Best Linux Certifications

• While not widely used on desktops, Linux continues to be an extremely popular operating system for web servers. 
• There is still strong demand on job boards for candidates holding Linux certifications. 
• Some of the best Linux certifications available include CompTIA’s Linux+, Red Hat’s RHCSA and Oracle Linux OCP. 
• This article is for IT professionals interested in Linux who want to learn more about which Linux certifications are best to obtain.

More than 20 years after Linus Torvalds developed Linux, the operating system remains a force in the computing industry. While Linux is not widely used on desktops, it is extraordinarily strong on the web server side, where it enjoys a market share of 48 percent, according to W³  Techs.

Information technology (IT) professionals invest considerable time learning about server computing for everything from installation, configuration, maintenance and virtualization to application support and security. This also means that many IT professionals are working with and around Linux operating systems daily, often alongside Windows and various UNIX OS brands as well.

The results of a job search we conducted on several popular job posting sites show which Linux certifications employers are looking for when hiring new employees. While results vary from day to day (and job board to job board), this table reflects those Linux-related certifications that employers were seeking in the United States.

Job Board Survey Results (in alphabetical order, by certification)

We found that for nearly every certification category listed above, the number of national jobs postings mentioning that certification has increased or held steady since we surveyed the same job sites a year ago. Linux system administrators and engineers can expect average earnings in the low $90s and upward, depending on the job role. Glassdoor reports earnings for Linux system administrators averaging $94,000, Linux system engineers around $132,000 and senior Linux system engineers at an average range of $144,000 to $232,000

Best Linux Certifications

The best of the Linux certifications vie for considerable mindshare among IT professionals and present an interesting mix of distribution- or brand-agnostic credentials alongside some pretty formidable vendor-specific credentials. There are multiple well-elaborated certification ladders available to those interested in learning, using and mastering the Linux operating system environment and all the many bells and whistles it supports.

The following are our top picks for Linux certifications to pursue.

Linux+ (CompTIA XK0-005)

CompTIA exercises extraordinary certification clout at the entry level in many IT niches. This nonprofit has shown itself as willing to team up with more focused IT organizations, associations and consortia to combine their own market reach and visibility with niche smarts and subject matter expertise on loan from various partners.

CompTIA’s Linux+ is aimed at early career system administrators aiming to increase their abilities to support Linux environments. CompTIA also recently introduced its latest version of the exam, XK0-005, which became the only version of the certification available after XK0-004 retired in January 2023. The new certification exam focuses on the evolving nature of Linux, looking at topics such as how Linux powers the cloud. Topics also include looking at infrastructure as code, Linux containers and how Linux is used in newer, cutting-edge technologies. 

CompTIA provides a wide range of other certifications, which can complement Linux+. These certifications include infrastructure-related certifications covering cloud and server technologies. 

Linux+ is good for three years, during which time holders can renew the certification by earning 50 continual education credits or by earning approved, high certifications that renew Linux+ automatically as well. 

CompTIA Linux+ Facts & Figures

LPI (Linux Professional Institute) Certifications

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) started up in October 1999, almost one decade after Linus Torvalds began his pioneering efforts on the Linux kernel. Since then, LPI has become one of the leading certification providers on Linux topics and technologies.

Given the organization’s distribution-agnostic approach to Linux, it offers excellent coverage of a platform that’s available in many forms and flavors in today’s marketplace.

The LPI Certification (LPIC) program is available in three distinct levels:

• LPIC-1: A  junior-level Linux certification with no prerequisites. Candidates must pass two exams that cover basic Linux skills, including installing and configuring Linux on a workstation, working at the command line, performing basic maintenance tasks and making LAN or internet connections. 
• LPIC-2: An advanced-level Linux certification that requires an active LPIC-1 certification. Candidates must pass two exams that cover significant Linux skills and topics. The first exam covers the kernel, system startup, file system and devices, advanced storage administration, network configuration, system maintenance and capacity planning. The second exam covers web services, file sharing, network client management, email services, system security and troubleshooting and domain name servers.
• LPIC-3: At the senior level, LPI certifications split into three different paths, each of which requires an active LPIC-2 and passing any single exam in the 300 Valid exam IDs currently include 300: Mixed Environment, 303: Security, 305: Virtualization and Containerization and 306: High Availability and Storage Clusters. The Mixed Environment exam covers Samba (domain integration, user and group management, name services, share configuration and so forth), plus OpenLDAP and working with Linux and Windows clients. The Security exam covers network, operations and application security, as well as cryptography and access controls. High availability cluster storage and management, along with virtualization, are covered in the Virtualization and Storage Clusters exam and differing aspects of virtualization and virtual machine deployment are covered in Virtualization and Containerization.

In addition to the LPIC-1, 2 and 3 credentials, LPI also offers an entry-level credential, the Linux Essentials Professional Development Certificate (PDC). Linux Essentials focuses on foundational skills, such as creating and running simple scripts, restoring compressed backups and archives, working with the command line, Linux operating system basics, FOSS and users/groups and file permissions for public and private directories. Linux Essentials is a great way to get started while gaining the skills and knowledge needed for the more challenging LPIC credentials.

LPI also offers the LPIC-OT DevOps Tools Engineer certification, which recognizes the effective use of tools for collaboration during system and software development. There are no prerequisites, and the single exam lasts for 90 minutes and has 60 questions.

LPIC credentials are worthwhile for IT pros whose chosen Linux distributions do not warrant their own certification programs and those seeking broad, vendor- and distribution-neutral coverage of Linux topics, tools and technologies. They are popular among IT pros and in demand among IT employers.

LPIC-1, LPIC-2 and LPIC-3 Facts & Figures

Oracle Linux OCP

When Oracle bought Sun Microsystems in 2010, it acquired a rich and deep UNIX tradition. Oracle started phasing out Solaris almost immediately after finalizing the Sun acquisition.

Today, Oracle offers associate- and professional-level certifications based on Linux rather than harking back to any kind of UNIX roots. These certifications retain enough of their Sun roots, however, so that courses are not mandatory prerequisites to taking the exams for the two Oracle Linux certifications currently available.

[Read also: Top Oracle Certifications to Help Your IT Career]

As with other vendor-specific Linux certifications, Oracle’s are most appealing to those who work with or around that distribution or wish to work for employers who use those distributions.

OCP Facts & Figures

Red Hat RHCSA, RHCE and RHCA

If there’s one major star in the vendor-specific Linux certification firmament, it’s got to be Red Hat. The company has a major market presence and a serious duration as a commercial provider of Linux platforms and technologies.

Red Hat offers a typical administrator, engineer, architect certification ladder. Unlike many other such programs, however, it offers highly regarded and valued credentials at each rung, along with demanding and hands-on oriented exams and an excellent training curriculum to match. All exams for the following Red Hat certifications are performance-based and last two hours or longer.

[Read our Red Hat Certification guide next to learn more about the company’s career paths.]

The giveaway for Red Hat certifications is that all come with acronyms that start with RH, as follows:

• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA): This foundation certification vets essential skills in handling files, working at the command line and using system documentation, along with managing systems (boot up, identifying processes, start/stop virtual machines and controlling services), configuring storage partitions and logical volumes and more.
• Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE): This cornerstone certification is designed to test and validate the skills and knowledge necessary to work as a senior-level Linux system administrator. The exam focuses on testing and developing skills necessary for managing systems in a DevOps environment. Topics include automation, management and support of multisystem environments and experience integrating Ansible Automation with other Red Hat technologies.
• Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA): Red Hat’s pinnacle certification offers two paths to certification, depending on which prerequisite advanced Red Hat certification credentials you have already completed: Red Hat Certified Enterprise Microservices Developers (RHCEMDs) and Red Hat Certified Cloud-native Developer (RHCCDs) can earn an RHCA in Enterprise Applications and Red Hat Certified Engineers (RHCEs) can earn an RHCA in Infrastructure.

In general, the five additional exams that must be passed to achieve the RCHA in either Infrastructure or Enterprise Applications are specific to each area of specialization, though a few of the tests can be used to satisfy the five exam requirements in both RHCA tracks.

A number of previously available certification exams have been discontinued for new RHCA candidates and renewals, though those exams can still be applied to the RHCA certification if you’ve already passed them. Find out more about discontinued exams that can be counted toward the RHCA credential on the RHCA page under the Candidate Guidance tab.

Because Red Hat Linux is widely used in the business world, the RHCA certification is an excellent choice for those interested in a more platform-focused path into the Linux world. Of course, for those who already work with or around Red Hat, it is a natural certification choice as well. 

RHCSA, RHCE and RHCA Facts & Figures

Another certification to consider: The Linux Foundation

Outside the top four Linux credentials and programs covered in this article, The Linux Foundation certifications may be worthy of your time and attention.

The Linux Foundation, a membership-based organization, promotes the development of the Linux kernel through collaboration, conferences and education. The organization’s small but respected certification program includes the Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS).

Many industry experts, including Steven J. Vaughn-Nichols, a long-time user and expert on Linux and Unix operating systems, say that certifications can be an important ingredient in a job candidate’s qualifications. But interviewers should also pay close attention to how many Linux systems candidates have set up, managed or used to get a sense of the scale and scope of their experience.

In other words, when you see a web hosting service advertising for Linux jobs, they’re not looking for people who’ve installed and used Linux at home or in a small business setting; they’re looking for professionals who’ve set up and managed Linux in a highly distributed and virtualized data center environment, with lots of complex networking and services coming into the mix.

Choosing the right certification

Choosing the right certification pathway can help boost your overall skills, knowledge and employability. However, it can be difficult to evaluate exactly which certification is best for you. Certification seekers should first consider whether they want a broader certification to demonstrate overall knowledge of Linux, such as from Linux+ or the LPIC exams, or whether they want to demonstrate knowledge of specific types of Linux, such as from Oracle or Red Hat. Once you’ve determined that, it is simply a question of finding the correct certification to match your skill level. 

Ultimately, pursuing any certification shows your willingness to learn, which will help you stand out to current and former employers. 

Ed Tittel and Earl Follis contributed to this article.