5 AWS Certifications to Boost Your Software Engineering Career

Table of Contents

---

• What is an AWS Certification?
• The 6 Benefits of AWS Certification
• Comparing 5 AWS Certifications for Software Developers
• 1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
• 2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
• 3. AWS Certified Developer Associate
• 4. AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate 
• 5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional
• FAQs About AWS Certs for Engineers

If you're a software engineer aiming to level up your cloud skills in 2025, earning an Amazon Web Services (AWS) certification could be a smart move. But with a growing list of certifications available, it can be tough to know which one is right for your goals. To help you cut through the noise, we’re highlighting five of the most in-demand AWS certifications that employers are actively hiring for this year.

In this guide, you’ll learn who each certification is best for, how much the exam costs, how long it takes to prepare, and the best courses to help you prepare for each test. Plus, we’re answering your top FAQs and sharing first-hand insights from people just like you who have successfully earned their AWS credentials.

What is an AWS Certification?

Getting “AWS certified” demonstrates your knowledge and expertise in cloud computing issued by Amazon Web Services. If you’re an IT pro, such as a cloud engineer, cloud architect, or cloud administrator, you might consider getting an AWS certification if you’re looking to get a job in cloud computing, move up the career ladder, or simply stand out from the crowd when on the job hunt. 

Companies across many different industries use AWS, and having a certification opens career doors – it demonstrates that you’re a credible, proficient specialist in AWS systems, and can establish you as an expert in the field of cloud computing.

While there are a lot of AWS certifications out there, software engineers should be looking at the five specific AWS certifications we’ll discuss below.

The 6 Benefits of AWS Certification

While AWS certification can be valuable, it isn’t required to start a career in software development. In fact, you can even work at AWS without an AWS certification! However, if you decide to pursue certification, it can provide a variety of benefits, such as:

1. It helps you develop industry skills. Getting AWS certification provides you with a greater understanding and knowledge of AWS products and how to use them effectively in cloud computing and analytics.

2. It demonstrates a commitment to your career. Having an AWS certification shows potential employers that you have the expertise to administer and maintain AWS programs. It also shows that you have a passion for staying on top of current trends and advancements in cloud computing as well as moving forward in your industry.

3. It gives you an advantage over other job applicants who don’t have certification. While an AWS certification alone won’t get you a job, it does demonstrate to a potential employer that you have the skills the job requires along with hands-on experience and evidence of problem-solving skills.

4. It helps you “future proof” your career. AWS is a leading provider of cloud services, and has 31% market share and $27.5 billion in total sales (as of the third quarter of 2024), so it stands to reason that many companies will require someone who is AWS-certified.

5. It provides a chance for a better salary. Studies have shown that those with AWS certifications can earn 25-30% more than those without!

6. You can grow your professional network. With an AWS certification, you can be part of the AWS Certified Global Community, which provides access to the AWS Certified LinkedIn community and network and the opportunity to attend AWS-centered events and conferences.

Comparing 5 AWS Certifications for Software Developers

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

• What does the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification cover? AWS cloud concepts, security, compliance, technology, billing, and pricing.
• This is your “starting block” certification.
• How to prepare for this exam:
  • Start with an AWS tutorial video
  • Review the CLF-CO2 exam guide and practice questions 

  • Recommended Prep Course: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Foundations

💡 On-the-ground insight: The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification is the starting point in AWS certifications for a software engineer, cloud engineer, Solutions architect, application architect, cloud data engineer, system administrator, test engineer, Cloud DevOps engineer, DevSecOps engineer, cloud security engineer, cloud security architect, network engineer, prompt engineer, machine learning engineer, machine learning Ops engineer, or data scientist. 

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

• What does the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate certification cover? Designing resilient architectures, defining performant architectures, specifying secure applications and architectures, designing cost-optimized architectures, and defining operationally sound architectures.
• This is a great next step for people who have their AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification.
• How to prepare for this exam?
  • Practice with AWS Builder Labs, AWS Cloud Quest, and AWS Jam.
  • Take a practice test before scheduling the exam.
  • Recommended Prep Course: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate Exam Prep

3. AWS Certified Developer Associate

• What does the AWS Certified Developer Associate certification cover? This certification tests expertise and understanding of developing, optimizing, packaging, and deploying applications, using CI/CD workflows, and identifying and resolving application issues
• How to prepare for this exam:
  • Take the AWS Certification Official Practice Exam
  • Recommended Prep Course: AWS Certified Developer Associate Specialization Exam Prep

4. AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate 

• What does the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification cover? The design of cost-optimized and performance-optimized solutions.
• How to prepare for this exam:
  • Take digital or online courses to refresh your skills or fill skill gaps
  • Take the AWS Certification Official Practice Exam
  • Recommended Prep Course: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate Exam Prep  

💡 On-the-ground insight from Tech Elevator bootcamp graduate Joel: When Joel was on the job hunt for his first developer role, he found that “employers [like JPMorgan Chase] wanted the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Certification as a baseline.”

5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional

• What does the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional certification cover? The concepts of design for organizational complexity and new solutions, migration planning, and cost control.
• This is the most challenging, senior-level certification. This certification is for Solutions Architects, Solutions Design Engineers, IT Managers, Project Managers, and experienced Engineers or Consultants.
• How to prepare for this exam?
  • Review the AWS exam guide, get hands-on practice with AWS services, study AWS whitepapers and official documentation.
  • Take several practice tests, and review vital concepts such as VPCs, EC2 instances, S3 storage, RDS, Lambda functions, and CloudFront.

FAQs About AWS Certs for Engineers