AWS Certification — Which Path Is Right For You?

AWS has matured incredibly over the past 10 years and dominates as a leader in public cloud adoption and migration. It provides a highly reliable, scalable, low-cost infrastructure in the cloud. As of 2023, it powers over 1 million business customers in 190 countries across the globe.¹ This transformation has led to an increased demand for skilled cloud practitioners. However, there is a shortage of talent with the necessary cloud skills.

A research by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG)² showed that more than 90% of AWS Partner companies think that their employees taking part in these programs makes their company more competitive. More than 80% of AWS Partners' clients think it's important that their staff is AWS Certified. Over 75% of AWS Partners said that AWS Training and Certification helps their staff bring benefits to the business, like making things run more smoothly. More than half of the AWS Partner companies surveyed said that spending money on AWS Training and Certification helps them attract and keep good cloud technology employees.

AWS Certification is an industry-recognized credential that validates a practitioner's working knowledge, expertise, and specialty. It is designed for IT practitioners to demonstrate an understanding of the AWS platform, its best practices, and common terminology.

We in this guide outline all AWS Certification Paths, including the career outcomes and the prerequisite knowledge and skills required to become AWS certified.

The 12 AWS Certifications—Which Path Is Right For You and Your Team?

There are 12 AWS Certification programs distributed across four experience levels:

- One Foundational certification
- Three Associate-Level certifications
- Two Professional-Level certifications
- Six Specialty-Level certifications

Continue reading to discover which AWS Certification suits you best, the skills required for the exam, and how to embark on your certification journey.

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

The AWS Cloud Practitioner certification program is an ideal starting point for cloud computing novices. This entry-level certification offers a comprehensive overview of cloud architecture and AWS, validating your foundational knowledge.

Career Outlook

This AWS Certification program has a strong focus on billing and business-centric concepts and is suitable for Sales and management roles. It does not validate skills for technical implementation roles and it is not enough to get the cloud role, but it as an essential study for your AWS Journey.

Exam Preparation

You only need a high-level introduction to AWS. Although it's not a difficult exam, a deeper understanding of the AWS Cloud and the Cloud value proposition is necessary. We recommend exam preparation courses and practice tests to build the necessary foundation.

Is it right for you?

We highly recommend the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification program to beginners with no experience in cloud computing or coding background. It's also beneficial for Senior Cloud Engineers or Solutions Architects needing to refresh their AWS knowledge.

Following this, there are three technical certifications for professionals who can demonstrate abilities in enterprise architecture programs and solutions architecture:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate
• AWS Certified Developer—Associate
• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator—Associate

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate

The AWS Solutions Architect is a trusted advisor for customers, responsible for designing application blueprints. This certification program validates the ability to design well-architected business solutions. It is the most globally in-demand AWS Certification program.

Career Outlook

Solutions Architects do not delve into development, building, or deployment for customers. Instead, they collaborate with other teams to implement solutions. A significant portion of their time is spent addressing customer concerns and understanding their needs. They build proof of concepts for customers, showcase them through demos, and conduct meetings with implementation teams.

Exam Preparation

Candidates should demonstrate proficiency in providing business solutions, not implementation skills. The Solutions Architect - Associate is a scenario-focused certification exam.

Is it right for you?

AWS Solutions Architects often speak at conferences and events, write blogs, mentor interns, and run technical workshops. With experience, you can prepare for the Solutions Architect Professional or a Specialty level certification exam in Big Data, Machine Learning, or Security.

Decision Guide — AWS Solutions Architect Associate

3. AWS Certified Developer — Associate

This Associate-Level exam for AWS Developer validates a developer's ability to write, deploy, and maintain cloud-based applications. An AWS Developer is a professional who creates applications and services deployed on the AWS Cloud.

As you progress through the AWS Developer path, you can also prepare for the AWS DevOps Engineer Professional Certification. This will provide you with the necessary knowledge to meet domain expectations and gain a deeper understanding of each area.

Career Outlook

This AWS Certification is suitable for practitioners aiming to perform development roles, such as developing and maintaining AWS-based applications. Regardless of whether you are an experienced developer or a software engineer, this certification serves as an excellent starting point.

Exam Preparation

Prepare to demonstrate programming skills, a clear understanding of cloud application development, and the ability to apply foundational knowledge of cloud-native applications in code writing.

Is it right for you?

The AWS Developer Associate-level certification exam is challenging as it encompasses a wide range of topics. You should possess a functional knowledge of at least one high-level programming language and be proficient in identifying the key features of core AWS services. This knowledge is essential for building serverless applications and leveraging S3, DynamoDB, Elastic Beanstalk, Lambda, and API Gateway.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Developer Associate

4. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator — Associate

AWS SysOps Administrators primarily maintain AWS-based applications post-design and development. This associate-level exam evaluates the depth of knowledge in AWS services, Elastic Block Storage, and AWS IAM.

Career Outlook

AWS SysOps Administrators play a crucial role in managing tasks and activities following the development process. Their responsibilities also include managing user access, security, and routine operations.

Exam Preparation

The AWS SysOps certification exam is considered the most challenging among all associate level AWS certifications. Upon certification, you will gain increased recognition, opportunities, and a higher salary.

Is it right for you?

To become a SysOps Administrator, you need skills and knowledge in building cloud solutions on the AWS platform. The certification exam targets system administrators in a cloud operations role with a minimum of one year's hands-on experience in deployments, management, networking, and security on AWS.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified SysOps Administrator

5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional

A professional AWS Solutions Architect can assess an organization's needs and provide architectural recommendations for implementing and deploying AWS-based applications. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional exam necessitates a comprehensive understanding of designing technical strategies across various platforms and providers.

This program goes beyond testing in-depth knowledge of the AWS platform, delving into your ability to balance best practices and trade-offs based on business context.

Career Outlook

This advanced certification program validates high-level technical skills and multi-dimensional mastery of cloud architectures, qualifying individuals for Cloud Architect and Solutions Architect job roles at the professional level.

Exam Preparation

The AWS Solution Architect Professional Certification requires practitioners to be adept at architecting, securing, migrating, optimizing deployments, and managing production operations on AWS.

Is it right for you?

This is one of two AWS Professional certifications, suitable for those who have passed the AWS Solutions Architect - Associate exam. However, this is not a prerequisite. Badge holders of this professional certification are proficient in designing solutions across various platforms and providers.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional

6. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer — Professional

AWS DevOps Engineers possess a comprehensive understanding of implementing continuous delivery systems and methodologies on the AWS Cloud. The certification program emphasizes provisioning, operating, and managing AWS applications.

Career Outlook

There is a high demand for AWS Certified DevOps Engineers capable of integrating DevOps principles, application design, development, and releases for businesses. The average salary for these professionals in the U.S. is $127,116, which increases to $154,548 for Senior DevOps Engineers. Transitioning from AWS Certified Developer or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator to AWS Certified DevOps Engineer can further increase the salary.

Exam Preparation

You can self-study the basics of AWS DevOps Engineering. The exam primarily focuses on continuous delivery (CD) and process automation, two key DevOps concepts. Earning this certification can be challenging, and you may not pass on your first attempt. Consider a few learning programs from notable educators, including books and whitepapers, to gain practical experience in developing and maintaining AWS applications.

Is it right for you?

To become an AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, you need to be capable of automating resilient applications and infrastructure deployments using AWS services. Besides fundamental skills, you should be able to enforce policies, implement automated monitoring, and manage the configuration of an environment.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified DevOps Engineer

7. AWS Certified Advanced Networking  — Speciality

The AWS Advanced Networking certification program is designed to validate candidates' expertise in designing and implementing network solutions, as well as their technical knowledge for executing complex networking tasks on AWS. This certification validates your understanding of advanced networking architectures and your proficiency with AWS technology. It requires advanced knowledge of cloud-native and hybrid IT network architectures at scale.

Career Outlook

The demand for Cloud Networking Engineers is continually growing, making it a promising profession. Organizations are keen to maximize their AWS Cloud infrastructure, and as an AWS Cloud Networking Engineer, you will play a crucial role in integrating real-world networks with cloud resources.

Exam Preparation

This program is ideal for professionals with an associate-level certification, preferably SysOps Administrator, who wish to learn advanced networking topics. It presents a steep learning curve, requiring an enhanced technical understanding of cloud-native and hybrid networking on AWS.

Is it right for you?

The AWS Certified Network Specialist certification program is suitable for network architects, network engineers, and DevOps engineers interested in designing, deploying, and managing AWS cloud and hybrid network solutions. Most candidates have experience and certification from underlying network vendors such as Cisco, CompTIA, or VMware.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Advanced Networking

8. AWS Certified Data Analytics — Speciality

The AWS Certified Data Analytics — Specialty certification is designed for data professionals seeking to validate their expertise in big data design and architecture on the AWS platform. To qualify for the exam, you should have the ability to evaluate business requirements for big data applications and possess the functional knowledge to build, secure, maintain, and design data analytics solutions on AWS.

Career Outlook

This certification validates a deep understanding of AWS data analytics services and their integration. It is ideal for individuals aiming for a data analytics-focused role. With the increasing need for engineers skilled in data analytics technologies, the AWS Certified Data Analytics specialist is in high demand.

Exam Preparation

Prepare to demonstrate expertise in the key tools, topics, and services required for a successful data analytics pipeline. Consider a few online courses and updated practice tests to familiarize yourself with new big data services and analytics tools on the AWS platform. Learn how to manage the entire lifecycle of data collection, storage, processing, and visualization.

Is it right for you?

If you have an analytical mindset and can demonstrate your ability to extract value from data using AWS services, this certification may be right for you. It is also suitable for practitioners with some business experience looking to advance in the field of data analytics.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Data Analytics

9. AWS Certified Database — Speciality

The AWS Database — Specialty program is designed to validate candidates' expertise in recommending, designing, and implementing AWS cloud-based relational and NoSQL database systems. To become certified, you must have comprehensive knowledge of databases, including design, migration, deployment, data storage, maintenance, automation, monitoring, security, and troubleshooting.

Career Outlook

This certification signifies extensive real-world experience in AWS cloud-based database technologies, qualifying you for AWS Database Engineer or Specialist roles. The average salary for an experienced AWS Database Engineer can reach $296,000, 147% above the national average. An Amazon Database Engineer with less than five years of experience can earn approximately $134,048.

Exam Preparation

Develop a foundational understanding of the best database service for a workload, considering feature availability. Learn to technically leverage various AWS database offerings, such as RDS, Aurora, Aurora serverless and global database, DynamoDB, Database Migration Service, Redshift, and Neptune.

Is it right for you?

The AWS Certified Database — Speciality certification program is ideal for database and solutions engineers. It's challenging and requires a high-level familiarity with all AWS database solutions to pass the exam and validate your skills as a database engineer.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Database

10. AWS Certified Machine Learning — Speciality

The AWS Machine Learning Certification program validates your ability to design, deploy, and maintain machine learning solutions for various business problems in the AWS Cloud. It is one of six specialty level certifications offered by AWS.

Career Outlook

The increasing number of Machine Learning and Data Science jobs has led to fierce competition. The AWS ML Certification can give you an edge by certifying your ability to build and deploy machine learning solutions on AWS. As an AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer/Specialist, you will be equipped to create scalable, cost-optimized ML solutions to solve complex real-world business problems.

Exam Preparation

You can prepare for the exam by using exam blueprints, online courses, and whitepapers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services and platforms AWS offers for Machine Learning projects.

Is it right for you?

The AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty certification is ideal for ML Engineers and data scientists looking to validate their ML skills and specialty on the AWS platform. The exam is designed to test your understanding of core concepts related to machine learning and deep learning. Therefore, you should be able to explain the intuition behind Machine Learning algorithms.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Machine Learning

11. AWS Certified Security — Speciality

The AWS Security Certification validates your advanced cloud security skills, enabling you to enforce stringent security controls across all levels of AWS infrastructure deployments. This program allows security professionals to enhance their expertise in designing and implementing security solutions for data protection, encryption, infrastructure security, incident response, and more.

Career Outlook

The AWS Security certification intersects two of the hottest trends in technology today - cloud computing and security. If you're in the InfoSec field, applying your security expertise to the cloud is a wise step in expanding your competence. AWS Cloud Security Engineers are highly sought after and command top salaries. The AWS Security Certification, being one of the most practical specialty certifications, is highly beneficial for organizations and promises a good return on investment.

Exam Preparation

The security exam will assess your expertise and present scenarios that require secure problem-solving. A combination of instructional courses, hands-on labs, AWS quizzes, and practice tests will prepare you for the exam, provided you dedicate ample time to studying and gaining practical experience.

Is it right for you?

The AWS Certified Security Specialty certification is ideal for anyone interested in cloud security and designing secure systems. This credential validates your ability to identify, analyze, and implement security solutions on the AWS Cloud.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified Security

12. AWS Certified: SAP on AWS  —  Speciality

The AWS SAP Certification validates advanced technical skills and experience in managing and deploying SAP workloads on AWS. It allows SAP Architects to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and competence in designing, implementing, migrating, and operating SAP workloads on AWS.

Career Outlook

With many organizations moving their workloads to the SAP on the AWS cloud, earning AWS SAP Certification can significantly enhance your cloud career. This speciality certification program formally recognizes your SAP and AWS skills, helping companies identify and develop talent with critical knowledge and skills in optimizing SAP workloads on AWS. As the newest certification program, becoming one of the earliest AWS Certified SAP Specialists in the field can increase your opportunities for lucrative employment.

Exam Preparation

The first step in preparation is understanding the basics and the well-architected principles. The SAP Specialist collaborates closely with other stakeholders, such as solutions architects and SAP engineers, to ensure the long-term success of the SAP solutions and workloads running in the AWS Cloud.

Is it right for you?

The AWS Certified SAP — Specialty certification is suitable for anyone wanting to demonstrate deep working knowledge of SAP systems on AWS Cloud. The target candidates for this speciality certification are likely to have 5 or more years of SAP experience and 1 or more years of experience working with SAP on AWS. This credential validates your abilities to implement, migrate, and operate SAP workloads on AWS.

Decision Guide — AWS Certified: SAP on AWS 

_{Closing Note}

AWS continually expands its services, and we anticipate new certifications like AWS Certified SAP in various domains. With the growing demand for cloud computing skills, obtaining AWS certification is beneficial, particularly as hiring managers recognize its value. Now that you understand how to jumpstart your cloud computing career with AWS, are you ready to start learning? Good luck with your AWS Certification.

Footnote:

* New research quantifies the value of AWS Training and Certification for AWS Partners