Amazon Web Services, or AWS, was launched in 2006 and has since then grown from offering just a few basic services to becoming a leading cloud services provider in the world. Today, it offers a vast array of cloud computing services that are leveraged by both large companies and startups. The best part is AWS continues to add new services and features to its offerings and thereby solidifying its position as a key player in the cloud space and driving innovation in the industry. Companies love the fact that AWS is able to provide a highly reliable, scalable, and secure cloud environment that can easily handle millions of users. Moreover, AWS offers a cost-effective way for clients to access a powerful and flexible cloud computing infrastructure.
With such a strong position in the market, there is a growing interest among professionals to gain AWS skills and establish their careers in this field. As it is a platform with vast features and services, one can’t gain expertise in all of them. This is the reason AWS offers role-based certifications to help professionals demonstrate their cloud skills, making them use only those services that are applicable to a specific job role. AWS Certifications are categorized into three levels – Foundational, Associate, and Professional. There is a Specialty category as well that focuses on imparting knowledge on unique topics.
This article makes you aware of the various AWS certifications and the cost associated with them. Knowing the AWS certification cost will help you understand how much you are expected to pay to achieve a particular certification.
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AWS Certification Cost Details
As we mentioned earlier, you should know what certifications AWS offers; here are the names:
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Foundational – 100 USD
- AWS Certified Developer Associate – 150 USD
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional – 300 USD
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional
- AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty – 300 USD
- AWS Certified Data Analytics Specialty
- AWS Certified Database Specialty
- AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty
- AWS Certified Security Specialty
- AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty
As you can see, the Specialty certifications are related to specific areas like data analytics, machine learning, advanced networking, and so on. Now let us look at the cost of AWS certifications:
The cost for Foundational level AWS certification – USD 100
The cost for Associate level AWS certification – USD 150
The cost for Professional level AWS certification – USD 300
The cost for Specialty AWS certification – USD 300
So, whatever certification you want to apply for, check which category it belongs to. You will then know the price of that particular certification. Note that the price is not associated with achieving the certification but is taken as an exam fee. If you pass the exam successfully, only then will you be awarded a certificate by AWS.
Which AWS Certification is Right for Me?
Initially, you may think of skipping the Foundational level certification and directly going for Associate level certification. However, many people who did so found that there was so much they didn’t already know about AWS and had to start everything from scratch. So, we would recommend that when beginning with AWS, it is always better to opt for the Foundational level certification, i.e., AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. You will then go through all the study materials that are specifically designed for beginners in the field.
Next, Associate level certifications are meant for those who have at least one or two years of experience working with AWS services. Based on whether you want to become a cloud architect, developer, or system administrator, you can choose the desired certification. When you have reaped the benefits of achieving an Associate level certification, you can then aim for Professional level certifications – they validate that you have advanced cloud skills. Contrary to these common choices, if you are interested in different areas like the ones mentioned earlier, you can opt for Specialty certifications offered by AWS.
Do I Need Training?
Looking at the above description, you can guess that AWS certifications can’t be achieved by everyone. Only those with specialized cloud skills can clear the difficult AWS certification exams and validate their knowledge in this domain. However, if you are determined to achieve the AWS certification, then you may take the help of various online learning resources and training programs dedicated to passing the AWS certification exams. Fortunately, AWS itself offers a range of training materials to help professionals do better preparation. In fact, there are various third-party training providers whose courses are worth taking to prepare for AWS certification exams.
Whether you are looking for a self-paced course, instructor-led course, text tutorials, whitepapers, or other learning stuff, AWS has it all. As per the data available on the AWS website, around 90% of respondents in a survey pointed out the fact that AWS Training and Certification programs contributed to their assignment to special cloud projects. Moreover, 74% of them credited AWS certification as the reason for higher earnings.
So, without further delay, consider achieving AWS certification soon and watch your cloud career flourish.
