How much do the two exams cost in 2026?
The list price is $150 per attempt for SAA-C03 and $300 per attempt for SAP-C03. Two published discounts change those numbers for 2026.
The first comes from Pearson VUE, the exam delivery company. Its limited-time promotion gives 50% off the first scheduled exam. The Pearson VUE promotion page sets out the terms. The Professional is excluded from the offer. So the promotion cuts the Associate seat to $75.
The second discount comes from AWS itself. The AWS certification pages state that holders of an active AWS Certification receive 50% off their next exam. Pass the Associate and the Professional seat falls to $150.
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate vs Professional cost gap narrows once both apply. Together they bring both certifications to $225 instead of $450 at list price. That figure assumes the two offers stack. If they are not combinable, the same path costs $375, which is $75 plus $300. The AWS certification exam fees breakdown for 2026 prices the other exam families the same way.
| Scenario | SAA-C03 | SAP-C03 | Note |
|---|
| List price | $150 | $300 | Charged per attempt |
| Pearson VUE promotion, exam taken 29 Sep to 17 Nov 2026 | $75 after 50% off | $300 | AWS SAP, DVA, MLA and ANS exams are excluded |
| With the 50% off-next-exam discount for an active AWS certification | $75 if you already hold an active certification | $150 | AWS certification benefit |
| Cheapest path to both certifications | $75 | $150 | $225 in total, against $450 at list price |
| Fail once, then pass on attempt two | $75 plus $150, so $225 | $300 plus $300, so $600 | Full fee for every attempt |
| Fail twice, then pass on attempt three | $75 plus $150 plus $150, so $375 | $300 times three, so $900 | 14-day wait between attempts |
What happens if you fail, and what does a retake cost?
AWS sets the rules in its certification FAQs. You must wait 14 calendar days before you can retake. There is no limit on attempts. Each attempt is charged the full registration fee.
On the Professional exam, one failed attempt at $300 followed by a pass costs $600. Two failures followed by a pass cost $900. Pearson VUE's general promotion also advertises one free retake, booked between 4 January and 7 April 2027. The AWS program terms turn that into the 50% first-exam discount instead, and they exclude SAP, DVA, MLA and ANS. Do not plan around a free Professional retake.
The Associate path costs less, yet it is not free. On the promotion route, a first attempt at $75 and a second at $150 come to $225. Add a third attempt at $150 and the total reaches $375. The discounted first attempt applies only inside the promotion window. A retake booked after 17 November 2026 carries the full $150 fee.
Which exam fits you: AWS Solutions Architect Associate vs Professional?
AWS describes the target candidate for the Associate as having at least one year of hands-on experience. That experience covers designing cloud solutions with AWS services. For the Professional, AWS describes two or more years of experience. That covers designing and implementing cloud solutions across multiple applications and projects in a complex organisation. Neither exam lists a mandatory prerequisite certification. AWS advises candidates without IT experience to earn AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner first. The AWS certification prerequisites guide for 2026 sets out that route.
If your work covers choosing a Region, setting up a network and sizing a database, the Associate matches your day. If your work covers running multi-account estates and planning migrations, the Professional matches it. The roadmap to pass AWS Certified Solutions Architect shows a study plan for either level.
What are the next steps for picking and booking your exam?
- Match your experience to the AWS target-candidate lines. One year of hands-on design points to the Associate. Two years or more points to the Professional.
- Book the first attempt inside the promotion window, which runs from 29 September to 17 November 2026. Check the exam version for your test date too. SAP-C02 can be sat until 16 November 2026, and SAP-C03 starts on 17 November 2026.
- Budget a retake now. Set aside the full fee for a second attempt and leave 14 calendar days of room.
- Read the discount terms at booking. The $225 two-certificate path depends on how the two offers combine.
To recap, the Associate is a 130-minute exam with 65 questions at $150 per attempt. The Professional is a 180-minute exam with 75 questions at $300. The 2026 promotion takes the Associate seat to $75, and the Professional to $150 once you hold an active certification. Choose by experience, then check the exam version and the promotion dates before you book.
Photo: Tumisu, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/cloud-network-finger-6181051/)
Fazlur Rahman
