The 20 Top-Paying Microsoft Certifications in 2024

More than any other vendor, Microsoft applications, services and capabilities sit at the top of tech leaders' priority list, according to Skillsoft's annual IT Skills and Salary Report. In fact, this has been the case for several years running — a trend that parallels the growing demand for what cloud computing offers.

The long-running migration to the cloud has convinced the world over of its benefits, from cost savings to flexibility, reliability and even security. But what holds many back from maturing their efforts is a skills gap.

Most tech leaders are dealing with an unwavering gap, given the pace of change in the industry and continued trouble hiring professionals with the skills they need. When it comes to cloud computing, only 13% feel very confident in their team's abilities. The majority (37%) of leaders assess their teams' skills as somewhere in the middle between novice and expert.

Cloud computing, in particular, has consistently been a trying discipline. This year, it's no different. It's the third toughest practice to hire for after AI and cybersecurity. Meanwhile, it's a top investment area for those in leadership, with the highest percentage of decision-makers specifying Microsoft as a priority.

Knowing this, it pays to know which skills or credentials  — or in this case, the best Microsoft certifications — can help organizations close their gaps.

Again this year, we dug into the IT Skills and Salary survey data to learn about the people who hold Microsoft certifications, how much they make (on average), and how these certifications benefit individuals and organizations. Around the world, 1,366 people reported having earned a Microsoft certification already — 346 reside in the US.

Keep reading to see the latest findings and see our methodology for this list at the end of the post.
 

Microsoft certifications can be pivotal for IT professionals at all levels. These certifications often increase earnings, lead to promotions, and far more.

See the training, whether that’s in-person or on-demand, that can help you earn certifications like those listed above. Or, find courses on popular skills — like Python or C# — to support your mission to unlock these credentials.

*Given the sample size of US respondents, the salaries presented here are for continuity only.

The average Microsoft certification-holder has unlocked more than one credential, often from more than one vendor or body, according to this year’s survey. Compared the year prior, the average certification-holder globally — including Microsoft and all other certification bodies we ask about — had nearly twice as many credentials, which can have an impact on their income, their role and more. Naturally, other factors affect earnings too, like whether they manage people or their tenure in the industry.

It's important to know that some overlap also exists among certification-holders. For example, those who reported having a foundational certification may also have one or more of Microsoft’s associate or expert-level role-based certifications too.

Below, find more context on what the average Microsoft certification-holder looks like. Then, keep reading to learn about the certifications listed above and what it takes to earn them.

The Azure Developer Associate certification is for developers specializing in creating, testing, and maintaining cloud applications on Azure. To qualify, candidates must pass the AZ-204 exam, testing their abilities to develop and secure Azure solutions, integrate services, and optimize application performance. These professionals can reliably develop compute solutions, working cross-functionally with others to meet business and technical requirements.

Microsoft recommends having at least two years of experience working with Azure and as a professional developer. You should be proficient in languages such as C# or Python and the following:

• SDK
• Data storage options
• Data connections
• APIs
• App authentication and authorization
• Compute and container deployment
• Debugging

The Administrator Expert certification is for IT professionals who specialize in implementing, managing, and securing Microsoft 365 tenants. This certification demonstrates a commitment to best practices and helps organizations maximize the value and security of their Microsoft investments.

To qualify for this certification, candidates are required to pass the MS-102 exam. This exam evaluates a candidate’s knowledge and skills in managing identity, access, security, compliance, and supporting technologies, using Microsoft 365 solutions like Entra ID, Purview and Defender.

However, before sitting the exam, you must have earned a prerequisite associate-level certification:

• Endpoint Administrator Associate
• Messaging Administrator Associate
• Team Administrator Associate
• Identity and Access Administrator Associate
• Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate

Cybersecurity architects create an organization’s security strategy and work cross-functionally to put plans into motion. They must have deep expertise in implementing Zero Trust security strategies for a range of solutions, including identity, data, network, DevOps and more. Their domain doesn’t end there, often extending into GRC, SecOps and posture management.

To earn this expert-level certification, candidates must pass one of the following exams: SC-200, SC-300, or AZ-500, preferably before taking the main exam (SC-100). There are three prerequisite, associate-level certifications:

• Azure Security Engineer Associate
• Identity and Access Administrator Associate
• Security Operations Analyst Associate

A Microsoft security engineer keeps a close eye on an organization’s resources. Their duties involve monitoring solutions across Azure and an organization’s infrastructure, while making recommendations to bolster efforts via security components or configurations. Incident management is also a part of the job, as is working with others to carry out security strategies.

To earn this certification, candidates must be able to administer an Azure environment, including hybrid or multicloud, and have experience with Microsoft’s solutions for compute, network and storage. Then, pass the AZ-500 exam.

Azure AI engineers develop end-to-end, secure solutions after gathering product requirements. These engineers work with architects and others across the development cycle to build, deploy, integrate, and maintain solutions across applications. Proficiency in C# and Python or similar languages is required.

You’ll unlock this certification once you’ve completed the AI-102 exam, which tests candidates on their abilities to develop a range of solutions — generative AI, natural language processing, computer vision — using Azure AI.

The focus of DevOps engineers, according to Microsoft, is continuous delivery for the organization. You serve as a subject matter expert to develop solutions with your team. Most often, those with this certification are working with developers, SREs and Azure administrators to carry out strategies for a range of duties, including:

• Collaboration
• Source control
• Security and compliance
• Continuous integration
• Testing and delivery

Experience developing in Azure is a requirement for those pursuing this certification, along with familiarity with GitHub. Candidates can earn this credential after completing a prerequisite certification — Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate — and then passing the AZ-400 exam.

Enterprise data analysts can manage a commensurate analytics solution. These professionals have advanced experience with Azure, Power BI and tools like Power Query. Those who work in these roles often do so alongside data engineers and scientists, architects and others whose mission is to also deliver advanced data analytics solutions.

Candidates must pass the DP-500 exam to earn this certification, which measures their abilities to manage an analytics environment and models, query and visualize data, and more.

The main objective of data engineers is bringing systems together to create meaningful solutions. Often, it’s fashioning a solution from a blend of sources into an intelligible dataset using tools of the trade. For this certification, that means being familiar with these Azure solutions: Data Factory, Synapse Analytics, Stream Analytics, and several others. Candidates must also be proficient in languages like SQL or Python.

An associate-level exam, there are no formal prerequisites for this certification. However, candidates must pass the DP-203 test, which verifies their abilities to design solutions for data storage and processing.

Pursuing this certification requires a breadth of knowledge and expertise on managing Windows Server on-premises, hybrid and cloud workloads. Working collaboratively with other administrators or architects, these professionals manage solutions for identity, compute, networking and more. Their responsibilities encompass security, troubleshooting and disaster recovering too. Tools you must be familiar with:

• Windows Admin Center
• PowerShell
• Azure Arc
• IaaS virtual machine (VM) administration

Unlike some other Microsoft certifications, this one requires candidates pass two exams: AZ-800 and AZ-801. These test a candidate’s abilities on a plethora of skills, including managing Active Directory Domain Services, Windows Servers, virtual machines and containers, and far more.

Those who intend to pursue this certification have a focus on managing their organization’s communication solutions, like Microsoft Teams and 365. This job encompasses working cross-functionally with others to manage workloads, implement Teams Phone or Rooms solutions, and uphold security and GRC.

Candidates will earn this certification after passing the MS-700 exam, which tests their knowledge on configuring a Teams environment, familiarity with tools like SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange and Entra ID.

As an Azure Solutions Architect, these professionals plan and carry out well-architected solutions that meet business requirements. These solutions would involve everything from networking to disaster recovering and governance. This is a highly cross-functional role, often involving business stakeholders and partners across the IT department, including developers and engineers, who will support the proposed solutions. Architects going after this certification must be familiar with Azure administration and development, and DevOps processes.

Unlocking this certification starts with completing the prerequisite certification: Azure Administrator Associate. Then, candidates must pass the AZ-305 exam.

DevOps engineers who wish to earn this certification work collaboratively, focus on continuous delivery, and know their way around Azure and GitHub. These professionals work with other developers, SREs and administrators to develop and deliver solutions that support their organization’s overarching strategies.

To earn this certification, candidates must first unlock a prerequisite certification — Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate — and then pass the AZ-400 exam, which covers configuring processes, source control, release pipelines and more.

A fundamental-level certification, this credential is the baseline starting point for a career in engineering or development or data science. It’s even suitable for students who plan on pursuing careers in artificial intelligence and want to deepen their knowledge of AI workloads, within the context of Azure. Microsoft says those who plan to sit the exam should have some knowledge of cloud concepts and client-server apps.

Earning this certification requires passing the AI-900 exam, which tests a candidate’s knowledge on AI workloads, the principles of machine learning on Azure, and more. It’s best suited for AI engineers, developers and scientists — or those who wish to hold down one of these jobs.

The main objective of a security operations analyst, according to Microsoft, is to reduce risk. This could mean staving off active threats or attacks, or it could mean bolstering an organization’s existing security strategy. Analysts often focus on threat hunting and incident response. When active, it’s important for these professionals to work with others in the organization to keep the systems secure.

Candidates must pass the SC-200 exam to unlock this certification. It tests their knowledge on mitigating threats, using tools like Microsoft 365 Defender and Sentinel.

Administrators who chase this certification should have experience managing identity and access management for their organizations, inclusive of users, devices and workloads. According to Microsoft, candidates often work cross-collaboratively to provide users with access experiences that they can navigate independently. What benefits those who plan to sit the exam is experience with Microsoft Entra ID, automating tasks with PowerShell, and Kusto Query Language (KQL).

There are no formal prerequisites to earn this certification, but candidates must pass the SC-300 exam. It tests candidates’ knowledge on managing user identities, implementing authentication and governance.

Like other fundamental-level certifications, this credential is the entry point for those who hope to work with data in the cloud, like database administrators or data analysts. While training for this certification, candidates learn about core data concepts and build on Azure Fundamentals.

Microsoft stresses the importance of knowing the skills tested before registering for the exam (DP-900). Candidates are tested on core data concepts, relational and non-relational data on Azure, and analytics workloads.

By earning this certification, candidates prove their knowledge in the foundations of cloud computing and, more specifically, the Microsoft 365 platform. Those with this certification have validated their knowledge of core compute concepts, the benefits of the cloud, and several Microsoft products.

Those pursuing this certification must sit the MS-900 certification, which focuses on cloud concepts and the Microsoft 365 platform. Like other fundamental-level certifications, the exam for this one costs $99.

As is the case with other fundamental-level certifications, this is meant for those who wish to take the first step in their learning journey. Specifically, this one focuses on Microsoft’s security, compliance and identity (SCI) solutions. It helps validate a professional’s foundational knowledge of the solutions and the baseline concepts within each domain. Before sitting the exam, it helps to have familiarity with networking or cloud, and general experience with IT environments or specifically Microsoft 365.

Candidates must pass the SC-900 exam to earn this certification. It tests on the core SCI concepts and several Microsoft tools, like Entra ID. It costs $99.

This is the starting point for anyone whose career leads them to Azure. The goal behind this certification is to help candidates nail down the core concepts of working on the Azure platform and prepare for Microsoft’s role-based certifications that come after. Training for this certification covers the high-level administration and architecture of Azure. It helps to have experience in IT or similar fields prior to pursuing this one.

Interested this certification? You’ll have to sit the exam, AZ-900, which tests on cloud concepts, Azure management, architecture and more.

This list of top-paying Microsoft certifications is based on survey responses from Skillsoft’s 2023 IT Skills and Salary Survey conducted from May to September 2023. The survey asks respondents about their current jobs and experience, certifications and salaries, and more. Respondents encounter multiple choice and multi-select, open-ended, rank choice, and other types of questions while taking the survey.

The survey is distributed to IT professionals around the world by technology providers (including Microsoft), certification bodies, and Skillsoft.

The focus of this list is on 1,366 respondents who reported having one or more Microsoft certifications. When reporting salary figures, Skillsoft looks for at least 50 survey responses before considering relevance, demand and other factors. The salaries reported for US-based respondents largely fall below that threshold, with two exceptions: Azure Fundamentals and Azure Administrator Associate. They are presented for continuity but lack statistical relevance. Salaries are not normalized for cost-of-living or location.