AWS Certification Path 2026: Complete Roadmap for Cloud Professionals

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📢 Updated September 2026: AWS has added a new Business category with the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) beta exam, and the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) exam retires on December 31, 2026.

AWS Certification

Selecting the appropriate AWS certification path may become difficult because there are various possibilities available in cloud, architecture, development, data, AI/ML, security, DevOps, and AI business strategy. Be it a beginner starting off in cloud computing , a veteran IT professional seeking career advancement, or a business leader driving AI adoption, selecting the correct certification roadmap becomes imperative.

AWS Certification Roadmap 2026 gives you a comprehensive guide for understanding the hierarchy, pathways, experience needed, and certifications required to achieve different cloud and AI careers. AWS certifications are grouped into five categories – Business, Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty – allowing learners to progressively develop their knowledge of cloud and AI.

From AWS Cloud Practitioner for beginners and the new AI Business Strategist for business professionals, to AWS Solutions Architect Professional, AWS DevOps Engineer Professional, Security Specialty, and Generative AI certifications, this roadmap will help you select the correct path depending on your career objectives. In this roadmap, you will learn about:

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Crack your AWS exam with ease! Download your free preparation guide now. Earning certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or AWS Certified DevOps will help you establish credibility and accessibility in the fast-developing cloud job market. You should first learn where to begin and what to do next in your certification path with the help of this detailed post, so let’s get into it:

In what ways is AWS certification recognized?

Being AWS certified demonstrates that you have up-to-date, industry-relevant knowledge validated by the global leader in cloud computing. These certifications help IT professionals build strong technical skills, help business professionals lead AI initiatives, and promote best practices for designing and deploying cloud-based solutions.

  • Enhances your credibility and confidence in cloud and AI technologies
  • Opens up opportunities to work on diverse, high-impact projects
  • It is globally recognized, making it easier to apply for roles around the world
  • Signals to employers that you are well-trained and job-ready

AWS Certifications Path 2026

Are you looking to boost your career in the cloud computing industry? Amazon Web Services (AWS) certifications can open doors to lucrative opportunities and demonstrate your expertise in the AWS cloud ecosystem. But with a variety of certifications available, where should you start? This AWS certification exam roadmap will guide you through the process of choosing the right certifications for your career goals. Irrespective of the size of a Company, everyone in the industry has started to adopt cloud services in one way or another, and AWS is the leading player in the cloud services provider industry. AWS Training & Certification from K21 Academy is designed to provide in-depth knowledge about AWS services, not only from a certification point of view but also from a job perspective.

Certification Level Certification Exam Code Relevant Job Roles
Business (New) AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (Beta) AIB-C01 Product/Program Manager, Business Analyst, Consultant, Line-of-Business Leader, Sales & Marketing Professional
Foundational AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 Cloud Practitioner, Cloud Support Associate, Cloud Consultant
AWS Certified AI Practitioner – Foundational AIF-C01 AI Solutions Associate, AI/ML Consultant, Cloud AI Specialist
Associate AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 Solutions Architect, Cloud Architect, IT Systems Engineer
AWS Certified Developer – Associate DVA-C02 Software Developer, Cloud Developer, Backend Developer
AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate DEA-C01 Data Engineer, Cloud Data Architect, Data Analyst
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate MLA-C02 ML Engineer, Data Scientist, Machine Learning Developer
AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate SOA-C03 CloudOps Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, Systems Administrator
Professional AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional AIP-C01 Generative AI Developer, AI / ML Engineer, Applied AI Engineer, LLM Application Developer, AI Solutions Developer
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional SAP-C02 Senior Solutions Architect, Enterprise Architect, Cloud Solutions Engineer

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

DOP-C02

DevOps Engineer, Automation Engineer, Cloud Operations Engineer

Specialty AWS Certified Security – Specialty SCS-C03 Security Architect, Cloud Security Engineer, Information Security Specialist
AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (Retiring Dec 31, 2026) ANS-C01 Cloud Network Engineer, AWS Network Architect, Hybrid Cloud Engineer

Related Reading: Get Started with AWS: Learn How to Create Your Free Tier Account

Amazon Web Services offers certifications across five categories: Business, Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. Such certifications aim to help learners develop from novice cloud and AI knowledge to expert AWS skills.

AWS Certifications

How to Get AWS Certified – AWS Cloud Certification Hierarchy

What Experience do I need?

These are the most frequently asked questions that I’ll try to answer for you. Every person comes from different starting points, so the answers to the above questions will depend on your current skills and experience, and what your career objectives are. Therefore, I’d like to start with an overview of the different categories of certification and how they relate to your background and career aspirations.

  • Business: Cloud & AI for business outcomes. No technical experience needed.
  • Foundational: Core cloud & AI concepts. No prior experience needed.
  • Associate: Core AWS skills. Cloud or IT experience recommended.
  • Professional: Advanced architecture & solutions. 2+ years of AWS experience.
  • Specialty: Deep expertise in specific AWS areas.

In 2019, AWS removed the prerequisites from all AWS certifications, so this means you can now take ANY certification at any time; you don’t need to complete other certifications first. Now you’ll learn that there is a structure to the AWS certification learning paths, and it is wise to follow that structure to maximize your chance of success in your exams and, most importantly, to ensure you have a good skill set to take into your working life.

A certificate recognizes your knowledge, but real knowledge is what makes the certificate count.

certification or knowledge

What are the non-technical AWS certifications available?

When you step into the world of AWS Certification, you’ll find that there are several non-technical paths designed for those who may not have a deep background in technology but still want to shine in the cloud computing arena. For instance, imagine diving into the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification—it’s like getting your feet wet while gaining a broad understanding of AWS services and their benefits without needing an IT degree! This cert is beginner-friendly and covers essential concepts such as cloud economics and security practices. This can help you effectively communicate AWS solutions and understand market trends even better. The new AWS Certified AI Business Strategist goes one step further for business professionals. It is AWS’s first certification built for the business side of AI, with no coding and no hands-on AWS setup. It validates your ability to build AI business cases, measure ROI, manage AI risk, and scale AI across an organization.

BUSINESS LEVEL CERTIFICATION (NEW)

1. AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) – Beta

The AWS Certified AI Business Strategist is a new Business category certification, currently available as a beta exam. It is designed for professionals who evaluate, champion, or scale AI initiatives inside their organization or for their clients, without writing a single line of code. Unlike other AWS certifications, it does not test hands-on AWS service configuration. Instead, it validates strategic, portable skills: choosing the right AI solution for a business problem (and knowing when not to use AI), building AI strategies aligned with business goals, measuring value with KPIs and ROI, applying Responsible AI principles, and scaling AI from pilot to enterprise-wide deployment. AWS Certified AI Business Strategist AIB-C01

AWS Certified AI Business Strategist [AIB-C01] Exam
Domain 1: AI Fundamentals and Literacy 24%
Domain 2: AI Strategy and Business Value Creation 28%
Domain 3: AI Governance and Responsible AI Leadership 24%
Domain 4: Business Readiness, Leadership, and AI Transformation 24%
  • Who Should Take It: Product and program managers, sales and business development professionals, line-of-business leaders, consultants, business analysts, and marketing professionals.
  • What You’ll Learn: AI and generative AI concepts in business terms, identifying high-impact use cases, build vs. buy vs. partner decisions, KPIs and ROI, AI governance and risk, organizational AI readiness, and scaling AI through an AI Center of Excellence.
  • Recommended Experience: Basic familiarity with AI concepts, a strategic-level awareness of AWS AI services, and around 6 months of experience working with or alongside teams adopting AI. No coding, hands-on AWS experience, or prior certification required.
  • Why Start Here? Companies increasingly expect existing business professionals to lead AI adoption. This credential proves you can own AI outcomes from the business case through to production.
  • Career Outcome: This certification helps professionals move toward roles such as AI Strategy Lead, AI Product Manager, AI Transformation Consultant, and AI Program Manager.
  • Recommended Next Step: ➡ AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) to strengthen technical AI literacy, or ➡ AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) for a broader cloud foundation.
  • Early Adopter Badge: Earn this certification by February 15, 2027 to receive an exclusive Early Adopter digital badge.
  • Read the full guide: AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) Exam Guide 2026
  • AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01): Business-category certification with 85 questions in 170 minutes (beta), passing score 700, cost $50 during beta ($100 standard); validates business judgment for AI strategy, governance, and value creation.

FOUNDATIONAL LEVEL CERTIFICATION

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

This is a basic or entry-level certification that is designed for people who want to build and validate their overall understanding of the AWS cloud. This path is beneficial for those who are more in managerial, sales, technical, finance, and purchasing roles working with the AWS cloud. There is only one exam on this path, which is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification | AWS Certification | AWS

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner [CLF-C02] Exam Domains
Cloud Concepts 24%
Security and Compliance 30%
Cloud Technology and Services 34%
Billing, Pricing, and Support 12%

You can start your AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner with us, which is the best place to start for anyone who’s new to cloud computing. This will help you build your core strength—the foundation you’ll need as you dive deeper into the inner workings of AWS. So, if you are ready to fly with us on the AWS Cloud journey, then take the first step on your AWS learning path and begin your cloud quest with our AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner course.

  • Who Should Take It: Beginners with no prior AWS experience.
  • What You’ll Learn: Fundamentals of AWS cloud services, architecture, pricing, and basic security.
  • Recommended Experience: None required.
  • Why Start Here? The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam provides a solid foundation for understanding AWS concepts.
  • Career Outcome: This certification helps beginners move toward roles such as:
    • Cloud Support Associate
    • Cloud Consultant
    • Cloud Sales Specialist
    • Cloud Project Coordinator
  • Recommended Next Step: Move toward: ➡ AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03)
  • Check out the AWS Cloud Practitioner Hands-on Labs blog
  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02): Foundational-level certification with 65 questions in 90 minutes, passing score 700, cost $100; ideal for beginners to validate cloud concepts and basic AWS knowledge.

2. AWS Certified AI Practitioner

AWS Certified AI Practitioner Exam covers the breadth of AI frameworks, concepts, and associated AWS technologies, with an emphasis on generative AI. The entire exam content outline for AWS Certified AI Practitioner focuses on AI, ML, and generative AI. You should take the exam that best aligns with your interests and needs. You also have the option to earn both certifications if you want to demonstrate a strong grasp of both AWS cloud and AI/ML. AWS AI Practitioner

AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) Exam Domains
Domain 1: Fundamentals of AI and ML 20%
Domain 2: Fundamentals of Generative AI 24%
Domain 3: Applications of Foundation Models 28%
Domain 4: Guidelines for Responsible AI 14%
Domain 5: Security, Compliance, and Governance for AI Solutions 14%
  • Who Should Take It: Ideal for professionals in business, IT, marketing, project management, and sales roles familiar with AWS AI/ML.
  • What You’ll Learn: Covers AI, ML, and generative AI concepts, including design, training, evaluation, responsible AI, and security on AWS.
  • Recommended Experience: Requires familiarity with AWS AI/ML; newcomers can begin with AWS Cloud Essentials; no mandatory AWS training is needed.
  • Why Start Here? The AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam provides a solid foundation for understanding AI/ML on AWS.
  • Career Outcome: This certification helps professionals move toward roles such as AI Solutions Associate, AI/ML Consultant, Cloud AI Specialist, and Generative AI Business Analyst.
  • Recommended Next Step: After building AWS AI/ML fundamentals, you can progress toward AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C02) or AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01).
  • Check out the AWS AI Cloud Practitioner Hands-on Labs blog
  • AWS Certified AI Practitioner – Foundational (AIF-C01): Foundational-level certification with 65 questions in 90 minutes, passing score 700, costs $100; focuses on AI/ML fundamentals for AWS applications.

AI Practitioner vs. AI Business Strategist: The AI Practitioner validates your understanding of AI technology and AWS AI services. The AI Business Strategist validates business judgment for AI decisions and does not test AWS services. Many professionals earn both.

ASSOCIATE LEVEL CERTIFICATION

1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate designation highlights expertise in a variety of AWS services and technologies. This certification emphasizes the creation of performance- and cost-optimized systems, showcasing a deep comprehension of the AWS Well-Architected Framework. In addition to improving a person’s job profile and income, this certification can boost their confidence and credibility while interacting with stakeholders and customers. Start your cloud journey with us for an exam with our AWS Certified Solutions Architect –Associate course. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate badge

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate [SAA-C03] Exam
Design Secure Architectures 30%
Design Resilient Architectures 26%
Design High-Performing Architectures 24%
Design Cost-Optimized Architectures 20%
  • Who Should Take It: Those aiming for roles like Cloud Solutions Architect or Cloud Engineer.
  • What You’ll Learn: Architecting secure and scalable AWS solutions, understanding core AWS services, and best practices.
  • Recommended Experience: At least one year of hands-on AWS experience.
  • Why Pursue It: This is one of the most popular and in-demand certifications, opening doors to a wide range of job opportunities.
  • Career Outcome: After obtaining the AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification, individuals can seek career opportunities as
  1. Cloud Solutions Architect
  2. AWS Cloud Engineer
  3. Solutions Consultant
  4. Cloud Infrastructure Engineer
  • Next Step Recommendation: Individuals who have gained practical experience on AWS should consider moving on to the following: ➡ AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02)
  • Check out the AWS Solution Architect Hands-on Labs.
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03): Associate-level certification with 65 questions in 130 minutes, passing score 720, cost $150; for designing scalable and cost-effective solutions on AWS.

2. AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate

The AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate Exam credential verifies an individual’s proficiency in fundamental data-related AWS services, as well as their aptitude for setting up data pipelines, keeping an eye on problems, troubleshooting them, and using best practices to optimize performance and cost. It is a great fit if you’re interested in leveraging AWS technology to transform data for analysis and actionable insights. AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate badge

AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) Exam Guide
Data Ingestion and Transformation 34%
Data Store Management 26%
Data Operations and Support 22%
Data Security and Governance 18%
  • Who Should Take It: Data engineers with AWS pipeline experience, data scientists eager for AWS data expertise, and professionals seeking data engineering validation.
  • What You’ll Learn: Build & maintain AWS data pipelines, master data modeling & schema design, automate data operations & security, and apply programming concepts in data engineering.
  • Recommended Experience: 2-3 years of data engineering & 1-2 years of AWS data services, familiarity with scripting & SQL.
  • Why It Matters: Industry-recognized validation, higher earning potential, stand out in the job market, and future-proof your data engineering career.
  • Career Outcome: This certification prepares professionals for roles such as AWS Data Engineer, Cloud Data Engineer, Data Pipeline Developer, and Cloud Data Architect.
  • Recommended Next Step: After gaining experience with AWS data services, you can explore advanced data, analytics, AI/ML, or architecture certifications based on your career goals.
  • Check out the AWS Data Engineering Hands-on Labs blog
  • AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01): Associate-level certification with 65 questions in 130 minutes, passing score 720, cost $150; targeted at data professionals handling analytics and big data services in AWS.

3. AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate

AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate positions professionals for technical ML roles, validating expertise in implementing and operationalizing ML workloads on AWS. It will offer a path to boost career credibility in high-demand fields like backend development, DevOps, data engineering, MLOps, and data science. AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer

AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C02)
Domain 1: Data Preparation for Machine Learning (ML) 28%
Domain 2: ML Model Development 26%
Domain 3: Deployment and Orchestration of ML Workflows 22%
Domain 4: ML Solution Monitoring, Maintenance, and Security 24%
  • Who Should Take It: Backend software developers, DevOps engineers, data engineers, MLOps engineers, and data scientists with 1+ years of experience using Amazon SageMaker and AWS ML services.
  • What You’ll Learn: Validate technical ability to implement ML workloads, covering data prep, feature engineering, model training, metrics, integration, deployment, optimization, and security on AWS.
  • Recommended Experience: You should have at least 1 year of hands-on experience in machine learning engineering or related fields, including practical use of Amazon SageMaker and other AWS ML services.
  • Career Outcome: This certification helps professionals target roles such as Machine Learning Engineer, MLOps Engineer, AI Engineer, and AWS ML Specialist.
  • Recommended Next Step: After gaining practical experience building and deploying ML solutions on AWS, you can progress toward AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01) or advanced AI/ML specializations.
  • Why It Matters: This certification validates your practical expertise in implementing machine learning solutions on AWS, which is crucial for advancing in high-demand technical roles.
  • Check out the AWS Machine Learning Hands-on Labs blog
  • AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate Exam: Associate-level certification with 65 questions in 130 minutes, passing score 720, costs $150; focuses on building, training, and deploying ML workflows on AWS.

4. AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate

Formerly known as the SysOps Administrator – Associate, this certification covers operating and deploying AWS services and architectures, including monitoring, reliability, automation, and networking.

AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer Associate [SOA-C03] Exam
Monitoring, Logging, Analysis, Remediation, and Performance Optimization 22%
Reliability and Business Continuity 22%
Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation 22%
Security and Compliance 16%
Networking and Content Delivery 18%
  • Who Should Take It: System administrators, operations professionals, and those responsible for deploying and managing AWS systems.
  • What You’ll Learn: System operations on AWS, including deploying, managing, and monitoring applications.
  • Recommended Experience: At least one year of AWS experience.
  • Why It Matters: This certification validates your ability to handle operations tasks on the AWS platform.
  • Career Outcome: Professionals completing this certification can target roles such as Cloud Operations Engineer, System Administrator, Infrastructure Engineer, and AWS Operations Specialist.
  • Recommended Next Step: After building operational expertise, you can progress toward AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02) to specialize in automation, CI/CD, and cloud operations.
  • AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03): Associate-level certification with 65 questions in 130 minutes, passing score 720, cost $150; designed for system administrators managing and deploying AWS infrastructure.

5. AWS Certified Developer – Associate

This certification provides you with code-level knowledge and understanding of AWS application design, development, and maintenance. It is highly recommended, but not mandatory, that you possess a minimum of one year of experience maintaining AWS applications before taking this certification. Start your cloud journey with us for an exam with our AWS Certified Developer – Associate course. AWS Certified Developer - Associate badge

AWS Certified Developer Associate [DVA-C02] Exam
Development with AWS Services 32%
Security 26%
Deployment 24%
Troubleshooting and Optimization 18%
  • Who Should Take It: Developers and software engineers working with AWS.
  • What You’ll Learn: Developing applications on AWS, integrating AWS services, and optimizing applications for the best performance.
  • Recommended Experience: At least one year of AWS experience.
  • Career Outcome: After completing this certification, professionals can target roles such as AWS Cloud Developer, Backend Developer, Application Developer, and Serverless Developer.
  • Recommended Next Step: After gaining development experience on AWS, you can progress toward AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02) to strengthen your CI/CD, automation, and deployment skills.
  • Why Consider It: The developer certification focuses on building applications on the AWS platform, a crucial skill in cloud development.
  • AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02): Associate-level certification with 65 questions in 130 minutes, passing score 720, costs $150; focuses on developing and deploying AWS-based applications.

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL CERTIFICATION

1. AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional

Now comes the Professional-level Generative AI certification, designed for experienced developers and engineers who want to take generative AI solutions from proof of concept to production on AWS. While it is recommended (not required) to have prior AWS certifications and hands-on AWS experience, this certification focuses on building, deploying, securing, and operating enterprise-grade GenAI applications. You are expected to demonstrate deep knowledge of foundation models, RAG architectures, agentic AI, governance, cost optimization, and operational excellence on AWS. Ready to master one of the most advanced GenAI certifications on AWS? This credential proves you can deliver real business value with generative AI at scale. Master the ultimate skills needed to ace the exam and grow in your career with our AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional Course.

AWS Generative AI Developer Certification

AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional [AIP-C01] Exam
FM Integration, Data Management & Compliance 31%
Implementation & Integration 26%
AI Safety, Security & Governance 20%
Operational Efficiency & Optimization 12%
Testing, Validation & Troubleshooting 11%
  • Who Should Take It: Experienced developers, AI/ML engineers, and cloud professionals working on production-ready generative AI solutions on AWS.
  • What You’ll Learn: Advanced skills in designing, integrating, and operating generative AI systems, including foundation model integration, RAG architectures, agentic workflows, security, governance, cost optimization, and observability.
  • Recommended Experience: Two years of comprehensive AWS experience.
  • Why Aim for It: The Professional level demonstrates your ability to design, deploy, and manage secure, scalable, and enterprise-ready generative AI solutions on AWS, going beyond experimentation into real-world implementation.
  • Career Outcome: This certification prepares professionals for roles such as Generative AI Developer, AI Engineer, LLM Application Developer, Applied AI Engineer, and AI Solutions Architect.
  • Recommended Next Step: Continue strengthening expertise through enterprise GenAI implementations, focusing on RAG architectures, AI agents, security, governance, and optimization.
  • AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01): Professional-level certification with 85 questions in 205 minutes, passing score 750, cost $150 (Beta) / $300 (Standard); validates advanced skills for building and operating production-grade Generative AI solutions on AWS.

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

Now here comes the Boss of the Associate, the Professional, to undertake this certification. It is recommended (not required) to take the Associate-level AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam and have at least two years of hands-on experience designing and deploying AWS systems. In this certification, you are required to showcase knowledge of complex AWS applications, including how to apply application design best practices in an optimized manner and how to move applications to AWS. Ready to take down one of the toughest certs in the cloud? Prepare for AWS glory with our AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional course. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional badge

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional [SAP-C02] Exam
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity 26%
Design for New Solutions 29%
Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions 25%
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization 20%
  • Who Should Take It: Experienced Solutions Architects.
  • What You’ll Learn: Advanced architectural skills, including multi-tier applications, high availability, and disaster recovery.
  • Recommended Experience: Two years of comprehensive AWS experience.
  • Why Aim for It: The Professional level showcases your deep expertise in AWS architecture.
  • Career Outcome: This certification prepares professionals for senior roles such as Enterprise Solutions Architect, Cloud Architect, Principal Cloud Engineer, and AWS Cloud Consultant.
  • Recommended Next Step: Professionals can complement this certification with the AWS Security Specialty or AI-focused certifications based on their career direction.
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02): Professional-level certification with 75 questions in 180 minutes, passing score 750, cost $300; advanced skills for designing complex cloud solutions on AWS.

3. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

This certification is the natural next step for developers and CloudOps engineers who build and run applications on AWS. It is recommended to have at least two years of hands-on experience provisioning and managing AWS. Professionals learn various concepts involving continuous deployment and automation of AWS processes, as well as how to implement them into the AWS architecture. Master the ultimate skills needed to ace the exam and grow in your career with our AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional course. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional badge

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional [DOP-C02] Exam
SDLC Automation 22%
Configuration Management and IaC 17%
Resilient Cloud Solutions 15%
Monitoring and Logging 15%
Incident and Event Response 14%
Security and Compliance 17%
  • Who Should Take It: DevOps engineers, system administrators, and those focused on continuous delivery and automation.
  • What You’ll Learn: Advanced DevOps practices, including automation, security, and optimization.
  • Recommended Experience: Two years of comprehensive AWS experience.
  • Why It’s Valuable: This certification emphasizes the DevOps culture and practices in an AWS environment.
  • Career Outcome: This certification prepares professionals for roles such as:
    • Senior DevOps Engineer
    • Cloud Automation Engineer
    • Site Reliability Engineer
    • Platform Engineer
  • Recommended Next Step: Enhance expertise with the following: ➡ AWS Security Specialty or ➡ AWS Solutions Architect Professional
  • Check out the AWS DevOps Hands-on Labs blog
  • AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional Exam: Professional-level certification with 75 questions in 180 minutes, passing score 750, costs $300; emphasizes automation, CI/CD, and operational excellence on AWS.

SPECIALTY LEVEL CERTIFICATION

Deepen Your Expertise

  • Who Should Take Them: Experts in specific AWS domains.
  • What You’ll Learn: Specialized skills in security and advanced networking.
  • Recommended Experience: Two to five years of hands-on experience in the respective specialty area.
  • Why Specialize: These certifications allow you to dive deep into specific AWS domains and showcase your expertise.

Specialty AWS certifications focus on specific AWS areas, and the level of technical expertise required is very deep. You need to be an expert in your chosen specialty before taking these exams.

Note: AWS has been streamlining its Specialty certifications. The Machine Learning – Specialty has already retired, and Advanced Networking – Specialty retires on December 31, 2026. After that, Security – Specialty will be the only Specialty certification.

1. AWS Certified Security – Specialty

The certification covers the security fundamentals, best practices, and deep knowledge of key AWS security services that security professionals and teams need to master. AWS Security  AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C03) Exam: Specialty-level certification with 65 questions in 170 minutes, passing score 750, cost $300; covers advanced security practices and compliance on AWS.

  • Career Outcome: This certification prepares professionals for roles such as Cloud Security Engineer, AWS Security Architect, Security Consultant, and Cloud Compliance Specialist.
  • Recommended Next Step: Continue building expertise in advanced cloud security, governance, networking security, and enterprise security architecture.

Check out the AWS Security Specialty Hands-on Labs blog

2. AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty ⚠️ Retiring December 31, 2026

Retirement Notice: AWS is retiring this exam. The last day to take it is December 31, 2026. Certifications earned before retirement stay active for the standard three-year period, but no new certifications will be issued afterward. If you’re already prepared, schedule your exam before the deadline. If you’re just starting, consider the Solutions Architect – Professional or Security – Specialty instead.

This Certification is designed to validate the candidate’s skills and experience in performing complex networking tasks on AWS and hybrid IT networking architectures at scale. A person should possess a background in architecting and implementing network solutions and advanced knowledge of networking on AWS. AWS Cloud Certification Path: Learn AWS Certification Hierarchy AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty badge

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty [ANS-C01] Exam
Network Design 30%
Network Implementation 26%
Network Management and Operation 20%
Network Security, Compliance, and Governance 24%

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01): Specialty-level certification with 65 questions in 170 minutes, passing score 750, cost $300; for professionals managing complex networking on AWS. Last exam date: December 31, 2026.

  • Career Outcome: This certification helps professionals target roles such as Cloud Network Engineer, AWS Network Architect, Hybrid Cloud Engineer, and Network Security Specialist.
  • Recommended Next Step: Combine advanced networking expertise with architecture, security, or DevOps certifications to move toward senior cloud architecture roles.

This AWS certification roadmap provides a clear path to help you achieve your career goals in the cloud computing industry. Choose certifications that align with your interests and expertise, and continue to expand your AWS knowledge as the cloud landscape evolves.

Conclusion

AWS certifications are a powerful way to validate your expertise and accelerate your career in the cloud. AWS certifications now span five categories: Business, Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. Whether you’re just starting your cloud journey, leading AI adoption as a business professional, or aiming to specialize in advanced areas like generative AI or security, AWS provides certifications tailored to your goals. With the new AI Business Strategist, AWS now recognizes the people who lead AI investment decisions, not just the engineers who build AI. At the same time, the retirement of the Advanced Networking – Specialty is a reminder to plan your path around certifications that will stay current. By carefully planning your certification path, gaining hands-on experience, and staying updated on AWS services, you can position yourself as a valuable cloud professional in a rapidly growing industry. Start with the certification that aligns with your current knowledge, build your expertise step by step, and unlock exciting opportunities in this year and beyond!

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m New to Cloud from where to start?

If you're new to cloud computing, we recommend starting with the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. This foundational-level certification is ideal for beginners with no prior experience in cloud technologies. It will help you build a solid understanding of the AWS cloud and its core services, providing you with the essential knowledge to progress in the AWS certification path. Once you’ve completed the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, you can move on to associate-level certifications, such as the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or AWS Certified Developer – Associate, depending on your career interests and technical background. If you're in a business role and mainly want to lead AI initiatives, the AWS Certified AI Business Strategist is a strong starting point.

Which AWS certification is best for business professionals?

The new AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) is built for product managers, program managers, consultants, business analysts, and sales and marketing professionals. It requires no coding or hands-on AWS experience and validates your ability to build AI strategies, measure ROI, govern AI risk, and scale AI across an organization.

What are the best ways to prepare for the AWS Cloud Certification Exam?

The best way to prepare varies from person to person, but here are some effective strategies: Complete the Course: Start by attending interactive live sessions and watching recorded sessions. These provide a structured approach to the certification topics. Hands-On Practice: After completing the course, dive into the AWS console and start experimenting. Use the lab guides to gain hands-on experience with the AWS services covered in the exam. Practice with Projects: Try building small projects on your own without following the course. This helps reinforce your learning and gives you practical experience with AWS. No Shortcuts: To succeed, you’ll need to get comfortable with AWS services. There’s no shortcut—consistent practice and exploration are key to passing the exam.

What’s next after AWS Solution Architect Associate?

Once you’ve earned the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification, you're at an exciting crossroads in your cloud career. While this exam is a bit tougher, covering a broad range of AWS services, it sets the foundation for your next steps. With this certification under your belt, you’ve opened the door to a variety of career paths. If you’re ready for more of a challenge, you can also aim for a Professional-level certification like the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, or AWS Certified DevOps - Professional which will further strengthen your expertise. The choice is yours, and the opportunities are vast — it’s all about which path you want to take next in your cloud journey!

Is the AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty still worth taking?

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) exam retires on December 31, 2026, and no new certifications will be issued after that date. Existing certifications remain valid for the standard three-year period. If you're already well prepared, book your exam before the deadline. If you're starting from scratch, the Solutions Architect – Professional or Security – Specialty are better long-term choices.

How much does it cost to get AWS certified?

The cost of AWS certification varies depending on the category you're aiming for. Here's a quick breakdown: AWS Certified AI Business Strategist: $50 during beta ($100 standard). Foundational Certifications (Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner): $100. Associate-level Certifications (Solutions Architect, Developer, Data Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, CloudOps Engineer): $150. Professional-level Certifications (Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer, Generative AI Developer): $300. Specialty Certifications (Security, Advanced Networking): $300. It's important to keep in mind that these prices reflect the exam fees, and you may also want to budget for any study materials or training courses you choose to use. Certification costs can also change, so it's always a good idea to check the AWS website for the most up-to-date pricing.

Why should I earn the AWS Cloud Certification?

Earning an AWS Cloud Certification can significantly boost your career. Not only does it increase your chances of landing interviews, but it also opens doors to higher-paying job opportunities. In fact, over 80% of certified professionals report earning a salary increase after earning their certification. According to Global Knowledge, IT professionals who gain new skills or certifications see an average salary increase of $12,000 to $13,000. So, if you’re looking to advance in the cloud computing field, AWS certification can be a game-changer for your career and income potential.

What are the Types of Job roles based on AWS Cloud Certifications?

AWS certifications are designed to validate expertise for specific job roles, making it easier for professionals to align their skills with industry demands. Business leaders and managers can start with the AI Business Strategist. For beginners or non-technical stakeholders, the Cloud Practitioner and AI Practitioner provide foundational knowledge. Aspiring Solutions Architects can progress from the Solutions Architect Associate to the Professional level, while Developers typically start with the Developer Associate before advancing to the DevOps Engineer Professional. Operations engineers begin with the CloudOps Engineer Associate and can also move into DevOps roles. Data Engineers can take the Data Engineer Associate, ML and AI Engineers can progress from the Machine Learning Engineer Associate to the Generative AI Developer Professional, and Security Engineers can pursue the Security Specialty. These certifications help professionals demonstrate their skills and advance their careers in targeted AWS roles.

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