The AWS Training and Certification blog on the September 2026 new offerings lists what DVA-C03 adds. A new five-part area covers AI security.
It tests access control for AI services, data privacy through VPC endpoints, content filtering and prompt-injection defense. It also tests secure AI agent interactions and keeping sensitive data out of logs. Prompt injection hides instructions in content to steer an AI model.
The exam also adds AI-assisted development work across the test, plus container management on ECR, ECS, EKS and Fargate. New services include Amazon Bedrock, Amazon Q, Data Firehose and PrivateLink.
The domain weights stay at 30, 26, 22 and 22 percent.
What do the two exams cost and how do you renew them?
Cost is where the AWS Developer Associate vs Solutions Architect comparison turns practical. Both exams carry the same price, so the renewal path sets the real cost. Each exam costs $150, plus any foreign-exchange fees. Each credential lasts three years, so one exam works out at $50 a year.
Taking both exams costs $300. AWS charges the full fee for every attempt, so one retake on each exam takes the two-certificate path to $600.
AWS recertification rules offer two forms. A renewal adds three more years. You can retake the latest version of the same exam, or pass the matching Professional exam.
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional renews the Associate Solutions Architect credential. The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional renews the Associate Developer credential.
Maintenance adds one year through AWS Skill Builder activities. It needs an active subscription and a certification within 90 days of expiry.
The Professional exam costs more. SAP-C03 costs $300, twice the $150 Associate retake. Both add three years, so the retake is the cheaper renewal. SAP-C03 has 75 questions in 180 minutes and opens on November 17, 2026.
| Path | One-time cost | Valid years | Cost per year of validity | How it renews |
|---|
| Developer - Associate only | $150 | 3 | $50 | Retake DVA, pass DevOps Engineer - Professional, or use Skill Builder maintenance |
| Solutions Architect - Associate only | $150 | 3 | $50 | Retake SAA, pass Solutions Architect - Professional, or use Skill Builder maintenance |
| Both Associate exams | $300 | 3 | $100 for two credentials | Each one renews on its own 3-year cycle |
| Solutions Architect - Associate plus SAP-C03 | $450 | 3 | $150 for both | The Pro renews the Associate for 3 years |
| Both Associate exams plus one retake of each | $600 | 3 | $200 | AWS charges the full fee for every attempt |
| Developer - Associate plus DevOps Engineer - Professional | $150 plus the Pro fee | 3 | One Pro sitting covers the renewal | The Pro exam renews the Associate for 3 years |
Neither Associate exam has a formal prerequisite. AWS advises candidates with no IT experience to earn Cloud Practitioner first.
Cloud Practitioner renews free through AWS Cloud Quest. It adds three years of validity with no exam or prep cost. Our guide to AWS certification prerequisites 2026 covers the sign-up rules for each level.
Do these certificates come with a pay premium?
Widely cited posts claim a pay uplift of $8,000 to $12,000 for Developer. They claim $10,000 to $15,000 for Solutions Architect. AWS publishes neither figure. Treat them as one community estimate, not a measured outcome.
Occupation data gives a clearer picture. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, using May 2025 data, puts software developer median pay at $135,980. It also reports 10 percent projected growth for 2025 to 2035 and about 1.7 million jobs. The same handbook reports $134,050 for computer network architects, with 8 percent growth.
The two medians sit less than $2,000 apart. Both occupations list a bachelor's degree as typical entry education. These numbers describe the occupation, not the certificate.
What should you book first?
Pick the exam that matches your job description. If your last year involved shipping code, take the Developer exam first. If it involved designing networks, IAM structure, governance or data platforms, take the Solutions Architect exam first.
With no IT experience, take Cloud Practitioner first. Then match the Associate exam to the role you want. Both Associate exams use the same question format.
The timing and question practice in our guide to how to pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam carries across. For the full credential ladder, see the AWS certification path. For what the exams cost, see AWS certification cost 2026 exam fees.
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Fazlur Rahman
