Which AWS Certification Should I Start With in 2027?

The short answer: Start with the AWS certification that matches what you do now and the AWS job you want next. It is not always the easiest one. If you have no IT or cloud experience, AWS calls Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) “a good starting point.” If you already work in IT, development, operations or data, the Associate exam for your role is usually the better first step. AWS lists “prior cloud or IT experience” as recommended for Associate exams, and it does not set a required order.

The advice on which exam fits which person is EvolveSkill’s own editorial guidance, not an AWS rule. Statements attributed to AWS come from AWS’s own pages, listed at the end. For the full list of exams and the dates AWS has announced for changes, see our complete AWS certifications list (opens in a new tab). This guide helps you choose between them.

Find your starting point in 30 seconds

Chapter 1: The rule behind a good first choice

A good first certification fits two things: the work you do today and the work you want to do next. Difficulty matters less than fit.

AWS organizes its exams into levels, and its certification page describes what each level assumes. Foundational: “No prior experience needed.” Associate: “Prior cloud or IT experience recommended.” Professional: “2+ years AWS experience required.” Those three lines are the closest thing AWS publishes to a guide for choosing a level.

AWS does not say which exam you must take first. Its Before Testing page says, “All AWS Certifications may be earned without completing specific prerequisites,” and adds that AWS provides recommendations for the knowledge and experience that fit each certification. Where AWS does give advice, it uses words like “recommended” and “would benefit,” which are softer than “required.”

Ask yourself three questions:

1. 01What do you do day to day? An architect, a developer, an operations engineer and a data engineer each have a different Associate exam.
2. 02How long have you worked with IT or AWS? Compare yourself with the experience AWS recommends for the exam you are eyeing.
3. 03Does anything force the choice? An employer or a client may name an exam. If nothing does, choose by role and experience.

If you are still unsure whether the effort pays off, read whether an AWS certification is worth it (opens in a new tab) first.

Chapter 2: Find your starting point by background

You have no IT or cloud experience

Start with Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02). AWS calls it “a good starting point on the AWS Certification journey” for people with no prior IT or cloud experience who are moving into a cloud career. AWS says candidates may have up to six months of AWS exposure, and that exposure is not required.

This also matters for your next step. The Solutions Architect, Developer and CloudOps Associate pages each say that candidates “who do not have any IT work experience” would benefit from first earning Cloud Practitioner. So AWS’s own advice for a true beginner is the same across those exams.

You work in a business role

If you sell, manage products or run projects alongside cloud teams, Cloud Practitioner is the exam AWS describes for line-of-business staff who want foundational cloud literacy. If your work is mostly about AI projects, AWS’s AI Business Strategist exam (AIB-C01) is built for you. It is in beta as of October 7, 2026, and AWS says it needs no coding, no AWS implementation experience and no other AWS certification.

You are an IT professional new to AWS

AWS says Associate exams recommend “prior cloud or IT experience,” and the “would benefit” advice on Associate pages is aimed at people with no IT work experience. If you have worked in IT, that advice is not aimed at you.

EvolveSkill guidance: if you already understand networking, operating systems and security, go to the Associate exam closest to your job. Take Cloud Practitioner first only if you want a lighter first exam to learn AWS vocabulary. Read the AWS exam page for your target exam and compare yourself to its experience note before you decide.

If your goal is to design cloud solutions, that points to Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03). As of October 7, 2026 we found no AWS announcement of a replacement exam. Our guide to why candidates fail SAA-C03 and how to pass (opens in a new tab) covers preparing for it.

You are a developer

AWS recommends “one or more years of prior hands-on experience” developing and maintaining applications on AWS for Developer Associate. If you have built applications but not on AWS, the plan is practical: spend time building on AWS, then sit the exam.

Check the version before you book. DVA-C02 is the current exam as of October 7, 2026. AWS has announced DVA-C03, with registration opening October 27, 2026. The last day for DVA-C02 is November 30, 2026, and DVA-C03 starts December 1, 2026. Pick the one that matches your test date.

You work in operations or cloud support

CloudOps Engineer Associate (SOA-C03) is the exam for you. It replaced the SysOps Administrator Associate, which AWS retired in September 2025. AWS describes the ideal candidate as having about one year of experience deploying, managing and operating workloads on AWS. Its page lists job titles such as cloud operations specialist, cloud support engineer and cloud operator.

You work with data

Data Engineer Associate (DEA-C01) is the AWS exam for data work. Its bar is higher than most: AWS describes the ideal candidate as having the equivalent of 2-3 years of experience in data engineering or data architecture. If you are new to data engineering, treat that as a sign to build experience first and not as a reason to skip it.

You are interested in AI or machine learning

There are two entry points, and they are different. AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) is a Foundational exam for anyone exploring AI and machine learning on AWS, including people in cloud, development, data, IT and line-of-business roles. AWS adds that if you are new to IT and AWS, you should first start with its Cloud Practitioner Essentials or AWS Technical Essentials training. That is training, not an exam.

Machine Learning Engineer Associate (MLA-C02) is for engineers. AWS describes at least one year of experience using Amazon SageMaker AI, Amazon Bedrock and other ML engineering services on AWS. The updated exam is in beta as of October 7, 2026, and MLA-C01 retires on January 14, 2027.

You already work with AWS

Go to the Associate exam that matches your job. Professional exams are a later step: AWS says Professional certifications call for two or more years of AWS experience.

Chapter 3: Cloud Practitioner or an Associate exam?

Here is how the two choices compare, using AWS’s own published details.

Take Cloud Practitioner if you are new to IT or cloud, or your role is not technical. It costs less and asks less of you, and AWS says it gives you foundational knowledge of AWS Cloud and services.

EvolveSkill guidance: consider skipping it if you already work in IT and know what role you want. AWS does not require it, and it costs an extra $100 and study time.

Do not choose Cloud Practitioner just because it looks easy. Choose it because it matches where you are starting.

Chapter 4: Mistakes that waste a first attempt

These are EvolveSkill observations drawn from how AWS describes its exams. None is an AWS statistic.

• Choosing by name recognition. Solutions Architect Associate is the best-known Associate exam. It fits you if your work involves designing cloud solutions, and AWS recommends at least one year of hands-on experience doing that.
• Picking the biggest credential. Professional exams assume years of AWS work. A first exam at that level is a poor plan.
• Ignoring the experience note. Each AWS exam page says what the ideal candidate has done. AWS’s Before Testing page puts it simply: “There is no true substitute for experience.”
• Booking the wrong version. Several exams change version between now and January 2027. Check the exam code before you pay.
• Treating the exam as the goal. Choose the exam that leads to the work you want. The credential comes second.
• Studying without building. Read the exam guide, then use AWS yourself. AWS offers over 900 free self-paced digital courses through Skill Builder.

Chapter 5: Choose and confirm your first exam

1. 01Decide the AWS role you are moving toward.
2. 02Match yourself to the table at the top of this guide.
3. 03Open the AWS page for that exam and read the “who should take this exam” and experience notes.
4. 04Check the exam code and any version change on the AWS exam page, because several exams change version before January 2027.
5. 05Choose a target test date that leaves time to build hands-on practice, then prepare for that exam. Our AWS exam preparation guide (opens in a new tab) covers building a study plan, using practice questions and deciding when you are ready to book.

Chapter 6: What to do after your first certification

Your first certification is a starting line, not a finish. EvolveSkill guidance:

• If you started with Cloud Practitioner, pick the Associate exam that matches your job next.
• If you started with an Associate exam, build experience in that role before you consider a Professional or Specialty exam.
• Keep the certification current. AWS certifications are valid for three years.

FAQ

Do I have to take Cloud Practitioner before Solutions Architect Associate?

No. AWS’s Before Testing page says all AWS Certifications may be earned without completing specific prerequisites. The Solutions Architect Associate page says candidates who do not have any IT work experience would benefit from first earning Cloud Practitioner. If you have IT experience, that advice is not aimed at you.

Is Cloud Practitioner worth taking if I already work in IT?

It is optional. AWS describes it for people with no prior IT or cloud experience and for line-of-business staff. The exam costs $100 as of October 7, 2026. If you already know your target role, the Associate exam for it may be the better use of your time.

Which AWS certification should someone with no IT experience start with?

Cloud Practitioner. AWS calls it a good starting point for people with no prior IT or cloud experience who are switching to a cloud career.

Can I start with an Associate exam if I have no AWS experience?

Yes, if you have IT experience. AWS recommends prior cloud or IT experience for Associate exams and does not require another certification first. For exams such as Developer Associate, AWS recommends one or more years of hands-on experience, so plan time to build on AWS before you sit it.

Which AWS certification should a developer start with?

Developer Associate. Choose DVA-C02 or DVA-C03 by your exam date: DVA-C02 ends November 30, 2026 and DVA-C03 starts December 1, 2026.

Is AWS AI Practitioner a good first certification?

It can be, for AI literacy. AWS says it is for anyone exploring AI and machine learning on AWS, across technical and business roles. If you are new to IT and AWS, AWS suggests starting with its Cloud Practitioner Essentials or AWS Technical Essentials training.

Can non-technical people earn an AWS certification?

Yes. Cloud Practitioner is aimed at line-of-business staff as well as career changers. AI Business Strategist, in beta as of October 7, 2026, needs no coding or AWS implementation experience.

Sources

AWS pages used for facts in this guide, all accessed October 7, 2026.

• AWS Certification and AWS Certification FAQs
• AWS exam pages: Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner, AI Business Strategist, Solutions Architect Associate, Developer Associate, CloudOps Engineer Associate, Data Engineer Associate, Machine Learning Engineer Associate
• AWS Certification policies: before testing
• AWS Skill Builder digital training
• Certification updates: September 2026 (AWS, September 1, 2026)

EvolveSkill is an independent educational resource; certification names and program details belong to AWS.