Skip to content
Independent certification guide · exam data reviewed November 2026 Study guidesBrowse by fieldHow we review
Find a certification

AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02)

SAP-C02 vs 3 alternatives compared

Exam fee, level, duration, validity and salary side by side. Blank cells mean we do not have verified data yet.

AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02)AWS Solutions Architect AssociateAWS Cloud PractitionerMicrosoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
VendorAmazon Web ServicesAmazon Web ServicesAmazon Web ServicesMicrosoft
LevelAdvancedIntermediateBeginnerBeginner
Exam fee300 USD$150$100$99
Duration180 minutes———
Passing score————
Valid for3 years———
Typical salary$155K–$195K$130K–$165K$90K–$115K$85K–$105K
Prerequisites2 or more years of experience in using AWS services to design and implement cloud solutio…———

Which should you choose?

Should I take SAP-C02 or AWS Solutions Architect Associate first?

AWS Solutions Architect Associate is the lower-level certification (Intermediate vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.

Should I take SAP-C02 or AWS Cloud Practitioner first?

AWS Cloud Practitioner is the lower-level certification (Beginner vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.

Should I take SAP-C02 or AZ-900 first?

AZ-900 is the lower-level certification (Beginner vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.