You have been studying for weeks. Maybe months. And there is one question gnawing at the back of your mind:
"What are my actual chances of passing?"
AWS does not publicly release official pass rates. They never have. But between community surveys, training provider data, and exam analytics from platforms like StudyTech, we can paint a pretty accurate picture.
Here is the reality of AWS certification pass rates in 2026, what affects your odds, and exactly how to put yourself in the passing group.
Estimated AWS Certification Pass Rates (2026)
| Certification | Level | Estimated Pass Rate | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) | Foundational | 72-78% | Low |
| AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) | Foundational | 68-74% | Low-Medium |
| Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) | Associate | 60-68% | Medium |
| Developer Associate (DVA-C02) | Associate | 62-70% | Medium |
| SysOps Administrator (SOA-C02) | Associate | 55-63% | Medium-High |
| Data Engineer Associate (DEA-C01) | Associate | 58-65% | Medium |
| ML Engineer Associate (MLA-C01) | Associate | 55-62% | Medium-High |
| Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02) | Professional | 38-48% | Very High |
| DevOps Engineer Professional (DOP-C02) | Professional | 40-50% | Very High |
| Security Specialty (SCS-C02) | Specialty | 45-55% | High |
| Machine Learning Specialty (MLS-C01) | Specialty | 40-50% | Very High |
| Database Specialty (DBS-C01) | Specialty | 42-52% | High |
Important caveat: These are community-estimated ranges. AWS has never confirmed official pass rates. These figures come from aggregating data across training providers, exam preparation platforms, and community surveys from Reddit, Discord, and professional forums.
Why AWS Does Not Release Official Pass Rates
AWS keeps pass rates confidential for several reasons:
- Exam integrity - Publishing rates could influence how people game the system
- Psychometric fairness - Pass rates vary by exam form and region
- Brand perception - Low pass rates could discourage exam takers
- Continuous updates - Question pools rotate, making static rates misleading
What we do know: AWS uses scaled scoring from 100-1000, with passing scores ranging from 700-750 depending on the exam.
Pass Rates by Certification Level
Foundational Level: 68-78% Pass Rate
Cloud Practitioner and AI Practitioner are designed as entry points. They test conceptual understanding rather than deep technical knowledge.
Why some people still fail:
- Underestimating the exam because it is "just foundational"
- Not understanding AWS pricing and billing models
- Skipping the shared responsibility model (it shows up constantly)
- Zero hands-on experience with the AWS console
What passing candidates do differently:
- Take at least 3-4 full practice exams before the real thing
- Study the Well-Architected Framework pillars
- Understand basic service categories and use cases
- Actually log into the AWS console and click around
Associate Level: 55-70% Pass Rate
This is where the drop-off gets real. The jump from Foundational to Associate catches many people off guard.
Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) is the most popular AWS certification, which means the data pool is large. Roughly 6 out of 10 people pass on their first attempt.
SysOps Administrator has the lowest Associate pass rate because it includes a lab component. You cannot just memorize answers. You need to actually perform tasks in the console.
Why people fail at the Associate level:
- Studying theory without doing labs
- Not understanding scenario-based questions
- Weak knowledge of networking (VPCs, subnets, security groups)
- Insufficient practice with multi-service architectures
Professional Level: 38-50% Pass Rate
More than half of all test-takers fail Professional-level exams. These are genuinely difficult.
SA Professional (SAP-C02) questions are long, complex, and often have two answers that look correct. You need to pick the MOST correct one.
Why the fail rate is so high:
- Questions are scenario-based with 4-5 paragraph descriptions
- Multiple valid answers where you must choose the best one
- Requires deep understanding of cost optimization, migration strategies, and multi-account architectures
- Time pressure: 180 minutes for 75 questions sounds generous until you see the question length
Specialty Level: 40-55% Pass Rate
Specialty exams test deep domain knowledge. You need real-world experience in the specific domain, not just general AWS knowledge.
Security Specialty has the highest pass rate among specialties because many candidates come from security backgrounds and take it seriously.
Machine Learning Specialty has the lowest pass rate because it requires knowledge of math, statistics, and ML algorithms that many AWS practitioners do not have.
5 Factors That Determine If You Pass or Fail
Factor 1: How You Study Matters More Than How Long You Study
Here is a stat that should change how you think about exam prep:
Candidates who use gap-based learning pass at rates 20-30% higher than those who just watch video courses.
Why? Because watching a 40-hour course means spending 70% of your time on topics you already understand. That is not studying. That is content consumption.
Factor 2: Practice Exam Scores Are the Best Predictor
Our data shows a clear correlation:
| Practice Exam Average | Pass Probability |
|---|---|
| Below 60% | Less than 20% |
| 60-70% | About 40% |
| 70-80% | About 65% |
| 80-85% | About 80% |
| Above 85% | Over 90% |
The magic number is 85%. If you are consistently scoring 85%+ on quality practice exams, you are almost certainly going to pass the real exam.
The key word there is "quality." If you have memorized the answers to a specific practice exam set, your score does not count. You need fresh questions that test understanding, not recall.
Factor 3: Hands-On Experience
Candidates with real AWS experience pass at significantly higher rates than those who only study theory.
You do not need years of production experience. But you should:
- Have an AWS free tier account
- Build at least 2-3 small projects
- Navigate the console without a tutorial
- Understand how services connect in practice
Factor 4: Time Management During the Exam
Many people fail not because they do not know the material, but because they run out of time or spend too long on tough questions.
Strategy that works:
- First pass: Answer everything you are confident about (skip hard ones)
- Second pass: Return to flagged questions with remaining time
- Never spend more than 3 minutes on a single question
- Trust your first instinct unless you find a clear reason to change
Factor 5: Understanding the Question Format
AWS exam questions are designed to test practical knowledge, not memorization. They follow patterns:
- "Which service should you use?" - Tests service selection
- "What is the MOST cost-effective solution?" - Tests optimization
- "A company needs to..." - Tests architectural decision-making
- "Which combination of steps..." - Tests multi-step problem solving
Learning to decode these patterns is as important as knowing the content.
How to Guarantee You Are in the Passing Group
Here is the exact approach that puts you in the top tier of pass probability:
Step 1: Assess Before You Study Do not start with a course. Start by finding out what you already know and what you do not. A 10-minute gap assessment saves you weeks of unfocused studying.
Step 2: Focus on Your Weak Areas Once you know your gaps, study only those topics. If you already understand EC2 and S3, do not spend hours rewatching videos on them. Go straight to your weak points.
Step 3: Practice Under Exam Conditions Take full-length practice exams with a timer. Review every wrong answer. Understand why the correct answer is correct and why your answer was wrong.
Step 4: Hit the 85% Threshold Do not book your exam until you are consistently scoring 85%+ on fresh practice questions. This is the data-driven approach that maximizes your pass probability.
Step 5: Trust the Process When you hit 85% consistently, book the exam within 1-2 weeks. Do not keep delaying. Momentum matters.
What to Do If You Fail
Failing an AWS exam is not the end. Here is what to know:
- 14-day waiting period before you can retake
- Full exam fee again (no discount for retakes)
- You receive a score report showing which domains you were weak in
- Use that report to create a targeted study plan for your retake
The candidates who fail and then pass on their second attempt almost always say the same thing: "I studied differently the second time."
They stopped watching videos passively. They started actively testing themselves on weak areas. They tracked their progress with data instead of gut feeling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the pass rate for AWS Solutions Architect Associate?
The estimated pass rate for AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) is 60-68%. It is the most popular AWS certification, and roughly 6 out of 10 candidates pass on their first attempt. Candidates who consistently score above 85% on practice exams have over a 90% chance of passing.
What is the hardest AWS certification to pass?
AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02) and Machine Learning Specialty (MLS-C01) are considered the hardest AWS certifications, with estimated pass rates of 38-50%. SAP-C02 has extremely complex scenario-based questions, while MLS-C01 requires knowledge of statistics, algorithms, and data science concepts.
Can I pass an AWS exam without experience?
You can pass foundational and associate-level AWS exams without professional experience, but you should still get hands-on practice using the AWS Free Tier. Candidates with at least some console experience pass at significantly higher rates than those who only study theory.
What score do you need to pass AWS certification exams?
AWS certification exams use a scaled scoring system from 100-1000. Most exams require a score of 720 to pass, though some require 750. The passing score varies slightly because questions are weighted differently based on difficulty.
The Bottom Line
AWS certification pass rates range from about 40% for the hardest exams to 78% for foundational ones. But these are averages. Your personal pass rate depends entirely on how you prepare.
Candidates who identify their gaps, study strategically, and track their readiness with data pass at rates well above 85%.
Stop guessing whether you are ready. Start knowing.