AWS Solutions Architect Associate: how much AWS experience you need and how to prepare
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam (SAA-C03) costs $150 in the US, checked November 2026. With AWS's free prep plan and a $14.99 practice-exam set, a first attempt costs about $165; a three-day class brings it to $2,175 to $2,935. It is AWS's associate-level architecture certification for people who design or build on AWS. With some hands-on AWS work behind you, plan on 6 to 10 weeks (our estimate).
Key facts
- The SAA-C03 exam costs $150 in the US. (AWS, checked November 5, 2026)
- It has 65 questions (50 scored) in 130 minutes, and the passing score is 720 out of 1,000; AWS recommends at least a year of hands-on design experience on AWS. (AWS exam guide, checked November 5, 2026)
- It is valid for three years; passing the current exam or the Solutions Architect Professional exam renews it. (AWS, checked November 5, 2026)
Who the Solutions Architect Associate is for
SAA-C03 shows you can choose and combine AWS services into designs that are secure, resilient, fast enough and not wasteful on cost. It is AWS's associate-level architecture certification, and in our view it fits cloud engineers, developers who own their deployments, and system administrators moving workloads to AWS. Because AWS recommends at least a year of hands-on experience, it rewards people who have already built things in an AWS account.
A good fit if
- You build or run workloads on AWS now and want a credential that matches the work
- You have a year or more of hands-on AWS work, which is what AWS recommends
- You want one exam that tests design trade-offs across security, resilience, performance and cost
Think twice if
- You have never used AWS: the questions assume design experience, so build in an account first
- Your role is non-technical and you need cloud literacy rather than design skill
Consider instead: AWS Cloud Practitioner for a non-technical or first cloud exam; AZ-104 or Google Associate Cloud Engineer if your organization uses Azure or Google Cloud.
The exam in brief
SAA-C03 has 65 questions (50 scored) in 130 minutes, and the passing score is 720 out of 1,000. AWS's certification page lists no prerequisite. AWS recommends at least a year of hands-on experience designing solutions on AWS, and says candidates without any IT work experience would benefit from earning Cloud Practitioner first. The exam is about trade-offs, weighted across four design goals:
| Designing for | Weight |
|---|---|
| Security | 30% |
| Resilience | 26% |
| Performance | 24% |
| Cost optimization | 20% |
It is valid for three years. AWS has not announced a replacement for SAA-C03; the Italian-language exam ends after December 31, 2026.
How to prepare for SAA-C03
Learn the services through AWS's free plan, build small things in your own account, then take timed practice exams until you score well above the passing mark. Take the class only if your employer pays or you want structured instruction on design trade-offs.
What preparation costs
| Route | Provider and course | Published price | Exam fee | First attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free official training | AWS Skill Builder, Exam Prep Plan for SAA-C03, about 18 hours, free tier; AWS also offers a 67-hour Solutions Architect learning plan with labs, and some items need a subscription. Checked November 5, 2026. | $0 | + $150 exam | $150 |
| Practice exams | Tutorials Dojo, Solutions Architect Associate practice exams, list price (on sale for $11.24 when checked). Checked November 5, 2026. | $14.99 | + $150 exam | $164.99 |
| Live class, 3 days | New Horizons, Architecting on AWS, virtual live; exam voucher available as a $150 add-on. Checked November 5, 2026. | $2,025 | + $150 exam | $2,175 |
| Live class, 3 days | Learning Tree, Architecting on AWS, live instructor-led; voucher not stated. Checked November 5, 2026. | $2,785 | + $150 exam | $2,935 |
Architecting on AWS is AWS's official three-day course, delivered by its training partners; the price difference between providers is for the same curriculum. Budget a little for an AWS account too, and keep it low by using the free tier and shutting resources down after each session.
Choosing an Architecting on AWS class
Every class in the table teaches the same official course, so compare on these points rather than the course title:
- Whether the exam voucher is included. New Horizons sells it as a $150 add-on; Learning Tree's listing does not state a voucher. Ask before you compare totals.
- What hands-on lab access you get, and for how long after the class. SAA-C03 rewards building. AWS's 67-hour Solutions Architect learning plan includes labs, and some of its items need a Skill Builder subscription.
- Whether it maps to SAA-C03. SAA-C03 is the current exam and AWS has not announced a replacement; ask the provider to confirm the course is aligned to the SAA-C03 domains.
- Whether timed practice exams are part of it. If not, budget for a set such as Tutorials Dojo's, listed at $14.99.
Employer angle
For teams moving workloads to AWS, the exam fee is small next to the course. Before paying list price for a class, ask your AWS account team whether your agreement includes any training benefits.
SAA-C03 questions
- How much does the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam cost?
- $150 in the US as of November 2026.
- What is the passing score?
- 720 on a scale of 100 to 1,000.
- Is there free training for SAA-C03?
- Yes. AWS's Skill Builder exam prep plans are free with an account; some practice materials need a subscription.
- How long does the certification last?
- Three years. Passing the current exam renews it, and so does passing the Solutions Architect Professional exam.
Next step
Ask for help choosing AWS Solutions Architect Associate training
Sources
- AWS: Certified Solutions Architect Associate (price, format, no listed prerequisite, Cloud Practitioner advice for people without IT experience), checked November 5, 2026
- AWS: SAA-C03 exam guide (passing score, experience, domains), checked November 5, 2026
- AWS: recertification, checked November 5, 2026
Prices are published list prices we recorded on the dates shown, not quotes. How we research.