CEH vs AWS Solutions Architect Associate
Which certification is right for your career? Here's the full breakdown.
EC-Council
CEH
CEH v13
Certified Ethical Hacker — offensive security certification covering penetration testing methodologies and hacking tools.
Full guide →Amazon Web Services
AWS Solutions Architect Associate
SAA-C03
The most sought-after cloud certification — covers designing resilient, high-performing, cost-optimised AWS architectures.
Full guide →Side-by-side comparison
| Category | CEH | AWS Solutions Architect Associate |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $1199 USD | ✓$300 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | +$15,000/yr | ✓+$18,000/yr |
| Exam duration | 240 min | 130 min |
| Renewal period | Every 3 years | Every 3 years |
| Issued by | EC-Council | Amazon Web Services |
| Difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
CEH — Prerequisites
2 years IT security experience or EC-Council official training
AWS Solutions Architect Associate — Prerequisites
AWS Cloud Practitioner recommended, 1 year hands-on AWS experience
Get CEH 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 EC-Council
Get AWS Solutions Architect 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 CEH courses
Best AWS Solutions Architect Associate courses
Frequently asked questions
Is CEH harder than AWS Solutions Architect Associate?
Both CEH and AWS Solutions Architect Associate are rated intermediate difficulty.
Which pays more — CEH or AWS Solutions Architect Associate?
CEH has an average salary uplift of +$15,000/yr, while AWS Solutions Architect Associate has +$18,000/yr. AWS Solutions Architect Associate has the higher salary impact.
Which should I get first — CEH or AWS Solutions Architect Associate?
CEH is the better starting point — it's rated intermediate and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward AWS Solutions Architect Associate.