Microsoft Azure is one of the most in-demand cloud services around, which makes Azure certifications critical for obtaining positions with role-based requirements.
There are several credentials to choose from, and the one that’s right for you depends on your career goals and interests. There are six main Microsoft Azure certifications:
No matter which certifications you have, you’ll benefit by acquiring more. Additional certifications can increase your salary and gain you recognition as an expert.
So the question is, which should you pursue? This article will help you make the right choice.
The Microsoft Azure Administrator certification proves you have the ability to implement, monitor, and maintain Azure solutions. As an Azure Administrator, you’ll implement services that involve networks, security, and data storage.
As a certified Azure Administrator, your responsibilities will include:
If you already have experience working with Azure and you want to become an administrator, you’re in a good position to pursue this certification. However, the following skills are essential:
According to Microsoft, an Azure Administrator candidate has to have at least six months’ experience “implementing, managing, and monitoring an organization’s Microsoft Azure environment.” You’ll also need a strong understanding of Azure’s core services, workloads, security, and governance.
You will be part of a larger team that implements Azure solutions, so you should be able to work well with others in a team environment. Good communication skills and the ability to manage your time well are also crucial.
The Azure Administrator certification is good for one year, after which you will be expected to take an assessment test to renew.
1. Increase your salary
This certification has a huge potential to boost your salary. According to data from Talent.com, the average certified Azure Administrator in the United States earns about $120,000 annually, with entry-level positions starting at $103,175.
2. Command respect
As with most professional certifications, you’ll command greater respect from others when you’re a certified Azure Administrator. You’ll be taken seriously as a professional who’s knowledgeable in Azure environments, and people will look to you for answers.
3. Learn more about managing Azure
If you love working with Azure, becoming a certified Administrator will furnish you with even more knowledge and experience working with and managing applications in Azure environments. If you enjoy working in Azure, you should enjoy being a certified Administrator.
Are you ready to become a certified Azure Administrator? It’s essential to prepare thoroughly before you sit for the exam. To prepare, take our instructor-led Azure Administrator prep course.
Courses start periodically throughout the year so you may choose a date that works best for your schedule. Take our prep course live or online at your convenience.
The Microsoft Azure Developer certification ratifies your ability to create cloud-based applications in Azure environments. Since a large number of businesses use Azure to run global business applications, including 95% of Fortune 500 companies, this certification is in high demand.
If you love building applications in cloud environments, and you have an interest in developing applications in Azure, plus experience in testing, security, and deployment, the Azure Developer certification is a great option.
On your way to becoming a certified Azure Developer, you’ll gain the following skillsets:
To sit for the Azure Developer exam, you should have the following fundamental skills:
The Azure Developer certification is good for one year, after which you will have to take an assessment test to renew.
1. A higher salary
Azure Developers make good money. Data sourced by Talent.com puts the average salary at $121,918 per year.
2. Expert status
A certificate is required to substantiate you’re an Azure Developer. With the certification, you can accurately declare yourself an expert and others will recognize your expertise.
3. Expanded career options
With an Azure Developer certification, you’ll have more career options. Many businesses seek candidates with this specific certification to work in-house.
Are you ready to become a certified Azure Developer? You ought to prepare thoroughly before you sit for the exam.
To prepare, take our instructor-led Azure Developer prep course. Courses start periodically throughout the year, so you can select the date that works best for your schedule. You may take our prep course live or online for your convenience.
The Microsoft Azure Security Engineer certification attests that you can “implement Azure security controls in order to protect identity, access, data, applications, and networks in cloud and hybrid environments as part of an end-to-end infrastructure.”
If you love cloud security and enjoy working in Azure (or you’ve wanted to learn Azure), this certification is perfect.
Security engineers are required to keep cloud applications and infrastructure secure. That means you’ll have more job security once you have this certificate.
To qualify for the exam, you’ll need experience in the following areas:
The Azure Security certification is good for one year, after which you will have to take an assessment test to renew.
1. A higher annual salary
The Azure Security Engineer certification will help you get a higher annual salary. According to Talent.com data, the average Security Engineer earns $136,833 per year, but more experienced certified Security Engineers earn up to $187,500.
2. Gain more troubleshooting skills
When you become a certified Azure Security Engineer, you’ll gain extensive troubleshooting skills and be able to discover, fix, and mitigate vulnerabilities effectively.
3. You’ll get to work with data
To implement security properly within an Azure environment, you’ll be required to work with plenty of data. This is great if you love details and using data to ensure an Azure environment remains secure.
Are you ready to become a certified Azure Security Engineer? You should prepare thoroughly before you sit for the exam.
To prepare for it, take our instructor-led Azure Security Engineer prep course. They start periodically throughout the year, so you can choose a date at your convenience. Take our prep course live or online, if you prefer.
The Microsoft Azure Architect certification confirms you can translate business requirements into designs that are secure, scalable, and reliable within an Azure environment.
If you’re an experienced IT professional, you love working with Azure, and you like the idea of advising stakeholders, this is a great certification selection.
According to Microsoft, to pass this exam you’ll have to possess existing, advanced IT experience in the following areas:
You should also have experience in Azure administration and development, along with use of DevOps processes.
The Azure Architect certification is good for one year. Beyond that, you will need to take an assessment test for renewal.
1. A larger yearly salary
If salary is most important to you, you’ll want to become a certified Azure Architect. The average salary is $155,000 annually, according to Talent.com. The entry-level salary starts at $135,000 per year.
2. You’ll be an asset to your organization
Although this certification is vendor-specific to Azure, many businesses use Azure cloud services, so you’ll be an asset to any organization.
3. Access to Microsoft seminars and conferences
Once you get an Azure certification, you’ll be part of a larger endeavor, with access to Microsoft seminars and conferences. When you attend such conferences, you’ll have an opportunity to represent your organization.
Are you ready to become a certified Azure Security Architect? You’ll want to prepare thoroughly before you sit for the exam.
For solid preparation, take our instructor-led Azure Security Architect prep course. Courses start at various times throughout the year, so you should be able to find the date that works well for your schedule. You can take our prep course live or online at your convenience.
The Microsoft Azure Data Engineer certification authenticates your ability to deploy the full stack of Azure’s data services for design and implementation of data management, monitoring, security, and privacy.
This certification is ideal if you love to work with data and you’re excited by the idea of implementing data storage solutions, managing data processing, and optimizing data solutions.
According to Microsoft, to qualify, you should possess experience “integrating, transforming, and consolidating data from various structured and unstructured data systems into structures that are suitable for building analytics solutions.”
You should also be well versed in data processing languages like SQL, Python, and Scala, along with parallel processing and data architecture patterns.
The Azure Data Engineer certification is good for one year, after which you’re required to take an assessment test to renew.
1. A good salary
With regard to Azure certifications, you’ll earn a good living as an Azure Data Engineer. The average salary is around $130,000, with entry-level positions starting at $115,000 per year.
2. Plenty of job opportunities
A large number of businesses use Azure services, which means you shouldn’t have any problem finding job openings. Many organizations want candidates with the Azure Data Engineer certification, while others are open to any certifications. Since Azure is a globally recognized vendor, there will be a solid array of options to choose from.
3. You’ll gain more skills
As with every Azure credential, you’ll gain more skills within your profession by getting certified. Azure Data Engineers learn many skills specific to Azure, but the basics can also be applied to other cloud environments.
Are you ready to become a certified Azure Data Engineer? It’s vital to prepare thoroughly before you take the exam.
To prepare for it, register for our instructor-led Azure Data Engineer prep course. Courses are scheduled throughout the year, so you may choose a date that works best for your calendar. You can take our prep course live or online for your convenience.
The Microsoft Azure DevOps certification proves that you can “implement strategies for collaboration, code, infrastructure, source control, security, compliance, continuous integration, testing, delivery, monitoring, and feedback” in an Azure environment.
Do you love implementing Agile practices in Azure environments? Then this certification is probably what you’re looking for.
To become a Microsoft-certified DevOps Engineer, you must have experience in the following Agile practices inside of Azure:
The Azure DevOps certification is good for one year. Then you will have to take an assessment test for renewal.
1. A great salary
When you become a Microsoft DevOps Engineer, you can expect to earn around $130,000 with experience and $117,500 at entry-level. Though the difference is significant, even the entry-level position draws a great salary. With further experience, you could earn up to $159,875.
2. You’ll master Agile practices in Azure
If you enjoy designing and implementing solutions for version control, infrastructure as code, build, release, and more, you’ll have the opportunity to master these practices in Azure.
3. You’ll make a difference
DevOps is critical for businesses, but organizations can’t do it without you. If you’re a DevOps expert, you’ll bring communications and processes together that were once sectioned off in silos, and thereby improve the efficiency of every project you tackle.
Are you ready to become a certified Azure DevOps Engineer? To be certain, prepare before you sit for the exam.
Take our instructor-led Azure DevOps Engineer prep course. These start at various times throughout the year, so you may choose the one that works best for your schedule. Take our prep course live or online.
It’s predicted that by 2025, 80% of businesses will have shifted to the cloud. Since Azure is one of the most popular cloud platforms used by companies, Microsoft Azure certifications will help you advance your career swiftly.
If you’re ready to take your Microsoft Azure career to the next level, sign up for your prep course today. The following courses can be completed either in person or online and are scheduled throughout the year:
Don’t wait to sign up for your prep course. The sooner you prepare for the exam, the sooner you’ll move upward in your career.
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