanding of core AWS services, using SDKs to interact with AWS services, and developing code that optimizes performance and scalability within the AWS environment.

• Provider: Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Cost: The exam costs $150.
• Prerequisites: Some hands-on experience with AWS and basic Kubernetes concepts.
• Ideal for: Cloud-native developers working in AWS environments.
• Exam format: 130 minutes, 65 multiple-choice and multiple-response questions.
• Coverage: Writing and deploying cloud applications, Using EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service), and application lifecycle management.

This certification combines development skills with practical K8s use in the AWS ecosystem.

Advanced-level and specialized certifications

As you continue your journey in developing your Kubernetes skills, there are also advanced-level and specialized certifications available for those looking to further enhance their skills and knowledge.

6. Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)

The Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist certification focuses on security best practices for deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters. It covers topics such as securing cluster components, authentication and authorization, network policies, and more.

• Cost: The exam costs $445. For training under the Linux Foundation, the Exam and THRIVE Subscription to e-learning courses cost $645.
• Prerequisites: Candidates must hold a valid CKA certificate before attempting a CKS exam.
• Ideal for: Security engineers, DevSecOps professionals.
• Exam format: 2-hour online proctored hands-on exam. Two attempts are given to pass the exam.
• Coverage: Kubernetes security best practices, runtime security, network policies, and RBAC and PodSecurityPolicies.

CKS is for seasoned professionals who want to specialize in Kubernetes hardening and security. As this certification requires a CKA certification, taking on this exam is mostly only for those who want to specialize in security on top of their basic foundational knowledge in Kubernetes.

7. Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer

The Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer certification is designed for professionals who have experience with cloud-based solutions and development workflows. This certification validates the candidate's ability to design, build, and manage scalable, reliable, and highly available cloud-native applications GCP.

• Cost: The exam costs $200.
• Prerequisites: No specific certification requirements, but at least 3+ years of industry experience in using Google Cloud is recommended.
• Ideal for: Experienced engineers working on GCP with Kubernetes.
• Exam format: Two-hour-long exam with 50-60 multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions.
• Coverage: CI/CD pipelines, k8s monitoring and SRE practices, and Kubernetes workload automation.

This certification combines DevOps, SRE, and Kubernetes operations at scale in GCP.

8. Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration

The Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration certification is designed for experienced system administrators who are responsible for designing, building, and managing OpenShift clusters, which is Red Hat’s Kubernetes distribution.

This certification focuses on validating skills in deploying applications, managing resources, implementing security policies, and troubleshooting common issues within an OpenShift environment.

• Cost: The certification costs $500 in the United States. This cost varies by region, so do check the official site for more information.
• Prerequisites: Have taken Red Hat System Administration I (RH124) or have comparable experience. Experience with Kubernetes and container technology is helpful. You can assess your skills through their free skill assessment tool.
• Ideal for: Enterprise engineers using OpenShift.
• Exam format: Hands-on lab exam where you’ll configure and manage administrative tasks using the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform.
• Coverage: OpenShift cluster installation, User management, networking, storage, and Day-2 operations.

This certification is ideal for enterprise environments using Red Hat technologies with Kubernetes under the hood.

Training platforms and prep resources for k8s

For each of the certifications, you’ll need to find ways to learn and develop the necessary skills to pass the exams. Here’s a simple summary of the various platforms you can use to learn Kubernetes. You can also consider cross-training in popular DevOps certificates, too.

Final thoughts

Kubernetes certifications are meant to be great indicators of technical skill in managing such containerization technologies. Although some may be challenging, with the right preparation and resources, you can approach them with confidence.

I would recommend combining some real experience with Kubernetes first, before attempting any exam. You will then be able to have a higher chance of passing and attaining the certification you require.

FAQs about Kubernetes Certifications