CEH
Certified Ethical Hacker — offensive security certification covering penetration testing methodologies and hacking tools.
Full guide →AWS AI Practitioner
Entry-level AWS certification validating foundational knowledge of AI, ML, and generative AI concepts on AWS.
Full guide →CEH vs AWS AI Practitioner
Which certification is right for your career?
Full comparison
| Category | CEH | AWS AI Practitioner |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $1199 USD | ✓$100 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | ✓+$15,000/yr | +$8,000/yr |
| Passing score | 70/1000 | 700/1000 |
| Exam duration | 240 min | 90 min |
| Renewal period | Every 3 years | Every 3 years |
| Issued by | EC-Council | Amazon Web Services |
| Difficulty |
CEH
2 years IT security experience or EC-Council official training
AWS AI Practitioner
None required
- You have 2–4 years in security and want to specialise your role
- You want a potential +$15,000/yr salary uplift
- You're drawn to offensive security, ethical hacking, or red-team work
- You're new to AI/ML and want a foundational credential from AWS
- You want a potential +$8,000/yr salary uplift
- Your organisation runs on AWS and you need the recognised entry-level credential
CEH and AWS AI Practitioner lead to entirely different careers — cybersecurity vs AI and machine learning. The right choice depends on which field aligns with your current job or target role. If you want both eventually, start with AWS AI Practitioner — it's the quicker win at the beginner level.
Best CEH courses
Best AWS AI Practitioner courses
Is CEH harder than AWS AI Practitioner?
CEH is harder — rated intermediate vs beginner.
Which pays more — CEH or AWS AI Practitioner?
CEH has an average salary uplift of +$15,000/yr, while AWS AI Practitioner has +$8,000/yr. CEH has the higher salary impact.
Which should I get first — CEH or AWS AI Practitioner?
AWS AI Practitioner is the better starting point — it's rated beginner and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward CEH.
Can I get both CEH and AWS AI Practitioner?
Yes — many professionals hold both. CEH and AWS AI Practitioner complement each other, covering cybersecurity and AI and machine learning respectively. Holding both signals broader expertise and typically commands a higher salary than either cert alone.
Which is worth it in 2026 — CEH or AWS AI Practitioner?
Both are worth it in 2026. CEH offers a +$15,000/yr average salary uplift; AWS AI Practitioner offers +$8,000/yr. CEH has the higher salary ceiling — making it the stronger ROI if you can only choose one.