Top AWS Certification To Boost Your Earning Potential in 2025

Your Guide to AWS Certification in 2025

In today’s competitive tech landscape, the most critical credential for validating your cloud skills is an  AWS certification. Following the right AWS certification path ensures you gain the right expertise at each level. Earning a top AWS certifications immediately signals your expertise to employers, making it the single most effective way to accelerate your career and boost your salary.

This guide will break down the complete list of available AWS certifications in 2025, each categorized by its specific focus area. Whether you’re a seasoned cloud professional or just beginning your career, there’s an AWS certification designed to support your growth and help you achieve your career goals.

What is AWS Certification?

AWS certifications are an industry-recognized credential awarded directly by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The primary goal of obtaining an AWS certifications is to have official, verifiable proof of your expertise on the world's leading cloud platform. Think of a single AWS certification as the official benchmark for your cloud skills in a specific domain, from cloud architecture to machine learning.

The AWS certifications program validates expertise at every level, offering credentials across the core Associate, advanced Professional, and deep-dive Specialty tiers to give you a definitive competitive edge. To help you find the right starting point, let's explore each of these certification levels in detail.

Different Levels of AWS Certifications

The AWS certifications are structured into four distinct levels, each designed to validate a specific stage of cloud expertise. Here's the list of different levels of AWS certifications:

• Foundational: The ideal starting point. This entry-level AWS certification validates your fundamental understanding of the AWS Cloud and its core services.
• Associate: The most popular role-based tier. These AWS certifications focus on the key skills required for common job roles like Solutions Architect, Developer, and SysOps Administrator.
• Professional: The pinnacle for advanced practitioners. This AWS Certification level is for experienced professionals who design, secure, and operate complex and highly available solutions on AWS.
• Specialty: For the subject matter experts. These AWS certifications validate deep, expert-level knowledge in specialized technical domains like Security, Machine Learning, or Data Analytics.

Top 10 Highest Paying AWS Certifications in 2025

Navigating the world of AWS certifications can seem complex, but the program is logically structured to support your career at every stage. The Amazon Web Service certifications are broken down into four main levels: Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. Below, we detail the most important AWS certifications within each level to help you choose the right one for your goals.

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
3. AWS Certified Developer – Associate
4. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
6. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
7. AWS Certified Security – Specialty
8. AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
9. AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty
10. AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

Foundational Level: The Best AWS Certification for Beginners

This can be a good move in one's career by starting their cloud journey with AWS certifications. For beginners, however, there is a correct certification to select to develop a solid base and gain industry-relevant knowledge. The best AWS certifications for entry-level professionals are as follows:

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the official entry point into the AWS cloud certification program. It is the single most important credential for building a solid base of knowledge, and this AWS certification proves your core cloud competency to employers.

• Importance: Earning the Cloud Practitioner AWS certification is crucial for proving foundational cloud fluency, enabling better business decisions and accelerating career advancement.
• Who is it for?: Ideal for anyone new to AWS, including those in technical, sales, finance, or management roles who need to speak the language of the cloud.
• Skills Gained: This AWS certification validates your foundational knowledge of core AWS services, the shared security model, and the AWS pricing and billing models.
• Job Roles: Opens doors to entry-level tech support roles and enhances non-technical positions like IT Sales, Project Management, and Business or Financial Analyst.
• How to Prepare: The most direct way to prepare is with expert-led training like the AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials course, which is aligned with the exam blueprint.
• Salary Potential: According to Ziprecuriter Entry-level salaries range widely, with most between $50,500 and $117,000 annually.
  
  

Associate Level: Role-Based AWS Certifications

This is the most popular tier, designed for individuals with at least one year of hands-on experience solving problems and implementing solutions using the AWS Cloud. Earning an Associate-level AWS certification is a major step in validating your skills for a specific job role.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03)

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is arguably the most sought-after AWS cloud certification in the industry. It proves your ability to design and deploy robust, secure, and cost-effective IT solutions on AWS.

• Importance: This AWS certification is crucial because it validates your ability to design resilient and high-performing architectures, a core skill for nearly any cloud role.
• Who is it for?: Solutions architects, technical leads, and anyone who designs application systems and infrastructure on AWS.
• Skills Gained: You will master designing resilient architectures, creating high-performing and decoupled infrastructures, and applying the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
• Job Roles: Opens doors to roles like Cloud Solutions Architect, Cloud Engineer, and AWS Solutions Engineer.
• How to Prepare: The best way to master these skills is with expert-led training like the Architecting on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: According to Glassdoor, professionals with this certification often command salaries between $125,000 and $135,000 annually.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)

This is the essential AWS developer certification for software engineers who build and maintain applications on the AWS platform. This AWS certification focuses on writing code that interacts with AWS services in a secure and efficient way.

• Importance: It proves you can do more than just write code—you can write cloud-native code that leverages the full power of AWS services and APIs.
• Who is it for?: Software developers, application engineers, and anyone building, deploying, and debugging cloud-based applications using AWS.
• Skills Gained: This AWS developer certification validates your proficiency with AWS service APIs, CI/CD pipelines, serverless application development, and application security.
• Job Roles: Prepares you for roles like AWS Developer, Cloud Software Engineer, Application Architect, and Serverless Developer.
• How to Prepare: Gain hands-on practice and master the concepts with the Advanced Developing on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: Salaries typically range from $120,000 to $130,000 per year.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02)

The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate is the key AWS certification for professionals in operations roles. It is the only certification focused on the operational aspects of managing and monitoring AWS environments.

• Importance: This certification validates your ability to ensure the reliability, scalability, and operational excellence of systems running on AWS.
• Who is it for?: Systems administrators, Operations Engineers, and those in DevOps roles responsible for managing and operating systems on AWS.
• Skills Gained: You will prove your skills in deploying, managing, and operating fault-tolerant systems, as well as monitoring, data management, and security operations.
• Job Roles: Leads to roles like Cloud Operations Engineer, Systems Administrator, Cloud Analyst, and Site Reliability Engineer (SRE).
• How to Prepare: Build the necessary operational skills for success with the Cloud Operations on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: Professionals with this credential can expect to earn around $120,000 annually.

Professional Level: Best AWS Certifications for Advanced Level

This tier is for individuals with two or more years of comprehensive experience. These advanced AWS certifications are among the most difficult to achieve and are linked to the highest salaries in the industry.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02)

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional is the pinnacle AWS certification for architects. It validates your ability to design complex, multi-account AWS environments and optimize for cost, security, and governance at scale.

• Importance: Earning this proves you are an expert-level architect capable of leading large-scale cloud adoption projects and making complex technical recommendations.
• Who is it for?: Experienced solutions architects and technical leads with two or more years of hands-on experience designing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS.
• Skills Gained: Validates advanced skills in designing complex solutions, applying migration strategies, implementing cost-control mechanisms, and designing for enterprise-wide connectivity.
• Job Roles: Prepares you for senior roles like Enterprise Architect, Lead Cloud Architect, and Principal Solutions Architect.
• How to Prepare: Take your skills to the expert level with the Advanced Architecting on AWS training.
• Salary Potential: As a top-tier certification, salaries often exceed $150,000 to $165,000 annually.

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02)

This is the essential AWS devops certification for senior professionals who automate the testing and deployment of AWS infrastructure and applications. This AWS certification proves mastery of modern CI/CD and operational automation.

• Importance: It validates your ability to improve application delivery speed and reliability, a critical function for modern tech organizations.
• Who is it for?: Experienced DevOps engineers, senior developers, and operations managers responsible for automating infrastructure and release pipelines.
• Skills Gained: Proves mastery in implementing and managing continuous delivery systems, automating security controls, and designing and implementing self-healing architectures.
• Job Roles: Leads to senior roles like DevOps Engineer, Cloud Automation Architect, and Senior Infrastructure Engineer.
• How to Prepare: Master the advanced principles of CI/CD and automation with the DevOps Engineering on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: Similar to its Solutions Architect counterpart, salaries for holders of this AWS devops certification regularly exceed $150,000 per year.

Specialty Level AWS Certifications

Specialty certifications validate deep, expert-level knowledge in a specific technical domain. They are designed for professionals who want to be recognized as subject matter experts.

AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C02)

The AWS security certification validates your expertise in designing and implementing robust security controls and threat protection on the AWS platform.

• Importance: In an era of constant cyber threats, this AWS certification proves you have the skills to protect an organization's most critical data and infrastructure.
• Who is it for?: Security professionals, compliance officers, and engineers with at least two years of experience securing AWS workloads.
• Skills Gained: Validates deep knowledge of data protection mechanisms, identity and access management, infrastructure security, and incident response.
• Job Roles: Prepares you for roles like Cloud Security Engineer, Security Architect, and Cybersecurity Analyst.
• How to Prepare: Achieve deep security expertise with specialized training like the Security Engineering on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: Expertise in security is highly valued, with salaries often ranging from $140,000 to $150,000

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty (MLS-C01)

The AWS machine learning certification is one of the most challenging and respected credentials, validating your ability to build, train, and deploy ML models on AWS.

• Importance: Proves you can leverage the power of AI and ML to drive business innovation, a highly sought-after skill in today's market.
• Who is it for?: Data scientists, developers, and ML engineers with one to two years of experience developing machine learning solutions.
• Skills Gained: This AWS AI certification validates your skills in data engineering, exploratory data analysis, modeling, and operationalizing ML models.
• Job Roles: Leads to high-demand roles like Machine Learning Engineer, AI Engineer, and Cloud AI Solutions Architect.
• How to Prepare: Build expert-level skills with cutting-edge training like the Developing Generative AI Applications on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: Due to its difficulty and high demand, salaries often range from $145,000 to $155,000 annually.

AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate (DEA-C01)

The new AWS data engineer certification validates your ability to build and maintain data pipelines and manage data at scale on AWS.

• Importance: This credential proves you have the core skills to transform and manage the data that powers analytics and machine learning.
• Who is it for?: Data engineers, ETL developers, and anyone who builds and manages data infrastructure.
• Skills Gained: Validates skills in data ingestion, data transformation using services like AWS Glue, and managing data pipelines and data stores.
• Job Roles: Prepares you for roles like Data Engineer, BI Engineer, and Data Warehouse Engineer.
• How to Prepare: Gain hands-on data skills with targeted training like the Data Engineering on AWS course.
• Salary Potential: Data engineering is a critical field, with salaries for certified professionals expected to be highly competitive, often in the $120,000 - $140,000 range.

What Jobs Can You Get with AWS Certifications?

Earning an AWS certifications is a direct investment in your career, unlocking a wide range of high-demand and high-paying roles. As organizations increasingly migrate to the cloud, they are actively seeking professionals with validated expertise. Your certification is the proof they need.

Here are some of the most common and lucrative jobs you can pursue with an AWS cloud certifications.

Cloud Architect

• What they do: Cloud Architects are the master planners of the cloud environment. They design and deploy scalable, secure, and resilient business solutions on AWS.
• Key AWS Services: AWS CloudFormation, Amazon S3, Amazon VPC, Amazon EC2, and Amazon RDS.
• Relevant Certifications: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (starting point) and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (advanced goal).
• Average Salary Range: According to Glassdoor, salaries for this role can range from $139,000 to $225,000 annually, making it one of the most lucrative cloud positions.

DevOps Engineer

• What they do: DevOps Engineers bridge the gap between software development and IT operations. They use AWS tools to automate and streamline the entire application lifecycle, from building and testing to deployment and monitoring.
• Key AWS Services: AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeDeploy, Amazon ECS, AWS Lambda, and AWS CloudFormation.
• Relevant Certifications: AWS Certified Developer – Associate and, most importantly, the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional.
• Average Salary Range: Glassdoor reports a salary range of $103,000 to $149,000, with senior professionals holding the Professional-level AWS devops certification often earning significantly more.

Cloud Developer

• What they do: Cloud Developers build, deploy, and debug cloud-native applications that run on the AWS platform. They specialize in writing code that leverages serverless technology and AWS service APIs.
• Key AWS Services: AWS SDKs, AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon API Gateway, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
• Relevant Certifications: The primary credential for this role is the AWS developer certification (AWS Certified Developer – Associate).
• Average Salary Range: You can expect an average salary between $91,000 and $130,000 per year, according to Glassdoor.

SysOps Administrator

• What they do: SysOps Administrators are the guardians of the AWS environment. They are responsible for the day-to-day management, monitoring, and operation of the infrastructure to ensure it remains reliable and performant.
• Key AWS Services: Amazon CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail, AWS Systems Manager, AWS IAM, and Amazon RDS.
• Relevant Certifications: The core credential for this role is the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate.
• Average Salary Range: While entry-level salaries may be lower, certified SysOps Administrators with experience typically earn in the range of $100,000 to $120,000 annually.

Data Engineer

• What they do: Data Engineers build the data highways of the cloud. They design, construct, and maintain large-scale data processing systems and data pipelines on AWS.
• Key AWS Services: AWS Glue, Amazon Redshift, Amazon EMR, Amazon Kinesis, and AWS Data Pipeline.
• Relevant Certifications: The new AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate is ideal for this role, along with the AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty.
• Average Salary Range: Glassdoor data shows a salary range between $104,000 and $153,000 per year.

Cloud Security Specialist

• What they do: Security Specialists are dedicated to protecting an organization's cloud infrastructure and data. They implement security protocols, manage identity and access, and respond to threats within the AWS ecosystem.
• Key AWS Services: AWS IAM, AWS Key Management Service (KMS), AWS WAF, AWS Shield, and AWS Security Hub.
• Relevant Certifications: The most important credential is the AWS security certification (AWS Certified Security – Specialty).
• Average Salary Range: Security is a premium skill. While Glassdoor shows a wide range, professionals holding the AWS security certification can expect to command salaries of $130,000 to $150,000+.

AWS Certification vs. AWS Certificate: What's the Difference?

While they sound similar, it's crucial to understand the key difference between an official AWS Certification and a certificate of course completion. One validates your skills, while the other shows you completed training.

Feature	AWS Certification	AWS Certificate (of Completion)
What It Is	An official credential from AWS	Proof of attendance for a training course
How You Get It	By passing a proctored, standardized exam	By completing a specific training course
What It Proves	Verifiable expertise and hands-on skills	Participation and completion of a learning module
Validity	Valid for 3 years (recertification is required)	Does not expire (shows point-in-time learning)
Industry Value	Highly recognized by employers as proof of ability	Good for showing continuing education

 

An AWS Certification proves you can do the job. A certificate shows you attended the class. For career advancement and job opportunities, the AWS Certification is the credential that truly matters.

How to Choose an AWS Certification?

Feeling overwhelmed by the options? Choosing the right AWS certification can feel like a daunting task. Here's a simple framework to help you find your perfect fit:

• Assess Your Experience: Are you new to the cloud, or do you have existing experience with AWS or other cloud platforms?
• Define Your Career Goals: What type of cloud role are you interested in? (e.g., Solutions Architect, Developer, Security Engineer, Data Scientist).
• Explore Your Interests: What areas of cloud computing are you most passionate about? (e.g., architecture, development, security, data analytics).
• Review the Exam Guides: Download the official AWS exam guides for the certifications you're considering. Pay close attention to the exam domains and required skills.
• Consider Your Learning Style: Do you prefer structured training courses, self-paced learning, or hands-on experience?

How to Pass the AWS Certification?

Ready to conquer your AWS certification exam? These proven strategies can help you maximize your chances of success:

Step 1: Break Down Your Preparation: First, use the Official Practice Question Sets in AWS Skill Builder to divide your study sessions into smaller, more manageable portions. Review answers immediately to understand concepts better. Gradually increase your practice, and attempt a full-length mock exam before the official one.

Step 2: Use the Process of Elimination: Use the process of elimination to discard wrong answers during the exam. This will help narrow down the most relevant answers, which will save time.

Step 3: Focus on Key Concepts: Read the exam guide to find out the weightage and key domains to be studied. Learn core concepts from the Official Practice Question Sets. Most often, these appear in some form on the actual test.

Step 4: Build Practical Knowledge: Success requires real-world experience. Spend most of your preparation time building real-world projects in your AWS account. Hands-on practice solidifies your understanding better than theory alone. Utilize tools like AWS Builder Labs for immersive training.

Step 5: Work Backwards on Scenario-Based Questions: For scenario-based questions, start reading from the end of the question. This helps pinpoint the main requirement and avoids distractions from irrelevant information.

How to Get into AWS and Carve a Career Path in 2025

Ready to launch your cloud career with AWS? Here's a step-by-step guide to getting started:

Set Clear Goals: Define career objectives before choosing AWS certifications; start with foundational qualifications if new, ensuring focused progression.

Follow Your Interest: Select certifications aligned with your interests and career path, promoting motivation and targeted professional development.

Balance Theory and Practice: Prioritize training combining theory with hands-on labs, like those from AWS Skill Builder, for real-world AWS proficiency.

Choose Authorized Training Providers: Opt for certified AWS education providers, like Netcom Learning, for reliable, updated training and practical labs.

Research Certification Value: Evaluate certifications based on industry relevance, time commitment, and retake policies to maximize career benefits.

Plan for Recertification: Prepare for AWS certification renewals every two to three years, ensuring continued skill relevance.

Invest in Your Cloud Future

AWS certifications are a valuable investment in your career. By choosing the right certifications, mastering the necessary skills, and following a structured study plan, you can unlock exciting new opportunities in the cloud.

Ready to take the next step? Explore our comprehensive AWS training courses and get certified! 

Have questions about which AWS certification is right for you? Contact our team of expert cloud consultants today to get started!

FAQs

Q. What are AWS certifications good for?

An AWS certification is excellent for validating your cloud skills to employers, which directly leads to better job opportunities and a higher salary. They also provide a clear, structured way to master the AWS platform and advance your career.

Q. Which AWS certification is best for beginners?

The best AWS certification for beginners is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02). It is specifically designed to build and validate a fundamental understanding of the AWS Cloud, its core services, and its business value.

Q. Which AWS certification is best for developers?

For developers, the best credential is the AWS Certified Developer – Associate. This AWS developer certification is tailored for professionals who write code to build, debug, and maintain applications directly on the AWS platform.

Q. How many AWS certifications are there?

Currently, there are 12 official AWS certifications available in the market. They are organized into four distinct levels to cater to different roles and expertise levels: Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty.

Q. Are the AWS certification exams free?

No, official AWS certification exams are not free. The cost varies by level, with the Foundational exam costing $100 USD, Associate exams costing $150 USD, and the Professional and Specialty exams costing $300 USD.

Q. How long is an AWS certification valid for?

Most AWS certifications are valid for three years. To maintain your certified status, you are required to complete the recertification process by passing either the latest version of that exam or a higher-level exam before the credential expires.