AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02) vs AWS Solutions Architect Associate vs Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104)
| Factor | ✅ AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02) | AWS Solutions Architect Associate | Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104) | Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer | Microsoft Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Amazon Web Services | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft | Google Cloud | Microsoft |
| Level | Intermediate | Intermediate | Intermediate | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Exam Cost | $150 | $150 | $165 | $200 | $165 |
| Pass Rate | 63% | 65% | 72% | 60% | 68% |
| Avg Salary | $115K–$150K | $130K–$165K | $110K–$140K | $115K–$150K | $110K–$145K |
| Difficulty |
Hard
★★★★☆
|
Moderate
★★★☆☆
|
Moderate
★★★☆☆
|
Hard
★★★★☆
|
Moderate
★★★☆☆
|
| Best For | System administrators and operations engineers managing production AWS environments. | Cloud engineers, solutions architects, and developers building on AWS with 1+ ye… | IT administrators and cloud engineers managing Azure infrastructure.… | Cloud engineers and developers with 1+ years on GCP wanting to formalize their s… | Software developers building cloud-native applications on Microsoft Azure.… |
| Expiry | Typically 3 years — renewal at aws.amazon.com | Check aws.amazon.com | Check microsoft.com | Check cloud.google.com | Check microsoft.com |
| Full Guide | View guide → | View guide → | View guide → | View guide → | View guide → |
Which Should You Choose?
The right certification depends on your current role, target employer, geography, and the specific skills gap you're trying to close. Here's a practical breakdown:
✅ Choose AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02) if…
You're targeting roles at organisations that specifically require Amazon Web Services credentials, or you're already working within the Amazon Web Services ecosystem. The AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02) carries the strongest recognition among Amazon Web Services customers and partners, and its salary premium of $115K–$150K is well-documented in the job market.
Full Guide →Consider AWS Solutions Architect Associate if…
You're targeting organisations in the Amazon Web Services ecosystem, or the AWS Solutions Architect Associate is more commonly required in your target industry or geography. Salary data: $130K–$165K. Most in-demand cloud certification. Validates ability to design resilient, high-performance AWS arch…
Full Guide →Consider Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104) if…
You're targeting organisations in the Microsoft ecosystem, or the Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104) is more commonly required in your target industry or geography. Salary data: $110K–$140K. Core Azure admin cert. Covers identity, governance, storage, compute, and networking. Fastest ROI on…
Full Guide →Detailed Analysis — AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02)
Strengths
- ✓Issued by Amazon Web Services — one of the most trusted credential authorities in Cloud Computing
- ✓Salary premium of $115K–$150K documented across multiple independent sources
- ✓Exam fee of $150 — strong ROI relative to salary gain
- ✓Global recognition at enterprise employers, government agencies, and consulting firms
- ✓Covers 6 core domains including: Monitoring & reporting, High availability & fault tolerance, Deployment & provisioning
Considerations
- ◆Pass rate is approximately 63% — structured preparation is essential, not optional
- ◆Mid-level — assumes foundational domain knowledge
- ◆Renewal required — check current requirements at aws.amazon.com
Made your decision? Start your preparation today.
AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02) Full Guide → Study Roadmap → Salary Data →