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Most common title: Machine Learning Engineer
View jobs ↗ at toyota matching AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate (MLA-C02)
Validates skills in preparing data, building and tuning models, and deploying and securing machine learning workloads on AWS.
Summary
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer Associate tests whether you can prepare data, build and tune models, deploy them and run them securely on AWS. It covers both traditional machine learning and foundation models, so it suits people who build ML systems hands-on.
Good fit if
- You build or deploy ML models or generative AI on AWS
- You are a data scientist or developer moving into ML engineering
- You want AWS's current hands-on ML credential
Look elsewhere if
- You are new to AI and to AWS: AWS AI Practitioner
- You mostly build data pipelines: AWS Data Engineer Associate
Salary & jobs
6 US job postings ask for AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, with AI Engineer as the most common job title.
Most common job titles
| Job title | |
|---|---|
| AI Engineer | 1 |
| Investment AI Solutions Analyst | 1 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | 1 |
| Manager Machine Learning | 1 |
| Technical Instructor | 1 |
| Technology Architect | 1 |
Top employers
toyota
Per Scholas1 postings
Most common title: Technical Instructor
View jobs ↗ at Per Scholas matching AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate
Peraton1 postings
Most common title: Technology Architect
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T. Rowe Price1 postings
Most common title: Investment AI Solutions Analyst
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swbc1 postings
Most common title: AI Engineer
View jobs ↗ at swbc matching AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociatePrerequisites
Cost
What holders say
Most useful alongside real ML project work
Holders say it fills gaps in their knowledge of the AWS ML toolchain. It carries most weight for engineers with projects to show, or consultants whose clients expect AWS credentials.
Works best as a second AWS certification
The usual advice is to build AWS fundamentals first, through Solutions Architect Associate or AI Practitioner, since this exam assumes that groundwork.
Limited value for students without experience
Students and career starters are usually advised to wait unless an employer pays or a consulting role expects it, because without hands-on work it adds little to an early resume.
Certification path
AWS’s roadmap puts Solutions Architect Associate before Machine Learning Engineer Associate, with Data Engineer Associate after it for data-focused roles.
Renewal
AWS Machine Learning Engineer Associate is valid for three years.
- Validity
- 3 years
- Renew by exam
- ML Engineer Associate or GenAI Developer Professional
- Retake with 50% voucher
- $75 USD
With an active Skill Builder subscription, the Maintain route extends the certification by one year through training within 90 days of expiry. Passing it also renews AI Practitioner.
AWS recertification options ↗Alternatives
AWS Certified AI Practitioner$100 required · Entry
AWS's foundational AI exam, covering concepts without building models.
AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate$150 required · Intermediate
For people who build the data pipelines that feed ML systems.
PMLE$200 required · Advanced
The equivalent ML engineering certification for Google Cloud.
AI-200$165 required · Intermediate
Microsoft's certification for building AI solutions on Azure.
FAQ
Can I still take MLA-C01?
Not in English. The last English MLA-C01 exam was on 28 September 2026. MLA-C01 stays available in Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese until MLA-C02 reaches general availability.
How much does the MLA-C02 exam cost?
The English beta costs $75 until general availability on 14 January 2027. After that the exam costs the standard Associate fee of $150.
What is different in MLA-C02?
The four domains keep similar names, but MLA-C02 adds foundation models, Amazon Bedrock, RAG, agentic workflows and generative AI security on top of the SageMaker content. The beta has 85 questions in 170 minutes.
Do I need the retired Machine Learning Specialty first?
No. Machine Learning Specialty is a separate certification that stopped new exams on 31 March 2026. Machine Learning Engineer Associate needs no prior certification.
Last updated October 2026