Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • What is AWS Certification?
  • AWS Certification Costs in India
  • AWS Certification Costs in the U.S.
  • AWS Certification Levels and Their Costs
  • AWS Certification Cost Breakdown
  • Factors Affecting AWS Certification Cost
  • Strategies to Reduce AWS Certification Price
  • Benefits of AWS Certification:
  • Conclusion
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Related Resources

How Much Does AWS Certification Cost with Exam Price In 2025?

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Introduction

AWS Certifications validate cloud expertise and improve career opportunities in the high-demand field of cloud computing. Obtaining AWS certifications can lead to career growth, increased earning potential, and enhanced employability. Proper training is essential to maximize the benefits of these certifications, and understanding the costs involved is a key part of planning a successful career path in cloud computing. In detail, this blog will enumerate the various costs associated with completing an AWS certification. Before going into the cost implications, we shall delve into the many advantages that professionals get from giving their time to AWS certification.

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What is AWS Certification?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a leading cloud platform offering diverse services that help businesses scale and innovate. AWS Certification is highly valued as it validates cloud expertise, enhancing career prospects, promotion opportunities, job security, and earning potential. With growing cloud adoption by major companies, demand for AWS-certified professionals is rising. To maximize benefits, proper AWS training is essential. As more firms adopt AWS, the need for certified experts will continue to grow, making certification a worthwhile investment for a cloud computing career.

AWS Certification Costs in India

If you are considering pursuing AWS training at any well-known center, like Hyderabad, then it is vital for you to understand the costing of the AWS training. Ordinarily, AWS Cloud Practitioner certification costs INR 6880, whereas INR 10,330 is the standard cost in India for the Associate-level certifications. Professional and Specialty certifications, which are much more advanced or have a higher level of expertise have a fee of approximately INR 20,700. These costs can be a little different depending on the course content and center.

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AWS Certification Costs in the U.S.

In the United States, the AWS certification fees is a simple one, only four categories: Cloud Practitioner exam fees are $675. Associate level exam fees are $3000 to $3,450 per exam. Fees for Professional and Specialty certifications are each $695 to $2025. The exams are however only the surface of the iceberg, there are obviously other costs that might be associated with an AWS certification such as costs of training courses, practice exams, and study materials.

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AWS Certification Levels and Their Costs

AWS certifications are categorized into four levels, each designed to validate specific skill sets and experience levels.

1. Foundational Level:

This level is designed for individuals with at least six months of experience in the AWS Cloud, regardless of their specific role (technical or non-technical).

The recognition of this trust explicitly demonstrates a fundamental grasp of the structure and services of the AWS Cloud, inclusive of terminology, security concepts, and various pricing models. It is now a credible starting point for any addition that would like to set a career in the AWS ecosystem.

Prerequisites: While there are no formal prerequisites, it's recommended to have at least six months of general AWS cloud experience.

Cost: $675

Duration: 90 minutes

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2. Associate Level:

Those who have learned Cloud Architecture after A5 would find the newly introduced level highly suitable for them.

All Associate-level exams cost $3000 to $3,450 and have a duration of 130 to 180 minutes.

3. Professional Level:

The Professional level is for those with at least two years of experience operating, designing, and troubleshooting solutions on the AWS Cloud.

Both Professional-level exams cost $695. The exam duration is 180 minutes.

4. Specialty Level:

This level is for individuals with technical expertise in specific AWS domains.

  • AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty: Validates expertise in designing and implementing advanced AWS networking solutions.
  • AWS Certified Security – Specialty: Validates skills in securing AWS environments and data.
  • AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty: Validates expertise in building, training, and deploying machine learning models on AWS.
  • AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty: Validates skills in designing, developing, and publishing Alexa skills.
  • AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty: Validates expertise in designing and implementing data analytics solutions on AWS.
  • AWS Certified Database – Specialty: Validates skills in designing, implementing, and migrating databases on AWS.

All Specialty-level exams cost $2025. The exam duration ranges from 170 to 180 minutes, depending on the specific certification.

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AWS Certification Cost Breakdown

AWS Certification Level

Exam Name

Exam Duration (in Minutes)

Exam Cost (in $)

Associate

AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate

140 minutes

$150

Associate

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

140 minutes

$150

Associate

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

140 minutes

$150

Associate

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

140 minutes

$150

Foundational

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

100 minutes

$100

Professional

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

190 minutes

$300

Professional

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

190 minutes

$300

Specialty

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty

180 minutes

$300

Specialty

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

190 minutes

$300

Specialty

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

180 minutes

$300

Factors Affecting AWS Certification Cost

Several factors that influences the overall cost of obtaining an AWS certification are as follows:

Cost of AWS Certification Exams

The primary cost is the exam fee itself, which varies depending on the certification level, as detailed above.

Additional Costs: Study Materials and Courses

To produce exam success, you may need to buy materials for studying, such as online courses or books; but you may also buy practice exams, MCQs, and even training programs. By doing so, one stands a very good chance of understanding what they must know with regards to the exam and increases the chances of passing it. Such materials range on sale from a dollar for an individual practice exam on up to a few hundred dollars or several thousand for all-inclusive training courses.

Discounts and Offers Available for AWS Certification

From time to time, Amazon Web Services (AWS) develops coupons and special promotional activities of certification tests. Students, AWS partners, and attendees of AWS events may be the groups that these discounts apply to. Moreover, AWS supplies a fifty percent discount coupon for the second certifications of any of the AWS courses. It may be useful to make inquiries about the application of such alternatives which have the potential to minimize the cost of sales which pertains to certification.

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Strategies to Reduce AWS Certification Price

To reduce your AWS certification cost, consider these strategies:

  • Leverage Free AWS Resources: Use official AWS whitepapers, documentation, free webinars, AWS Skill Builder modules, and the AWS Free Tier for hands-on practice to avoid paid courses.
  • Use Exam Discount Vouchers and Promotions: After passing an AWS exam, you get a 50% discount voucher for the next exam. Also, watch for discounts during AWS events and check if your employer or training partners offer vouchers.
  • Join Study Groups and Online Communities: Participate in study groups and forums like Reddit or LinkedIn to share free resources, practice questions, and tips.
  • Opt for Self-Paced Learning: Choose affordable online courses from platforms like AWS Skill Builder, Coursera, or Udemy instead of costly instructor-led training.
  • Prepare Thoroughly to Avoid Retakes: Use practice exams and study plans to pass on the first try, avoiding extra exam fees.
  • Explore Employer or Educational Sponsorship: Some companies and educational institutions subsidize or reimburse AWS certification fees.

Exam fees vary by level: foundational exams cost $100, associate-level $150, and professional or specialty exams $300. Using these strategies can significantly lower the overall AWS certification cost while ensuring effective preparation.

Benefits of AWS Certification:

AWS certification is very necessary for learning the AWS fully. In order to understand how fat the AWS certification is, some benefits must be understood:

  1. Contains Technical Knowledge and Skills Validation: Certification means that the candidate knows about the particular AWS services and majorly cloud computing concepts.
  2. Career Growth: Career advancement means that they were able to demonstrate their technical skills by showing certifications earned as proof aside from the opportunities to earn higher pay. 
  3. Enhances Employability: Managers find those with AWS certifications suitable for cloud professional roles. It can also mean a lot in job prospects to be an AWS certified person in a competitive market.
  4. Well-Defined Learning Path: It is a known fact that it has a clear path to structured learning, which is powerful acquisition of comprehensive knowledge over different domains realizing AWS functions.
  5. Keeps You Informed: Online certifications give constant updates on the latest trends happening in cloud computing and promise that the skills remain relevant for use.

However, AWS certification could provide opportunities like AWS Certified LinkedIn Community access, conversion with AWS peer members, and help in companies coming to understand the safe use of AWS technology for valuable cloud solutions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, gaining an AWS validation needs one's resources both monetary and temporal. Yet, the utility and appreciation that it attaches to itself, including the prospective likelihood of having one's remuneration increased, promotions on work and achievability of many personnel’ s goals creates an urge in many cloud computing aspirants to consider it. In order to gain the best possible return on investment, it is suggested that potential candidates think of their earnings potential, education level/experience, and affordability when selecting an AWS training program.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1: Can I retake an AWS certification exam if I fail?

Yes, you can retake an AWS certification exam if you fail. You must wait 14 calendar days before retaking it, and there is no limit on the number of attempts. Each retake requires paying the full exam fee unless a specific free retake promotion applies.

2: Are AWS certification exams available in multiple languages?

Yes, AWS certification exams are offered in multiple languages including English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, Spanish (Latin America), French, German, Italian, Indonesian, Traditional Chinese, and others depending on the exam.

3: Are there any discounts available for AWS certification exams?

Yes, discounts are available. For example, after passing any AWS exam, you get a 50% discount voucher for your next exam. There are also promotions like free retakes for foundational exams using special codes and vouchers earned through AWS Emerging Talent Community points or challenges.

4: Is AWS certification worth the investment?

AWS certification is widely regarded as valuable because it validates cloud expertise, enhances career opportunities, and can lead to higher salaries. The availability of free and discounted resources and exam vouchers helps reduce costs, making it a worthwhile investment for IT professionals and businesses aiming to leverage cloud technologies.

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