Azure Administrator vs AWS ML Engineer Associate
Which certification is right for your career? Here's the full breakdown.
Microsoft
Azure Administrator
AZ-104
Validates skills in managing Azure identities, storage, compute, virtual networks, and monitoring in enterprise environments.
Full guide →Amazon Web Services
AWS ML Engineer Associate
MLA-C01
Validates ability to build, train, tune, and deploy ML models on AWS using SageMaker and other AWS AI services.
Full guide →Side-by-side comparison
| Category | Azure Administrator | AWS ML Engineer Associate |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $165 USD | ✓$150 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | +$15,000/yr | ✓+$18,000/yr |
| Exam duration | 100 min | 130 min |
| Renewal period | Every 1 years | Every 3 years |
| Issued by | Microsoft | Amazon Web Services |
| Difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
Azure Administrator — Prerequisites
AZ-900 recommended, 6 months Azure administration experience
AWS ML Engineer Associate — Prerequisites
AWS Cloud Practitioner or equivalent + basic ML knowledge recommended
Get Azure Administrator if…
- •You have 2–3 years of IT experience and want to specialise
- •You want a +$15,000/yr salary boost
- •You prefer credentials from Microsoft
Get AWS ML Engineer Associate if…
- •You have 2–3 years of IT experience and want to specialise
- •You want a +$18,000/yr salary boost
- •You prefer credentials from Amazon Web Services
Best Azure Administrator courses
Best AWS ML Engineer Associate courses
Frequently asked questions
Is Azure Administrator harder than AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Both Azure Administrator and AWS ML Engineer Associate are rated intermediate difficulty.
Which pays more — Azure Administrator or AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Azure Administrator has an average salary uplift of +$15,000/yr, while AWS ML Engineer Associate has +$18,000/yr. AWS ML Engineer Associate has the higher salary impact.
Which should I get first — Azure Administrator or AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Azure Administrator is the better starting point — it's rated intermediate and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward AWS ML Engineer Associate.