Azure AI Fundamentals vs AWS ML Engineer Associate
Which certification is right for your career? Here's the full breakdown.
Microsoft
Azure AI Fundamentals
AI-900
Microsoft's entry-level AI certification covering machine learning, computer vision, NLP, and generative AI on Azure.
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 AI Fundamentals | AWS ML Engineer Associate |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $165 USD | ✓$150 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | +$7,000/yr | ✓+$18,000/yr |
| Exam duration | 65 min | 130 min |
| Renewal period | Every 2 years | Every 3 years |
| Issued by | Microsoft | Amazon Web Services |
| Difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
Azure AI Fundamentals — Prerequisites
None required
AWS ML Engineer Associate — Prerequisites
AWS Cloud Practitioner or equivalent + basic ML knowledge recommended
Get Azure AI Fundamentals if…
- •You're entering cybersecurity and need a recognised entry point
- •You want a +$7,000/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 AI Fundamentals courses
Best AWS ML Engineer Associate courses
Frequently asked questions
Is Azure AI Fundamentals harder than AWS ML Engineer Associate?
AWS ML Engineer Associate is harder — rated intermediate vs beginner.
Which pays more — Azure AI Fundamentals or AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Azure AI Fundamentals has an average salary uplift of +$7,000/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 AI Fundamentals or AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Azure AI Fundamentals is the better starting point — it's rated beginner and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward AWS ML Engineer Associate.