You've heard AZ-900 is the "beginner" certification and AZ-104 is where "real" Azure careers begin. So the question everyone asks: Should I skip AZ-900 and go straight to AZ-104?This guide gives you the honest answer based on your background, timeline, and career goals.
Quick Answer: Should You Skip AZ-900?
Skip AZ-900 if you:
- • Have 2+ years IT infrastructure experience
- • Already understand cloud concepts (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS)
- • Are job hunting and need AZ-104 ASAP
- • Have budget for only one exam ($165)
Take AZ-900 first if you:
- • Are new to IT or cloud computing
- • Want to build confidence before AZ-104
- • Have 6-8 weeks total study time
- • Want to avoid failing AZ-104 (saves money)
The Real Answer:
AZ-900 is NOT required for AZ-104. However, 60-70% of candidates who fail AZ-104 on their first attempt skipped AZ-900. If you're brand new to Azure, AZ-900 provides crucial foundational knowledge that makes AZ-104 significantly easier.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | AZ-900 | AZ-104 |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Fundamentals | Associate |
| Full Name | Azure Fundamentals | Azure Administrator |
| Cost | $99 USD | $165 USD |
| Exam Duration | 45 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 40-60 | 40-60 (more complex) |
| Passing Score | 700/1000 | 700/1000 |
| Prerequisites | None | None (AZ-900 recommended) |
| Difficulty | Beginner (theory-focused) | Intermediate (hands-on required) |
| Study Time | 2-4 weeks (20-40 hours) | 6-10 weeks (80-120 hours) |
| Hands-On Required | Optional (helpful) | Essential |
| Job Market Value | Entry-level support | Mid-level admin roles |
| Avg Salary Boost | $0-5K (minimal) | $10-20K |
What is AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals)?
AZ-900 is Microsoft's entry-level Azure certification. It validates you understand cloud concepts and basic Azure services. It's conceptual, not hands-on.
What AZ-900 Covers
- • Cloud concepts: IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS, CapEx vs OpEx, scalability
- • Azure architecture: Regions, availability zones, resource groups
- • Core services: VMs, App Service, storage, databases (what they are, not how to configure)
- • Security: Network security groups, Azure Firewall (concepts only)
- • Pricing: Cost factors, pricing calculator, TCO calculator
AZ-900 Question Example:
"Your company wants to reduce capital expenditure. Which cloud service model should they use?"
Notice: It's asking about business concepts, not "how to configure X service."
Master AZ-900 Fundamentals
Build a strong foundation with 40 free AZ-900 practice questions. No signup required.
What is AZ-104 (Azure Administrator)?
AZ-104 validates you can implement, manage, and monitor Azure environments. This is a hands-on, practical exam requiring real Azure experience.
What AZ-104 Covers
Manage Azure Identities and Governance (15-20%)
- • Configure Entra ID (Azure AD), users, groups
- • Implement RBAC and Azure Policy
- • Manage subscriptions and resource groups
Implement and Manage Storage (15-20%)
- • Configure storage accounts, blob storage, Azure Files
- • Implement storage security and replication
- • Manage data with Storage Explorer and AzCopy
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute (20-25%)
- • Create and configure VMs
- • Deploy containers (Azure Container Instances, AKS)
- • Configure VM extensions and scale sets
Configure and Manage Virtual Networking (20-25%)
- • Implement VNets, subnets, peering
- • Configure NSGs, Azure Firewall, load balancers
- • Set up VPN and ExpressRoute connectivity
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources (10-15%)
- • Use Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, alerts
- • Implement backup and disaster recovery
- • Automate with PowerShell and CLI
AZ-104 Question Example:
"You need to ensure VM1 in VNet1 can communicate with VM2 in VNet2. Both VNets are in different subscriptions. What should you configure?"
Notice: This requires knowing how to actually implement VNet peering, not just what it is.
The Difficulty Gap: It's Bigger Than You Think
AZ-104 is not "just a harder AZ-900." It's a fundamentally different type of exam.
AZ-900 Approach
- • Read Microsoft Learn modules
- • Watch YouTube overview videos
- • Take 200-300 practice questions
- • Optional: Explore Azure portal
- Total time: 20-40 hours
AZ-104 Requirements
- • Complete all Microsoft Learn labs (hands-on)
- • Build 15-20 Azure environments yourself
- • Master PowerShell/CLI commands
- • Practice troubleshooting scenarios
- Total time: 80-120 hours
Pass Rates:
- • AZ-900 first attempt: ~70% pass rate
- • AZ-104 first attempt (no AZ-900): ~30-40% pass rate
- • AZ-104 first attempt (with AZ-900): ~55-65% pass rate
Bottom line: Taking AZ-900 first nearly doubles your chances of passing AZ-104 on the first attempt, saving you $165 in retake fees.
Career Impact and Salary Data
Job Market Reality
AZ-900 Job Market
- Positions: Cloud support specialist, technical sales, customer success
- Salary range: $45,000 - $75,000
- Reality check: Most employers view AZ-900 as "nice to have," not a hiring requirement
AZ-104 Job Market
- Positions: Azure Administrator, Cloud Engineer, DevOps Engineer
- Salary range: $85,000 - $130,000
- Reality check: AZ-104 + 1 year experience qualifies you for mid-level roles
Which One Gets You Hired?
AZ-104 is what employers actually look for. LinkedIn job postings:
- • Jobs requiring AZ-104: 23,000+
- • Jobs requiring AZ-900: 2,400
Who Should Skip AZ-900?
Experienced IT Professionals
If you have 2+ years managing Windows Server, Active Directory, networking, or virtualization, you likely understand the foundational concepts AZ-900 covers.
Recommendation: Skip AZ-900, go straight to AZ-104.
AWS Certified Professionals
If you have AWS Solutions Architect Associate or similar, you understand cloud concepts. AZ-900 would be redundant.
Recommendation: Skip AZ-900, study Azure-specific services for AZ-104.
Urgent Job Seekers
If a job posting requires AZ-104 and you're interviewing soon, you don't have time for AZ-900.
Recommendation: Focus all effort on AZ-104, accept higher study time (100+ hours).
Optimal Certification Path by Background
Complete Beginner (No IT Experience)
Path: AZ-900 → AZ-104 → AZ-305 (Solutions Architect)
Timeline: 3-4 months total
- • Weeks 1-3: Study AZ-900, take exam
- • Weeks 4-12: Study AZ-104 (80-100 hours)
- • Week 13: Take AZ-104 exam
IT Professional (2+ years experience)
Path: AZ-104 → AZ-305 (skip AZ-900)
Timeline: 6-8 weeks
- • Weeks 1-6: Study AZ-104 (60-80 hours)
- • Week 7-8: Final review and exam
Career Changer (Some Tech Exposure)
Path: AZ-900 → Wait 1-2 weeks → AZ-104
Timeline: 10-12 weeks
- • Weeks 1-4: Study AZ-900 thoroughly
- • Week 5: Take AZ-900
- • Weeks 6-11: Study AZ-104
- • Week 12: Take AZ-104
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AZ-900 required before AZ-104?
No. Microsoft does not require AZ-900 as a prerequisite for AZ-104. However, AZ-900 provides foundational knowledge that makes AZ-104 significantly easier, especially for beginners.
Does AZ-900 help with AZ-104?
Yes. About 30-40% of AZ-104 content builds directly on AZ-900 concepts. Understanding cloud fundamentals, Azure architecture, and core services from AZ-900 makes AZ-104 study more efficient.
Can I pass AZ-104 without Azure experience?
It's very difficult. AZ-104 requires hands-on skills that can't be learned from reading alone. You need to spend 20-30 hours actually building Azure environments, configuring VNets, deploying VMs, and troubleshooting issues.
How much harder is AZ-104 than AZ-900?
Significantly harder. AZ-104 requires 3-4x more study time, hands-on lab work, and deeper technical knowledge. First-attempt pass rates are roughly 70% for AZ-900 vs 40% for AZ-104 (without prior Azure certification).
Which certification should I put on my resume?
List both if you have both. However, AZ-104 carries significantly more weight with employers. If you only have time for one, prioritize AZ-104 for job hunting.
Ready to Start Your Azure Certification Path?
Practice with verified questions for AZ-900 and AZ-104. Try 40 questions free, or get full access to 500+ questions for just $9.99.
About MSCertQuiz
MSCertQuiz provides affordable, high-quality practice resources for Microsoft certification candidates. Our team includes Azure-certified professionals who have successfully guided thousands of candidates through their certification journeys.
Related Resources
How to Pass AZ-900 First Try
Complete study guide with proven strategies for AZ-900 success.
Is AZ-900 Worth It?
Real salary data and job market analysis for AZ-900.
AZ-900 vs SC-900 Comparison
Compare Azure and Security fundamentals certifications.
Free AZ-900 Practice Questions
Test your knowledge with 25 free practice questions.