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Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer

Google Cloud's hands-on certification for deploying and managing cloud solutions. Validates practical skills with Compute Engine, Kubernetes, networking, and GCP services—ideal for engineers building on Google's platform.

✓ Best for: IT professionals and developers working with or targeting GCP environments, especially those in data-focused or Kubernetes-heavy organizations

Who Is This Certification For?

✓ This certification is a good fit if you…

  • Work with or are targeting companies that use Google Cloud Platform
  • Have interest in data engineering, ML, or analytics (GCP is strong here)
  • Use or plan to use Kubernetes heavily (GKE is excellent)
  • Want a practical, hands-on cloud certification
  • Work at a company in the Google ecosystem (Google Workspace, etc.)
  • Are looking for a growing platform with less competition than AWS

✗ You might consider alternatives if you…

  • Target companies primarily using AWS (still ~32% market share vs GCP's ~10%)
  • Work in Microsoft-heavy enterprises (Azure is likely more relevant)
  • Have zero cloud experience (consider Cloud Digital Leader first)
  • Need the certification with the most job postings (AWS SAA has more)

Prerequisites (In Plain English)

Official recommendation: 6+ months of hands-on experience with Google Cloud.

Realistic expectations:

  • Basic cloud concepts: Understand what cloud computing is, IaaS vs PaaS, why companies use cloud
  • Linux command line: You'll work heavily with gcloud CLI; comfort with terminal is essential
  • Networking fundamentals: VPCs, subnets, firewalls, load balancing, DNS—networking is heavily tested
  • Some GCP exposure: Even a few weeks hands-on with GCP Free Tier helps enormously

Helpful but not required: Experience with containers/Kubernetes, IAM concepts, basic scripting.

What You'll Learn

The exam covers four main areas:

  1. Setting up a Cloud Solution Environment (~17%):
    • Creating projects and accounts
    • Managing billing configuration
    • Installing and configuring the Cloud SDK (gcloud)
  2. Planning and Configuring a Cloud Solution (~17%):
    • Planning compute resources (Compute Engine, GKE, App Engine, Cloud Functions)
    • Planning data storage options (Cloud Storage, Cloud SQL, BigQuery, Firestore)
    • Planning network resources (VPCs, subnets, firewalls)
  3. Deploying and Implementing a Cloud Solution (~25%):
    • Deploying Compute Engine resources
    • Deploying GKE resources (clusters, pods, services)
    • Deploying App Engine and Cloud Functions
    • Deploying storage and database solutions
    • Deploying networking resources
  4. Ensuring Successful Operation (~20%):
    • Managing Compute Engine and GKE resources
    • Managing storage and database resources
    • Managing networking resources
    • Monitoring and logging
  5. Configuring Access and Security (~20%):
    • Managing IAM
    • Managing service accounts
    • Viewing audit logs

Key services to master: Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, VPC, GKE, IAM, Cloud SQL, BigQuery basics, gcloud CLI.

Exam Format & Scoring

Question format: 50–60 multiple choice and multiple select questions. No hands-on labs during the exam (but you need hands-on experience to answer correctly).

Time limit: 2 hours.

Passing score: Google doesn't publish a specific passing score. Results are pass/fail.

Testing options: Kryterion testing centers or online proctored from home.

Results: Pass/fail typically shown immediately, with official confirmation via email within days.

Cost: $125 USD.

Renewal: Valid for 2 years. Renew by retaking the current exam or passing a higher-level Professional certification.

Recommended Study Plan

Standard Track

2–3 months

For those new to GCP:

  1. Week 1: Set up GCP Free Tier account. Get comfortable with Cloud Console and gcloud CLI. Explore the interface.
  2. Weeks 2–4: Work through a comprehensive course (Coursera or A Cloud Guru). Do hands-on labs for every major service.
  3. Weeks 5–6: Deep dive on Compute Engine, GKE, and networking. These are heavily tested.
  4. Weeks 7–8: Focus on IAM, security, and storage options. Practice with gcloud commands.
  5. Weeks 9–12: Practice exams and labs. Build a small project. Review weak areas.

Accelerated Track

4–6 weeks

For those with cloud experience (AWS/Azure converts):

  1. Week 1: Learn GCP-specific terminology and services. Map your existing cloud knowledge to GCP equivalents.
  2. Weeks 2–3: Focus on GCP-specific services (GKE, Cloud Storage, BigQuery) and gcloud CLI commands.
  3. Week 4: Hands-on labs focusing on networking and IAM (often different from AWS/Azure).
  4. Weeks 5–6: Practice exams, review weak areas, schedule exam.

Prep Resources

Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more

Best Official Resource

Google Cloud Skills Boost

Official Google training with hands-on labs in real GCP environments. Learning path specifically for Associate Cloud Engineer. Some content free, full access requires subscription.

Free tier + $29/month

Start Learning
Best Value Course

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer (Udemy)

Comprehensive video course with practice exams. Multiple instructors available. Frequently on sale.

~$15–20 on sale

View on Udemy (affiliate)

Coursera: Preparing for Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer

Official Google course on Coursera. Well-structured with hands-on labs. Part of the Google Cloud career certificate program.

~$49/month (Coursera subscription)

View on Coursera (affiliate)

GCP Free Tier

$300 in credits for 90 days plus always-free tier. Essential for hands-on practice. You can't pass this exam without actually using GCP.

Free

Sign Up Free

Official Information

Verify current exam details, pricing, and register with Google Cloud:

Visit Google Cloud Official Page →

External link to cloud.google.com.

Alternative Certifications to Consider

☁️

AWS Solutions Architect Associate

If your target companies use AWS. Larger job market, similar difficulty level.
🔷

Azure Administrator (AZ-104)

If targeting Microsoft-heavy enterprises. Comparable hands-on administration cert.
🎓

Google Cloud Digital Leader

If you want to start with fundamentals first. Entry-level, less technical than ACE.
🏗️

GCP Professional Cloud Architect

If you want to go deeper after ACE. More advanced, focuses on solution design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GCP certification worth it with smaller market share?

Yes, for the right situations. GCP is growing fast, especially in data/ML-focused companies. Less competition means GCP-certified engineers are in high demand at companies using the platform. Many organizations are multi-cloud anyway. The concepts transfer across platforms.

How does GCP ACE compare to AWS SAA?

Similar level of difficulty and scope. GCP ACE is more hands-on/operational; AWS SAA is more architecture-focused. Both test practical cloud skills. AWS has more job postings; GCP often has less competition per role. Choose based on your target employers.

Should I get Cloud Digital Leader first?

Only if you're completely new to cloud. Cloud Digital Leader is foundational and non-technical. If you have any IT or development background, skip directly to Associate Cloud Engineer. It's more valuable and not that much harder with proper preparation.

How much hands-on experience do I really need?

The exam is passable with focused study and lab work even without job experience on GCP. However, hands-on practice is essential—you must actually use the console and gcloud CLI. The free tier provides plenty of room to practice.

What jobs can I get with GCP ACE?

Cloud engineer, DevOps engineer, site reliability engineer (SRE), cloud administrator, platform engineer. GCP roles often pay comparably to AWS roles—sometimes higher due to scarcity of GCP talent. Typical range: $90,000–$140,000+.