The Microsoft data cert line has a longer history than almost any other vendor program. It started in 1992 with the MCSE Database track, built around SQL Server 4.2 and Windows NT. When Azure launched in 2010 the cert family forked in two directions, one for the on-premise stack and one for the cloud. The 70-767 and 70-768 exams covered SSIS and SSAS until Microsoft retired them in 2021. DP-203 replaced them with an Azure-first rewrite, and in 2024 DP-700 arrived to fold Microsoft Fabric into the same family tree. Knowing where each exam sits in that lineage tells you what it's actually testing.
MCSE origins
SSIS exams retired
Active DE exams
DP-700 launched
Source: DataDriven analysis of 1,042 verified data engineering interview rounds.
The flagship Microsoft data engineering certification and the one most hiring managers recognize. DP-203 validates your ability to design and implement data storage, data processing, and data security on Azure. This is the cert to prioritize if you work with or plan to work with Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Databricks, or Azure Data Lake Storage.
$165
Cost
150 min
Duration
40-60
Questions
6 to 8 weeks
Study Time
Verdict: Best Microsoft cert for data engineers. Heavy on Azure Data Factory and Synapse, which are the backbone of Azure data platforms. If your target companies run Azure, this is the cert to get. The renewal exam every year is free and takes about 30 minutes, so maintenance cost is low.
The entry-level cert covering core data concepts: relational vs non-relational, batch vs streaming, data warehousing vs data lakes, and basic Azure data services. DP-900 is not a data engineering cert specifically. It is a breadth exam that proves you understand foundational data concepts. Useful for career switchers who need a credential while studying for DP-203.
$99
Cost
65 min
Duration
40-60
Questions
1 to 2 weeks
Study Time
Verdict: Skip this if you already have data engineering experience. DP-900 is designed for people new to data concepts: business analysts, project managers, or career switchers. It will not impress a hiring manager for a DE role, but it can help you pass resume filters at Azure-heavy companies while you prepare for DP-203.
The newest Microsoft data cert, focused on Microsoft Fabric. Fabric unifies data engineering, data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence into a single SaaS platform. DP-700 tests your ability to implement analytics solutions using Fabric lakehouses, warehouses, data pipelines, and semantic models. This cert is gaining traction as Fabric adoption grows, but it is still early.
$165
Cost
120 min
Duration
40-60
Questions
4 to 6 weeks
Study Time
Verdict: Get this if your company uses Fabric or you want to signal early expertise in Microsoft's next-gen platform. Fabric is still rolling out features, so the exam content changes more frequently than DP-203. For most data engineers in 2026, DP-203 is still more universally recognized. But Fabric adoption is accelerating, and this cert could become the new standard within 2 to 3 years.
The sequencing question has been around since the 70-767/70-768 era. Back then, Microsoft recommended starting with SSIS (767) because the designer tools were the friction point. That logic still holds. Pick whichever exam exposes you to the tool you haven't actually shipped with yet, and skip the fundamentals exam unless your employer pays for it.
Start with DP-203. It is the gold standard for Azure data engineers and the most frequently listed cert in Azure DE job postings.
Take DP-900 first for confidence and vocabulary, then DP-203. DP-900 takes 1 to 2 weeks and gives you a foundation for the harder exam.
Go directly to DP-700. If Fabric is your daily platform, this cert validates your specific skills and signals forward-looking expertise to your team and hiring managers.
DP-203 first, then DP-700 if your target companies use Fabric. The combination covers both current Azure data platforms and the next-generation tooling.
Microsoft provides more free study material than any other cloud vendor. Take advantage of it.
The official learning paths map directly to exam objectives. Complete the DP-203 or DP-700 learning path end to end. Microsoft updates these when exam content changes. They include hands-on labs with free Azure sandboxes.
Azure offers $200 in credits for 30 days plus 12 months of free tier services. Enough to build real pipelines with Data Factory, Synapse, and Data Lake Storage. Hands-on practice is critical for DP-203.
Microsoft offers a free 60-day Fabric trial with full capacity. Enough to explore lakehouses, warehouses, pipelines, and semantic models for DP-700 preparation.
Microsoft provides free practice assessments for each exam on the exam page. These use the same question format as the real exam. Take at least 2 before your exam date.
Logo changes. Exam codes rotate. The SELECT statement you practice today will still be on the next three versions of the test.
Start Practicing