Certifications play a key role in enhancing the career of IT professionals. Among them, some of the most popular are AWS certifications, which are in high demand in today's job market.
Two of the AWS certifications that attract the highest salaries are the AWS Certified Solutions Architect and AWS Developer certifications. In fact, according to Global Knowledge, AWS-certified workers earn more than $130,000 annually.
If you are in doubt about which path to choose, here is a comparison guide that can help you.
Why AWS Certification?
Before starting the discussion on AWS Developer vs AWS Architect, it is essential to reflect on the reasons for getting AWS certified. So, let's clarify what AWS certifications are before comparing AWS Solutions Architect vs Developer. Certifications provide a measurable impression of your fluency and ability in a certain set of tasks and skills.
However, AWS certifications do not imply a candidate's experience in the field in question. With no hands-on cloud experience, an AWS certification is just proof that you passed an AWS certification test for related skills. AWS certifications could be the right tools to land new career opportunities, that is, new jobs or promotions and a better salary.
AWS Developer vs AWS Architect certification
AWS Developer certification
What are the objectives of this exam?
Here are the objectives for the AWS Cloud Developer (DVA-C02) examination:
- Deployment
- Security
- Development with AWS Services
- Refactoring
- Monitoring and Troubleshooting
The AWS Developer exam takes a deep dive into Serverless computing, as this is a practice AWS wants developers to embrace.
The services focused on are Lambda, DynamoDB, Step Functions, X-Ray, API Gateway, ECS, CloudFront, SQS, SNS, and Kinesis.
Who is this certification for?
This exam is great for developers who are learning how to build using AWS. Whether it be for personal use or for a job, the knowledge you acquire while preparing for this exam will provide you with all the tools you need to be successful.
You do not have to be highly technically qualified to succeed. The exam creators do not require code on the test.
AWS developer salary
In the United States, the average salary for an AWS developer ranged from $90,000 to $150,000 per year.
How long does it take to get AWS developer certification
As a rough estimate, individuals who already have some experience with AWS and dedicate a few hours each day to focused study and hands-on practice might take several weeks to a few months to prepare for the AWS Certified Developer - Associate exam.
Remember that everyone's learning pace is different, and there's no one-size-fits-all timeline for certification preparation. Take the time you need to thoroughly understand the concepts and gain practical experience with AWS services before attempting the exam.
How many questions in AWS developer associate exam?
The AWS Certified Developer - Associate exam typically consists of around 65 questions.
AWS Architect certification
What are the objectives of this exam?
The objectives of the AWS Solutions Architect (SAA-C03) exam are as follows:
- Design Resilient Architectures
- Design High-Performing Architectures
- Design Secure Applications and Architectures
- Design Cost-Optimized Architectures
The main focus for this certification is designing the best possible architecture for your systems.
Among the services to which this certification pays special attention are: EC2, VPC, ECS, Elastic Load Balancers, CloudWatch, EFS, EBS, FSx, and the CI/CD tools.
Who is this certification for?
This certification is for those who perform some type of solution architect role.
The exam will test your ability to design architectures that are secure, robust, and use AWS technologies. Once you have obtained this certification, you can start preparing the exam AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP-C01).
What does a AWS Cloud Architect do?
An AWS Cloud Architect is a professional responsible for designing and implementing cloud solutions on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. Their primary focus is to create scalable, reliable, and secure systems that meet the business requirements of organizations.
AWS architect salary
As a general estimate in the United States, the average salary for an AWS Solutions Architect ranged. from $120,000 to $160,000 per year.
How long does it take to get AWS Solutions Architect?
As a rough estimate, individuals who already have some experience with AWS and dedicate a few hours each day to focused study and hands-on practice might take several weeks to a few months to prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam.
Remember that everyone's learning pace is different, and there's no one-size-fits-all timeline for certification preparation. Take the time you need to thoroughly understand the concepts, gain practical experience with AWS services, and feel confident in your ability to tackle the exam.
How many questions are on the AWS Solutions Architect exam?
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam typically consists of around 65 questions.
How to choose the right AWS Exam?
Both exams test your knowledge of core AWS services and best practices. However, these exams are different in many ways.
If you have experience with traditional IT functions such as networking, security, server administration, or Linux or Windows administration, your experience will help you understand how these services work. In this case, the solutions architect exam would be the best option, as your experience will help you understand how cloud environments work, one of the key exam topics.
On the other hand, if you have experience with scripting, scheduling, or performing QA activities, you should choose the associate developer exam. As you prepare for this exam, you will learn about the developer tools that AWS offers and build confidence building with AWS.
In general, if you have experience writing code, you should prepare for the developer exam as it will help you become familiar with the tools required to develop and implement solutions on AWS. If you are interested in pursuing a career as a cloud engineer or a cloud architect, the AWS Solution Architect Exam will help you build the foundation you need for those careers.
In conclusion, we at MeasureUp highly recommend taking both exams. However, if you must choose one, whatever certification you choose will open the door to limitless opportunities.
Harnessing the power of AWS will make your dreams come true. You will have the ability to build anything you can imagine.
How to prepare for AWS Developer and AWS Architect certification?
For almost two decades, our practice tests have been recognized for their innovative use of simulation question types, comprehensive explanations, complete coverage of exam objectives, multiple delivery mode, and in-depth reporting.
You can also enjoy our assessments, used to evaluate your knowledge and check if you're prepared to get the AWS certification. Whatever path you choose, MeasureUp will always be your best option!