Best AWS Certifications in 2024: Choose the Right One

As more and more organizations shift their workloads to the public cloud, cloud computing has evolved from being an optional precious commodity to a must-have service. Choose the best AWS certification path for your AWS journey.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) alone owns over 60% of the public cloud market. Therefore, there is no denying the fact that the AWS platform is one of the best platforms to get a certification in.

Here, we cover the best AWS certifications in 2024, listing a range of options that each have their own pros and cons.

Best AWS Certifications in 2024 Summarized

What is the AWS Certification?

AWS Certification further enhances the skills of in-demand cloud computing personnel, bolstering companies’ bids to build effective and innovative teams for cloud initiatives using AWS. These certification programs contain a series of exams to choose from, which are based on role and specialty, and are designed to empower the respective teams and individuals to meet their unique goals. 

The different role-based certifications offered are:

• Cloud Practitioner 
• Architect
• Developer 
• Operations 
• Engineers
• Administrator

Although each certification test varies in exam time and exam cost, all of them follow a multiple-choice, multiple-answer exam format. The certification is valid for two years, so professionals are required to recertify when their certifications expire. 

Also, all certification tests are available in some non-English languages except the AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty certification, which is available only in English. Each one of the AWS Cloud certifications (Amazon Web Services Certification) is explained in detail as follows:

Why is AWS Certification Important?

Cloud computing is the hottest trend in the information technology industry. Every organization, irrespective of its size, is keen on transferring their applications, infrastructure, legacy systems to the cloud. This has led to high demand for cloud computing professionals in the industry. AWS currently holds a majority share, and earning an AWS certificate gives you the following benefits: 

Which AWS Certification is in Demand?

Frankly, all AWS certifications are quite in demand at the moment. However, the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certification and the AWS Certified Security certifications seem to be the most sought after at the moment. One focuses on the DevOps role, while the other is a speciality exam that teaches you the best practices in cloud security.

What is the Highest Paying AWS Certification?

There’s no straight answer to this question, as it’ll depend on the job role, your experience and the company itself - like any job opportunity. However, in 2021, an AWS Certified Solutions Architect had the highest average salary at $161K. Bear in mind that other certifications and related roles had average annual salaries within a few thousand dollars.

Is AWS Certification Worth it in 2024?

AWS is the market leader in cloud computing, and several companies make use of the platform’s products and services. It continues to grow going into 2024, so getting an AWS certification is absolutely worth it. 

You have several certifications and specializations to choose from, so you’re not limited in any way. Besides, continual learning and development is a key part of career growth in the IT field, so an AWS certification goes a long way.

Is an AWS Certification Enough to Get a Job?

A single AWS certification on its own will not be enough to get a job, but a few certifications on top of actual experience will certainly make you more employable. Having experience in the IT field is important, but fortunately, many employers are willing to accept those that have independent experience as opposed to having worked in a company. 

Related Course

Ultimate AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03

The Best AWS Certifications in 2024

Currently, the AWS certification levels are split into four categories, with a total of 11 certifications.

Foundational

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - Foundational 

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is an entry-level certification meant to validate a candidate’s understanding of the AWS Cloud. This is the AWS fundamentals certification and it is where you will first start. 

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is required for gaining AWS Specialty certification or Associate certification.

Prerequisites:

• A basic understanding of IT services and their applications in the AWS Cloud platform
• Minimum 6 months of general AWS Cloud experience in any role: financial, managerial, purchasing, sales, or technical

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Underlying security and compliance, the shared responsibility model for security
• Core deployment and operating principles
• Essential AWS services and their everyday use cases
• Knowledge of basic AWS architectural principles
• The value proposition of the AWS Cloud

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification below.

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Associate

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification is designed for candidates with some experience in developing cost-effective, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed systems on AWS. The associate-level certification validates the following abilities:

• Coming up with an effective solution using architectural design principles as per customer requirements
• Offer implementation guidance to the employer organization through the entire lifecycle of a project
• The know-how of architecting and deploying secure and robust applications on AWS technologies

Prerequisites:

• A good understanding of the AWS global infrastructure, basic architectural principles of building on the AWS Cloud, network technologies, and security features and tools provided by the AWS
• Practical experience of using computing, database, networking, and storage AWS services as well as AWS deployment and management services
• The ability to identify which AWS services meet given technical requirements and define requirements for an AWS-based application
• Understanding of recommended best practices for building secure and reliable applications on AWS

Exam Details:

Topics:

• AWS-related data security practices, disaster recovery techniques, and troubleshooting
• Building secure and reliable applications on the AWS platform
• Deploying hybrid systems having an on-premises data center and AWS components
• Designing highly available and scalable systems
• Understanding how:
• AWS-based applications work
• Client interfaces connect to the AWS
• Implementation and deployment in AWS
• Network technologies and how they work in the AWS platform

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification below.

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3. AWS Certified Developer – Associate

The AWS Certified Developer certification is related to the development and maintenance of AWS-based applications. This is meant for individuals who have one or more years of professional experience in developing and preserving AWS-based applications.

The following are the skills validated by the AWS Certified Developer certification:

• A working understanding of the underlying AWS architecture, core AWS services and uses, and best practices
• Proficiency in developing, debugging, and deploying cloud-based applications using AWS

Prerequisites:

• The ability to:
• Apply a good understanding of cloud-native applications to write code
• Author, debug and maintain code modules on AWS
• Identify key features of AWS services
• Use a CI/CD pipeline for deploying applications on AWS
• Use and interact with AWS services
• Use the AWS service APIs, CLI, and SDKs to write applications
• Write code while following AWS security best practices
• Have a good understanding of underlying AWS architecture best practices, AWS services and uses, AWS shared responsibility model, application lifecycle management, and use of containers in the development process
• In-depth understanding of at least one high-level programming language
• Proficiency in developing, debugging, and deploying cloud-based applications with AWS
• Skilled in writing code for server-less applications

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Application development using essential AWS services, including databases, notifications, storage and change management, and workflow services
• Basic AWS architecture
• Core AWS services
• Designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining applications

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Developer certification below.

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4. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

The only certification focusing on system administrators is the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification. It is designed for professionals with at least one year of experience in deployment, management, and operations on AWS.

Clearing the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator exam requires both conceptual knowledge as well as the technical expertise of the operations aspects of the AWS platform. The AWS certification validates a candidate for:

• Deploying, managing, and operating highly-available, fault-tolerant, scalable systems on AWS
• Estimating AWS usage costs and identifying cost control mechanisms
• Identifying the suitable use of AWS operations best practices
• Implementing and controlling the flow of data from and to AWS
• Making the best AWS service pick based on computing, data, and/or security requirements
• Migrating on-premises workloads to AWS

Prerequisites:

• A sound understanding of:
• Networking concepts, such as DNS, firewalls, and TCP/IP
• Network technologies and how they relate to AWS
• The AWS tenets – architecting for the cloud
• Various security concepts along with hands-on experience in implementing compliance requirements and security controls
• Virtualization technology
• Ability to translate architectural requirements
• Experience with:
• Monitoring and auditing systems
• The AWS CLI and SDKs/API tools

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Applications deployment to the AWS platform
• Choosing the most suitable AWS services as per organizational needs
• Exchanging data among data centers and AWS
• Managing, provisioning, and securing systems in an AWS environment

You can sign up for the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification below.

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Professional

5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

An individual with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification can evaluate an organization’s needs to make architectural recommendations for implementing and deploying applications on AWS. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification is a mandatory prerequisite for this course.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification is for professionals with one or more years of experience as a Professional Solutions Architect role involved with managing and operating systems on AWS. It validates the following skills:

• Choosing an appropriate AWS services for designing and deploying an application based on given requirements
• Designing and deploying dynamically scalable, fault-tolerant, highly-available, and reliable applications on AWS
• Designing and using enterprise-level scalable operations on AWS
• Implementing cost-control strategies
• Migrating complex, multi-tier applications on AWS

Prerequisites:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification (mandatory)
• The ability to:
• Architect a continuous integration and deployment process
• Evaluate cloud application requirements and come up with architectural recommendations for deploying, implementing, and provisioning applications on AWS
• Offer best practices guidance for architectural design across multiple enterprise applications and projects
• Design a hybrid architecture by using key AWS technologies
• Explain and apply the five pillars of the AWS Well-Architected Framework
• Familiar with:
• A scripting language
• AWS CLI, AWS APIs, AWS CloudFormation templates, the AWS Billing Console, and the AWS Management Console
• Windows and Linux environments
• Map business objectives to application or architecture requirements
• Two or more years of experience in designing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Best practices involved with architecting the designing applications on AWS
• Choosing the ideal AWS service as per the requirements of an application
• Know-how of cost optimization strategies
• Migration of complex application systems to AWS

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification below.

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6. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certification is intended for professionals having two or more years of experience as a DevOps Engineer and involved with operating, managing, and provisioning AWS environments. It mandates having either the AWS Certified Developer certification or the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification.

The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certification is about managing, operating, and provisioning applications on the AWS platform. The AWS certification validates the following abilities:

• Defining and deploying metrics, monitoring, and logging systems on AWS
• Designing, managing, and maintaining tools for automating operational processes
• Implementing:
• As well as automating security controls, compliance validation, and governance processes
• And managing continuous delivery systems and methodologies on AWS
• Highly-available, scalable, self-healing systems on the AWS platform

Prerequisites:

• AWS Certified Developer OR AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification (mandatory)
• A good understanding of modern development and operations related processes and methodologies
• Experienced in:
• Administering operating systems
• Building highly automated infrastructures
• Developing code in a high-level programming language

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Basics of modern CD methodologies
• Designing and managing tools that automate production operations
• Implement highly-available, scalable systems on AWS
• Know-how of implementing CD systems
• Setting up monitoring and logging systems on AWS

You can sign up for the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certification below.

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Specialty

7. AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty

Designed for those with a background in data analytics, AWS Certified Big Data certification is meant for those individuals with at least two years of experience using AWS technology and performing complex Big Data analysis.

The AWS Certified Big Data certification validates a candidate’s knowledge of:

• Designing and maintaining Big Data
• Implementing core AWS Big Data services as per the underlying architecture best practices
• Leveraging tools for automating data analysis

Prerequisites:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner/AWS Certified Solutions Architect/AWS Certified Developer/AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
• Background in defining and architecting AWS Big Data services and understanding of how the same fit in the data life cycle of collection, ingestion, storage, processing, and visualization
• Experience in designing the cost-effective and scalable architecture to process data

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Architecting best practices to implement core AWS Big Data services
• Designing and maintaining Big Data
• AWS Tools for automating data analysis
• Knowledge of AWS services, including Athena, Kinesis, Quicksight, and Rekognition
• Security best practices for Big Data solutions

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Big Data certification below.

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8. AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking certification is for professionals involved with performing complex networking tasks. Candidates interested in the AWS certification must have a background in architecting and implementing network solutions on AWS.

The following abilities are validated by the AWS Certified Advanced Networking certification:

• Designing, developing, and deploying cloud-based solutions using AWS
• Creating and maintaining network architecture for all AWS services
• Implementing core AWS services in accord with the underlying architecture best practices
• Leveraging tools for automating AWS networking tasks

Prerequisites:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner/AWS Certified Solutions Architect/AWS Certified Developer/AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
• Ability to develop automation scripts and tools
• Advanced understanding of AWS networking concepts and technologies
• Capability to come up with generic solutions for network security features, such as DDoS protection, EDoS, IDS, IPS, and WAF
• Know about the networking technologies within the OSI model and how they affect implementation decisions
• Knowledge of advanced networking architectures and interconnectivity options
• Understanding of IPv6 transition challenges, and CIDR and subnetting

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Automating AWS tasks for network deployments
• Designing, developing, and deploying cloud solutions with the AWS platform
• Implementing core services concerning architectural best practices
• Network optimization and troubleshooting
• Security and compliance design as well as implementation

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Advanced Networking certification below.

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9. AWS Certified Security – Specialty

The AWS Certified Security certification offers topics that are required by security professionals and teams to follow best practices, champion security fundamentals, and build in-depth knowledge of critical services about the AWS platform.

Intended for professionals serving a security role for two or more years with practical experience in securing AWS workloads, the AWS Certified Security certification validates following abilities:

• A good understanding of:
• Data encryption methods and AWS mechanisms to implement the same
• Secure Internet protocols and corresponding AWS mechanisms for implementation
• Security operations and risk
• Specialized data classifications as well as AWS data protection mechanisms
• Competency in production deployment using AWS security services and features
• Knowledge of AWS security services and features of services to offer a secure production environment
• Make suitable trade-off decisions regarding cost, deployment complexity, and security as per a set of application requirements

Prerequisites:

• A minimum of 5 years of IT security experience and knowledge of designing and implementing security solutions
• At least two years of experience in securing AWS workloads
• Knowledge of security controls for workloads on AWS

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Amazon CloudWatch, Amazon Inspector, Amazon GuardDuty, Amazon Key Management Service, AWS CloudTrail, AWS Config, AWS Identity and Access Management, and AWS Trusted Advisor
• Implementing logging and monitoring solutions for detecting and analyzing security vulnerabilities within an infrastructure
• Selecting suitable data protection techniques, such as encryption mechanisms
• Using a variety of AWS services for choosing the best level of security based on deployments and data sensitivity

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Security certification here.

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10. AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

The AWS Certified Machine Learning certification is designed for individuals assuming a Development or Data Science role. The AWS certification validates the following abilities:

• Choosing an appropriate ML approach for a given set of business requirements
• Designing and implementing cost-effective, reliable, scalable, and secure machine learning solutions
• Identifying the best AWS services for implementing optimum ML solutions

   

Prerequisites:

• Two or more years of experience in developing, architecting, and/or running ML or Deep Learning workloads on the AWS Cloud
• Experience in using Deep Learning and ML frameworks
• The ability to:
• Express the intuition behind basic ML algorithms
• Follow model-training, deployment and operational best practices
• Perform basic hyperparameter optimization

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Designing and implementing cost-optimized, reliable, and secure Machine Learning solutions
• Identification of the relevant AWS solutions for creating and deploying the best ML solution
• Selecting and justifying the best ML approach for some given business problem

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Machine Learning certification below.

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Bonus AWS Certification

11. AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty

For individuals with an Alexa Skill Builder role, the AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder certification is the ideal way to go. This certification validates the following abilities:

• An understanding of the value of voice
• Designing the best user experiences and architecture to build the skill
• Developing, testing, troubleshooting, and verifying the skill
• Following Alexa and AWS security best practices for the skill
• Managing:
• The skill-publishing process and work with the Alexa Developer Console
• Skill operations and lifecycle

Prerequisites:

• Six months or more experience in building Alex skills with the Alexa Skills Kit, including capabilities that incorporate services from the AWS Cloud
• Have published at least one Alexa skill
• Knowledge of at least one programming language

Exam Details:

Topics:

• Alexa and AWS best practices for security
• Creating, testing, and validating the skill
• The Alexa Developer Console
• The value of voice
• User experience design

You can sign up for the AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder certification below.

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12. AWS Recertification

The total number of AWS features and services increases every year. Therefore, to demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of AWS services and best practices, certification holders need to recertify every two years.

There are two ways to recertify for an AWS certification:

• Pass the professional-level exam for the same certification
• Pass the recertification exam for the existing certification

Every recertification exam has a total time duration of 80 minutes and costs 75 USD. 

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How to Become AWS Certified

Although there are no specific steps to get certified, the following steps will give you a general idea of how to go about it.

First, enrolling in an AWS training class increases your knowledge of cloud computing and AWS. Next, study and review the exam guides and test yourself. This includes the multiple AWS whitepapers that are available, as they hold some invaluable information. Most importantly, practice as much as you can! Practice exams will help you prepare and train you for exam day.

Schedule the exam once you are done with your preparation. It typically takes anywhere from 80-120 hours of practice/studying to be prepared enough for the exam, based on experience and the certification you are pursuing.

AWS Certifications Can Make A Difference to Your Career

Amazon Web Services is continuously expanding in terms of products and features. As such, anyone aiming to make it big with AWS must stay abreast with the latest developments.

Having an AWS certification on your resume will put you a distance ahead of your peers to grab a lucrative AWS opportunity. The best AWS projects will also help you prepare for your AWS certification exam, and get practicing today!

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