AWS Certified Security – Specialty
The most valuable AWS security certification. Covers incident response on AWS, logging and monitoring, infrastructure security, identity management, and data protection. Average salary for holders exceeds $159K USD. Directly targets Cloud Security Engineer and AWS security architect roles.
What you'll prove
- Implement and automate incident response on AWS using GuardDuty and Security Hub
- Design logging and monitoring architectures using CloudTrail, CloudWatch, and Athena
- Secure AWS infrastructure using network controls, WAF, and Shield
- Implement identity federation and least-privilege IAM architectures
- Apply data protection including KMS encryption and Secrets Manager
- Implement compliance controls across AWS environments
- Respond to and investigate security findings using AWS native services
Frequently asked
How much does AWS Security Specialty cost?
The AWS Certified Security Specialty exam costs $300 USD.
Is AWS Security Specialty worth it?
Yes. It is one of the highest-paying AWS certifications with average salaries exceeding $159K USD. It is directly required or strongly preferred for Cloud Security Engineer and security architect roles at AWS-heavy organizations.
AWS Security Specialty vs AZ-500 — which is better?
Depends on your cloud environment. AWS Security Specialty is better for AWS-centric organizations. AZ-500 is better for Azure environments. Senior cloud security engineers in large enterprises often hold both.