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AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Quick Facts
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification is your springboard to designing scalable, reliable, and secure AWS solutions with confidence. This quick overview brings together everything you need to know to move forward with purpose and clarity as you prepare to validate your cloud architecture expertise.
How does the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification help you grow as a cloud professional?
This certification demonstrates your ability to design architectures that are secure, resilient, high performing, and cost optimized on AWS. It’s ideal for professionals who build and manage cloud solutions, from developers aspiring to become architects to experienced engineers refining their design strategies. Through this exam, you will strengthen your understanding of core AWS architectural principles and learn to apply the Well-Architected Framework to create practical, production-ready designs.
Who is the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Certification for?
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification is designed for individuals who want to validate their ability to design and implement secure, reliable, and scalable cloud solutions using AWS services. It’s a perfect fit for those with some technical background looking to level up their cloud architecture skills.
This certification is ideal for:
- IT professionals with 1+ years of experience working with AWS or other cloud platforms
- System administrators, DevOps engineers, or cloud consultants transitioning into architecture-focused roles
- Developers and analysts seeking to deepen their cloud design expertise
- Technical leads who want to demonstrate their ability to create optimized, well-architected AWS solutions
Whether you’re aiming to become a cloud architect or expand your AWS skill set, this certification provides a strong foundation for building effective cloud environments.
What types of jobs can I get after earning this certification?
Holding the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate credential showcases your ability to design resilient and cost-optimized systems. It opens doors to sought-after roles such as:
- Cloud Solutions Architect
- Cloud Engineer
- AWS Consultant
- DevOps Engineer
- Systems Engineer
- Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
Many professionals also use this certification to advance into cloud leadership, infrastructure design, or solution strategy positions. Employers value this certification because it proves you can turn business needs into AWS-based solutions that are secure, scalable, and cost-efficient.
What version of the AWS Solutions Architect exam should I take?
The latest version of the exam is SAA-C03, which represents the most up-to-date content for AWS architecture best practices. It’s aligned with the AWS Well-Architected Framework and reflects real-world scenarios across compute, storage, networking, and security.
Always ensure that your study materials match the SAA-C03 version to stay aligned with the current exam format and objectives.
How much does the exam cost?
The exam costs 150 USD, with additional taxes or exchange rates depending on your location. If you already hold an active AWS certification, you’re eligible for a 50% discount on future exams through your AWS Certification Account.
This investment can have a long-term impact on your career growth and earning potential, as certified professionals often command premium salaries in cloud engineering roles.
How many questions are on the AWS SAA-C03 exam?
You’ll encounter 65 questions in total, which include:
- Multiple-choice questions (one correct answer)
- Multiple-response questions (two or more correct answers)
Of these, 50 questions count toward your score, while 15 are unscored and used for research purposes. The unscored questions are mixed throughout the exam and are indistinguishable from scored ones.
How long do I have to complete the exam?
You’ll have 130 minutes to complete the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam. The pacing requires focus, as some questions are scenario-based and involve analyzing architectural trade-offs.
Practice exams and timed mock tests can greatly help build both accuracy and time management for exam day.
What languages is the exam offered in?
AWS makes the Solutions Architect – Associate exam available in a wide selection of languages, including:
- English
- French (France)
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Spanish (Latin America)
- Spanish (Spain)
- Simplified Chinese
- Traditional Chinese
This global availability ensures accessibility for professionals around the world seeking to grow their AWS expertise.
What’s the minimum passing score?
You’ll need an overall scaled score of 720 out of 1000 to pass the SAA-C03 exam. AWS scores exams on a compensatory basis, meaning you don’t have to pass every domain individually; what matters is your cumulative score.
After completing the exam, you’ll receive a detailed performance report showing your strengths across each domain, helping you identify areas for future improvement.
What domains does the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate cover?
The exam blueprint is divided into four core domains, each representing a different aspect of AWS solution architecture:
- Design Secure Architectures (30%)
- Design Resilient Architectures (26%)
- Design High-Performing Architectures (24%)
- Design Cost-Optimized Architectures (20%)
These domains cover everything from AWS security principles and workload resilience to high availability, performance tuning, and cost optimization.
How difficult is the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam?
This certification is highly respected and designed for those ready to demonstrate expertise in cloud architecture. With the right preparation and consistent practice, most candidates feel confident and well-prepared on exam day.
Success often comes from combining structured study, hands-on AWS experience, and realistic AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate practice exams that simulate the real test environment with detailed explanations.
What’s the best way to prepare for the AWS SAA-C03 exam?
AWS offers a comprehensive set of training and resources to help you succeed, including:
- AWS Skill Builder learning paths and digital courses
- AWS Cloud Quest and AWS Builder Labs for hands-on learning
- Exam readiness workshops and practice question sets
- Official whitepapers such as the AWS Well-Architected Framework
Combine these with community study groups, flashcards, and practical exercises in the AWS Free Tier to reinforce your understanding of key services.
How is the exam scored?
The exam uses a scaled scoring system ranging from 100 to 1000 points. Your overall score is determined by the number of scored questions you answer correctly.
AWS uses different forms of the exam across test-takers, but scaled scoring ensures fairness and consistency by compensating for any slight variation in difficulty.
How long is the certification valid?
Your AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification remains valid for 3 years. To maintain your credential, you can either:
- Pass the latest version of the SAA-Cxx exam, or
- Earn a higher-level certification such as the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, which will automatically recertify your Associate-level credential.
AWS also provides dedicated recertification options for learners looking to continuously validate their evolving cloud skills.
Are there prerequisites for taking this exam?
There are no mandatory prerequisites, but AWS recommends one year of hands-on experience designing distributed systems using AWS. Familiarity with compute, networking, storage, and database services will be a strong advantage.
Foundational credentials such as the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner can also serve as a helpful starting point before advancing to this level.
What hands-on skills should I develop before the exam?
Practical experience is key to mastering the SAA-C03 exam. You should focus on:
- Building secure, multi-tier architectures
- Using Amazon EC2, S3, RDS, and Lambda effectively
- Implementing IAM roles, security groups, and encryption
- Designing for fault tolerance and automated scaling
- Managing costs using AWS pricing models and management tools
Gaining this experience in the AWS Free Tier helps you transform theory into understanding.
What key AWS services should I study?
The exam emphasizes a wide range of AWS services across several categories. Key ones to know include:
- Compute: EC2, AWS Lambda, ECS, and Fargate
- Storage: S3, EFS, and EBS
- Networking: VPC, Route 53, and CloudFront
- Security: IAM, KMS, WAF, and Shield
- Databases: DynamoDB, RDS, and Aurora
- Management: CloudWatch, CloudFormation, and Trusted Advisor
Understanding how these services interact and fit into architectural patterns is critical for success.
What are some common mistakes to avoid during exam preparation?
To maximize your chance of passing, be mindful of these common pitfalls:
- Focusing solely on theoretical knowledge without hands-on labs
- Neglecting cost optimization and resiliency concepts, which carry significant weight
- Skipping the Well-Architected Framework, a core guideline for architecture design
- Overlooking IAM policies or security fundamentals, which appear in multiple domains
Consistent, structured study with a mix of reading, labs, and practice tests leads to the best outcomes.
What experience level is recommended before attempting the AWS Solutions Architect exam?
AWS suggests having at least one year of practical experience working with AWS services in real-world projects. However, motivated learners with a strong grasp of IT fundamentals often succeed even with less professional experience, provided they dedicate time to hands-on practice and structured learning.
What comes after becoming an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate?
After completing this certification, you can further enhance your expertise by pursuing:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (advanced design and enterprise-level architecture)
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty (security and compliance focus)
- AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (data pipeline and analytics specialization)
These advanced pathways help position you for senior architecture and consulting roles.
Can I take the exam online?
Yes! You can choose to take the exam online through Pearson VUE with remote proctoring, or at an authorized testing center near you.
For online testing, ensure:
- Your testing environment is quiet and private
- You have a reliable internet connection
- You use an approved webcam and identification method
Both options provide a secure and convenient testing experience.
How do I register for the SAA-C03 exam?
To schedule your test:
- Sign in to the official AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam page
- Click “Schedule an Exam”
- Select Pearson VUE or online proctored testing
- Choose your preferred date and time
- Complete your exam payment
With preparation, hands-on practice, and consistent review, this certification can become a launching pad for your cloud architecture career. Earning it proves your ability to build trusted, scalable, and efficient solutions using AWS—skills every organization values in today’s cloud-first world.
