AWS Certified Solutions Architect - AssociatevsAWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
Which certification is right for you? Compare exam format, difficulty, and career benefits.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
SAA-C03Associate
Validates ability to design and implement distributed systems on AWS. Covers secure, resilient, high-performing, and cost-optimized architectures using AWS services.
View Practice TestsAWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
SAP-C02Professional
Validates advanced technical skills and experience in designing distributed systems on AWS. Covers complex multi-account architectures, migrations, hybrid connectivity, cost optimization, and organizational complexity.
View Practice TestsOur Recommendation
The best choice depends on your experience level and career goals.
| Comparison Factor | SAA-C03 | SAP-C02 |
|---|---|---|
| Certification Level | Associate | Professional |
| Exam Duration | 130 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Number of Questions | 65 questions (50 scored, 15 unscored) | 75 questions (all scored) |
| Passing Score | 720 out of 1000 | 750 out of 1000 |
| Certification Validity | 3 years | 3 years |
| Recommended Experience | 1 year of hands-on experience designing available, cost-efficient, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed systems on AWS | 2+ years of hands-on experience designing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS, plus experience with AWS CLI, AWS APIs, CloudFormation templates, the AWS Billing Console, the AWS Management Console, a scripting language, and Windows and Linux environments |
| Practice Test Price | $19.99 | $19.99 |
Topics Covered Comparison
SAA-C03 Topics
Design Secure Architectures
30%Design Resilient Architectures
26%Design High-Performing Architectures
24%Design Cost-Optimized Architectures
20%SAP-C02 Topics
Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity
26%Design for New Solutions
29%Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions
25%Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
20%Which Should You Choose?
Choose SAA-C03 if:
- You have hands-on cloud experience
- Your role aligns with aws certified solutions architect responsibilities
- You want to start your certification journey here
Choose SAP-C02 if:
- Your role aligns with aws certified solutions architect responsibilities
- You want to specialize in this area
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