Program profile · official sources
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate assesses production machine-learning work on AWS through the MLA-C01 exam. Its domains cover data preparation, model development, deployment and orchestration, and monitoring, maintenance and security. AWS describes an intended candidate with at least one year of relevant SageMaker and AWS experience; that recommendation is not a formal enrollment prerequisite. The exam has 65 questions and a 130-minute sitting time, separate from preparation. English MLA-C01 testing ends September 28, 2026, while the listed Asian-language versions continue until MLA-C02 general availability. Do not treat that transition as early expiry of an earned credential. Choose this for AWS engineering assessment, not a beginner teaching course.
Commercial status: no commercial relationship is documented for this page. The verification link goes directly to the official provider source.
- Price
- USD 150USD 150 for one MLA-C01 attempt; English testing ends September 28, 2026. Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese continue until MLA-C02 general availability. Preparation is separate.
- Duration
- 130 minutes for the exam assessmentnot preparation time
- Level
- Associate
- Format
- Proctored certification exam
- Credential
- industry certification
- Prerequisites
- Provider describes an intended candidate with at least 1 year using Amazon SageMaker and other AWS ML-engineering services; the guide also recommends at least 1 year in a related role. No formal prerequisite is stated.
Sources ↗
- Price — https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-machine-learning-engineer-associate/
- Duration — https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-machine-learning-engineer-associate/
- Official program page — https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-machine-learning-engineer-associate/
- Modules or exam domains — https://docs.aws.amazon.com/aws-certification/latest/machine-learning-engineer-associate-01/machine-learning-engineer-associate-01.html
- Credential details — https://aws.amazon.com/certification/benefits/
What’s covered
- Data Preparation for Machine Learning
- ML Model Development
- Deployment and Orchestration of ML Workflows
- ML Solution Monitoring, Maintenance, and Security
Prerequisites: Provider describes an intended candidate with at least 1 year using Amazon SageMaker and other AWS ML-engineering services; the guide also recommends at least 1 year in a related role. No formal prerequisite is stated.
Who is AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate for?
Consider this exam when you already work with machine-learning workflows on AWS and want to assess that knowledge against an Associate certification blueprint. The domains address data preparation, model development, deployment and orchestration, and monitoring, maintenance and security. It is not a beginner course with a supplied preparation schedule. Before booking, compare the objectives with tasks you can explain and perform, and keep the certification decision separate from any optional training purchase.
What does AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate cost?
The official exam page states USD 150 for one attempt. That is an assessment fee, not the total price of learning machine learning or preparing for the exam. Budget separately for any optional training or practice you choose, and confirm applicable taxes and booking terms before paying. Do not turn the intended candidate experience into a required paid course, or assume one registration guarantees a pass and a credential.
What should I know about study time and the credential?
AWS lists 130 minutes for the assessment, not for preparing to take it. The intended candidate has approximately one year of experience using Amazon SageMaker and related machine-learning services; that description is recommended experience, not a formal enrollment requirement. The certification is valid for three years. Compare the tested domains with work you can already perform, allow additional preparation where needed, and review current language availability and credential-maintenance terms before choosing a booking.
What you actually do
- Data Preparation for Machine Learning — Exam domain / not a course module; 28% of the blueprint. · Source
- ML Model Development — Exam domain / not a course module; 26% of the blueprint. · Source
- Deployment and Orchestration of ML Workflows — Exam domain / not a course module; 22% of the blueprint. · Source
- ML Solution Monitoring, Maintenance, and Security — Exam domain / not a course module; 24% of the blueprint. · Source
What the credential is
- Credential type
- industry certification · Source
- Credential
- AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate · Source Source Source
- Issuer
- Amazon Web Services · Source Source Source
- Sharing
- Credly digital badge; AWS says badges can be showcased on social media and email signatures. · Source
- Expiry and renewal
- 3 years. Pass the latest version of the exam before expiry. · Source Source Source
- Exam requirement
- Pass the certification exam. · Source Source Source
- Exam required
- Yes · Source Source Source
- Credential expires
- Yes · Source Source Source
- Renewal
- Pass the latest version of the exam before expiry. · Source Source Source
Total cost to finish
Estimate for the stated payment scope: USD 150 × 1 = USD 150.
- One MLA-C01 exam attempt: USD 150 × 1 = USD 150. One exam registration; not a guarantee of passing or complete preparation cost. · Source
Scope: Regular one-attempt fee only; optional preparation, taxes and retakes are not assumed. · Source
Who should skip it
- Choose training instead if you need a taught introduction: this offering is a certification assessment, not a course curriculum. · Source
- Review the recommended practical background before booking; an exam registration does not provide the preparation needed for the listed implementation tasks. · Source
Alternatives in the registry
Related by topic or level.
- NVIDIA-Certified Associate: Generative AI LLMs (NCA-GENL) — USD 125 (US price: USD 125 for one exam attempt; confirm booking charges. Optional preparation and additional attempts are not included.); 60 minutes.
- AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) — USD 100 (One initial exam attempt; check applicable regional pricing and taxes. Optional preparation and retakes are not included.); 90 minutes (exam only; not preparation time).
- AI Fundamentals — Check official price; Approximately 9 hours.
Change log
- : Initial recorded review of official program, credential and payment-scope facts. · Source