AWS Certified Security – Specialty vs Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	AWS Certified Security – Specialty	Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)
Provider	Amazon Web Services	Microsoft
Level	Specialty	Associate
Exam Cost	$300	$165 ✓
Avg Salary	$148,000 ✓	$125,000
Pass Rate	48%	55% ✓
Study Hours	160h	120h ✓
Difficulty	8/10	7/10 ✓
Job Listings	11.0K	12.0K ✓

For a deeper look at each certification, read our full AWS Certified Security – Specialty guide and Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) guide.

Our Verdict

Despite being at different certification levels (Specialty vs Associate), both validate strong cloud security skills. AWS Security Specialty commands higher salaries ($142K vs $128K) but is significantly harder with a 45% pass rate and more study hours required. Azure AZ-500 costs less, is more accessible, and actually has slightly more job listings. Choose based on your cloud platform — if your organization is multi-cloud, AZ-500 is the easier entry point before tackling AWS Security Specialty.

Choose AWS Certified Security – Specialty if you...

Want higher earning potential ($148K vs $125K avg)
Focus on Amazon Web Services ecosystem and specialty-level roles

Read full AWS Certified Security – Specialty guide →

Choose Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) if you...

Prefer a more accessible exam (55% pass rate)
Want a lower exam cost ($165 vs $300)
Want broader job market demand (12.0K listings)
Prefer a less challenging exam path (7/10 difficulty)

Read full Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) guide →

Can You Get Both?

Yes — and many professionals do. Since both AWS Certified Security – Specialty and Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) are in the security space, they complement each other well. Start with the Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) (lower barrier to entry) and add the other after 1-2 years of hands-on experience.

Combined study commitment: approximately 280h and $465 in exam fees.

Deep Dive Into Each Certification

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

Amazon Web Services · Specialty · $148K avg

Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)

Microsoft · Associate · $125K avg

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need other cloud certifications first?

AWS recommends the Solutions Architect Associate or SysOps Administrator before attempting Security Specialty. Microsoft recommends familiarity with Azure administration (AZ-104 level knowledge) but doesn't enforce a formal prerequisite for AZ-500.

Which covers more security domains?

AWS Security Specialty goes deeper into incident response, logging/monitoring, infrastructure security, identity management, and data protection specific to AWS. AZ-500 covers identity and access, platform protection, security operations, and data/application security within Azure, with strong integration with Microsoft Defender and Sentinel.

Are cloud security certifications worth it compared to CISSP?

They serve different purposes. CISSP validates broad security management knowledge, while these certify hands-on ability to implement security controls in specific cloud platforms. Many employers want both: CISSP for strategic credibility and a cloud security cert for practical platform expertise.

Data Sources & Transparency

Salary data — Bureau of Labor Statistics, Glassdoor, and job posting aggregates (US median)
Job listings — LinkedIn, Indeed, and Dice active postings (sampled quarterly)
Pass rates — Community-reported estimates from Reddit, TechExams, and certification forums