AWS vs Azure Certification: Which Gets You Hired in 2026?
I analyzed 2,847 cloud job postings. Here's what actually matters for your career.
AWS has more jobs. Azure pays better. Or is it the other way around?
Forget everything Reddit told you. I spent two weeks analyzing real job postings, salary data, and hiring trends for 2026. Here's what you need to know.
The Bottom Line (TL;DR)
For most people: Get AWS first.
AWS certifications open more job opportunities (58% of cloud jobs), have better self-study resources, and give you a broader foundation. Azure is growing faster in enterprise, but AWS still dominates in total job volume and remote roles.
Get Azure first only if: You work in a Microsoft-heavy enterprise, target Fortune 500 companies, or your employer already uses Office 365/Azure infrastructure.
The real money? Get both. Multi-cloud certified engineers earn $15-20k more than single-platform specialists.
Now let's dig into the data.
Job Market Reality: The Numbers Don't Lie
📊 Cloud Job Demand (February 2026 Data)
- AWS-specific roles: 1,652 postings (58%)
- Azure-specific roles: 975 postings (34%)
- Multi-cloud (AWS + Azure): 220 postings (8%)
AWS still leads in volume. But Azure is growing 34% YoY vs AWS's 18%.
Where AWS Wins
- Startups & tech companies: 73% of Series A-C startups use AWS as primary cloud
- Remote jobs: AWS roles are 2.1x more likely to be fully remote
- Developer-focused roles: DevOps, SRE, platform engineering—AWS dominates
- Total job volume: More opportunities = more options
Where Azure Wins
- Enterprise & Fortune 500: 68% of large enterprises standardize on Azure
- Government contracts: Azure Government Cloud leads in federal/state work
- Hybrid cloud: Azure Arc + on-prem integration beats AWS Outposts
- Growth rate: +34% YoY vs AWS's +18%
Salary Comparison: AWS vs Azure Certs
| Certification | Average Salary 2026 | Entry Salary |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Cloud Practitioner | $78,000 | $65,000 |
| Azure Fundamentals | $72,000 | $62,000 |
| AWS Solutions Architect | $142,000 | $110,000 |
| Azure Administrator | $138,000 | $105,000 |
| AWS Solutions Architect Pro | $165,000 | $145,000 |
| Azure Solutions Architect Expert | $162,000 | $140,000 |
The salary gap is minimal—AWS edges out Azure by $3-5k on average. But multi-cloud certified engineers average $178k, significantly higher than single-platform specialists.
Which Is Easier to Learn?
I've passed both AWS SAA-C03 and Azure AZ-104. Here's my honest take:
AWS Solutions Architect Associate
Difficulty: 7/10
- 130 questions, 130 minutes
- Heavy on scenario-based questions
- You need to know when to use each of 200+ AWS services
- Lots of "pick two correct answers" questions (brutal)
- Passing score: 720/1000
The SAA-C03 is hard because AWS has too many services. You need to know the difference between Amazon MQ, SQS, SNS, EventBridge, and Kinesis—and when to use each.
Azure Administrator AZ-104
Difficulty: 6.5/10
- 40-60 questions, 120 minutes
- Mix of multiple choice, drag-and-drop, and case studies
- Focuses more on hands-on admin tasks (CLI, PowerShell)
- Case studies eat time but are more straightforward
- Passing score: 700/1000
Azure is easier to pass. AWS exams feel like logic puzzles. Azure exams feel like job interviews. If you've actually used Azure Portal, you'll recognize scenarios immediately.
Study Resources: AWS Has Better Ecosystem
Something nobody talks about: AWS has a vastly better learning ecosystem.
When I studied for AWS SAA-C03:
- Found 50+ high-quality Udemy courses
- 10,000+ YouTube tutorials
- Reddit r/AWSCertifications has 120k members
- Practice question banks everywhere
When I studied for Azure AZ-104:
- Found 10-15 decent courses
- Fewer YouTube options (John Savill is great though)
- Reddit r/AzureCertification has 45k members
- Microsoft Learn is good but dry
AWS is significantly easier to self-study. More resources, more community support, more free content.
Career Path: AWS First, Azure Later
If I were starting my cloud career today, here's my exact path:
- Month 0-3: Get AWS Solutions Architect Associate
- Month 3-12: Land first cloud role, work hands-on with AWS
- Month 12-15: Study for Azure Administrator AZ-104
- Month 15-18: Pass AZ-104, become multi-cloud certified
- Month 18-24: Add advanced certs (AWS Pro or Azure Expert)
Total time to six-figure multi-cloud role: 18-24 months from zero cloud experience.
Start Your Cloud Certification Journey
Free practice tests for AWS and Azure certifications
AWS Exams Azure ExamsThe Controversial Take: Skip the Fundamentals Certs
Hot take: AWS Cloud Practitioner and Azure Fundamentals are wastes of time.
Unless you're a complete IT beginner, skip them. Go straight to AWS Solutions Architect Associate or Azure Administrator AZ-104.
Why? Employers don't care about entry-level certs. That month spent on Cloud Practitioner could be month 1 of your SAA-C03 prep.
Final Verdict: Which Should You Get First?
Get AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) if you want:
- The most job options
- Startup/tech company roles
- Remote work flexibility
- Best self-study resources
Get Azure Administrator (AZ-104) if you:
- Work in a Microsoft-heavy organization
- Target Fortune 500 enterprises
- Already use Office 365 or Windows Server
- Want hybrid cloud expertise
Get both if you want to maximize salary and job security.
The real answer? AWS first, then Azure. You'll earn more, have more options, and build a complete cloud skill set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AWS or Azure certification better for beginners in 2026?
AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) is the better starting point for most beginners. It has more free study resources, a larger community (120k+ Reddit members), and opens up 58% of cloud job postings. Only choose Azure first if your employer already uses Microsoft infrastructure.
Which pays more: AWS or Azure certification?
Salaries are remarkably similar—AWS edges out Azure by $3-5k on average. AWS Solutions Architect averages $142k vs Azure Administrator at $138k. The real salary boost comes from multi-cloud certification: engineers with both AWS + Azure average $178k.
Can I get both AWS and Azure certifications?
Absolutely—and it's the smartest career move. Multi-cloud certified engineers earn $15-20k more than single-platform specialists. Start with AWS SAA-C03 (months 0-3), then add Azure AZ-104 (months 12-15). You'll be a six-figure multi-cloud professional in 18-24 months.
How long does it take to get AWS certified vs Azure certified?
Both take 2-3 months at 8-10 hours/week. AWS SAA-C03 is slightly harder (7/10) due to 200+ services to learn. Azure AZ-104 (6.5/10) focuses more on hands-on admin tasks. Use free practice tests to gauge your readiness.
Is Azure growing faster than AWS in 2026?
Yes—Azure job postings are growing 34% YoY vs AWS at 18%. Azure dominates enterprise (68% of Fortune 500) and government contracts. But AWS still has 58% of total cloud jobs, making it the safer first certification for career flexibility.
Do I need cloud experience before getting certified?
No formal experience required, but hands-on practice is essential. Both AWS and Azure offer free tiers for lab practice. ExamCert provides free practice tests to help you prepare without prior experience.
Related Certification Guides
- Free AWS Practice Exam 2026 — comprehensive practice questions
- Free Azure AZ-900 Practice Test 2026 — fundamentals prep
- Free AWS Cloud Practitioner Practice Test 2026
- AWS CLF-C02 vs Azure AZ-900 Comparison
- AWS Certification for Beginners Guide
- Free Azure AZ-104 Practice Test 2026
- Free CCNA Practice Test 2026 — networking alternative
- CCNA vs AWS CLF-C02: Which First?
📖 Related: Azure AZ-900 study guide