Are Linux Certifications Worth It?

Linux is a staple of modern enterprise and cloud computing. Gone are the days when early adopters risked their jobs when they chose to implement a Linux system — rather than opt for an established UNIX or Microsoft Windows server. Nowadays, admins can choose from numerous enterprise-ready Linux server distributions, including Ubuntu, Red Hat, SUSE, Kali, and more. (All these *nix flavors and more are covered in our Linux tutorial.)

Linux is not just found in data centers. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud use Linux extensively to run their platforms and support various Linux machine instances. Linux is also a preferred platform by cybersecurity professionals for penetration testing and ethical hacking.

With this broad emphasis on Linux, it's unsurprising that Linux certifications are a common pursuit for many IT professionals. But are Linux certifications worth it — and which ones should you pursue? We will dig in and provide insight on Linux certs and their value.

What Linux Certifications Exist?

Linux certifications are broadly split between credentials independent of the Linux distribution and those related to a specific distribution or vendor-productized version. The Linux Professional Institute (LPI), CompTIA, and the Linux Foundation offer independent certifications.

LPI offers well-known certifications for Linux Administrators (LPIC-1), Linux Engineers (LPIC-2), and Linux Enterprise Professionals (LPIC-3). CompTIA has their CompTIA Linux+ sysadmin cert. The Linux Foundation certifies sysadmins (LFCS) and Linux engineers (LFCE).

On the product side of the equation, we see certifications — typically for administrators, engineers, and architects — from Linux=centric vendors, including:

• Red Hat: sysadmin (RHCSA), engineer (RHCE), and architect (RHCA),

• SUSE: sysadmin (SCA), engineer (SCE), and architect (SEA), and

• Oracle: Linux 5 & 6 sysadmin (OCA), and Linux 6 sysadmin professional (OCP).

Some interesting super-hot cybersecurity certifications are slightly away from mainline Linux. For example, the GIAC Certified UNIX System Administrator (GCUX) cert focuses on securing and auditing Linux and UNIX systems.

Then there are the Kali Linux Certified Professional and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certs for cybersecurity specialists.

If you want a deeper look into Linux/Open Source certifications, check out our Complete Open Source Certification Guide.

What's the Job Outlook for Linux Professionals?

According to a 2018 Linux Foundation report, the demand for IT professionals with Linux skills is strong. A December 2019 search of the Indeed.com job site showed over 60,000 US job openings that referenced Linux skills. But does this demand translate into a complementary demand for Linux certifications?

Drill-down searches into the 60,000 Linux job openings dampened our initial enthusiasm. Searches for LPI and Linux Foundation certifications returned fewer than 250 total openings that specifically required those credentials. Similarly, searches for Oracle and SUSE certifications came up dry.

Only with Red Hat certifications do we see higher numbers of credentialed opportunities (RHCSA: 550, RHCE: 720, RHCA: 115), but even here, they are a tiny percentage of the overall Linux opportunities.

Why do such a small number of Linux jobs require Linux certification? As shared online, a likely answer is that hiring companies prefer peer-level interviews to validate a candidate's Linux proficiency.

As reported in our Complete Open Source Certification Guide, employers appear to be willing to pay higher salaries for Red Hat-certified professionals, whereas the "generic Linux" certs (LPI, Linux Foundation, and CompTIA) are on a par with other industry certs like Microsoft's MCSA. However, certificate holders earn nearly $4,000 more per year in these cases than non-certified professionals.

While MCSAs and admins with generic Linux certifications average $74,000, Red Hat Certified Sysadmins (RHCSA) earn average salaries of $86,00 or more. Similarly, at the next certification level, a Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) averages a whopping $22,000 per year more than their LPIC-2-certified colleagues.

Should You Get a Linux Cert or Not?

There's a demand for Linux skills. However, few job openings specifically require a Linux certification, with most simply stressing experience with the operating system. Given the gap between salaries for certified and non-certified, a Linux credential will likely be considered an advantage rather than a must-have in the hiring process.

If you are working with Red Hat Linux or planning to, you should definitely get on the Red Hat certification track. Start as a certified Red Hat admin (RHCSA) before becoming a certified Red Hat engineer (RHCE). You can then take the final step to become a certified architect (RHCA).

If you know you'll be working with Oracle Linux, you might consider going for the Oracle OCA and OCP in Linux. But do this only if you're locked into an Oracle Linux job. It's similar to SUSE Linux and SUSE certifications.

The generic certifications (LPI, Linux Foundation, and CompTIA) differ. They have a broader application because they are not dependent on any particular distro. As long as you have real-world Linux experience and can prove it to a Linux peer, employers will positively view each cert.

Of the three, you're probably best picking the LPI route. That's because it's better known than the Linux Foundation, and unlike CompTIA, it has a career development path with tiers for admin, engineer, and architect. Any of these certs will also position you well if you decide to take a career move into either the Amazon or Google clouds.

We mentioned cybersecurity earlier. Because specialized Linux distros like Kali are preferred platforms for penetration testing, this could be another good career progression to follow your basic Linux certs.

Wrapping Up

So, is Linux certification worth it? The answer is YES — as long as you choose carefully to support your career progression.

Whether you decide to get a Linux certification or not, CBT Nuggets has training to help you develop valuable and practical Linux job skills. We have training that supports the Linux certification programs from CompTIA, the Linux Foundation, the Linux Professional Institute (LPI), and other Linux distributions such as CentOS and Ubuntu.

If you're on a cybersecurity track toward certification as a Kali Linux Professional or OSCP, our Penetration Testing with Linux Tools course will help you prepare.

Our training library is frequently updated, so check CBT Nuggets for new and updated training relevant to your career development.