You Passed AWS DevOps Engineer Professional. What Is the Next Certification Worth Doing?

You Did It—Now What?

Earning the AWS DevOps Engineer Professional certification is a monumental achievement. It signals mastery of CI/CD, automation, monitoring, and security on AWS—skills that are in high demand. But the tech world moves fast, and resting on your laurels isn't an option. The question is: after AWS DevOps Engineer Professional, what next?

This guide helps you chart a strategic path forward, whether you want to deepen your AWS expertise, broaden into adjacent domains, or pivot toward a new role. We'll cover immediate next steps (within 6 months), mid-term goals (within 2 years), and how this certification fits into common career trajectories. If you're preparing for this exam, AWS DevOps Engineer Professional Difficulty: What Actually Makes People Fail is essential reading.

Why Keep Certifying?

Certifications validate your skills, boost credibility, and often lead to better job opportunities and higher salaries. For DevOps professionals, staying current is crucial because cloud technologies evolve rapidly. After earning a professional-level cert, you've proven you can handle complex architectures—but there's always more to learn.

Immediate Next Steps (0–6 Months)

In the first few months after your achievement, focus on reinforcing your skills and exploring complementary areas. Here are the best options:

1. AWS Certified Security – Specialty

DevOps and security go hand-in-hand. This certification validates your ability to secure AWS workloads, implement compliance requirements, and respond to security incidents. It's a natural complement to DevOps, as you'll often be responsible for security in CI/CD pipelines.

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time to prepare: 2–3 months
• Why it fits: Security is a top concern for organizations; adding this cert makes you a more well-rounded professional.

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

While you already hold a professional-level cert, the Solutions Architect – Professional covers a broader architectural view, including hybrid architectures, migration strategies, and cost optimization. This is ideal if you want to move into an architecture role.

• Difficulty: High
• Time to prepare: 3–4 months
• Why it fits: It's the most respected AWS certification and pairs perfectly with DevOps expertise.

3. Kubernetes Certifications (CKA/CKAD)

Kubernetes is the de facto container orchestration platform. The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) can significantly boost your DevOps credentials, especially if you work with EKS. You might also find 7 AWS DevOps Engineer Professional Questions Most Candidates Get Wrong helpful.

Before you sit for the exam, use the free AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional readiness check to quickly identify which topic area needs more review.

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time to prepare: 2–3 months
• Why it fits: Many AWS DevOps roles require Kubernetes skills; these certs prove your hands-on ability.

4. HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a core DevOps practice. While AWS has CloudFormation, Terraform is cloud-agnostic and widely used. This certification demonstrates your proficiency with Terraform, making you more versatile.

• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Time to prepare: 1–2 months
• Why it fits: It's a quick win that adds another tool to your belt.

5. Focus on a Specialized AWS Domain

If you prefer to stay within AWS, consider the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty or AWS Certified Database – Specialty. These are less common but can carve out a niche for you.

Long-Term Paths (Within 2 Years)

After you've solidified your immediate next steps, think about where you want to go in your career. Here are some common paths:

Path 1: Cloud Architect

If you enjoy designing systems, pursue the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (if you haven't already) and then consider the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect or Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert to become multi-cloud.

Path 2: Security Specialist

If security is your passion, stack the AWS Security – Specialty with the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) to become a cloud security expert. Want to go further? Choosing Between AWS DevOps Engineer Professional and AZ-400: The Deciding Factors is a good next step.

Path 3: DevOps/SRE Lead

For a leadership role, consider the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or SAFe DevOps Practitioner to understand agile at scale. You might also want to deepen your Kubernetes expertise with the CKS (Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist).

Path 4: Multi-Cloud Strategist

Organizations increasingly use multiple clouds. Earning certifications in Azure or GCP can make you invaluable. Start with the Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert or Google Cloud DevOps Engineer.

A Visual Certification Roadmap

Here's a text-based roadmap to guide you:

After AWS DevOps Engineer Professional
│
├── Within 6 months (pick 1–2)
│   ├── AWS Security – Specialty
│   ├── AWS Solutions Architect – Professional
│   ├── CKA / CKAD (Kubernetes)
│   ├── Terraform Associate
│   └── AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty
│
├── Within 2 years (based on career path)
│   ├── Cloud Architect Path
│   │   ├── AWS Solutions Architect – Professional (if not done)
│   │   └── Azure Solutions Architect Expert / GCP Professional Cloud Architect
│   ├── Security Path
│   │   ├── AWS Security – Specialty (if not done)
│   │   └── CISSP / CCSP
│   ├── DevOps/SRE Lead Path
│   │   ├── CSM / SAFe DevOps
│   │   └── CKS (Kubernetes Security)
│   └── Multi-Cloud Path
│       ├── Azure DevOps Engineer Expert
│       └── GCP DevOps Engineer
└── Continuous learning
    ├── AWS re:Invent sessions
    ├── Hands-on projects
    └── Community involvement

How This Certification Fits Into Career Paths

The AWS DevOps Engineer Professional is a springboard. Here's how it aligns with common roles:

Considerations Before Your Next Certification

• Career goals: Choose a certification that aligns with your desired role.
• Market demand: Research job postings to see what employers want.
• Personal interest: Passion fuels motivation; pick something you enjoy.
• Time and resources: Be realistic about your preparation time.

Final Thoughts

After AWS DevOps Engineer Professional, the next certification should be a strategic choice that builds on your skills and propels your career. Whether you choose to deepen your AWS expertise, expand into Kubernetes, or pivot to security, the key is to keep learning and stay adaptable.

Use AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional practice test to fine-tune your time management before the clock starts for real.

To map out your remaining preparation time, a free AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional study plan gives you a week-by-week schedule that fits the hours you can commit.