The SC-300 exam is an Associate-level exam with a typical price of US$165. The English exam is updated on October 28, 2026, so it is worth knowing what changes before you book.
Quick Answer
- • SC-300 exam cost: US$165 (typical Associate price); Microsoft prices exams by country or region
- • With one retake: about US$330, because every attempt is a full fee
- • Renewing the certification each year is free
- • Exam update: October 28, 2026 (English version)
What SC-300 costs
SC-300 leads to Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate. Microsoft's own exam FAQ says Associate and Expert exams typically cost US$165, priced according to currency values in specific countries and regions, and that additional taxes may apply.
| Scenario | Cost (United States) |
|---|---|
| One attempt, pass first time | US$165 |
| One failed attempt, then a pass | US$330 |
| Yearly renewal assessment | Free |
| Official Microsoft Learn training and practice assessment | Free |
For every other exam and country, see the full Microsoft exam cost guide.
Retake policy and the real cost of failing
Microsoft does not refund exams you do not pass or appointments you miss, and you pay for every retake. After a first failure you wait 24 hours, then 14 days between later attempts, and you cannot sit an exam more than five times in 12 months.
That makes a failed attempt the single biggest avoidable cost: it doubles your total to US$330. Timed practice before you book is cheaper than a retake.
The SC-300 exam update on October 28, 2026
Microsoft updates the English version of SC-300 on October 28, 2026. Microsoft lists minor changes to three areas: Plan, implement, and manage Microsoft Entra user authentication, Implement Global Secure Access, and Plan and implement privileged access. Everything else in the outline is unchanged. Localized versions are updated roughly eight weeks after the English one.
| Skill area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Implement and manage user identities | 20–25% |
| Implement authentication and access management | 25–30% |
| Plan and implement workload identities | 20–25% |
| Plan and automate identity governance | 20–25% |
The update is minor, so a plan built on the current outline still works. Spend extra time on authentication methods such as passkeys (FIDO2) and Temporary Access Pass, Global Secure Access, and Privileged Identity Management, since those are the areas Microsoft flags as changed.
The MSCertQuiz SC-300 question bank has already been updated to the new skills outline, so practice questions match what the updated exam measures.
What the SC-300 exam tests
The fee buys one attempt at a 700-out-of-1000 pass mark across these skill areas, taken from the Microsoft Learn study guide. Knowing the weighting helps you decide where an extra week of study pays off.
Implement and manage user identities (20–25%)
Managing Microsoft Entra roles and administrative units, creating and managing users and groups, handling external users with cross-tenant access settings and cross-tenant synchronization, and implementing hybrid identity with Microsoft Entra Connect Sync, Cloud Sync, password hash synchronization and pass-through authentication.
Implement authentication and access management (25–30%)
Authentication methods such as Temporary Access Pass, Microsoft Authenticator and passkeys (FIDO2), multifactor authentication and self-service password reset, Conditional Access policies and continuous access evaluation, Microsoft Entra ID Protection risk policies, and Global Secure Access.
Plan and implement workload identities (20–25%)
Choosing between managed identities and service principals, integrating enterprise applications and Application Proxy, configuring user and admin consent, creating app registrations with API permissions and app roles, and managing app access with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.
Plan and automate identity governance (20–25%)
Entitlement management with catalogs and access packages, access reviews, Privileged Identity Management for Entra roles, Azure resources and groups, emergency access accounts, and monitoring with sign-in logs, KQL in Log Analytics and workbooks.
Total cost to get certified
The exam fee is the main cost, but it is rarely the only one. Here is a realistic range in United States dollars, using the figures above and MSCertQuiz practice at US$19.99 for one certification.
| Plan | Total |
|---|---|
| Exam fee, pass first time | US$165.00 |
| Exam fee plus MSCertQuiz practice (one certification) | US$184.99 |
| One retake plus practice | US$349.99 |
Microsoft Learn training, the official practice assessment and the exam sandbox are free, so the only required spend is the exam fee. Paid practice is optional, and its value is in catching weak areas before you pay for an attempt that you may need to repeat.
Is the SC-300 exam worth the cost?
Microsoft describes the SC-300 candidate as an identity and access administrator who designs, implements and operates identity and access management with Microsoft Entra, applying Zero Trust principles. Identity sits underneath almost every Microsoft 365 and Azure role, so the skills carry beyond one job title. Conditional Access and Privileged Identity Management in particular come up constantly in real tenants.
After SC-300, candidates often look at SC-200 for security operations or compare it with SC-900 if they are still deciding where to start.
A study plan that protects your fee
A planning guide, not an official Microsoft schedule: adjust it to your experience and the hours you can give each week.
- Week 1: tenant, users, groups, roles and administrative units, plus hybrid identity concepts.
- Week 2: authentication methods, MFA, SSPR and Conditional Access. Build and test several policies in a lab tenant.
- Week 3: app registrations, enterprise applications, consent and workload identities.
- Week 4: governance (entitlement management, access reviews, PIM), then timed practice questions.
Book the exam only when your timed practice scores are consistently above the 700 pass mark, not on the first good day.
How to spend less on SC-300
- • Use the free Microsoft Learn learning paths and the official practice assessment first.
- • Check Microsoft offers and student pricing and employer vouchers before paying full price.
- • Sit timed, exam-style practice until you pass consistently, so you only pay the fee once.
- • Reschedule at least 24 hours ahead, because missed appointments forfeit the fee.
Next steps: the SC-300 study guide, free SC-300 practice questions, how hard SC-300 is, or the SC-300 exam page.
Practice SC-300 with exam-style questions
40 free questions with explanations and Microsoft Learn references. No credit card required.
Start Free SC-300 Practice →Frequently asked questions
How much does the SC-300 exam cost?
Microsoft says Associate and Expert exams typically cost US$165, priced by country or region. SC-300 is an Associate exam, so US$165 is the typical figure in the United States. Taxes may apply and the fee is subject to change.
How much is an SC-300 retake?
A retake is another full exam fee, so one failed attempt followed by a pass costs about US$330 in the United States. Microsoft requires a 24-hour wait after the first failure and 14 days between later attempts, with a maximum of five attempts in 12 months. There are no refunds for failed or missed exams.
Does the SC-300 update on October 28, 2026 change the price?
Microsoft change log for the update covers the skills measured and does not mention a price change. Fees are set per country or region and can change, so confirm the amount when you schedule.
Is SC-300 worth the cost?
SC-300 is one of the better-converting certifications for identity and security roles because Entra ID skills carry across Microsoft 365 and Azure. See the SC-300 study guide for the skills and typical job roles.
Does SC-300 renewal cost anything?
No. Associate certifications expire after 12 months, and Microsoft lets you renew by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn within the renewal window, so only the first exam attempt carries a fee.
Is there a cheaper way to prepare for SC-300?
Yes. Microsoft Learn content and the official practice assessment are free. MSCertQuiz adds exam-style practice questions at US$19.99 per certification or US$14.99 per month for all certifications, which costs less than a single retake.