CertPath

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer vs AWS ML Engineer Associate

Which certification is right for your career? Here's the full breakdown.

Google Cloud

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer

ACE

IntermediateAvg salary uplift: +$16,000/yr

Google Cloud's associate-level certification covering deploying, monitoring, and managing applications on Google Cloud Platform.

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Amazon Web Services

AWS ML Engineer Associate

MLA-C01

IntermediateAvg salary uplift: +$18,000/yr

Validates ability to build, train, tune, and deploy ML models on AWS using SageMaker and other AWS AI services.

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Side-by-side comparison

CategoryGoogle Cloud Associate Cloud EngineerAWS ML Engineer Associate
Exam cost$200 USD$150 USD
Avg salary uplift+$16,000/yr+$18,000/yr
Exam duration120 min130 min
Renewal periodEvery 2 yearsEvery 3 years
Issued byGoogle CloudAmazon Web Services
Difficulty
Intermediate
Intermediate

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer — Prerequisites

6 months Google Cloud hands-on experience recommended

AWS ML Engineer Associate — Prerequisites

AWS Cloud Practitioner or equivalent + basic ML knowledge recommended

Get Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer if…

  • You have 2–3 years of IT experience and want to specialise
  • You want a +$16,000/yr salary boost
  • You prefer credentials from Google Cloud

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 Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer courses

Best AWS ML Engineer Associate courses

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer harder than AWS ML Engineer Associate?

Both Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer and AWS ML Engineer Associate are rated intermediate difficulty.

Which pays more — Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer or AWS ML Engineer Associate?

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer has an average salary uplift of +$16,000/yr, while AWS ML Engineer Associate has +$18,000/yr. AWS ML Engineer Associate has the higher salary impact.

Which should I get first — Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer or AWS ML Engineer Associate?

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer is the better starting point — it's rated intermediate and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward AWS ML Engineer Associate.

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