Snowflake SnowPro Advanced Architect Quick Facts (2025)

SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification Quick Facts

Preparing for the Snowflake SnowPro Advanced: Architect exam can be daunting due to its real-world complexity and scenario-based design. This guide demystifies the exam and provides every detail you need to prepare strategically.

What is the SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification?

The SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification validates your ability to design, implement, and optimize end-to-end data architectures using the Snowflake AI Data Cloud. It proves your competency in translating complex business and compliance requirements into scalable Snowflake solutions.

This certification is ideal for experienced data architects who are building enterprise-grade systems on Snowflake across multi-cloud environments.

Who Is This Certification For?

This certification is tailored to professionals who:

• Have 2+ years of hands-on experience with Snowflake in a production environment
• Are responsible for building secure, scalable, and high-performance data architectures
• Design ELT/ETL workflows, data pipelines, access control systems, and high-availability deployments
• Work across cross-functional teams including DataOps, DevOps, and engineering groups

Common roles include:

• Solution Architect
• Data Architect
• System Architect
• Cloud Architect
• Platform Engineering Lead

What Jobs Can I Get with This Certification?

The SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification is a strong differentiator for senior-level roles such as:

• Cloud Data Architect
• Enterprise Data Strategist
• Senior Data Engineer
• Cloud Infrastructure Architect
• Enterprise Integration Architect
• Lead Platform Engineer

Organizations look for this certification to confirm your ability to not only use Snowflake but also to design systems that are robust, secure, and cost-efficient at scale.

What is the exam code?

The exam code for Snowflake SnowPro Advanced: Architect is ARA-C01.

How much does the exam cost?

The exam costs $375 USD, reflecting the advanced level of the credential. Pricing may vary depending on your region. Bundled discounts, promotions, or Snowflake-sponsored events may provide opportunities to lower exam costs.

How many questions are on the exam?

The SnowPro Advanced: Architect exam includes 65 scenario-based questions, typically in a multiple-choice or multiple-select format. Note that some questions may be unscored and included for statistical evaluation purposes.

How much time is given for the exam?

You will have 115 minutes (1 hour and 55 minutes) to complete the exam. Efficient time management is essential due to the focus on application and real-world scenarios.

What languages is the exam available in?

The SnowPro Advanced: Architect exam is currently offered in:

• English

What's the passing score?

You must score 750 or higher on a scale of 0–1000 to pass. Snowflake uses scaled scoring to ensure fairness across exam versions.

Is the exam hard?

Yes—this is one of the most advanced Snowflake certifications. The exam heavily focuses on real-world architecture design, governance, security strategy, performance optimization, and Snowflake internals. Expect multi-layered scenarios where success depends on your ability to translate business requirements into architectural solutions.

Many seasoned Snowflake professionals report needing real experience, plus strong conceptual understanding and study, to successfully pass. To maximize your readiness, practice with industry-leading SnowPro Advanced Architect practice exams that replicate the exam format, structure, and complexity.

What domains does the exam cover and what are their weightings?

The exam is broken into four core domains:

1. Accounts and Security (26%)

   • Multi-account design strategies
   • RBAC, data governance, authentication
   • Compliance and privacy requirements
   • Encryption, network security, access provisioning

2. Snowflake Architecture (26%)

   • Snowflake object hierarchy
   • Multi-cloud and multi-region data sharing
   • Recovery, replication, CI/CD integration
   • Development lifecycle design and AI/ML integration

3. Data Engineering (24%)

   • ELT/ETL design and ingestion strategies (e.g. Snowpipe, CDC, Iceberg)
   • Connectors, APIs, and integrated tools (Kafka, dbt, Python, etc.)
   • Handling semi-structured data, UDFs, stored procedures, pipeline orchestration

4. Performance Optimization (24%)

   • Virtual warehouses, scaling, caching
   • Clustering strategies and search optimization
   • Troubleshooting query performance issues
   • Monitoring with Account Usage and Information Schema

The domains are scenario-based and assess your ability to architect solutions across each competency.

Are there any prerequisites?

Yes. You must already be SnowPro Core Certified to attempt the Advanced: Architect exam. It's recommended that you also have:

• At least 2 years of architecting experience in Snowflake environments
• Strong SQL skills, and familiarity with performance profiling
• Understanding of data engineering architectures
• Exposure to compliance, governance, and security frameworks
• Experience building across multi-cloud and region architectures

What knowledge areas should I focus on?

Key areas of focus should include:

1. Security & Compliance Architecture

   • RBAC, data masking, privacy laws, MFA, SSO, tokenization
   • Secure views, row access policies, column-level security

2. Cloud Architecture & Data Sharing

   • Snowflake object hierarchy and its impact
   • Cross-cloud auto-fulfillment, failover/failback, and replication
   • Snowflake Marketplace, Clean Rooms, and Data Exchange

3. Performance Tuning

   • Query profiling, warehouse configuration and scaling
   • Metadata functions, auto-clustering, natural clustering
   • Micro-partition pruning and caching layers

4. Operational Design

   • CI/CD pipelines, Snowflake CLI, rollback plans
   • Snowflake Native App Framework, Snowpark ML/Container services
   • Dev vs test vs prod environment architecture

5. Data Pipelines & Transformation

   • Snowpipe Streaming, External Tables, Staging
   • Streams, tasks, dynamic tables, semi-structured data
   • UDFs, UDTFs, secure functions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many candidates report the following errors:

• Memorizing facts instead of preparing for scenario-based decision-making
• Underestimating governance and compliance requirements
• Ignoring performance tuning layers and how warehousing impacts throughput
• Not practicing hands-on use cases involving cross-account and cross-cloud data sharing
• Skipping realistic SnowPro Advanced Architect practice exams and walking into the exam unprepared for scenario-driven questions

How can I prepare for the exam?

Snowflake provides a range of preparation resources to help you succeed:

1. Official Architect Study Guide

   • Covers exam objectives, sample questions, and recommended documentation
   • Estimated 13+ hours of study required

2. Hands-On Practice

   • Set up multi-account environments
   • Test secure sharing, backups, cross-region recovery, and automated builds

3. Training Courses & Labs

   • Snowflake’s Instructor-led Architect Courses
   • Virtual hands-on labs and QuickStarts

4. Technical Documentation & Architecture Patterns

   • Study white papers on governance, security, elasticity, and scaling
   • Review case studies and reference architectures

5. Stay Informed with Snowflake Updates

   • Snowflake’s “What’s New” section and blogs
   • Cortex and Native App features, usage monitoring improvements, etc.

How long is the certification valid?

The SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification is valid for two years from the date of issue. After expiration, you'll need to recertify by passing the latest version of the exam.

Where can I take the exam?

There are two exam-taking options:

1. Online via Proctoring

   • Requires webcam, internet, and quiet setting
   • Flexible scheduling from anywhere

2. Onsite Testing Centers

   • Ideal for those preferring a formal testing environment
   • Global locations available via exam provider

How do I register for the exam?

To register:

1. Go to the Snowflake Certification Portal
2. Select the SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification
3. Choose “Register”
4. Select your preferred exam method
5. Pick an available time slot
6. Complete payment
7. Receive your exam confirmation and testing instructions

What happens if I don't pass the exam?

• You can retake the exam after the official waiting period
• Review the feedback provided to identify weak areas
• Dedicate additional study time, especially around your lowest performing domain
• Hands-on application + targeted practice are key to a successful retake

Where can I find more information?

For complete details including registration, study resources, accommodation policies, and candidate handbook, visit the official Snowflake SnowPro Advanced: Architect Certification page.

Achieving Advanced: Architect not only proves your technical excellence within Snowflake but also positions you as a go-to expert in scalable and compliant cloud data architecture. Good luck on your certification journey!