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Microsoft · Cloud · Expert

Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert exam guide

Exam MS-102 (retires Nov 30, 2026; successor AB-650)

MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator earns Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert. It retires November 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST; the successor is AB-650: Administering Microsoft 365 and AI Services (Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator Associate), which was still in beta in October 2026.

QuestionsSee official page
Time limit100 minutes
Passing score700 (1-1000 scale)
Exam fee$165 USD
Valid for1 years
DeliveryPearson VUE test center or online proctored

Format: Multiple choice, drag-and-drop, hot area, build list and case studies; may include labs (120 minutes if labs are included). Fee note: US price; varies by country. Student and Microsoft Learn challenge discounts sometimes available.

Who it's for

Experienced Microsoft 365 administrators who can sit the exam before November 30, 2026 and already hold, or are finishing, a qualifying associate certification.

What the exam covers

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%)—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: To earn Administrator Expert: pass MS-102 and hold one of Endpoint Administrator Associate (MD-102), Teams Administrator Associate (MS-700) or Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300).

Recommended: Hands-on administration of Microsoft 365 tenants, Entra ID, Defender XDR and Purview.

Keeping it active

Role-based certifications are valid 1 year. Renew free by passing an unproctored online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn in the 180 days before expiry; no fee and no retest required. Existing holders can continue renewing via the online assessment for as long as Microsoft offers it.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Tenant setup, domains, licensing and admin roles
  • Hybrid identity sync and Entra authentication
  • Defender XDR: Office 365, Endpoint and Identity protection
  • Secure Score and threat response
  • Purview DLP, sensitivity labels and retention
  • Service health and reporting

Job roles

Microsoft 365 AdministratorModern Workplace EngineerMessaging and Collaboration AdministratorSystems AdministratorMicrosoft 365 Consultant

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Confirm you can test before Nov 30, 2026; read the MS-102 study guide
  2. Week 2: Tenant deployment and management - domains, licensing, roles, service health
  3. Week 3: Entra identity and access - sync, MFA, Conditional Access, PIM
  4. Week 4: Defender XDR (largest domain) - policies, incident handling, Secure Score; Purview basics; practice assessment

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Book now - after November 30, 2026 the exam cannot be taken or retaken
  • Defender XDR is 30-35% - know anti-phishing, Safe Links/Attachments and incident workflow
  • If you are early in prep, consider AB-650 instead once it is generally available
  • Use Microsoft Learn during the exam only for exact setting names

Key terms for this exam

All 17 terms Study with thinQcards™

Frequently asked questions

When does MS-102 retire?

November 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time.

What replaces MS-102?

AB-650: Administering Microsoft 365 and AI Services, earning Microsoft 365 and AI Services Administrator Associate. It was in beta as of October 2026.

If I earn Administrator Expert now, do I keep it?

Yes. Earned credentials remain on your transcript.

How much is MS-102?

$165 USD in the United States.

Is it worth rushing MS-102?

Only if you already meet an associate prerequisite and are close to ready; otherwise plan for AB-650.

Official page: learn.microsoft.com. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.