Best AWS Certifications in 2023: Which One is Right for You?

Introduction

AWS is the biggest tech trend of 2022! 

As per the CBRE report, the demand for cloud skills continues to grow, with a 12% year-over-year increase over the past 12 months. AWS skills are sitting high on the list of most in-demand skills for employers, with 25,361 open jobs.

Another reason that fascinates today’s youngsters to go for this certification is that it can significantly boost the kind of payout you command. According to the latest salary survey, 70% of AWS professionals interviewed reported a salary increase of up to 20% after qualifying for their certification exams.

In this AWS certification guide, we will discuss the best AWS certifications available with required prerequisites, career opportunities and the pay scale. Let’s learn in details about:

• What AWS certifications should I get? 
• How to get AWS certification online?
• How many AWS certifications are there? 
• What is the best AWS certification for beginners? 

So stay tuned! Let’s explore the list of top AWS certifications. 

List of the Best AWS Certifications

AWS offers six different certifications, grouped into four main paths -- Cloud Practitioner, Architect, Developer, and Operations -- and additional subpaths. There is also a Specialty Path, divided into five subpaths.

Level	Certifications Name
Foundational-level	AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Associate-level	AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate AWS Certified Developer – Associate AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
Professional-level	AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
Specialty-level	AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty AWS Certified Security – Specialty AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty AWS Certified Database – Specialty

Foundational-level Certifications

A). AWS Cloud Practitioner – Fundamental

Counted among the top AWS certification, this certification path is expected for people who are hoping to assemble and approve comprehension of the AWS cloud. This way is helpful for people in specialized, administrative, deals, acquiring, or budgetary jobs who work with the AWS cloud. Considered the best AWS certification for beginners, it is suitable for chiefs, deals, C-level administrators, and showcasing partners who need to have essential information on the AWS cloud. To plan for this certification, there is an advanced course offered by AWS for nothing. The normal yearly compensation of an expert holding an AWS Cloud Practitioner certification is $113,932.

Key Areas

• Understand the underlying security and compliance
• The core deployment and operating principles
• AWS services and their use cases
• Fundamentals of AWS architectural principles
• The value proposition of the AWS Cloud

AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam Details

• Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of IT services and their applications in the AWS Cloud platform and minimum 6 months of work experience 
• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 90 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 700
• AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam Cost: USD 100

Associate-level Certifications

Under the associate level there are three certifications: 

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect 
• AWS Certified Developer 
• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator 

B). AWS Certified Solutions Architect

This path is intended for arrangements draftsmen, arrangement configuration architects, and any individual who needs to figure out how to structure applications and frameworks on AWS. The best AWS certification is offered at two levels; the Associate level and the Professional level. To progress to the expert level, you should initially acquire a partner-level accreditation.

AWS Solution Architect Training is one of the most mainstream AWS certifications, it is for the most part favored by experts who are simply entering the field of cloud architecting and need to utilize the AWS stage for planning circulated applications. Known as the best AWS certification for beginners will assist you with exhibiting your aptitude in planning and creating productive and powerful arrangements on the foundation of Amazon Web Services. Prior to taking the test, you should know how to:

Read: AWS Object Storage and CDN (S3, Glacier and CloudFront)

• Utilize the AWS stage to convey on-premise applications
• Structure and convey profoundly accessible and adaptable frameworks on AWS
• Select the AWS administration as indicated by your necessities

In the United States and Canada, the normal yearly pay of an IT proficient with AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Level is $130,883.

Key Areas

• Understanding of different Network technologies and how they work in AWS
• Functioning of AWS-based applications and how client interfaces connect to the AWS platform
• Building secure and reliable applications on the AWS 
• Deploying hybrid systems

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Level Exam Details

• Prerequisites: 

There is no prerequisite to take the Solutions Architect Associate certification exam. 

It is recommended to candidates hold a minimum of one year of hands-on experience working with AWS. 

• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 130 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 720
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Level Exam Cost: USD 150

Read more about this certification in AWS Solutions architect Certification Guide

C). AWS Certified Developer

The best AWS certifications or accreditations are always intended for programming engineers who want to actively engage & create premium cloud applications on AWS. AWS Developer Certification will enable you to exhibit your aptitudes in creating and keeping up AWS applications. To accomplish this confirmation, you should know how to:

• Select the privilege AWS administration as indicated by the application
• Compose upgraded code in an elevated level programming language
• Cooperate with different administrations from the application utilizing programming advancement units (SDKs)
• Keep up application security at the code level

The normal pay of an IT proficient with the AWS Certified Developer testament is about $130,272 in North America.

Key Areas

• Hands-on knowledge of AWS services, including databases, notifications, storage, change management, and workflow services
• Basic understanding of the AWS architecture & Core AWS services
• Designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining applications

AWS Certified Developer – Associate Level Exam Details

• Prerequisites:

 Having at least one year of experience in developing and maintaining an AWS-based application is required for the AWS Developer Training Certification. 

Knowledge and skill in high-level programming language and should have an understanding of core AWS services, uses, and basic AWS architecture best practices.

• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 90 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 720
• AWS Certified Developer – Associate Level Exam Cost: USD 100

D). AWS Certified SysOps Administrator

There are two subpaths intended for sysops overseers, frameworks directors, and those in a DevOps job who need to figure out how to make automatable and repeatable arrangements of utilizations, systems, and frameworks on the AWS stage. SysOps Administrator certification from Amazon Web Services will show how well you can send, scale, move, and oversee frameworks on the AWS platform. To expert this affirmation or go for the best AWS certification, you should have the accompanying abilities:

• Dealing with the cloud applications conveyed on the AWS stage
• Controlling and executing the information stream to and from AWS
• Distinguishing the cost control instrument of the activities
• Moving the on-premises applications to the AWS stage

In North America, the normal pay of an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator is about $130,610.

Key Areas

• Understanding of applications deployed to the AWS platform
• On choosing the right AWS services as per organizational needs
• Exchange of data among data centers and AWS
• Managing, provisioning, and securing systems in an AWS environment

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate Level Exam Details

• Prerequisites: 

To be meritorious in this top AWS certification, one should have a minimum of one year of experience in AWS technology. 

Should have knowledge in deploying, managing, and operating workloads on AWS and implementing security controls and compliance requirements. Understanding of the AWS Management Console and the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI)

• Number of Questions: 50
• Duration: 180 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 720
• AWS SysOps Training – Associate Level Exam Cost: USD 150

Professional-level Certifications

Under the professional level, there are two certifications: 

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

E). AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

This best AWS certification will show your propelled master aptitudes in structuring the applications and appropriated frameworks on the AWS platform. You need to have the Associate level certification to take up the test. Before you take the test, you should have the accompanying aptitudes:

• 2+years of working involvement with structuring and sending cloud engineering on the AWS stage.
• Utilizing AWS for relocating complex, multi-level applications.

An IT partner with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional can acquire a normal pay of $148,456 every year. Check the Role and responsibilities of AWS Solutions architect! 

Key Areas

• Designing Resilient Architectures
• Networking and Compute
• Storage, Databases, and Migration
• Application Services with high availability & scalability
• Logging and Security

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional Exam Details

• Prerequisites:

Two or more years of experience with AWS and in-depth knowledge of the AWS ecosystem.

This Professional level top AWS certification is guided to those who already have experience with AWS, and ideally, have already passed the AWS Solutions Architect - Associate exam, although it is not a fixed prerequisite of this certification.

• Number of Questions: 70
• Duration: 130 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 750
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional Level Exam Cost: USD 150

F). AWS Certified DevOps Engineer

This certification approves your aptitudes to the arrangement, oversee, secure, and work disseminated application frameworks and the AWS arrangements. For getting this accreditation, you should have a proficient level affirmation for SysOps Administrator just as Developer. Applicants intending to take up this test and achieve the top AWS certification must have an exhaustive comprehension of the accompanying:

• Instructions to an arrangement and oversee AWS situations
• Actualize and oversee constant conveyance techniques and frameworks on the AWS stage
• Administration procedures and security controls
• Robotizing the operational procedure by keeping up the instruments required to do as such

In the United States and Canada, the normal yearly income of an AWS Certified DevOps Engineer is about $137,724.

Read: AWS, Linode & DigitalOcean Compared- All you should know

Key Areas

• Basics of the modern CD methodologies
• Designing and managing tools to automate production operations
• Implement highly-available, scalable systems on AWS
• Learn to implement CD systems and set up monitoring and logging systems on AWS

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional Exam Details

• Prerequisites: 

While there are no formal prerequisites for this certification, it is recommended to have a minimum two years of work experience in provisioning, operating, and maintaining AWS resources. 

In case, you have previously qualified for associate-level exams like Developer and SysOps, this exam builds upon the knowledge from those certifications.

• Number of Questions: 75
• Duration: 130 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 750
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional Level Exam Cost: USD 300

AWS Speciality Certifications

Under Speciality-level,  there are five certifications. 

• AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
• AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty
• AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
• AWS Certified Database – Specialty

G). AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty

This best AWS certification approves your aptitudes in structuring and sending AWS to scale as a feature of an IT arrange mixture engineering. To get this accreditation, you should have one of the AWS Associate qualifications. Aside from that, +5 years of working involvement with overseeing and architecting system answers for the venture is prescribed.

Key Areas

• Understanding the Automation of AWS tasks for network deployments
• Work to design, develop, and deploy cloud solutions with the AWS platform
• How to implement core services concerning architectural best practices
• Network optimization and troubleshooting
• Security and compliance design and implementation

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Exam Details

• Prerequisites: 

Professional experience using AWS technology, AWS security best practices, and AWS networking. 

Understanding of advanced networking architectures and interconnectivity options, etc. 

• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 170 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 800 
• AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Exam Cost: USD 300

H). AWS Certified Big Data – Specialty

As a person with the AWS Big Data certification, you will have the option to show your abilities in structuring and overseeing AWS arrangements of associations that utilize business information for removing noteworthy knowledge and important bits of knowledge. All applicants must have at any rate one AWS partner-level affirmation. Additionally, 5+years of working involvement with information examination are prescribed. With this accreditation, an IT expert can pack a yearly pay of more than $130,000.

Key Areas

• Architecting to implement core AWS big data services
• Design, maintain and visualize data
• Best AWS tools to automate data analysis
• Security practices for data analytics solutions
• Different AWS services including Kinesis, Athena, Quicksight, and Rekognition

AWS Certified Big Data – Specialty Exam Details

• Prerequisites: 5+ years of expertise in designing and implementing security solutions and 2+ years of experience in securing AWS workloads and knowledge of using security controls.
• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 170 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 800

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional Level Exam Cost: USD 300

I). AWS Certified Security – Specialty

This certification approves your skills to utilize propelled techniques to verify the AWS stage. This incorporates information insurance by utilizing encryption methods. For this certification, you should have any of the Associate accreditations or an AWS Cloud Practitioner affirmation. Likewise, +5 years of working involvement with verifying the AWS stage is an unquestionable requirement.

Key Areas

• AWS Certified Developer OR AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification (mandatory)
• Knowledge of modern development and operations 
• Ability in administering operating systems, and build highly automated infrastructures 
• Understanding a high-level programming language

AWS Certified Security – Specialty Exam Details

• Prerequisites: It is mandatory to have AWS Certified Developer OR AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification and have the knowledge of modern development and operations.  
• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 170 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 750
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty Level Exam Cost: USD 150

J). AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty

With this best AWS certification, you will have the option to make, test, and convey Amazon's Alexa. To be qualified for this confirmation, you should be a specialist in a significant-level programming language and have at any rate a half year of experience working with the Alexa abilities pack.

Key Areas

• How to explain the value of voice and work through designing the user experience and architecture
• AWS and Alexa security best practices
• Develop, test, validate, and troubleshoot 
• Manage the skill publishing process and work with the Alexa developer console

AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty Exam Details

• Prerequisites: Should have at least 6 months of hands-on experience in Alexa like using the Alexa Skills Kit, including AWS cloud  Proficiency with a programming language 
• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 170 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 800
• AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty Level Exam Cost: USD 300

K). AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

You should take this accreditation for exhibiting your aptitudes of planning, executing, and keeping up the AI arrangements of the association. For this, you should have an information science and advancement foundation just as 1-2 years of working involvement in AI and profound learning.

Key Areas

• Design and implement cost-optimized, and secure Machine Learning solutions
• Come up with the relevant AWS solutions for creating and deploying the best ML solution
• Select and justify the best ML approach for some given business problem

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty Exam Details

• Prerequisites: Should hold 2+ years of experience to develop, architect, and/or run Machine Learning or Deep Learning workloads on the AWS Cloud Ability to use Deep Learning and ML frameworks.
• Number of Questions: 65
• Duration: 180 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 750

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty Level Exam Cost: USD 300

Salary trends of various profiles of AWS

What salary do major recruiters offer?

Companies	Average Salary Per Annum
Microsoft	$150,460
Teradata	$142.943
Amazon	$135,000
Deloitte	$120,000
Microsoft Cloud Engineer	$114,986

	Beginner (1-4 years)	Mid-level (5-9 years)	Experienced (10-19 years)	Late career (20+ years)
Malaysia	RM 116,000	RM 146,290	RM 164,983
Singapore	SD 53,000	SD 110,538	SD 109,293	SD 179,399
India	Rs. 714,705	Rs. 1,385,844	Rs. 1,949,574	Rs. 2,493,285
UK	PS. 48,527	PS. 57,232	PS. 64,013	PS. 65,747
Australia	AUD 103,410	AUD 124,514	AUD 130,584	AUD 141,361
UAE	AED 155,000	AED 212,958	AED 305,070	AED 478,895
Canada	CD 89,247	CD 99,395	CD 103,896	CD 114,138

Also check: AWS Solutions architect Salary

Future Scope of AWS

The eventual fate of AWS is brilliant. In fact, it's the eventual fate of current registering. Distributed computing, AI, IoT, and so on are a portion of the spaces which have a great deal to offer soon.

Why I state this is on the grounds that we are slowly pushing ahead to everything mechanized. We need things to be done quickly and simultaneously with the base labor and most extreme proficiency. We need to utilize a physical stockpile as it's turning into a test for, suppose for instance Mark Zuckerberg to open up an ever-increasing number of server farms. You should be knowing the size of such server farms, humongous isn't it?

AWS made a portal in 2006, and today they have clients surpassing 1,000,000. Here is only a case on the development pace of AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service), one of the most well-known

Read: How to Get AWS Certified Solution Architect?

Benefits of Being AWS Certified?

This accreditation training trains an individual on 100 or more cloud administrations, which empowers an association to present, stockpile, register, database, security, and numerous different factors as well. This entire arrangement of Amazon Web Services' usefulness is chargeable relying upon the classification and the expended assets tally. We should take a gander at the main 10 reasons which will respond to your inquiry of for what reason to pick the best AWS certifications course.

1. Customization: An Amazon Web Services stage offers a significant level of customization to satisfy the prerequisites of individual organizations.
2. Adaptability and Scalability: The adaptability and versatility of Amazon Web Services have caused numerous organizations to comprehend that it is anything but difficult to scale here and there to meet the business prerequisites and satisfy the ideal objectives.
3. PaaS Offerings: It copies various techniques incapable of administration for information warehousing reinforcement, database, transcoding, throbbing, application the board, stockpiling, and framework the executives. This consequently helps in decreasing the time and vitality required to mastermind and deal with the association.
4. Security: Greatest security level is ensured by AWS when it is utilized with both little and huge-scale organizations.
5. Planning: It gives a component to begin and stop various outlines at modified periods. For instance, administrations, for example, Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Relational Database Service (RDS) can be planned with the assistance of Amazon Web Services and make individuals liberated from running their employments consistently.
6. Recuperation: It is a viable innovation, which offers a gathering of cloud-based debacle recuperation arrangements helping in fast recuperation of any information and IT framework.
7. Consistency: An Amazon Web Services consistency model causes an engineer to compose dependable and stable applications.
8. Worldwide Architecture: Termed as a worldwide pioneer that uses stages, for example, 'Accessibility Zones' and 'Areas' for the Data Centers, this has 44 accessibility zones inside 16 geographic locales over the world.
9. Estimating: Amazon Web Services offers cost complementary plan access for one year, which is valuable for the individuals who are crisp and anxiously holding back to ponder the innovation. It is adaptable and gives pay-more only as costs arise alternative that can fundamentally help any of the business needs.
10. Better Jobs: As said above, the best AWS certifications course will put a student in the top IT organizations which will extend to a divine being employment opportunity profile with attractive compensation.

We are certain that the above reasons will constrain you to go for the best AWS certification and learn Amazon Web Services so as to make a climb in your vocation chart with the best-specialized language affirmation.

Career Options Available After Acquiring The Best AWS Certification

Amazon Web Services certifications course is an entryway, which prompts numerous lucrative occupations. This certification will make the good and bad times disappear from an expert's profession by making it dormant. We should experience the main 10 affirmations occupations that an IT expert could get with the best AWS certification.

1. AWS Cloud Architect: A cloud draftsman will be mindful to supply lead usage endeavors and specialized designs while ensuring that the interspersion of new advances is being embraced.
2. SysOps Administrator: An Amazon Web Services SysOps Administrator conveys, works and oversees frameworks.
3. Cloud Developer: A cloud engineer creates programming applications and answers for ventures.
4. Cloud Sales and Purchase Manager: As Cloud Sales and Purchase Manager, an expert will have the option to develop, drive and shape the eventual fate of a progressing inventive innovation.
5. Cloud DevOps Engineer: A Cloud DevOps Engineer handles code discharges by assuming numerous jobs. He works with framework administrators, programming engineers and furthermore with generation specialized groups.
6. Key Account Manager, Cloud: He is liable for the business the executives of distributed storage, server, and items. To settle on the objective of convenient buy choices, a key record chief likewise oversees client accounts. He is additionally liable for driving appropriation, showcase entrance, income and the board of enormous and various client bases in the market.
7. Cloud Software Engineer: A Cloud Software Engineer is equipped for structuring, creating and executing framework/programming on the Amazon Web Services stage.
8. AWS Networking Specialist: An Amazon Web Services Networking Specialist can structure and execute progressed or crossover organizing ventures.
9. AWS System Integrator: This activity job is appropriate for the individuals who have decent information on the Amazon Web Services stage, applications, cloud administrations, and data frameworks and who could deal with investigating and organization of uses.
10. AWS Big Data Specialist: He is the person who can structure and actualize huge information benefits so as to get an incentive from the information.

How Can I Learn & Pass AWS Certifications Exam?

Begin your cloud learning with the AWS Solution Architect – Associate level certification. It will help you to acclimate yourself to the AWS environment and become eligible for the AWS Solutions Architect Professional Certification. Truth be told, this is the most compensating cloud vocation choice because of the aptitude holes. According to Simply Hired, Amazon Web Services certified compensation of Cloud Architects goes from $124,406 to $173,719.

As said above, affirmations rely upon a student's present place of employment job and the arrangement of abilities he has. In the event that he is in tasks, at that point SysOps accreditations are possible for him. Or on the other hand, on the off chance that he is a product engineer, at that point DevOps confirmations is the correct decision for him. As per industry specialists, the Certified Solutions Architect test is the most ideal approach to begin training as it covers the broadest scope of aptitudes. These accreditations are not explicit to a solitary stage or space or subject matter and furthermore include the amplest expansiveness of Amazon Web Services, which makes it the most mainstream and requested confirmation.

Pro Steps to Crack the AWS Certification Exam Confidently

AWS professionals are in great demand these days, making AWS certifications one of the most preferred choices among candidates. While you can crack this exam hassle-free with the right planning and execution. Below is the step-wise process to help you crack the exam: 

Step 1: Choose the Best AWS Certification that Suits You Perfectly  

Keep in mind that every certification will lead to a different job profile, knowledge, and skill set. Here, you need to identify which job profile suits your career aspirations. Enroll at the best AWS certification training institute to get proper guidance throughout the process. 

Step 2: Get Familiar With the Exam Outline 

The best AWS certification courses will guide you with a proper knowledge path. But, u=you also need to be familiar with the exam guidelines for the AWS certifications path. Check out the certification pages to get all the exam-related updates like the skills measured, prerequisites, exam outline, and exam resources. 

Step 3: Join the Best AWS Certification Learning Course

According to Forbes, cross-certifying with AWS can increase your salary by about $12,000. To join the elite, you need to join an industry-oriented learning course. There are a selected few who offer the best AWS Certification Course with a hands-on learning opportunity that helps you to develop practical skills. 

Step 4: Connect with the Industry Experts & Professionals 

Apart from the best AWS certification training in a formal way and self-study, connecting with industry experts. Look for opportunities wherein it is possible to get trained by industry experts and where you get real-time exposure to apply the learnings in practice.

So, this is how you should prepare to crack the certification exam and become AWS certified professional. If you think you need additional help in your studies, look for the study materials, and video tutorials, and create notes from them. That’s it for now. In the next section, we have put the last verdicts on the best AWS certifications. If you are at the beginning of your AWS career,  check the AWS Career Path.  

Conclusion

As per a recent report, approx. 60% of cloud computing job postings look for AWS-related skills. It clearly shows that the skills and knowledge in AWS are in high demand and will continue to be the same in the future. No surprise that the CIO calls it ‘one of the most in-demand IT certifications for 2021’. 

There are so many options whether you are an experienced professional with advanced or beginner level professional in AWS. You can select any of the certifications as per your requirement. But before that, do proper research to get a clear picture of the fees, total exam duration, and syllabus covered in the best AWS certifications. 

Select the right platform for the best AWS Certification and pursue the same, to stay more confident in qualifying for the certification in one go. We at JanBask Training are consistently there to serve you to meet your professional objectives. JanBask Training with industry specialists and mentors will assist you with acing the abilities that businesses are searching for while contracting a cloud master. Know about AWS training batches and enroll yourself in the upcoming batch. 

Check the answers to some frequently asked questions below.

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