IT, Cloud & Cybersecurity • Certification
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional
Prove advanced CI/CD, IaC and automation expertise on AWS.
Researched and maintained by TestPrepPilot Editorial BoardCloud, IT & cybersecurity certifications desk · Figures last verified August 2026
The short version
What is the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional and is it worth it?
DOP-C02 is a 180-minute professional exam with 75 questions, costing $300 and requiring a 750 score to pass. It is the advanced AWS credential for release and operations automation.
- Advanced AWS DevOps credential
- Covers CI/CD, IaC and monitoring
- Recognised for senior roles
- Three-year validity
- Refreshes CloudOps Associate
What is it?
What exactly is the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
Prove advanced CI/CD, IaC and automation expertise on AWS.
The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C02) validates advanced technical skill in provisioning, operating and managing distributed application systems on AWS. It covers continuous delivery, infrastructure as code, monitoring, incident response and automation across services such as CodePipeline, CloudFormation, CloudWatch and Systems Manager.
The path in brief
- Gain Associate-level AWS experience
- Book DOP-C02
- Study pipelines, IaC and incident response
- Pass at 750
- Maintain with recertification
Before you book
Who is eligible to sit the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
Who it is for: Senior DevOps and release engineers.
The test itself
What is the format of the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional is administered by Remote proctored (Pearson VUE) and runs 180 minutes, contains 75 questions (60 scored + 15 unscored) questions and requires 750 to pass.
| Administered by | Remote proctored (Pearson VUE) |
|---|---|
| Questions | 75 questions (60 scored + 15 unscored) |
| Time limit | 180 minutes |
| Pass mark | 750 |
| Exam fee | $300 |
| Format | Multiple choice and multiple response, online proctored |
Content outline
What topics are on the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional is weighted across 6 domains; the largest are SDLC Automation (22%), High Availability, Fault Tolerance, and Disaster Recovery (20%), Configuration Management and IaC (19%).
Weightings come from the official exam outline. Study time is best allocated in roughly these proportions rather than evenly across domains.
- SDLC Automation 22%
CodePipeline, CodeBuild
- Configuration Management and IaC 19%
CloudFormation, OpsWorks
- Monitoring and Logging 15%
CloudWatch, X-Ray
- Policies and Standards Automation 10%
Config, Guard
- Incident and Event Response 14%
Automated remediation
- High Availability, Fault Tolerance, and Disaster Recovery 20%
Multi-AZ, backup
Money & time
How much does the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional cost?
For the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional, the exam fee is $300; the all-in cost is typically $300; most candidates spend 10-14 weeks preparing.
Cost breakdown
| Exam fee | $300 |
|---|---|
| Typical total | $300 |
Standard AWS list price.
Timeline
- Study 10-14 weeks
- Exam 180 minutes
Typical prep: 10-14 weeks
The path
How do you register for the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
- 1
Create an AWS Certification account5 minutes
Sign in with your AWS Training account or create one at aws.amazon.com/certification; it manages your exam registration, score report and digital badge.
- 2
Choose your exam and level
Pick the credential that matches your role. Most candidates start at Foundational (CLF/AIF) or Associate (SAA, DVA, SOA) and progress to Professional or Specialty.
- Foundational: CLF-C02, AIF-C01
- Associate: SAA-C03, DVA-C02, SOA-C03, DEA-C01, MLA-C01
- Professional: SAP-C02, DOP-C02, AIP-C01
- Specialty: SCS-C03, ANS-C01
- 3
Schedule and pay10 minutes
Book through Pearson VUE at a test centre or online proctored. Foundational and Associate cost $100/$150; Professional and Specialty cost $300.
- 4
Prepare with official resources2-12 weeks
Use the free Exam Guide, AWS Skill Builder Official Practice Questions and Builder labs. Budget 2-12 weeks depending on level.
- 5
Sit the exam
Exams are scored 100-1000 against a fixed pass mark (700 Foundational, 720 Associate, 750 Professional/Specialty). Results appear immediately.
The fine print
What are the retake and renewal rules for the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
- Proctoring & delivery
- Delivered by Pearson VUE at a test centre or online with a live proctor. A government photo ID is required and the online environment is scanned before the session.
- Retake policy
- If you do not pass, you must wait 14 days before retaking the same exam. Each attempt is paid; there is no limit on attempts.
- Score reporting
- Exams are scored on a 100-1000 scale. Foundational pass at 700, Associate at 720, Professional and Specialty at 750. A score report shows section-level feedback under a compensatory model (no section minimum).
- Recertification
- All AWS certifications are valid for three years. Recertify by passing the latest version of the same exam, or by earning a higher-level credential that automatically refreshes lower ones (for example, DevOps Pro refreshes CloudOps Associate).
- Refunds & rescheduling
- Cancellation and reschedule rules follow Pearson VUE; refunds are generally not given for no-shows, and reschedules must occur before the cut-off window.
Context
AWS certification levels
| Level | Duration | Fee | Pass score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational (CLF-C02, AIF-C01) | 90 min | $100 | 700 | |
| Associate (SAA/DVA/SOA/DEA/MLA) | 130 min | $150 | 720 | |
| Professional (SAP/DOP/AIP) | 180 min | $300 | 750 | |
| Specialty (SCS/ANS) | 170 min | $300 | 750 |
What it pays
How much does this credential pay?
$132,270 median for software developers (BLS, May 2024)
There is no Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation called "AWS DevOps Engineer" — the certification validates advanced DevOps engineering skill on AWS, and the wage question belongs to the role you perform with it. The closest official BLS occupation is Software Developers, SOC 15-1252, which had a May 2024 median wage of $132,270, with the lowest 10 percent under $84,060 and the highest 10 percent above $208,500. The fit is deliberate: AWS DevOps Engineer - Professional holders work as senior DevOps engineers, platform engineers and release engineers who design and run CI/CD, infrastructure as code and observability on AWS, and the Professional-level credential signals the senior tier of that market. BLS counted 1,684,900 software developer jobs in 2024 and projects 17 percent growth from 2024 to 2034, far faster than the average for all occupations, with about 150,000 openings a year. The limitation to state plainly: the BLS median covers the whole occupation at all levels, credentialed or not, and the certification's value is as a senior-hiring signal in AWS shops. Read the number as the market for the occupation the credential serves, with Professional-level holders concentrated in the upper half of the distribution.
| Measure | Figure | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage, software developers | $132,270 | BLS OOH, SOC 15-1252, May 2024 |
| Lowest 10 percent | Under $84,060 | BLS OOH, SOC 15-1252, May 2024 |
| Highest 10 percent | Above $208,500 | BLS OOH, SOC 15-1252, May 2024 |
| Projected openings per year | ~150,000 | BLS OOH, SOC 15-1252, 2024-2034 |
Job growth.BLS projects 17 percent growth for software developers from 2024 to 2034, about 150,000 openings per year.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook - Software Developers
Your odds
What are the pass rates?
AWS publishes no pass rate — the DevOps Engineer Professional exam (DOP-C02) has 75 questions in 180 minutes, passing 750 of 1000
AWS does not publish cohort pass rates for its certification exams, and third-party surveys are not official data, so we do not treat them as authoritative. What AWS does publish is the format and the passing standard: the DevOps Engineer - Professional exam (DOP-C02) has 75 questions with a 180-minute time limit, and a passing score of 750 on the 100-1000 scale. The exam is delivered at Pearson VUE centres or through online proctoring, and the certification is valid for three years. The exam content follows the official exam guide: SDLC automation; configuration management and infrastructure as code; observability, monitoring and logging; and compliance, security and governance for the DevOps pipeline. The absence of a published pass rate is not an absence of standards: the 750 line on a Professional-level exam is a demanding bar, and the exam rewards hands-on knowledge of CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CloudFormation, the observability stack and the CI/CD toolchain on AWS. The practical reading: target 80 percent-plus on practice, use AWS's official exam guide and sample questions, and build the pipelines the exam rewards.
Read this before quoting the number.AWS publishes the passing score and format but no pass rate; any percentage circulating online is a third-party estimate.
Source: AWS - DevOps Engineer Professional certification (DOP-C02)
Your schedule
How long should I study for it?
120-180 hours over 10-14 weeks of focused study
The DOP-C02 is a 75-question, 180-minute Professional-level exam with a 750/1000 passing score, built on the official exam guide domains: SDLC automation, configuration management and infrastructure as code, observability, and compliance and governance. A defensible plan runs 120 to 180 hours over 10 to 14 weeks. Weeks 1-3: the SDLC automation — CodeCommit, CodeBuild, CodePipeline and CodeDeploy, with hands-on pipeline labs. Weeks 4-6: infrastructure as code — CloudFormation, the drift and change management, and the configuration tools. Weeks 7-9: observability — CloudWatch, X-Ray and the logging and monitoring patterns, plus the incident response. Weeks 10-11: compliance, security and governance — IAM for the pipeline, the security scanning and the governance patterns. Weeks 12-14: scenario drilling and two full timed practice exams at the real format. The plan is hands-on-heavy because the Professional exam rewards real pipeline and IaC experience; building the toolchain in a lab accelerates every phase.
- Weeks 1-340
SDLC automation
- CodeCommit, CodeBuild, CodePipeline, CodeDeploy
- Build and release pipelines
- Hands-on pipeline labs
- Weeks 4-640
Infrastructure as code
- CloudFormation and the stacks
- Drift and change management
- Configuration management tools
- Weeks 7-940
Observability
- CloudWatch and X-Ray
- Logging and monitoring patterns
- Incident response
- Weeks 10-1125
Security and governance
- IAM for the pipeline
- Security scanning and compliance
- Governance patterns
- Weeks 12-1430
Drill and mocks
- Scenario drilling in volume
- Two full timed practice exams
- Review weak domains
Adjusting the pace
Working DevOps engineer.The toolchain work accelerates the plan; focus study on the governance domain and the exam format.
From the Associate level.Add 2-3 weeks of CI/CD and IaC depth before the full plan.
How to study
How do I prepare most effectively?
The DOP-C02 rewards hands-on DevOps experience at the Professional level, so the dominant strategy is building the full toolchain in a lab: a CodePipeline-driven release with CloudFormation infrastructure and CloudWatch observability, because the exam items test the toolchain in practice. Second, master the infrastructure-as-code material deeply — CloudFormation, drift detection and change management — a core Professional domain. Third, learn the observability patterns: the exam asks how to monitor, log and respond, and the CloudWatch and X-Ray stack is a distinct domain. Fourth, use AWS's official exam guide and sample questions, the closest thing to the real item style, and hold yourself to 80 percent-plus on practice because the 750 line leaves little margin. Finally, take at least two full timed practice exams; 75 questions in 180 minutes is about 2.4 minutes per item, and the scenario items are reading-heavy.
Build the full toolchain
Pipeline, IaC and observability in a lab — the exam tests the stack.
Master infrastructure as code
CloudFormation, drift and change management are a core domain.
Learn the observability patterns
Monitoring, logging and response are a distinct domain.
Hold to 80%+ on practice
The Professional-level 750 line leaves little margin.
Run two full simulations
75 questions in 180 minutes; drill the pace.
What to buy
Which study resources are worth paying for?
DOP-C02 prep spans official AWS resources and third-party courses. AWS's own materials — the exam guide (free), sample questions and the AWS Skill Builder DevOps courses and labs — are the authoritative source; a Skill Builder subscription runs roughly $29-$99/month. Third-party providers sell DevOps Professional courses and practice exams at $50-$400. The AWS free tier supports the hands-on pipeline labs. A realistic total budget is $200 to $700 including the $300 exam fee. Prices below are list prices as of mid-2026 and change frequently; we rank nothing by commission.
| Resource | Price | Format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS exam guide + sample questions | Free | Official PDF + practice items | The authoritative scope; read it first |
| AWS Skill Builder | $29-$99/month | Courses and hands-on labs | The official hands-on path |
| AWS free tier | $0 | Real cloud environment | Building the pipeline labs |
| Third-party courses | $50-$400 | Video courses and labs | Structured walkthrough of the domains |
| Practice-exam products | $30-$120 | Online simulated exams | Scenario drilling before the exam |
List prices as of mid-2026, subject to change; the DOP-C02 exam fee is $300; no commission or affiliate ranking is implied.
Avoid these
What mistakes do candidates most often make?
The most common DOP-C02 mistake is preparing at the Associate level: candidates who pass the Developer or SysOps Associate and assume the Professional exam is "more of the same" fail the advanced items on observability, governance and the end-to-end toolchain. The fix is shifting the plan to the Professional domains. The second mistake is studying the services in isolation instead of the pipeline integration — the exam asks how the pieces work together. Third, candidates under-prepare the governance and security domain, a distinct Professional-level area. Fourth, many candidates skip full timed simulations and misjudge the reading-heavy pace. Finally, some candidates rely on a single third-party course without reading the official exam guide, losing the exact scope and weighting.
✕Preparing at the Associate level
✓Shift to the Professional domains: observability, governance and the toolchain.
✕Studying services in isolation
✓The exam tests the pipeline integration; build the full toolchain.
✕Under-preparing governance and security
✓A distinct Professional-level domain; cover it.
✕Skipping full simulations
✓75 questions in 180 minutes; run two full timed exams.
✕Relying on one course
✓Audit against the official exam guide for the exact scope.
What you'll face
What question types will I see?
The DOP-C02 is a 75-question multiple-choice and multiple-response exam in 180 minutes. The items are scenario-heavy: a described DevOps need — automate a release, manage infrastructure drift, implement observability, secure the pipeline — followed by the correct service combination, configuration or practice across the exam guide domains. Samples below are editor-written illustrations of the published exam guide, not live exam items; they show the toolchain-integration style of the real items.
The correct CI/CD service combination for a described need.
CloudFormation, drift and change management.
Monitoring, logging, security and compliance.
Try these
Q1A team must automate the release of an application to multiple AWS accounts with approvals at each environment. The most appropriate service combination is:
Answer:A
CodePipeline with approval actions and cross-account deployment patterns automates the multi-environment release with approvals — the standard approach. Manual deployments, a shared account or scheduled builds each fail the automation and approval requirements.
Q2A stack deployed with CloudFormation shows drift from the template. The most appropriate first step is:
Answer:A
Drift detection identifies template-state differences; the correct practice is assessing and remediating the drift to the template state. Ignoring it, deleting the stack or manual recreation each fail the IaC discipline.
Q3To gain insight into application performance issues spanning multiple services, the most appropriate AWS tool is:
Answer:A
X-Ray provides distributed tracing across services — the tool for cross-service performance insight. Log storage, static dashboards or manual review each lack the trace-level analysis.
Samples are editor-written illustrations of the published exam guide, not live exam items.
The big day
What should I expect on exam day?
The DOP-C02 is a 75-question, 180-minute computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE centre or through online proctoring. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID matching your registration name and your appointment confirmation; personal items go in the locker. Arrive 30 minutes early; late arrivals forfeit the appointment and the $300 fee. Pace at about 2.4 minutes per item, flag uncertain items for review, and budget extra time for the reading-heavy scenario items. You receive your score on screen immediately, with the official result and score report following; AWS reports your scaled score against the 750 line. If you fail, you may retake after a 14-day waiting period. On a pass, the certification is valid for three years. The afterwards matters: record the expiration date and plan the recertification cycle early.
Bring
- Valid government-issued photo ID matching your registration name
- Appointment confirmation
Leave at home
- Phone, smartwatch and all electronics
- Notes and study materials
- Personal bags beyond what the centre allows
How the day runs
Rules in the room
- No personal electronics in the testing room
- 180 minutes for 75 questions; the clock does not pause
- A 14-day wait applies before retaking after a fail
Afterwards.On a pass, your certification is valid for three years; recertify by passing the current exam or the recertification path. On a fail, wait 14 days and retake after additional domain study.
Reference
What are the key facts about the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional?
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional is a certification credential; awarded by Amazon Web Services; the exam fee is $300; typical preparation is 10-14 weeks; holders typically earn $140,000-$185,000.
| Credential | AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AWS DevOps Pro |
| Type | Certification |
| Profession | IT, Cloud & Cybersecurity |
| Specialty | Amazon Web Services |
| Awarded by | Amazon Web Services |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Typical prep time | 10-14 weeks |
| All-in cost | $300 |
| Typical salary range | $140,000-$185,000 |
| Delivery | Online proctored multiple choice |
| Level | Professional |
| Validity | 3 years |
| Cost | $300 |
| Scope | National / Multi-state |
| Also known as | DOP-C02 |
Real questions
Frequently asked questions about the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional
Is DOP-C02 hard?
It is one of the tougher AWS exams because it tests deep, scenario-based automation judgement across many services, not rote facts.
Which services should I prioritise?
CodePipeline and CodeBuild (SDLC), CloudFormation (IaC), CloudWatch and X-Ray (monitoring), and automated incident response dominate the questions.
Does it refresh other certs?
Yes. Passing DOP-C02 automatically recertifies the CloudOps Engineer Associate (SOA-C03) through its original expiry.
How long is it valid?
Three years. Recertify by passing the current version or a higher/equivalent refresh credential.
Which AWS cert should I start with?
Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) for general cloud literacy or AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) for AI/ML context. Role-based candidates often go straight to Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03).
Do AWS certifications expire?
Yes, after three years. You recertify by passing the current version or a higher credential that refreshes it.
Are the exams hands-on?
AWS exams are scenario-based multiple choice and multiple response, not live-terminal. They test applied judgement rather than memorisation.
How are questions scored?
Each exam has 50 scored questions plus 15 unscored items used for future research; the 100-1000 scaled score maps difficulty across forms.
In short
Is the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional worth it?
- AWS DevOps professional exam
- Covers delivery, IaC, monitoring, incident response
- 750 pass, $300, 180 minutes
- Valid for three years
Same awarding body
What other credentials does Amazon Web Services award?
Worth comparing
How does the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional compare with similar credentials?
Trust
Where does this information come from?
Everything above is taken from the awarding body's own published material. Fees, question counts and domain weights are revised regularly — check the official page before you pay.
- Amazon Web Services Awarding body
- Official AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional exam page Exam page
Research confidence: high · Last reviewed 2026-08