Your AWS certification path. Ethnus Codemithra article cover.

Every AWS certification explained: levels, roles and which to choose

Neeraj Patel

Neeraj Patel

  • Updated on

AWS runs 13 active or beta certifications today, spread across Foundational, Associate, Professional and Specialty levels, plus one new Business-track credential. Checked against the official AWS Certification catalogue on 8 September 2026. The right certification for you depends on the work you want to do, not on where a name sits in a list. This guide covers the full current catalogue and how to pick one by role. It also flags which certifications changed or disappeared since older AWS articles were written.

The four levels, and one new track

AWS groups its technical certifications into four levels. Foundational credentials check broad cloud knowledge and suit non-technical roles as well as beginners. Associate credentials test whether you can build, deploy or operate systems on AWS. Professional credentials go deeper into architecture and operations at scale. Specialty credentials focus on one domain, such as security or networking.

In September 2026, AWS added a Business track that sits outside these four levels. AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) is a beta, non-technical credential aimed at product and business roles rather than builders. It does not require any prior AWS certification.

Full current catalogue

The table below lists all 13 active and beta AWS certifications with exam code, level, format, duration and price. It also shows the experience AWS recommends, which is guidance rather than a requirement, as the next section explains.

Certification Exam code Level Format Duration Price AWS-recommended experience
Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 Foundational 65 questions 90 minutes $100 None enforced
AI Practitioner AIF-C01 Foundational 65 questions 90 minutes $100 None enforced
AI Business Strategist (beta) AIB-C01 Business 85 questions 170 minutes $50 (beta) None enforced
Solutions Architect - Associate SAA-C03 Associate 65 questions 130 minutes $150 About 1 year
Developer - Associate DVA-C02 Associate 65 questions 130 minutes $150 About 1 year
CloudOps Engineer - Associate SOA-C03 Associate 65 questions 130 minutes $150 About 1 year
Machine Learning Engineer - Associate MLA-C01 Associate 65 questions 130 minutes $150 About 1 year
Data Engineer - Associate DEA-C01 Associate 65 questions 130 minutes $150 2 to 3 years data engineering, 1 to 2 years on AWS
Solutions Architect - Professional SAP-C02 Professional 75 questions 180 minutes $300 2 or more years
DevOps Engineer - Professional DOP-C02 Professional 75 questions 180 minutes $300 2 or more years
Generative AI Developer - Professional AIP-C01 Professional 75 questions 180 minutes $300 2 or more years, plus 1 year hands-on generative AI
Security - Specialty SCS-C03 Specialty 65 questions 170 minutes $300 5 years in IT security, 2 or more years on AWS
Advanced Networking - Specialty (retiring) ANS-C01 Specialty 65 questions 170 minutes $300 5+ years networking, 2 or more years cloud/hybrid

AWS revises this catalogue on its own schedule. Developer - Associate opens registration for a new version, DVA-C03, on 27 October 2026. Solutions Architect - Professional does the same for SAP-C03 on that date. The last day to sit Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C01) in English is 28 September 2026, and a beta successor, MLA-C02, is already open for registration. Treat any printed exam code as time-limited. Check the official page before you register.

Recommended experience, not an enforced prerequisite

AWS does not require any prior exam, training course or work history to sit any current certification. The AWS Certification FAQ states that training is recommended but not mandatory. The "recommended experience" column above shows who tends to pass. It is guidance, not a registration gate.

In practice, a reader can register directly for a Professional-level exam without holding an Associate credential first. AWS suggests a sequence: Foundational, then Associate, then Professional or Specialty. Each level builds on knowledge tested at the one below. You may skip levels, but doing so raises the chance of meeting material you have not studied.

Certifications that changed or disappeared

Older AWS certification articles, including earlier versions of this one, describe a catalogue that no longer exists. Four points matter if you rely on any list published before 2025.

Retired, with no path to register today: four names are absent from the current active catalogue: AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty, AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty, AWS Certified Database - Specialty and AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder - Specialty. You cannot book any of them as an exam now.

Retiring soon or already past its last sitting: AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty held its last exam delivery on 31 March 2026, a date already behind us. Existing holders keep active status for the full three years from their earn date. A new reader cannot register for it. AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01) is scheduled to retire on 31 December 2026. Certifications earned before that date keep their full three-year validity.

Renamed, not removed: AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate no longer exists as a purchasable exam name. AWS replaced it with AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate (SOA-C03). Anyone who already holds the SysOps Administrator credential keeps it valid for its full three-year term. No forced switch to the new name applies.

Added since older lists were written: four names did not exist when older AWS articles went live, including the original version of this page. The additions are AI Practitioner, Machine Learning Engineer - Associate, Data Engineer - Associate and Generative AI Developer - Professional. That is also why "11 certifications" is no longer an accurate count. The catalogue currently runs to 13.

Choosing by role, not by list position

A useful shortcut is to start from the work you want to do. Find the certification that tests it, rather than working through a numbered list top to bottom.

Choose your AWS learning direction. Build applications: Start with Developer Associate (DVA-C02) for application development skills Then Design systems: Move to Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) for architecture decisions Then Specialise with experience: Add DevOps, security, machine learning or generative AI Professional and Specialty tracks
AWS recommends this sequence. It does not enforce any step as a prerequisite for the next.
  • If you write and deploy application code, Developer - Associate (DVA-C02) tests that skill directly.
  • If you design systems and choose services to meet requirements, Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) is the closer match.
  • If you already work in AWS and want to go deeper into one domain, pick a Professional or Specialty exam for that domain: DevOps Engineer - Professional, Security - Specialty, Machine Learning Engineer - Associate or Generative AI Developer - Professional.
  • If you are new to cloud computing and want a broad, non-technical starting point, look at the Foundational level. Cloud Practitioner or AI Practitioner cover that ground.

As a practical exercise, list the AWS services named in your current job description or the roles you apply for. Then check which exam guide covers the largest share of that list. Use that comparison, not a certification's rank in an article, to decide your first exam.

Reference badges

The badges below identify three certifications discussed above. They come from AWS and confirm what each exam covers. They are not evidence that Ethnus, Codemithra or any individual holds the credential.

Official AWS Certified Developer Associate badge from Amazon Web Services
AWS Certified Developer - Associate. Publisher: Amazon Web Services. Exam page.
Official AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate badge from Amazon Web Services
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate. Publisher: Amazon Web Services. Exam page.
Official AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer Associate badge from Amazon Web Services
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate. Publisher: Amazon Web Services. Exam page.

Recertification

Every active AWS certification carries a three-year validity period, confirmed on the AWS Certification FAQ. After three years, you recertify by passing the current version of the same exam, or a higher-level exam in the same category. This applies uniformly across Foundational, Associate, Professional and Specialty, replacing any older claim of a two-year cycle for specific exams.

How Ethnus training maps to this path

The Ethnus Cloud Practitioner Essentials program works through 11 syllabus sections. It runs from an introduction to AWS through networking, storage, databases, security and monitoring. It closes with a dedicated Cloud Practitioner basics module, with sandbox access and unlimited attempts for practice. For readers moving to the Associate level, the AWS Solutions Architect Associate program covers the SAA-C03 syllabus directly. It includes EC2 and Lambda for compute, EBS and S3 for storage, VPC and Direct Connect for networking, and IAM and CloudTrail for security. It also covers RDS, ElastiCache and DynamoDB for databases, plus modules on designing resilient, high-performing architecture. Both programs include expert-led trainer sessions and instant doubt clearing. For a shorter first look, the AWS Cloud Masterclass is a 3-hour session. It includes a hands-on exercise to build a facial recognition app in under 30 minutes. Students can earn a certificate and badge from Ethnus and NASSCOM FutureSkills after an assessment. Codemithra's placement support includes a resume building workshop and practice interviews. Check the placements page for current scope rather than assuming a guaranteed outcome.

Frequently asked questions

Is it still 11 AWS certifications?

No. AWS currently runs 13 active or beta certifications, checked against the official catalogue on 8 September 2026. Older articles that cite 11 predate several additions and one new Business-track credential.

Do I need Cloud Practitioner before an Associate exam?

No. AWS does not enforce any certification as a prerequisite for another. Cloud Practitioner before Associate is a recommended sequence, confirmed by the AWS Certification FAQ, not a requirement to register.

Can I still register for AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty?

No. Its last exam delivery was 31 March 2026. Existing holders keep their credential valid for three years from the date they earned it, but new registration is closed.

What happened to AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate?

It has been replaced by AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate (SOA-C03). Existing SysOps Administrator holders keep their credential valid for its full three-year term without a forced switch.

Pick the certification that matches the work you want to do next, not the one at the top of an old list. Start at the level that fits your current experience with the Ethnus Codemithra AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials program. If you already have hands-on AWS exposure, move straight into architecture with the AWS Solutions Architect Associate program.

Tags

[yearmonthtags]
Tags

About the Author

Neeraj Patel

Neeraj Patel

Read More

Codemithra is here to help you!

Ethnus User Agreement

I agree to submit my personally identifiable information to Ethnus, who may use it to communicate regarding their events, courses, and other services through various media including phone calls, text messages, email, and social media. I also agree with Ethnus' Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

I agree with Ethnus sharing my personal data, including email address, with Salesforce family of companies, who may contact me for sales and marketing purposes and as described in Salesforce's Privacy Statement.

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Notice describes how we collect and use your personal information in relation to Ethnus websites, applications, products, services, events, and experiences that reference this Privacy Notice (together, "Ethnus Offerings").

This Privacy Notice does not apply to the "content" processed, stored, or hosted by our customers using Ethnus Offerings in connection with an Ethnus account. This Privacy Notice also does not apply to any products, services, websites, or content that are offered by third parties or have their own privacy notice.

Personal Information We Collect

We collect your personal information in the course of providing Ethnus Offerings to you.

Here are the types of information we gather:

        a) Information You Give Us: We collect any information you provide in relation to Ethnus Offerings. Click here to see examples of information you give us. Example: Name, email, phone, etc.

        b) Automatic Information: We automatically collect certain types of information when you interact with Ethnus Offerings. Example: IP address, location, browser identity, etc.

        c) Information from Other Sources: We might collect information about you from other sources, including service providers, partners, and publicly available sources. Example: marketing analytics, keywords, etc.

How We Use Personal Information

We use your personal information to operate, provide, and improve Ethnus Offerings. Our purposes for using personal information include:

        a) Provide Ethnus Offerings: We may use your personal information to provide and deliver Ethnus Offerings and process transactions related to Ethnus Offerings, including registrations, subscriptions, purchases, and payments.

        b) Measure, Support, and Improve Ethnus Offerings: We use your personal information to measure use of, analyze the performance of, fix errors in, provide support for, improve, and develop Ethnus Offerings.

        c) Recommendations and Personalization: We use your personal information to recommend Ethnus Offerings that might be of interest to you, identify your preferences, and personalize your experience with Ethnus Offerings.

        d) Comply with Legal Obligations: In certain cases, we have a legal obligation to collect, use, or retain your personal information.

        e) Communicate with You: We use your personal information to communicate with you in relation to Ethnus Offerings via different channels (e.g., by phone, email, chat) and to respond to your requests.

        f) Marketing: We use your personal information to market and promote Ethnus Offerings. We might display interest-based ads for Ethnus Offerings.

        g) Purposes for Which We Seek Your Consent: We may also ask for your consent to use your personal information for a specific purpose that we communicate to you.

Cookies

To enable our systems to recognize your browser or device and to provide Ethnus Offerings, we use cookies.

How We Share Personal Information

Information about our customers is an important part of our business and we are not in the business of selling our customers' personal information to others. We share personal information only as described below and with Ethnus Consultancy Services Private Limited, . and its affiliates that are either subject to this Privacy Notice or follow practices at least as protective as those described in this Privacy Notice.

Transactions Involving Third Parties: We make available to you services, software, training, and content provided by third parties for use on or through Ethnus Offerings. You can tell when a third party is involved in your transactions, and we share information related to those transactions with that third party. For example, you can order services, software, and content from sellers using the Authorized Training Partner's marketplace and we provide those sellers information to facilitate your subscription, purchases, or support.

Other than as set out above, you will receive notice when personal information about you might be shared with third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to share the information.

How We Secure Information

        a) We protect the security of your information during transmission to or from websites, applications, products, or services by using encryption protocols and software.

        b) We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards in connection with the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal information.

Internet Advertising and Third Parties

Ethnus Offerings may include third-party advertising and links to other websites and applications. Third party advertising partners may collect information about you when you interact with their content, advertising, or services. For more information about third-party advertising, including interest-based ads, please read our Interest-Based Ads notice.

Access and Choice

You have choices about the collection and use of your personal information. Many Ethnus Offerings include settings that provide you with options as to how your information is being used. You can choose not to provide certain information, but then you might not be able to take advantage of certain Ethnus Offerings.

        a) Communications: If you do not want to receive promotional messages from us, please unsubscribe or adjust your communication preferences in the emails.

        b) Advertising: If you don't want to see interest-based ads, please adjust your Advertising Preferences.

        c) Browser and Devices: The Help feature on most browsers and devices will tell you how to prevent your browser or device from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether.

Children's Personal Information

We don't provide Ethnus Offerings for purchase by children. If you're under 18, you may use Ethnus Offerings only with the involvement of a parent or guardian.

Retention of Personal Information

We keep your personal information to enable your continued use of Ethnus Offerings, for as long as it is required in order to fulfill the relevant purposes described in this Privacy Notice, as may be required by law (including for tax and accounting purposes), or as otherwise communicated to you. How long we retain specific personal information varies depending on the purpose for its use, and we may delete your personal information in accordance with applicable law.

Contacts, Notices, and Revisions

If you have any concern about privacy at Ethnus, you may also contact us at the addresses below:

Ethnus Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd,

SST Chambers, No.151/17/1 Second Floor, 36th Cross Rd, 5th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560041

Or, email us at [email protected]

Or call us at: +91 - 8929 334 324

You will find the updated contact information on our website: www.ethnus.com/contact/

If you interact with Ethnus Offerings on behalf of or through your organization, then your personal information may also be subject to your organization's privacy practices, and you should direct privacy inquiries to your organization.

Our business changes constantly, and our Privacy Notice may also change. You should check our website frequently to see recent changes. You can see the date on which the latest version of this Privacy Notice was posted. Unless stated otherwise, our current Privacy Notice applies to all personal information we have about you and your account. We stand behind the promises we make, however, and will never materially change our policies and practices to make them less protective of personal information collected in the past without informing affected customers and giving them a choice.

Terms & Conditions

This Privacy and Security Policy is provided for the benefit of customers and clients of Ethnus Consultancy Services Private Limited. ("Ethnus") as well as other consumers and parties who use Ethnus and/or its website(s), particularly codemithra.com ("Website", "www.codemithra.com", "Codemithra" or "Ethnus Codemithra"), and/or applications ("Apps") (collectively, "Ethnus Services" or "Ethnus Platform").

Since Ethnus serves several different audiences, customers find it helpful to read the Terms of Use that apply specifically to them based upon the purpose for which they use Ethnus. For this reason, we link to three separate agreements below for employer customers, job seeker customers, and staffing customers, respectively.

For your convenience, we define each of these audiences that Ethnus serves as follows:

"Employer Customer" means an entity using Ethnus Services that is seeking to hire an individual as an employee and/or independent contractor to be employed by it directly.

"Job Seeker Customer" means an individual using Ethnus Services who is seeking to be employed as an employee or independent contractor by an employer.

"Staffing Customer" means a staffing company using Ethnus Services that provides staffing services to their own Staffing Clients.

So long as your use of the Ethnus website and services remains within the scope of the particular audience or customer for which you began using Ethnus (e.g. a job seeker does not use Ethnus as an employer, or an employer does not use Ethnus as a job seeker), the complete Terms of Use applicable to your use of the Ethnus website and services is contained within the applicable Terms of Use linked below.

Employer Terms of Use

The following Terms of Use apply to any Ethnus Employer Customer seeking to hire employees or independent contractors for its own business. If you seek to find employees or independent contractors for the benefit of your clients (and not yourself), you need to review the Terms of Use specifically for our Ethnus Staffing Customers accessible at www.Codemithra.com/terms/staffing.

Ethnus, Inc. ("Ethnus") provides online services through which employers and staffing companies seeking employees and independent contractors can efficiently and effectively review and interview candidates. Ethnus provides these services and its suite of features and products through its Apps and Website (collectively, "Ethnus Services") subject to these terms of use ("Terms of Use") and the agreements incorporated herein.

Your privacy is very important to us. We designed our accompanying Privacy and Security Policy to provide important disclosures about how your information will be used by Ethnus in providing you Ethnus Services. These Terms of Use expressly incorporate our Privacy and Security Policy.

Please read these Terms of Use and our Privacy and Security Policy carefully before using any of the diverse Ethnus Services. By visiting the Website, installing any of the Apps, and/or using any of the Ethnus Services, you shall have affirmed your agreement to these Terms of Use.

1. Definitions

2. Modifications - Will Ethnus ever modify these Terms of Use?

3. Ethnus Services - What are the Ethnus Services?

4. Video Content and Services - How and when do you record videos?

5. Pricing, Payments, and Billing - How and when will I be billed for Ethnus Services?

6. Objectionable Content - What if I find content to be objectionable?

7. Customer Conduct

8. Intellectual Property

9. DMCA Policy

10. Reserved for Future Use

11. Resale of Services

12. Indemnification

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

14. Third Party Links and Products

15. Limitations of Liability

16. Exclusions and Limitations

17. General Terms

1. Definitions

"Consumer" means any individual or entity that uses any of the Ethnus Services. Where applicable, the term "Consumer" shall encompass all Ethnus Customers.

"Content" means all material, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, available on or through any of the Ethnus Services.

"Customer" means, for purposes of this Terms of Use, You, a Job Seeker Customer.

"Customer Content" means any Content uploaded to and/or created through the Ethnus Services by a Ethnus Customer.

"Employer Customer" means an entity using Ethnus Services that is seeking to hire an individual as an employee and/or independent contractor to be employed by it directly.

"GDPR" means the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation.

"Job Seeker Customer" means an individual using Ethnus Services who is seeking to be employed as an employee or independent contractor by an employer.

"Profile Video" means a promotional video created by a Job Seeker Customer to promote themselves as a candidate employee and/or independent contractor. It is not an interview. The Job Seeker Customer completes this independently and on their own.

"Software" means any necessary software used in connection with the Ethnus Services.

"Ethnus Account" means an account associated with a Ethnus Customer who uses or has used Ethnus Services.

"Ethnus Content" means any Content excluding Customer Content and Video Content in which Ethnus does not participate.

"Ethnus Customer" means any person who uses or has used Ethnus Services including, but not limited to, Employer Customers, Job Seeker Customers, and Staffing Customers.

"Ethnus Services" means the suite of features, products and services offered through Ethnus, its Apps, its App Services, the Website, and the Website Services.

"Ethnus Trademarks" means any trademarks, tradenames, logos, and other commercial designs of Ethnus or licensed to Ethnus, whether or not formal registration exists including, but not limited to, "Ethnus."

"Staffing Clients" means third-party employer clients of Staffing Customers.

"Staffing Customer" means a staffing company using Ethnus Services that provides staffing services to their own Staffing Clients.

"Strategic Partners" means those trusted partners that Ethnus employs, engages, or retains to perform functions and/or provide services on its behalf.

"Sub Accounts" means subsidiary accounts created for or by an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer ("such as a consultant group or employer") under its primary account.

"Username" means the valid email address provided by each Ethnus Customer to be used as their username or login identification.

"Video Content" means any video content created by or associated with any Ethnus Customer accessible on and through Ethnus Services including, but not limited to, Profile Videos, Video Questions, Video Interviews, and Welcome Videos.

"Video Interview" means an interview completed through Ethnus Services using a video or "web" camera that an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer requests a Job Seeker Customer complete. A Video Interview may involve a Job Seeker Customer alone or with other participants from an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer. A Video Interview may be pre-recorded by a Job Seeker in response to questions or occur live at which time it would be recorded.

"Video Question" means a question recorded in video and audio that can be sent to potential employee and independent contractor candidates by an Employer Customer or Staffing Customer.

"Website" means all of the content, information and services (in any format whatsoever) accessible through the World Wide Web at the domain name Codemithra.com.

"Website Services" means the services provided by Ethnus through the website at the domain name Codemithra.com, hire.li, and any of our other websites that may be used from time to time