Certification Guide
Certified Kubernetes Administrator
by Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) · Exam code: CKA
The CKA is a hands-on, performance-based exam that tests your ability to administer Kubernetes clusters in real time. No multiple choice — you solve real problems in a live terminal. It's widely considered the gold standard for Kubernetes competency.
Cost
$445 (includes one free retake)
Difficulty
Expert
Prep Time
6-8 weeks
Passing Score
66%
Valid For
3 years
Salary Impact
+19%
Is it worth it?
Average salary without
$130,000
Average salary with cert
$155,000
Yes, especially for DevOps and platform engineering roles. Despite the $445 price tag, the 19% salary boost ($25K+/year) delivers strong ROI. The hands-on format also means passing actually proves you can do the job — employers trust it.
Study Plan
A week-by-week breakdown to pass on your first attempt.
Cluster architecture — etcd, API server, scheduler, controller manager, kubelet, kube-proxy, kubeadm
Workloads — Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, PVs, PVCs, StatefulSets, DaemonSets
Networking & security — NetworkPolicies, RBAC, ServiceAccounts, Ingress, DNS, CNI plugins
Troubleshooting, etcd backup/restore, cluster upgrades, killer.sh simulator practice
Best Prep Resources
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