CEH
Certified Ethical Hacker — offensive security certification covering penetration testing methodologies and hacking tools.
Full guide →AWS Solutions Architect Associate
The most sought-after cloud certification — covers designing resilient, high-performing, cost-optimised AWS architectures.
Full guide →CEH vs AWS Solutions Architect Associate
Which certification is right for your career?
Full comparison
| Category | CEH | AWS Solutions Architect Associate |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $1199 USD | ✓$300 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 Solutions Architect Associate
AWS Cloud Practitioner recommended, 1 year hands-on AWS experience
- 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 hands-on cloud experience and want to move into engineering or architecture
- You want a potential +$18,000/yr salary uplift
- You want to design and optimise cloud architectures, not just operate them
CEH and AWS Solutions Architect Associate lead to entirely different careers — cybersecurity vs cloud computing. 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 Solutions Architect Associate courses
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.
Can I get both CEH and AWS Solutions Architect Associate?
Yes — many professionals hold both. CEH and AWS Solutions Architect Associate complement each other, covering cybersecurity and cloud computing 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 Solutions Architect Associate?
Both are worth it in 2026. CEH offers a +$15,000/yr average salary uplift; AWS Solutions Architect Associate offers +$18,000/yr. AWS Solutions Architect Associate has the higher salary ceiling — making it the stronger ROI if you can only choose one.