Career Advice: Are Microsoft Certifications Worth It For IT Pros in 2024?

I passed my first exam and achieved my initial Microsoft certification status in September of 1999 – Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). Are Microsoft certifications worth it? Did passing it and many more certifications for Microsoft products assist me in my job duties as an IT Pro? And do the benefits outweigh the costs (money, time, commitment, etc.)?

I’ll answer all of these questions and more so you can decide if getting (and maintaining) one or more Microsoft certifications is in your best interest.

What are certifications and why you should get certified as an IT Pro

Certifications, or more precisely, IT certifications show your (book smart) qualifications, demonstrating your competency and skill in specific areas of the IT world. In the Microsoft universe, passing one or more exams in a specific software technology earns you a certification. As I mentioned above, passing the ‘Configuring Windows 7’ exam back in the day earned you the ‘Microsoft Certified Professional’ (MCP) certification.

Did obtaining a professional certification help? It certainly did, at least for me. Besides being a valuable asset on my resume (listed under certifications and competencies), these certifications furthered my IT career by broadening my skills. Going through the ‘problem and solution’ aspect of taking various Microsoft certification exams shows my value and worth to employers. Getting certified highlights to an employer or potential prospect that you have demonstrated your ability to show your skills, express your willingness to stand out, and achieve a higher level of accomplishment in specific areas.

Are Microsoft certifications worth it?

Is it worth it to go through the studying, practice, learning, practical experience, and maintenance to achieve a Microsoft certification? I say ‘Yes’.

I’ll touch on a few more details later on, but I set aside a moderate amount of time to find study guides, practice tests, and other ways to hone my skills in specific areas of competency with Microsoft products. After reviewing that commitment and weighing the benefits of achieving my various certifications, I wholeheartedly state it is worth it.

Here are some benefits and perks of gaining certified status as an IT Pro:

• Career advancement – Certified professionals often enjoy better job prospects, greater salaries, and accelerated career growth.
• Industry recognition – Microsoft certifications are widely recognized by companies and peers. They validate your expertise in Microsoft technologies. Employers are constantly looking for SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) in various Microsoft technologies.
• Skill validation – Earning a certification demonstrates your proficiency in specific areas like Microsoft 365, Azure, SQL Server, or Microsoft Teams. It is a tangible way to prove and show your skills.
• Community and networking – After becoming certified, you’ll join an online community with like-minded professionals, forums, and events. Networking can lead to fruitful new opportunities and connections.

Are Microsoft certifications free?

Microsoft certifications are not free. The associated exams come with a cost. Employers of IT Pros will often foot the bill as a ‘perk’ for their employees. Microsoft certifications are accomplished after passing one or more certification exams.

The standard fee for ‘Associate’ and ‘Expert’ exams is $165 (USD). Exam pricing varies by country and region. There are some exams that students can take for free.

For example, to achieve the ‘Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert‘ certification, you must first earn one certification from a list of 5 prerequisite certifications. So, you would need to pass 2 exams at a (USD) cost of $330.

How long do Microsoft certifications last?

This varies by certification. Here’s a high-level outline of each focus area of certifications and how long they remain valid:

• Fundamentals certifications – These certifications do not expire. My recent ‘Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)’ will never expire or need to be renewed.
• Role-based and specialty certifications – These constitute the bulk of certifications offered by Microsoft and typically last for one year. Six months before the certification expires, you can start to renew it online, for free, open book, to keep the certification for another year.
• Traditional certifications – MOS, MTA, MCSD, MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer), MCE, etc. do not expire.

Which is the most valuable Microsoft certification?

The value of specific Microsoft certifications varies of course depending on your career goals, the type of industry you work in, the specific skills needed, and how much value you find.

Other criteria for assigning value to specific certifications include high-demand jobs in the industry, sought-after skills and SMEs, and top salary-earning potential.

If I were to pick the two most valuable, I would choose:

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) – This certification is designed for developers who have a hand in all phases of cloud development, from overall design requirements, to development, deployment, and maintenance. Based on industry trends and expectations, you could achieve a six-figure salary with this certification. This certification needs to be renewed every 12 months.
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700) – this certification is designed for IT Pros who have expertise and experience in planning, implementing, and managing Azure networks and solutions. This certification needs to be renewed every 12 months.

What are some entry-level Microsoft certifications?

Here is a list of some entry-level Microsoft certifications with minimal cost and prep time required:

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (MS-900) – I recently achieved this certification and highly recommend it. It covers a wide, but simple level of topic areas amongst the entire Azure space. It is designed for candidates looking to demonstrate foundational knowledge of cloud services and how those services are provided in Microsoft Azure.
• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) – This is a great place to start if you’re new to IT. It is generally comparable in breadth to the well-known CompTIA+ certification. There are several certifications available focused on a single technology like databases, networking, security, etc.

What are higher-level Microsoft certifications?

Here are some of the highly valued and top-paying certifications in the industry today.

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
• Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert
• Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert
• Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate

What Microsoft certification is best to start with?

I would start with Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900). This was a relatively simple exam and it is a great start in getting familiar with the latest trends in how Microsoft exams are designed and operated.

My next recommendation would be the Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals (MS-900). This exam is designed for you if you’re looking to demonstrate foundational-level knowledge of cloud-based solutions to facilitate productivity and collaboration among on-site, remote, and hybrid workers. As a candidate, you may:

• Know cloud-based solutions.
• Be new to Microsoft 365.
• You can use this exam to prepare for other Microsoft certifications, but it’s not a prerequisite for the related ones.

Are there any cons to getting certified as an IT Pro?

Based on my personal experience, I can’t think of any cons to getting certified as an IT Pro, especially in the Microsoft world. As a certified IT Pro, you gain acknowledgment of passing a technical exam, you’re starting to be more regarded as an ‘expert’ or SME in a specific technology or product, and you’ll likely continue on the recommended Microsoft certification track to pass more exams, gain additional knowledge, and achieve higher levels of accomplishment and experience.

Microsoft certifications hold significant value

Microsoft certifications continue to hold significant value for IT professionals in 2024. My personal experience has been positive. Others on my engineering team at the company I work for have also been working on various certifications including AZ-104 and AZ-900.

These certifications provide a structured path to acquire and demonstrate technical expertise in various areas, from cloud computing with Azure to productivity solutions with Microsoft 365 (one of my focal points). These certifications are recognized globally and often lead to increased job opportunities and higher salaries. They help to ensure that IT professionals stay current with evolving technologies, including security, which is highly volatile and dynamic today.