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Exam MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator
Exam MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator is the single required Microsoft expert-level certification exam for administrators who deploy and manage Microsoft 365 tenants and perform tenant-level implementation and administration of cloud and hybrid environments; passing it (700/1,000, typically 40–60 questions, ~US$165 region-priced, Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring) earns the Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert certification. Microsoft has announced this exam and its certification will retire on November 30, 2026.
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QuestionsTypically 40–60 questions; Microsoft does not publish an exact count for MS-102 and states the number varies by exam; unscored items may be included
Testing time100 minutes exam time (120 minutes seat time) for associate and expert role-based exams without labs; 120 minutes exam time (140 minutes seat time) if the exam contains labs — Microsoft publishes no per-exam lab list, and the exact exam time is provided at registration
ScoringPassing score of 700 or greater on a 1–1,000 scaled-score scale (stated on the exam page as 'Passing score: 700')
Exam feeUSD 165 typical for Associate and Expert exams; priced by country/region of proctoring, prices subject to change and additional taxes may apply in some countries/regions
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Study resources for MS-102
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- Microsoft
- Category
- Enterprise Platforms
- Current version
- MS-102; skills measured as of April 28, 2026 (four areas: deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant 25–30%, implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access 25–30%, manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR 30–35%, manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview 10–15%); exam retires November 30, 2026
- Where it applies
- Global
- Exam languages
- English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese
- Score scale
- 1–1,000 (scaled)
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE
- Format
- Computer-based, proctored; at a Pearson VUE test center or online with online proctoring
- Availability
- Year-round by appointment through Pearson VUE; scheduling allowed no more than 90 days in advance and a maximum of two Microsoft Certification exams scheduled at a time; last day to test is November 30, 2026 (announced retirement)
- Results
- Results within minutes for most exams (exams with labs take about 30 minutes to score); score posted to the Microsoft Learn profile within 24 hours
- Credential validity
- The Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert certification expires annually and can be renewed at no cost by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn
- Remote testing
- Available
Exam structure
Single exam across four skills-measured areas: deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant (25–30%); implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access (25–30%); manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR (30–35%); manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview (10–15%); question types are not disclosed in advance and may include case studies and interactive components
Where rules vary
Vendor certification exam delivered worldwide through Pearson VUE test centers and online proctoring; no country restriction stated
Eligibility
To earn the Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert certification via MS-102, the candidate must already hold at least one of: Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate, Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate, Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate, or Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate
Retake policy
Retake allowed 24 hours after a failed first attempt; longer waiting periods for subsequent retakes; no refunds for failed exams