The different AWS Certification Exam Types
To comprehend the AWS certification cost, you must first understand the various certification tests. This is because the cost of AWS certification varies depending on the degree of certification. Let us go over these examinations in depth.
Exam at the Foundation Level
The foundation level exam is the initial examination that people take when they begin their AWS certification journey. The foundation level is ideal for beginners since it focuses solely on the fundamentals of cloud computing. This level's test is known as the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam.
The AWS Certified Practitioner Exam is explicitly designed for people who have a fundamental grasp of the AWS platform. Before taking this test, it is suggested that you have at least six months of industry experience in the cloud specialty. The test covers a wide range of AWS cloud topics, such as value proposition, architectural principles, fundamental global infrastructure, compliance issues, pricing models, basic security, and more. It runs for 90 minutes. The AWS Cloud Practitioner test costs $100 in the United States.
Exams at the Associate Level
After completing the foundation level, you can advance to the associate level. This level necessitates a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of many elements of cloud computing. The exam difficulty level is greater than the foundation level. The following examinations are available at this level:
Associate AWS Certified Solutions Architect: This certification is designed for those with at least one year of hands-on experience developing distributed applications and deploying solutions of AWS cloud. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam also includes various topics, including the usage of architectural design principles, application architecture and deployment, cloud solution design and execution, and more. The AWS Solution Architect Certification Exam lasts 130 minutes.
AWS Certified Developer: This certification is for professionals who have at least one year of experience developing and maintaining cloud applications. You must have extensive knowledge of programming languages and grasp the fundamental AWS architectural best practices and essential services of AWS. The exam lasts 130 minutes.
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator: AWS Certified SysOps Administrator is another associate-level exam for system administrators. Before taking this test, it is highly advised that you have at least one year of experience with AWS deployment and operations. The exam covers various topics, including data transfer between data centers and AWS, application development and administration on the AWS platform, selecting appropriate AWS services for multiple businesses, and more. It lasts 130 minutes.
Professional Level Examinations
This is the last stage of AWS certification. It necessitates professional expertise and comprehension, as well as extensive experience dealing with AWS services. AWS tests have no prerequisites. Therefore, you can proceed directly to the professional level. These examinations, however, can be pretty tricky. Therefore, substantial experience and at least one associate-level certification are necessary.
At the professional level, the following certificates are available:
Professional AWS Certified Solutions Architect: This certification is designed for those with at least two years of experience working as AWS Solutions Architects. It is strongly advised that you get the AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate) certification before taking this professional-level test. The exam lasts 180 minutes.
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer: This certification is intended for those with at least two years of hands-on experience providing and managing AWS infrastructures. It is advised that you have the AWS Certified Developer Associate and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate certifications before attempting this difficult certification. The test covers various topics, such as AWS monitoring and logging systems, AWS automation procedures, Continuous Delivery Methodologies, and more. It takes 180 minutes.
Specialty Examinations
AWS also offers various specialty examinations designed for extensive expertise and comprehension of a particular subject. These examinations are as follows:
AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty: This certification certifies a person's ability to create and model Big Data Solutions using AWS services. The exam lasts 180 minutes.
AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty: This certification certifies a person's experience developing, implementing, and maintaining machine learning solutions on the AWS platform. The exam lasts 180 minutes.
AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty: This test certifies an expert's understanding of complex networking tasks on AWS. The exam lasts 170 minutes.
AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder - Specialty: This certification certifies an expert's ability to create, test, and publish Amazon Alexa Skills. It takes 170 minutes to complete.
AWS Certified Security - Specialty: This certification confirms one's knowledge in the cloud computing security sector. It takes 170 minutes to complete.
AWS Certified Database - Specialty : This certification verifies an individual's competence to build and maintain AWS database systems. The exam lasts 180 minutes.