How Much Do AWS Certification Exams Cost?
AWS certification exams are priced by level. Foundational exams cost $100 USD, associate exams cost $150 USD, and professional and specialty exams cost $300 USD. These prices have remained stable since 2020 and apply globally, though local taxes may be added depending on your country.
Here is the full pricing table for all 12 active AWS certifications in 2026.
| Certification | Exam Code | Level | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Practitioner | CLF-C02 | Foundational | $100 |
| AI Practitioner | AIF-C01 | Foundational | $100 |
| Solutions Architect Associate | SAA-C03 | Associate | $150 |
| Developer Associate | DVA-C02 | Associate | $150 |
| SysOps Administrator Associate | SOA-C03 | Associate | $150 |
| Data Engineer Associate | DEA-C01 | Associate | $150 |
| Machine Learning Engineer Associate | MLA-C01 | Associate | $150 |
| Solutions Architect Professional | SAP-C02 | Professional | $300 |
| DevOps Engineer Professional | DOP-C02 | Professional | $300 |
| Security Specialty | SCS-C03 | Specialty | $300 |
| Advanced Networking Specialty | ANS-C01 | Specialty | $300 |
| Generative AI Developer Professional | AIP-C01 | Professional | $300 |
The 50% Discount Voucher
Every time you pass an AWS certification exam, you receive a 50% discount voucher for your next exam. This is the single best way to reduce your certification costs and it stacks nicely if you plan a multi-cert path.
For example, if you pass the Cloud Practitioner ($100), you get a voucher that makes your Solutions Architect Associate cost $75 instead of $150. Pass that, and your next professional exam costs $150 instead of $300.
A common three-cert path (Cloud Practitioner → Solutions Architect Associate → Solutions Architect Professional) would cost $100 + $75 + $150 = $325 instead of the full $550. That is a 40% savings.
The voucher is valid for one year and applies to any AWS certification exam, not just the next level up. You could use it on a completely different certification if you prefer.
Retake Policy and Costs
If you fail an AWS certification exam, you must wait 14 days before retaking it. There is no limit on the number of retakes, but you pay the full exam fee each time — the 50% discount voucher only applies after a successful pass, not a failure.
This makes preparation critical, especially for the $300 professional and specialty exams. Failing a professional exam twice costs you $600 in exam fees alone, which is more than the cost of a quality practice exam course. Invest in preparation upfront to avoid expensive retakes.
AWS occasionally runs promotions with free retake vouchers, typically around re:Invent or AWS Summit events. Keep an eye on the AWS Training and Certification portal for these offers.
Hidden Costs to Budget For
The exam fee is only part of the total cost. Here is what else you should budget for.
Study materials: High-quality video courses from providers like Stephane Maarek, Adrian Cantrill, or Neal Davis typically cost $15-50 per certification. Free resources like the AWS documentation and CloudNinja practice exams can reduce this to zero.
Practice exams: Paid practice exam providers charge $15-30 per exam set. CloudNinja offers free practice exams for all 12 certifications with detailed explanations, which can replace or supplement paid options.
AWS account usage: Some study activities involve hands-on labs in your own AWS account. Most can be done within the AWS Free Tier, but running services like RDS, ECS, or SageMaker outside free tier limits can cost $5-20 per month if you forget to clean up resources.
Testing logistics: If you take the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center, factor in travel time and costs. Online proctoring from home eliminates this but requires a quiet room, webcam, and stable internet.
Time: This is the biggest hidden cost. At 1-2 hours of study per day, an associate certification takes 4-8 weeks. A professional certification takes 8-14 weeks. If you are studying outside of work hours, that is a significant time investment.
Employer Reimbursement
Many employers reimburse AWS certification costs, either fully or partially. According to multiple industry surveys, over 60% of companies with cloud operations offer some form of certification reimbursement.
Before paying out of pocket, check with your HR department or manager. Common reimbursement models include full reimbursement upon passing (you pay upfront, get reimbursed after), annual certification budgets ($500-2000 per year), and training stipends that cover both courses and exam fees.
Some companies also provide AWS Training accounts with access to official AWS courses, practice exams, and lab environments. If your employer is an AWS Partner, you may get free exam vouchers through the AWS Partner Network.
Even if your company does not have a formal policy, it is worth asking. Certifications directly benefit the employer by improving team capability, so many managers will approve the expense on a case-by-case basis.
How to Minimize Your Total Spend
Here is a practical strategy to keep costs low.
Use free study resources first. AWS offers free digital training for every certification through AWS Skill Builder. Combine that with free practice exams on CloudNinja and the official AWS documentation, and you can prepare for any foundational or associate exam without spending a dollar on study materials.
Chain your discount vouchers. Plan your certification path so each exam generates a 50% voucher for the next. Starting with the $100 Cloud Practitioner is the cheapest way to unlock your first voucher.
Watch for promotions. AWS regularly offers free practice exams, retake vouchers, and promotional discounts around re:Invent (November/December), AWS Summit events, and the annual Global Certification Challenge.
Do not rush to retake. If you fail, take the full 14 days to study the areas where you scored lowest. A targeted two-week review is more effective and cheaper than immediately rebooking.