diff --git a/sagemaker-core/src/sagemaker/core/user_agent.py b/sagemaker-core/src/sagemaker/core/user_agent.py
index af912a0d23..f791400117 100644
--- a/sagemaker-core/src/sagemaker/core/user_agent.py
+++ b/sagemaker-core/src/sagemaker/core/user_agent.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 import json
 import os
 
+import importlib_metadata
+
 SDK_PREFIX = "AWS-SageMaker-Python-SDK"
 STUDIO_PREFIX = "AWS-SageMaker-Studio"
 NOTEBOOK_PREFIX = "AWS-SageMaker-Notebook-Instance"
@@ -24,7 +26,24 @@
 NOTEBOOK_METADATA_FILE = "/etc/opt/ml/sagemaker-notebook-instance-version.txt"
 STUDIO_METADATA_FILE = "/opt/ml/metadata/resource-metadata.json"
 
-SDK_VERSION = "3.0"
+
+def _resolve_sdk_version():
+    """Resolve the installed SDK version for telemetry/user-agent reporting.
+
+    Prefers the ``sagemaker`` meta-package version (the V3 release number
+    customers install), falling back to ``sagemaker-core`` when the SDK is
+    installed standalone. Returns a static fallback if neither distribution's
+    metadata is resolvable, so user-agent/telemetry construction never raises.
+    """
+    for distribution in ("sagemaker", "sagemaker-core"):
+        try:
+            return importlib_metadata.version(distribution)
+        except importlib_metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
+            continue
+    return "3.0"
+
+
+SDK_VERSION = _resolve_sdk_version()
 
 
 def process_notebook_metadata_file():
diff --git a/sagemaker-core/tests/unit/test_user_agent.py b/sagemaker-core/tests/unit/test_user_agent.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45e8821810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sagemaker-core/tests/unit/test_user_agent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# Copyright Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"). You
+# may not use this file except in compliance with the License. A copy of
+# the License is located at
+#
+#     http://aws.amazon.com/apache2.0/
+#
+# or in the "license" file accompanying this file. This file is
+# distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
+# ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
+# language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
+"""Unit tests for sagemaker.core.user_agent SDK version resolution."""
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import importlib_metadata
+
+from sagemaker.core import user_agent
+
+
+def test_resolve_prefers_meta_sagemaker():
+    """The meta ``sagemaker`` distribution version is preferred and tried first."""
+    with patch.object(
+        user_agent.importlib_metadata, "version", return_value="3.27.0"
+    ) as mock_version:
+        assert user_agent._resolve_sdk_version() == "3.27.0"
+        mock_version.assert_called_with("sagemaker")
+
+
+def test_resolve_falls_back_to_core_when_meta_absent():
+    """When the meta package is not installed, fall back to ``sagemaker-core``."""
+
+    def fake_version(distribution):
+        if distribution == "sagemaker":
+            raise importlib_metadata.PackageNotFoundError(distribution)
+        return "2.27.0"
+
+    with patch.object(user_agent.importlib_metadata, "version", side_effect=fake_version):
+        assert user_agent._resolve_sdk_version() == "2.27.0"
+
+
+def test_resolve_static_fallback_when_none_installed():
+    """When neither distribution resolves, return the static fallback (never raise)."""
+
+    def raise_not_found(distribution):
+        raise importlib_metadata.PackageNotFoundError(distribution)
+
+    with patch.object(user_agent.importlib_metadata, "version", side_effect=raise_not_found):
+        assert user_agent._resolve_sdk_version() == "3.0"
+
+
+def test_version_is_dynamic_not_hardcoded():
+    """Regression guard for the hardcoded "3.0": the version must echo installed metadata."""
+    with patch.object(user_agent.importlib_metadata, "version", return_value="9.9.9"):
+        assert user_agent._resolve_sdk_version() == "9.9.9"
+
+
+def test_user_agent_suffix_uses_resolved_version():
+    """The user-agent suffix carries the resolved SDK version."""
+    with patch.object(user_agent, "SDK_VERSION", "9.9.9"):
+        assert user_agent.get_user_agent_extra_suffix() == f"lib/{user_agent.SDK_PREFIX}#9.9.9"