Certification comparison
AWS SAA vs Azure AZ-104
Compare cost, duration, difficulty, salary outlook, job market demand, and the profile each certification fits best.
| Category | AWS SAA | AZ-104 |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $150 | $165 |
| Exam duration | 130 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Number of questions | 65 questions | 40 to 60 questions |
| Passing score | Scaled score | 700/1000 |
| Difficulty level | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Prerequisites | No formal prerequisite; cloud fundamentals strongly recommended. | No formal prerequisite; Azure administration exposure recommended. |
| Validity period | 3 years | 1 year |
| Renewal requirements | AWS recertification or higher-level certification renewal path. | Annual renewal assessment. |
| Average salary | $156,000 | $142,000 |
| Job market demand | Very high across solution design, consulting, and platform teams. | High for Azure-heavy enterprise operations and platform administration. |
| Recommended for | Candidates who want to design workloads and own architecture decisions. | Candidates who want hands-on cloud administration and operations ownership. |
Choose AWS SAA when
- Your goal is architecture, pre-sales, or consulting.
- You prefer service selection, tradeoff analysis, and solution design questions.
- You want a direct stepping stone toward cloud architect roles.
Choose AZ-104 when
- Your day job is closer to operations, identity, networking, and resource administration.
- You work in a Microsoft-heavy enterprise environment.
- You want a faster path into production platform ownership.
Decision helper quiz
Answer a few questions and we will point you toward the better next certification for your current goal.
Question 1
Which role sounds closer to your next move?
Question 2
What kind of experience do you already have?
Question 3
Which study approach fits you best?
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Common questions
Is AWS SAA harder than AZ-104?
AWS SAA tends to feel harder if you are weak on architecture tradeoffs. AZ-104 tends to feel harder if you are weak on hands-on Azure operations. The better fit usually comes down to your current role and your next role.
Which certification is better for cloud architect roles?
AWS SAA is the stronger default for cloud architect and solutions design pathways. AZ-104 is stronger for Azure administration and operational ownership.
Can I take both?
Yes. Many candidates build breadth by taking one architecture-focused certification and one administration-focused certification once they have the fundamentals in place.
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