Validates knowledge of data ingestion, transformation, store management, pipeline operations, and data security and governance using AWS services.
A good Data Engineer Associate course covers all four DEA-C01 domains and shows how AWS data services fit together in a pipeline. We compared the main options on exam coverage, hands-on practice, length and price.
Most people should start with Stéphane Maarek's Udemy course for full lessons and demos, then use AWS's free Exam Prep Plan as the official review. Choose Pluralsight if you already subscribe, and Tutorials Dojo's video course for the lowest price.
| Course | Best for | Format | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 AWS Certified Data Engineer Associate 2026 - Hands On! | Full lessons and demos | Video | $110 |
 Exam Prep Plan: AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate (DEA-C01) | Free official review | Interactive | Free |
 AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate DEA-C01 Video Course | Cheapest paid course | Video | $13 |
About 24 hours and 317 lectures of video, with demos across all four exam domains. Stéphane Maarek and Frank Kane, a former Amazon data engineer, teach each service and where it fits in a data pipeline.
Great fit if you want a complete course with service demonstrations
Poor fit if you only need a short review; use AWS's Exam Prep Plan
AWS's four-step plan with a free standard review course for each exam domain. The enhanced course adds labs and the official practice exam, which need a Skill Builder subscription at $29/month.
Great fit if you want the official route through the objectives
Poor fit if you need full lessons from the basics; choose Maarek
A path of 6 courses and one lab, about 17 hours in total, organized by the four exam domains. The lab covers preparing data with AWS Glue and Athena, and the path ends with a practice exam.
Great fit if you already have a Pluralsight subscription
Poor fit if you want a one-time purchase; choose Tutorials Dojo or Maarek
About 16 hours across 193 lessons, with 10+ hands-on labs in Tutorials Dojo's sandbox, section quizzes and one full practice exam. It is the lowest-priced paid course on this list.
Great fit if you want an inexpensive course to pair with Tutorials Dojo practice exams
Poor fit if you want longer demos from the instructors of a full course; choose Maarek
Compare all AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate practice tests →
For most people, Stéphane Maarek's Udemy course plus a set of practice exams. Add AWS's free Exam Prep Plan as the official review.
AWS's free Exam Prep Plan reviews each domain, but it does not teach the services from the basics. Most candidates add a paid course and hands-on practice.
The courses here run about 16 to 24 hours of video. Plan for about 80 hours of preparation in total, including labs and practice exams.
Tutorials Dojo's DEA-C01 exams cost $15 and explain every answer. AWS's official practice exam costs $29/month with a Skill Builder subscription.