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Quick answer: What is the AWS certification path?
- Foundational ($100) — Cloud Practitioner or AI Practitioner. No experience needed.
- Associate ($150) — Solutions Architect is the most in-demand next step.
- Professional ($300) — Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer or Generative AI Developer.
- Specialty ($300) — Security. Advanced Networking retires on Dec 31, 2026.
- Save 50% — every pass earns a 50% voucher for your next AWS exam.
Key takeaways
- AWS currently offers 12 certifications: 2 Foundational, 5 Associate, 3 Professional and 2 Specialty. That drops to 11 when Advanced Networking retires on Dec 31, 2026.
- Fees: $100 Foundational, $150 Associate, $300 Professional and Specialty (plus local taxes).
- Best first exam: Cloud Practitioner (or AI Practitioner). Best career-maker: Solutions Architect – Associate.
- New in the lineup: Generative AI Developer – Professional, and SysOps Administrator has become CloudOps Engineer – Associate.
- Every pass gives you a 50% discount voucher for your next AWS exam, so plan your path in sequence.
What is the AWS certification path?
AWS groups its certifications into four levels. You don't have to take them strictly in order: there are no formal prerequisites. But each level assumes the knowledge of the one before, so most people climb them like a ladder.
All AWS certifications in 2027 (with cost)
| Level | Certification | Exam fee | Recommended experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | $100 | None (about 6 months of AWS exposure helps) |
| Foundational | AWS Certified AI Practitioner | $100 | None |
| Associate | Solutions Architect – Associate | $150 | ~1 year hands-on with AWS |
| Associate | Developer – Associate | $150 | ~1 year building on AWS |
| Associate | CloudOps Engineer – Associate (formerly SysOps Administrator) | $150 | ~1 year operating AWS |
| Associate | Data Engineer – Associate | $150 | Data pipelines experience |
| Associate | Machine Learning Engineer – Associate | $150 | ML workloads on AWS |
| Professional | Solutions Architect – Professional | $300 | 2+ years designing on AWS |
| Professional | DevOps Engineer – Professional | $300 | 2+ years operating and automating AWS |
| Professional | Generative AI Developer – Professional | $300 | Building GenAI apps on AWS |
| Specialty | Security – Specialty | $300 | Deep security experience |
| Specialty | Advanced Networking – Specialty (retires Dec 31, 2026) | $300 | Deep networking experience |
Which AWS certification is best for beginners?
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the best first certification for most beginners. It covers cloud concepts, core services, security, pricing and support in a 65-question, 90-minute exam (pass mark: 700 out of 1,000)2. If your goal is AI, start with AWS Certified AI Practitioner instead. It's the same price and covers AI/ML and generative AI fundamentals.
Already technical (developer, sysadmin, network engineer)? You can skip Foundational and go straight to Solutions Architect – Associate.
AWS certification path by role
| Your goal | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud / Solutions Architect | Cloud Practitioner | Solutions Architect – Associate | Solutions Architect – Professional |
| AI / ML Engineer | AI Practitioner | Machine Learning Engineer – Associate | Generative AI Developer – Professional |
| Data Engineer | Cloud Practitioner | Data Engineer – Associate | Solutions Architect – Associate |
| Developer | Developer – Associate | Solutions Architect – Associate | DevOps Engineer – Professional |
| DevOps / Platform Engineer | CloudOps Engineer – Associate | Developer – Associate | DevOps Engineer – Professional |
| Security | Solutions Architect – Associate | CloudOps Engineer – Associate | Security – Specialty |
| Network Engineer | Solutions Architect – Associate | Advanced Networking – Specialty (before Dec 31, 2026) | Solutions Architect – Professional |
| Non-technical (sales, PM, finance) | Cloud Practitioner | AI Practitioner | (Optional) Solutions Architect – Associate |
Which AWS certification is most in demand?
Solutions Architect – Associate is widely regarded as the most in-demand AWS certification because it maps directly to cloud architect and cloud engineer job titles and covers the services most teams use. AI and data credentials (ML Engineer – Associate, Data Engineer – Associate, Generative AI Developer – Professional) are the fastest-growing areas as companies build AI on AWS.
Which is the hardest AWS certification?
The Professional exams, especially Solutions Architect – Professional and DevOps Engineer – Professional, are generally considered the hardest: about 75 long scenario questions in 180 minutes, testing design trade-offs across many services. The Security Specialty is also demanding because of its depth.
Prove it free: the tests that match this guide
Practise each step of the AWS path free (SOA practice tests are independent and not affiliated with AWS). (Disclosure: Science of Apps publishes these tests.)
- AWS Cloud Practitioner Practice ExamStep 1: Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02).Start free test →
- AWS AI Practitioner Practice ExamThe newer foundational AI exam on the path.Start free test →
- AWS Solutions Architect Associate Practice ExamStep 2: the most popular associate exam.Start free test →
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02) Practice TestProfessional level for DevOps specialists.Start free test →
How much does the AWS certification path cost?
A typical beginner path of Cloud Practitioner → Solutions Architect – Associate → Solutions Architect – Professional costs $100 + $150 + $300 = $550 in exam fees. With the 50% discount AWS gives you after each pass, the real cost is closer to $325 (taxes extra). Study materials range from free (AWS Skill Builder's free tier) to a few hundred dollars.
Can you get AWS certification for free?
The exams themselves are paid, but you can prepare for free: AWS Skill Builder3 has free digital courses and practice questions, AWS Educate offers free learning for students, and AWS occasionally runs challenges that award free or discounted exam vouchers. Employers and AWS partner companies often cover exam fees too.
How to study: a 6-week plan for Cloud Practitioner
- Week 1–2: AWS Skill Builder "Cloud Practitioner Essentials" + the official exam guide.
- Week 3: Hands-on with the AWS Free Tier: launch EC2, create an S3 bucket, explore IAM.
- Week 4: Billing, pricing and support plans (a commonly underestimated area).
- Week 5: Two timed practice exams; review every wrong answer.
- Week 6: Weak-area review using active recall, then book the exam (online or at a test center).
Download the roadmap image above as your AWS certification path diagram. It's free to share with credit.
How we checked this
Certification lineup and retirement dates were taken from aws.amazon.com/certification and checked in November 2026. Exam fees are AWS list prices in USD before tax.
Frequently asked questions
What is the AWS certification path?
Foundational (Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner) → Associate (Solutions Architect, Developer, CloudOps Engineer, Data Engineer, ML Engineer) → Professional (Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer, Generative AI Developer), plus Specialty exams for Security and Advanced Networking.
Which AWS certification is best for beginners?
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner ($100, 65 questions, 90 minutes). If you're aiming for AI roles, AWS Certified AI Practitioner is an equally good first step.
Which AWS certification is most in demand?
Solutions Architect – Associate is widely seen as the most in-demand because it maps directly to cloud architect and engineer roles. AI and data certifications are the fastest-growing.
Which is the hardest AWS certification?
The Professional-level exams, especially Solutions Architect – Professional and DevOps Engineer – Professional, are generally considered the hardest.
Can I get AWS certification for free?
The exams cost $100–$300, but preparation can be free through AWS Skill Builder and AWS Educate. AWS also occasionally offers free or discounted vouchers through challenges and events.
How long is an AWS certification valid?
Three years. You can recertify by passing the current version of the exam (or a higher-level exam in the same path).
Sources
- AWS Certification: all certifications
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner: exam overview
- AWS Skill Builder
- AWS exam fees by level (2026 summary)
- Checked November 11, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- PMP vs CAPM vs PRINCE2 — eligibility, fees and where each one counts
- High-paying jobs without a degree — 16 careers that pay $87K–$123K
- Career change at 40: start over, smarter — a 6-step plan and the best certifications
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AWS certifications in 2027: which exams are worth it, in what orderWhich AWS certifications are worth it in 2027: Cloud Practitioner ($100), AI Practitioner ($100), Solutions Architect ($150) and ML Engineer ($150), in order.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027AWS certifications ranked from easiest to hardest for 2027, and the order to take themAWS certifications ranked from easiest to hardest for 2027: Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner, Solutions Architect Associate and ML Engineer Associate.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The cloud certification roadmap for 2027: from first cloud exam to platform engineerA cloud certification roadmap for 2027: Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900, then AWS SAA, AZ-104 or Google ACE, then CKA and Terraform, then ML on cloud.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The machine learning certification roadmap for 2027: from beginner to expertA machine learning certification roadmap for 2027: Kaggle and CS50 AI, the ML Specialization, Deep Learning and LLMs, then AWS MLE, DP-100 and GC PMLE.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The networking certification roadmap for 2027: from beginner to expertA networking certification roadmap for 2027: Google IT Support or A+, Network+, CCNA, then Security+ and AWS SAA.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The AI certification roadmap for 2027: from first AI course to expert-level examsAn AI certification roadmap for 2027: AI Essentials and AI for Everyone, then AI-900 or AWS AI Practitioner, then ML and LLMs, then expert exams.
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