CEH
Certified Ethical Hacker — offensive security certification covering penetration testing methodologies and hacking tools.
Full guide →AWS ML Engineer Associate
Validates ability to build, train, tune, and deploy ML models on AWS using SageMaker and other AWS AI services.
Full guide →CEH vs AWS ML Engineer Associate
Which certification is right for your career?
Full comparison
| Category | CEH | AWS ML Engineer Associate |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $1199 USD | ✓$150 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | +$15,000/yr | ✓+$18,000/yr |
| Passing score | 70/1000 | 720/1000 |
| Exam duration | 240 min | 130 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 ML Engineer Associate
AWS Cloud Practitioner or equivalent + basic ML knowledge recommended
- 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 have ML or data experience and want to validate practical, hands-on skills
- You want a potential +$18,000/yr salary uplift
- You build, train, and deploy ML models in production environments
CEH and AWS ML Engineer Associate 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 CEH — it's the quicker win at the intermediate level.
Best CEH courses
Best AWS ML Engineer Associate courses
Is CEH harder than AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Both CEH and AWS ML Engineer Associate are rated intermediate difficulty.
Which pays more — CEH or AWS ML Engineer Associate?
CEH 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 — CEH or AWS ML Engineer Associate?
CEH is the better starting point — it's rated intermediate and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward AWS ML Engineer Associate.
Can I get both CEH and AWS ML Engineer Associate?
Yes — many professionals hold both. CEH and AWS ML Engineer Associate 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 ML Engineer Associate?
Both are worth it in 2026. CEH offers a +$15,000/yr average salary uplift; AWS ML Engineer Associate offers +$18,000/yr. AWS ML Engineer Associate has the higher salary ceiling — making it the stronger ROI if you can only choose one.