These top paying Linux Certifications with top paying salaries are based on Linux skills job title. Linux system administrators and engineers can expect average earnings in the mid-60s and upwards, depending on the job role. PayScale lists $70,215 as the average salary for Linux system administrators ($49,000/low and $100,520/high). Average earnings for Linux system engineers were reported at $79,357 ($60,000/low to $105,000/high), while senior Linux system engineer salaries averaged $102,779, with low earnings at $76,000 but some receiving more than $140,000 on the high end. Glassdoor reports similar earnings, with Linux system administrators averaging $67,000, Linux system engineers at $89,018 and senior Linux system engineers at $108,634.
Related: 25 Highest In Demand Paying U.S. Jobs
Top Paying Linux Certifications
There are more Linux certifications around, but these are only the well-know Linux certifications that PayScale reported their salaries. The top paying Linux certifications are not top best Linux certifications. Remember that these salaries are based on Linux skills inside a Linux related job title.
Red Hat Certified Engineer – RHCE
A Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) is a Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) who possesses the additional skills, knowledge, and abilities required of a senior system administrator responsible for Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. The below table is the average salaries for Red Hat Certified Engineer as a employees with Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) Certification:
| Job Title | Salary |
| Senior Systems Engineer | $82,699 – $138,193 |
| Linux System Administrator | $49,404 – $102,825 |
| Senior Systems Engineer (Computer Networking / IT) | $80,395 – $141,914 |
| Sr. Unix System Administrator | $75,472 – $129,572 |
| Software Engineer | $51,535 – $133,154 |
CompTIA Linux+ Certification Salary
CompTIA Linux+ Powered by LPI certifies foundational skills and knowledge of Linux system administration. With Linux being the central operating system for much of the world’s IT infrastructure, Linux+ is an essential credential for individuals working in IT. The below table is the average salaries for Red Hat Certified Engineer as a employees with a CompTIA Linux+ Certification:
| Job Title | Salary |
| Linux System Administrator | $48,078 – $88,294 |
| Systems Administrator | $46,489 – $85,814 |
| Linux Systems Administrator | $45,000 – $100,520 |
| Systems Engineer, IT | $45,000 – $100,520 |
| Information Technology (IT) Manager | $52,124 – $113,235 |
LPI Certification Salary
LPI is the global certification standard and career support organization for open source professionals. With more than 500,000 exams delivered, it’s the world’s first and largest vendor-neutral Linux and open source certification body. LPI has certified professionals in 181 countries, delivers exams in 9 languages, and has over 400 training partners. The below table is the average salaries for Red Hat Certified Engineer as a employees with a Linux Professional Institute Certification 1 (LPIC-1) Certification.
| Job Title | Salary |
| Systems Administrator | $70,000 |
| Linux System Administrator | $51,273 |
| Principal Software Engineer | $116,880 |
| Network Engineer | $71,000 |
| Security Analyst | $57,325 |
Regardless to top paying Linux certifications, read the below reports for IT related certifications as well.