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AWS certification roadmap 2026 — 13 active credentials across 4 levels: Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty, with the new Generative AI Developer Professional at the top of the AI track
Applied Artificial Intelligence / Business & Technology9 min read

AWS Certifications in 2026: The Complete Guide to All 13 Credentials, 4 Levels, and What Each Actually Pays

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The AWS certification programme has undergone its most significant restructuring in years. Three specialty certifications were retired in 2024. The Machine Learning Specialty exam (MLS-C01) had its final exam date on March 31, 2026, and is no longer a valid path for new candidates. Two major new credentials have been added — the AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer (replacing SysOps Administrator) and the AWS Certified Generative AI Developer Professional, which opened standard registration in March 2026. A brand-new AI-focused professional certification now sits at the top of the AI learning path.

AWS still holds approximately 31% of the global cloud infrastructure market, with its client base growing by 4.2 million in 2025 alone. Its certifications remain among the most commercially valuable credentials in the technology sector. But the catalogue you are looking at today is meaningfully different from what existed twelve months ago.

Here is the current picture.

AWS certification updates in 2026 — new CloudOps Engineer and Generative AI Developer Professional, updated exams, and retired certifications

What an AWS certification is — and what changed in 2026

AWS certifications validate expertise in working with Amazon Web Services, covering cloud architecture, development, operations, security, and AI. They are valid for three years and require recertification by sitting a current exam before expiry. AWS removed formal prerequisites from all certifications in 2019 — you can sit any exam regardless of which others you hold — though the practical experience expected for higher-level exams is substantial.

All exams are delivered through Pearson VUE, at testing centres or via online proctoring, in multiple languages including English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, French, German, and Spanish.

The most significant structural changes in 2026:

  • The SysOps Administrator – Associate has been formally replaced by the CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03), with a new exam code and updated content reflecting modern cloud operations practice.
  • The Machine Learning Specialty retired March 31, 2026, replaced in the AI learning path by the Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C01) and the new Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01).
  • Legacy versions of the Big Data Specialty are also formally sunset as of June 30, 2026.

The complete AWS certifications list in 2026

AWS currently offers 13 active certifications across four levels.

All four AWS certification levels — Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty — with 13 active credentials

Foundational level — $100 per exam

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) — The standard entry point to the AWS programme. Tests foundational cloud concepts, services, security, and pricing with no hands-on technical prerequisites. Suited for non-technical roles, career changers, and those validating foundational cloud literacy. Average salary: $95,000–$105,000.

AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) — Launched October 2024, currently the fastest-growing entry-level credential in cloud. Targets professionals who work alongside AI — business analysts, project managers, IT staff — rather than those who build models. Covers AI and ML fundamentals, generative AI concepts, Amazon Bedrock, and prompt engineering. No prerequisites, $100 exam cost. Entry-level AI practitioner roles start around $86,000, with senior bundled roles reaching $204,000–$286,000 according to ZipRecruiter data.

Associate level — $150 per exam

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) — Consistently the most popular AWS certification globally, widely regarded as one of the most valuable cloud credentials in the IT industry. Validates design of distributed, fault-tolerant, cost-effective systems on AWS. Average salary: $99,000–$125,000.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) — Focuses on developing and maintaining applications on AWS, including Lambda, DynamoDB, Elastic Beanstalk, SQS, and SNS. Average salary: approximately $125,879.

AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03) — Formerly the SysOps Administrator, this revamped credential reflects the modern reality of cloud operations: monitoring workloads, automating deployments, managing security posture, and maintaining reliability. 65 questions, 130 minutes, passing score 720. The updated exam places particular emphasis on Amazon CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail, AWS Config, and Systems Manager. Average salary: $95,000–$135,000, with senior roles and the DevOps Professional combination exceeding $150,000.

AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C01) — Introduced in late 2024 with a refreshed exam guide as of Q1 2026. MLOps-focused certification testing ability to deploy, operationalise, and scale machine learning models on AWS using services including SageMaker. The new Associate-level entry point into the ML pathway following the retirement of the ML Specialty.

Professional level — $300 per exam

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02) — Advanced architecture credential covering complex multi-account systems, cost optimisation strategies, and the full breadth of AWS services. DevOps content has been updated in 2026 to include AWS CDK v2 scenarios. Average salary: $155,000–$156,000.

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02) — Validates expertise in continuous delivery systems, automation, and infrastructure as code on AWS. 2026 update includes renewed emphasis on infrastructure-as-code tooling and CDK v2. Average salary: approximately $164,012.

AWS Certified Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01) — Standard registration opened March 2026. Validates advanced skills in building and deploying production-ready generative AI solutions on AWS, including Amazon Bedrock, RAG architectures, SageMaker, agentic workflows, and responsible AI deployment. Exam: 85 questions, 205 minutes, passing score 750. Standard cost: $300. The exam was refreshed to include Amazon Bedrock AgentCore. Average salary for generative AI developers in the US: $165,000–$300,000 depending on experience and role.

Specialty level — $300 per exam

Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) — Validates expertise in designing and maintaining complex AWS network architectures. 65 questions, 170 minutes. Best suited for professionals with five or more years focused on networking. Average salary: approximately $151,061.

Security – Specialty (SCS-C02) — Validates hands-on experience securing AWS workloads. The 2026 updated exam content more explicitly maps to NIST 800-53 and FedRAMP controls, making it increasingly relevant for US government and DoD contractor roles. Average salary: approximately $158,594.

SAP on AWS – Specialty — Note: legacy versions retired in 2024. Check the current AWS certification page for active exam status.

What retired in 2024–2026 — and why it matters

Three specialty certifications retired in April 2024: Data Analytics, Database, and SAP on AWS (legacy). The Machine Learning Specialty had its final exam date March 31, 2026. The Big Data Specialty sunset date is June 30, 2026.

Retired AWS certifications and the current AI learning path from AI Practitioner to Generative AI Developer Professional

If you hold any of these credentials and they are still within their three-year validity window, they remain valid until expiry. But they are no longer available for new candidates, and the ML Specialty in particular should not be treated as a current study path. The appropriate replacement for the ML career track is now the Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C01) followed by the Generative AI Developer – Professional (AIP-C01).

How to choose in 2026

Starting from zero: Begin with Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) for foundational cloud literacy, or AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) if your work specifically involves AI tools and you want a validated credential without needing to build models.

Building a cloud career in architecture or infrastructure: Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) remains the standard first step. It is the most broadly recognised AWS certificate in hiring and the natural base for the Professional path.

Operations and DevOps track: CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03) is the updated entry point for cloud operations roles. Combine with Developer Associate and DevOps Engineer Professional for a comprehensive operations credential stack.

AI and machine learning track: AI Practitioner at foundation, Machine Learning Engineer – Associate for MLOps skills, then Generative AI Developer – Professional for production-grade generative AI expertise. This is currently the highest-growth pathway in the entire AWS ecosystem, with AI/ML specialisation salaries growing 14–15% year-over-year. Generative AI Developer roles command $165,000–$300,000 in the US.

Security and networking specialisation: Solutions Architect – Associate plus Security Specialty or Advanced Networking Specialty represents the clearest path for security and network engineering roles, particularly in enterprise and government contexts.

One consistent finding across salary data: stacking more than three or four AWS certifications shows diminishing returns unless you are pursuing specific niche roles. Depth of hands-on experience in your chosen area generates better career outcomes than collecting additional credentials across unrelated domains.

How to choose an AWS certification path in 2026 — cloud basics, architecture, operations, or AI and machine learning

The salary and market context

AWS certifications increase salaries by an average of 26%, with the largest proportional jump at entry level — approximately 30% for Cloud Practitioner holders. The Generative AI Developer Professional and Generative AI engineering roles now command the highest salaries in the AWS ecosystem at $165,000–$300,000. Solutions Architect Professional follows at $155,000–$156,000, and DevOps Engineer Professional at approximately $164,000.

AWS certification salary and market context — 31 percent cloud market share, salary uplift, job growth, and top Generative AI Developer pay

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects cloud computing roles to grow 15% through 2028. Employers including Amazon, Accenture, Deloitte, and major federal contractors updated their internal job descriptions in 2026 to reflect the new exam codes — meaning holding the current credential versions matters for applicability in active job searches.

AWS holds 31% of the global cloud infrastructure market, ahead of Microsoft Azure at 21% and Google Cloud at 13%. The structural demand for certified AWS professionals continues to outpace supply in most markets.

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