PostgreSQL Associate (PG-A) Exam Guide: Syllabus, Passing Score & How to Prepare

The PostgreSQL Associate certification (PG-A), offered by EDB — the primary commercial sponsor of PostgreSQL — validates that you can administer a PostgreSQL database in production. This guide covers the syllabus, the passing score, the exam format and cost, a study plan, and how to build the foundation for free with SQLMentor's PostgreSQL tutorial and timed practice exams.

If you already know you want to practise, jump straight to the free PG-A practice exams — full-length, timed sets with per-question explanations. Otherwise, read on for the full breakdown.

Exam at a glance

• Certification: PostgreSQL Associate (PG-A)
• Provider: EDB (EnterpriseDB)
• Questions: approximately 80 multiple choice
• Duration: around 90 minutes
• Passing score: approximately 70%
• Delivery: online proctored (via EDB / Pearson VUE)
• Cost: around US$200 (confirm on EDB's training site)
• Recommended: 6+ months of hands-on PostgreSQL experience

Exam fees, formats, and any renewal policy can change, so always confirm the current details on the official EnterpriseDB (EDB) certification site ↗ before you book. SQLMentor is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with EDB or the PostgreSQL project.

What the PG-A certifies

Passing PG-A shows you can run PostgreSQL in production: the architecture and MVCC model, SQL fluency, indexing, security, backup and recovery, replication, and routine maintenance such as vacuuming. It is the natural first credential for anyone using PostgreSQL professionally. Exact exam specifics are set by EDB and can change, so treat the figures above as a guide and confirm on EDB's site.

Is the PG-A worth it?

PostgreSQL adoption keeps growing, and a recognised associate-level credential is a useful signal for DBA and backend roles that run on Postgres. The exam is practical — it maps to the things you actually do to keep a database healthy — so preparing for it builds directly job-relevant skills. If you are newer to PostgreSQL, the PostgreSQL tutorial plus a few months of hands-on time is the right runway.

Full syllabus breakdown

EDB defines the PG-A objectives; the areas below reflect the commonly published scope. Confirm the current blueprint on EDB's certification site, since details can change between versions.

1. Architecture and MVCC

The postmaster and backend processes, shared buffers, the write-ahead log (WAL), and multi-version concurrency control — the model behind Postgres's concurrency and vacuuming behaviour. Study transactions.

2. Installation and configuration

initdb, key postgresql.conf parameters, and client authentication via pg_hba.conf.

3. SQL fundamentals

DDL, DML, joins, CTEs, and window functions. Study joins, CTEs, and window functions.

4. Data types

Text, numeric, and date/time types, plus PostgreSQL's richer types — JSON/JSONB, arrays, and ranges. Study data types, JSON/JSONB, and arrays.

5. Indexes

B-tree, GIN, GiST, BRIN, and hash indexes, plus partial and expression indexes and when each applies. Study indexes.

6. Security

Roles and privileges, GRANT/REVOKE, row-level security, and SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication.

7. Backup, recovery, and replication

pg_dump, pg_basebackup, point-in-time recovery, and streaming vs. logical replication.

8. Maintenance

VACUUM, ANALYZE, and autovacuum — why they exist and how to tune them. Study VACUUM & autovacuum and EXPLAIN.

A realistic study approach

PG-A assumes hands-on experience. Run a local PostgreSQL instance and practise every area as you study.

• Weeks 1–2 — SQL & data types: Work through the PostgreSQL tutorial — joins, CTEs, window functions, and the JSON/array types that come up often.
• Weeks 3–4 — architecture & indexes: Learn the MVCC model and the index types, then use EXPLAIN to see which index the planner picks.
• Weeks 5–6 — admin: Practise configuration, roles and security, backup/recovery, replication, and vacuuming. Then take Practice Set 1 under timing.
• Final week — polish: Review every missed question and take Set 2. Aim to clear roughly 70% consistently before booking the real exam.

Common reasons candidates fail (and how to avoid them)

• Skipping MVCC and vacuuming. These are central to how PostgreSQL behaves and a common source of questions and real-world trouble alike.
• Knowing only one index type. Understand when GIN, GiST, BRIN, and partial indexes beat a plain B-tree.
• No hands-on time. The exam expects real administration experience — configuration, backups, and replication are hard to learn from reading alone.
• Assuming Oracle/SQL Server habits carry over. Postgres has its own semantics for sequences, NULLs in indexes, and concurrency — learn them directly.