Microsoft Certification Salary by Job Role (2026)
No Microsoft certification has its own published salary. Pay follows the job role: in the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports May 2025 medians from $62,890 (support specialists) to $140,300 (research scientists) for the occupations these certifications lead toward. The certification mainly helps you qualify for the role.
By MSCertQuiz Team · Last verified October 2026 · US figures in USD
Searches like “md-102 salary” or “az-900 salary” imply a number attached to an exam. That number does not exist in any public dataset we could open. What does exist is government pay data for the jobs these exams prepare you for. This page lines the two up, role by role, and is explicit about where the match is good and where we are stretching a category to fit.
Which job roles do Microsoft certifications lead to, and what do they pay?
The table pairs each role with its usual Microsoft certification and the closest US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupation. “Fit” says how well that occupation really describes the role. Medians are for all workers in the occupation, certified or not.
Reference points: all computer and IT occupations had a median of $109,470 and all US occupations $50,980 in May 2025 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). The data scientist, DBA/architect and software developer rows combine or approximate several job titles, see the notes below.
Why does a certification not set your salary?
Because the certification is an input to being hired, not a line item on a pay scale. Employers set pay from the role's level, your location, your years of hands-on work and what the market will bear. Microsoft publishes no salary data for any credential, and the one commercial salary report we tried to cite (Skillsoft's Global Knowledge survey) blocked our access, so we left it out rather than quote it second-hand.
There is also a causality problem that every “certified people earn more” claim shares. People who certify are often already motivated, already employed in the field, or already moving into a bigger role. Some of the gap between certified and uncertified workers would exist without the exam. Any article that attaches a percentage premium to a single Microsoft exam is guessing, and we would rather not.
What do the roles look like one by one?
Entry level: what does AZ-900 lead to?
Microsoft describes Azure Fundamentals as a common starting point in an Azure career, and Fundamentals certifications do not expire (renewal policy). The realistic target is a support or junior operations job. BLS puts computer support specialists at $62,890, with network support specialists higher at $76,220 and user support at $61,860. BLS also notes that candidates may qualify with a high school diploma plus relevant IT certifications, which is where a Fundamentals badge has real traction. Our AZ-900 worth-it analysis covers the exam itself; the AZ-900 practice exam has a free 40-question tier.
Cloud administrator: where does AZ-104 sit?
Azure Administrator Associate targets people who implement, manage and monitor an Azure environment. The nearest BLS category, network and computer systems administrators, had a median of $99,130 from 323,600 jobs, but BLS projects a 4 percent decline for 2025 to 2035, with about 13,400 openings a year from replacement. That is a mature occupation where cloud skill is a way to stay in demand. We dig into AZ-104 specifically in Is AZ-104 worth it, so this page does not repeat it.
Endpoint and Microsoft 365 administrator: what is the endpoint administrator salary?
BLS has no “endpoint administrator” line. Microsoft's Endpoint Administrator Associate (exam MD-102) covers managing devices and apps with Intune, Autopilot, Defender for Endpoint and Entra ID, which spans two BLS neighbours: junior work looks like network support specialists ($76,220) and senior tenant-wide work looks like systems administrators ($99,130). Where you land is mostly scope. Microsoft says the English MD-102 certification will be updated on October 27, 2026, so check the current skills outline before booking. See Is MD-102 worth it and the MD-102 practice exam for prep.
Security analyst and identity engineer: SC-200 and SC-300
Information security analysts had a May 2025 median of $129,180, with 21 percent growth projected for 2025 to 2035. Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200) describes triage, threat hunting with KQL and detection work, which is a direct match to that category. Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300) is Microsoft Entra work. BLS has no identity engineer category, so we show the security analyst figure as a loose proxy only. Microsoft lists updates for the English versions of SC-200 on October 21, 2026 and SC-300 on October 28, 2026. For choosing between security paths, read which Microsoft certification is best for cybersecurity and the SC-200 vs SC-300 comparison. Practice: SC-200, SC-300.
Data analyst and data engineer: PL-300 and DP-700
BLS has no data analyst category, so the table uses data scientists ($120,230 median; 10th percentile under $67,240; 90th percentile over $199,130; 35 percent growth) as a rough ceiling, and a Power BI analyst will often sit below it. The Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300) is about modeling, visualizing and securing data in Power BI. For engineering, Fabric Data Engineer Associate (DP-700) maps loosely to database administrators ($104,620) and architects ($139,500); the table shows BLS's combined $126,760. Microsoft lists a DP-700 update on October 19, 2026. Compare paths in best certification for data analysts and for data engineers.
AI engineer, solutions architect and DevOps engineer
These are the higher-paying families, with the weakest matches. Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103) is a Python and Microsoft Foundry developer credential. BLS's closest categories are computer and information research scientists ($140,300, but a master's degree is typical) and software developers ($135,980). Many AI engineers are in fact software developers, so the lower figure is probably the more realistic anchor. Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) lines up with computer network architects at $134,050, which BLS says will see more demand as cloud use grows. DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400) has the loosest fit, since BLS has no DevOps category and software developers is a proxy. Role guidance: which Microsoft AI certification is best.
Which Microsoft certifications lead to the highest-paying roles?
Ranked by BLS median for the nearest occupation, the order is research scientists ($140,300), software developers ($135,980), network architects ($134,050), information security analysts ($129,180), database administrators and architects ($126,760), data scientists ($120,230), systems administrators ($99,130), support specialists ($62,890). So the certifications that point at AI, DevOps, architecture and security roles border the highest medians. That is a description of where those jobs pay, not a measured premium for the exam. Associate and Expert exams also demand experience that the pay reflects.
What does a certification actually change, if not your pay?
Two documented things, both about access rather than money.
- Partner requirements. To earn a Microsoft Solutions Partner designation, a firm needs 70 of 100 points. Infrastructure, Data & AI and Digital & App Innovation require staff holding Azure Administrator Associate (at least two people on the Enterprise track), then more people on certifications such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert and DevOps Engineer Expert (Azure partner criteria). Security partners must have people certified in Security Operations Analyst and Identity and Access Administrator among others (Security criteria), and Modern Work counts Endpoint Administrator Associate and Identity and Access Administrator (Modern Work criteria). A consultancy that needs those points has a concrete reason to hire certified people.
- Screening. Recruiters and applicant systems commonly search for certification names. This is our inference from how hiring works, not a Microsoft statistic, but it is the main reason a Fundamentals or Associate badge helps a career changer more than a ten-year veteran.
Associate, Expert and Specialty certifications expire after 12 months unless renewed, but renewal is free, online and open-book (Microsoft renewal page). Keeping one current costs time, not money.
How should you use this if you are choosing a certification?
Pick the role first, check the BLS occupation page for its pay and outlook, then choose the exam that Microsoft's own certification page ties to that role. If you are not sure which role fits, our Microsoft certification roadmap lays out the tracks, and how Microsoft certifications boost salary covers the general case. When you are ready to practice, every certification above has a free 40-question tier on its practice page, and the full 500-question banks are on the pricing page.
How we verified this
Last verified October 2, 2026 by the MSCertQuiz Team. Pay, growth and job-count figures were read from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook pages linked in the table (May 2025 wage data, 2025 to 2035 projections). Certification descriptions, update dates, renewal rules and partner requirements were read from the Microsoft Learn credential pages for Endpoint Administrator, Azure Administrator, Security Operations Analyst, Identity and Access Administrator, Power BI Data Analyst, Fabric Data Engineer, AI-103, Azure Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer, Azure Fundamentals and the Partner Center criteria pages.
Method and limits: BLS medians describe all workers in an occupation, are US-only, and do not isolate certified workers. Where no BLS occupation matches the role (identity engineer, data analyst, data engineer, AI engineer, DevOps), we used the nearest category and labeled the fit “Loose”. We did not use crowd-sourced salary sites or survey percentages we could not open and verify. Exam prices, passing scores and exam lengths change, so confirm them on the Microsoft exam page before booking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary for a Microsoft-certified professional?
There is no reliable single figure, and any site quoting one is mixing roles, seniority and countries. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median of $109,470 for all computer and IT occupations, but that covers every worker in those jobs, not only certified ones. Pay is set by the role, location and experience, not by the badge alone.
What is the highest-paying Microsoft certification?
Microsoft does not publish pay by certification, and the sources we could open do not either. What we can say is which job families have the highest BLS medians: research scientists ($140,300), software developers ($135,980), network architects ($134,050) and information security analysts ($129,180), as of May 2025. The AI, DevOps, architect and security certifications point toward those families, but they do not guarantee those figures.
What is the endpoint administrator salary?
BLS has no category called endpoint administrator. The closest is network and computer systems administrators, with a May 2025 US median of $99,130. Computer network support specialists, a more junior neighbour, had a median of $76,220. An MD-102 holder could land in either band depending on scope and seniority.
Does AZ-900 increase your salary?
Not by itself, and we found no verifiable data that says it does. AZ-900 is a beginner-level Fundamentals credential that Microsoft describes as a common starting point toward an Azure career. Its practical value is as a screening signal for entry-level and career-change applicants. Computer support specialists, a typical entry point, had a US median of $62,890 in May 2025.
Do SC-200 and SC-300 holders earn security-analyst salaries?
They are aimed at jobs that sit near the BLS information security analyst category, which had a May 2025 US median of $129,180 and 21 percent projected growth for 2025 to 2035. BLS does not break out pay by certification, and SC-300 identity roles are only a loose match to that category, so treat the figure as a ceiling for context, not a promise.
Do Microsoft certifications matter to employers if they are not a salary multiplier?
Yes, in two documented ways. Applicant filters often search for certification names, and Microsoft Solutions Partners must have a minimum number of certified staff to earn and keep their partner designations. Consultancies that resell Microsoft services therefore have a direct reason to hire certified people. Neither point is a guaranteed raise, but both can help you get an interview.
Are the salary figures in this article global?
No. Every pay figure here comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and is in US dollars. Pay in Europe, India, Canada and elsewhere differs substantially, and BLS data cannot be converted into those markets. Use local salary surveys for those countries.
Which Microsoft certification should I get first for a higher-paying career?
Start from the job you want, then work backwards. For infrastructure roles that is usually AZ-900 then AZ-104, for endpoint work MD-102, for security SC-200, for data PL-300 or DP-700. If you are unsure of the role, a certification roadmap by track is more useful than chasing the highest salary number.