By Quick answer: Which machine learning certifications get you hired in 2027?
- AWS — ML Engineer – Associate ($150).
- Google Cloud — Professional ML Engineer ($200).
- Azure — DP-100 or AI-102.
- GenAI — Databricks GenAI Engineer ($200).
Key takeaways
- ML hiring is platform-specific; match the cloud in the job post.
- AI and ML specialists are among the fastest-growing jobs (WEF).
- A deployed model beats a notebook in interviews.
AI and machine learning specialists are among the fastest-growing jobs in the WEF's 2025 report.1 ML job posts usually name a platform (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Databricks), and the certifications that help you get hired prove you can build and deploy on it. These five do.
The top 5 at a glance
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1502 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 2 | Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning EngineerGoogle Cloud | $2003 | 2 hours, multiple choice | Free test |
| 3 | Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)Microsoft | Exam priced by country4 | Self-paced | Free test |
| 4 | Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)Microsoft | Exam priced by country5 | 100 minutes | Free test |
| 5 | Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer AssociateDatabricks | $2006 | 90 minutes | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- AWS ML Engineer Associate Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- Google Professional ML Engineer Practice ExamPractise for Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer before you pay.Start free test →
- Azure Machine Learning Certification TestPractise for Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) before you pay.Start free test →
- AI-102 Practice TestPractise for Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102) before you pay.Start free test →
Each certification, and the job post it matches
- AWSAWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateML engineer roles on AWS$150
- Google CloudGoogle Cloud Professional Machine Learning EngineerSenior ML roles on Google Cloud$200
- MicrosoftMicrosoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)Data scientist roles on AzureExam priced by country
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate
- Cost
- $1502
Matches ML engineer roles on AWS: data prep, training, deployment and monitoring. $150. AWS's associate exam proves you can prepare data, train, deploy and monitor machine learning models on AWS. It costs $150 and expects hands-on ML and AWS experience, making it a strong credential for ML engineers.
Best forML engineer roles on AWS
Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer
- Cost
- $2003
- Format
- 2 hours, multiple choice
Matches senior ML roles on Google Cloud. Two hours, $200. Google Cloud's professional exam tests production machine learning: framing problems, building pipelines and serving and monitoring models. It's two hours, costs $200 and is aimed at experienced ML engineers.
Best forsenior ML roles on Google Cloud
Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country4
Matches data scientist roles on Azure: training and deploying models with Azure ML. Microsoft's associate exam proves you can train and deploy machine learning models with Azure Machine Learning. It's priced by country, needs Python and ML basics and renews free online each year.
Best fordata scientist roles on Azure
Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country5
- Format
- 100 minutes
Matches AI engineer roles building generative AI and AI apps on Azure. Microsoft's associate exam proves you can build AI solutions on Azure, including generative AI, language and vision apps. It's a 100-minute exam priced by country, needs coding skills and renews free online each year.
Best forAI engineer roles on Azure
Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer Associate
- Cost
- $2006
- Format
- 90 minutes
Matches GenAI engineer roles on Databricks. 90 minutes, $200. Databricks' associate exam proves you can design and build LLM applications on the Databricks platform, from data preparation to evaluation. It's 90 minutes and costs $200, so it suits data and AI engineers whose teams use Databricks.
Best forGenAI engineer roles on Databricks
Portfolio that backs up an ML certification
- A deployed model — behind an API, with monitoring.
- A write-up — data, choices, metrics, trade-offs.
- Code — clean, tested and on GitHub.
How we ranked these picks
We chose proctored ML certifications that map to the platforms named in ML job posts. Fees come from official pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which ML certification is best for jobs?
The one matching your target employer's cloud: AWS ML Engineer, Google Cloud PMLE or Azure DP-100.
Can freshers get ML jobs with certifications?
It's competitive. A certification plus deployed projects and strong Python helps most.
Is Google Cloud PMLE hard?
It's professional-level and expects production experience. Many take an associate exam first.
Do ML engineers need certifications?
Not always, but they help prove platform skills, especially for career changers.
Is there a free ML practice test?
Yes. Science of Apps offers free machine learning tests with instant results.
Sources
- World Economic Forum — The Future of Jobs Report 2025
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google Cloud — Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Databricks — Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 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
- The best online certifications of 2027 — the full top 10 across every field
- Best Machine Learning Certifications of 2027: Top 10 Ranked — related guide
- Best AI Certifications of 2027: 10 Ranked by Career Impact — related guide
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 data science certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones data science job posts rewardThe top 5 data science certifications to get hired in 2027: Azure DP-100, IBM Data Science, Google Advanced Data Analytics, AWS ML Engineer and Databricks.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 AI certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones recruiters actually search forThe top 5 AI certifications to get hired in 2027: AWS AI Practitioner, Azure AI-102, AWS ML Engineer, Google Cloud Generative AI Leader and Databricks GenAI.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 cloud computing certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones cloud job posts nameThe top 5 cloud certifications to get hired in 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, CKA and Terraform, matched to job titles.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 DevOps certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones job posts nameThe top 5 DevOps certifications to get hired in 2027: CKA, Terraform, AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104 and Google Cloud ACE.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The highest-paying AI certifications of 2027: seven tied to the best-paid AI rolesThe 7 AI certifications tied to the best-paid AI roles in 2027: AWS ML Engineer, Google Cloud ML Engineer, Azure AI-102, Databricks GenAI and more.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 networking certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones job posts nameThe top 5 networking certifications to get hired in 2027: CCNA, Network+, Security+, AWS Solutions Architect and Azure AZ-104.
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