Are certifications worth it? The answer is: it depends. And that's precisely the problem.
In this episode, Jordan and Alex rank 25+ certifications using a data-driven 60/40 framework (60% skill-building, 40% market signal).
🎯 The Certification Dilemma:
• Platform engineers span Kubernetes, cloud, observability, security, and developer experience
• No single certification captures that breadth
• Most certifications prove you can cram for exams, not solve production problems
📊 Key Statistics:
• Platform engineers earn $172K vs DevOps $152K (13% premium)
• CKA appears in 45,000+ job postings globally
• Average certification investment: $800-1,200/year
• CKA pass rate: 66% (hands-on exam, production-relevant)
• AWS SA Associate holders: 500,000+ (now a minimum credential)
🏆 S-Tier Certifications:
• CKA ($445) - Gold standard, hands-on Kubernetes troubleshooting
• AWS Solutions Architect Professional - Proves cloud architecture depth
• CKS - For security-focused roles, builds on CKA
🔥 Hot Takes:
• AWS SA Associate is OVERRATED - too common to differentiate
• CNPE (launched Nov 2025) - First platform-specific cert, early adopters get 12-18 month advantage
• HashiCorp certs (Terraform, Vault) - Solid B-tier, but post-IBM acquisition concerns
💰 Optimal Certification Stack:
CKA + one cloud Professional + one specialty cert
Total: ~$1,200 investment, 7-9 months timeline
📖 Full blog post: https://platformengineering.org/blog/platform-engineering-certification-tier-list-2025
🔗 Resources:
• CKA Exam: https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/certified-kubernetes-administrator-cka/
• CNPE Exam: https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/certified-cloud-native-platform-engineer-cnpe/
• AWS Certifications: https://aws.amazon.com/certification/
#PlatformEngineering #Certifications #CKA #CNPE #AWS #Kubernetes #DevOps #CareerDevelopment #CloudNative
