- MD-102 is Exam MD-102 for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate credential.
- Pearson VUE delivers the exam; it's 100 minutes with a required score of 700 or greater.
- U.S. list price is $165, with five attempts allowed per 12-month period.
- Manage and maintain devices is the largest domain at 25-30% of the exam.
What Is MD-102, Exactly?
MD-102 is the exam code Microsoft uses for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate certification. When people ask "what is a MD-102," they're really asking about a specific role-based credential that validates the skills needed to plan, deploy, manage, and protect the devices employees use to access Microsoft 365 services - think Windows client management, mobile devices, and the tools that keep them compliant and secure.
This isn't a generic "IT certificate." It's built around a defined set of job tasks: deploying and provisioning devices, keeping them updated and compliant, protecting them against threats, and managing the applications running on them. If you want the full breakdown of what each of those tasks looks like on the exam, the MD-102 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas goes deeper than this overview.
Who Administers It and How Registration Works
Microsoft owns the exam content and the certification itself, but scheduling and delivery run through Pearson VUE. You can sit for MD-102 at a physical test center or take it online with a remote proctor, depending on what's available in your region and what you're comfortable with.
- Price: $165 USD in the United States, with regional pricing applied elsewhere.
- Time allotted: 100 minutes to complete the exam.
- Format: The proctored exam can include interactive question types, not just static multiple choice.
- Passing score: 700 or greater on Microsoft's scaled scoring system.
- Prerequisites: None are formally required, though Microsoft expects candidates to already have hands-on exposure to the tools covered on the exam.
If you're mapping out eligibility or trying to figure out exactly what "hands-on experience" means in practice, MD-102 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify walks through it in detail. And if budget planning matters to your decision, MD-102 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown covers the fee plus any retake costs you might incur.
The Five Skills-Measured Domains
MD-102 is organized into five domains, each with its own weight in the overall exam. Effective July 24, 2026, a fifth domain is added around automation and monitoring, reflecting how much endpoint management now leans on scripting, Microsoft Graph, and reporting tools rather than manual console clicks.
Domain 1: Prepare Infrastructure for Devices (20-25%)
Covers the foundational setup work - configuring Microsoft Entra ID for device management, setting up Intune tenant options, and preparing the environment before devices are ever enrolled.
- Entra ID join vs. hybrid join scenarios
- Intune enrollment settings and restrictions
Domain 2: Manage and Maintain Devices (25-30%)
The largest domain by a clear margin. It covers device configuration profiles, Windows Autopilot deployment scenarios, update management, and monitoring device health over time.
- Windows Autopilot deployment profiles and scenarios
- Update rings, compliance policies, and configuration profiles
Domain 3: Protect Devices (15-20%)
Focuses on endpoint security - conditional access tied to device compliance, and using Defender for Endpoint to detect and respond to threats.
- Conditional access policies based on compliance state
- Defender for Endpoint onboarding and alerts
Domain 4: Manage and Secure Applications (15-20%)
Deals with app deployment, protection policies, and Windows 365 Cloud PC provisioning as an extension of endpoint management.
- App protection and app configuration policies
- Windows 365 provisioning policies
Domain 5: Optimize Endpoint Operations Using Automation, Monitoring, and Reporting (10-15%)
The newest domain, added for the exam version effective July 24, 2026. It centers on PowerShell scripting, Microsoft Graph queries, and using agentic tools and workflows to automate repetitive endpoint tasks and build reporting.
- PowerShell scripts for bulk device or policy management
- Microsoft Graph API calls for reporting and automation
Because Manage and maintain devices carries the most weight, it deserves the most study time - but don't underestimate the newer automation domain just because it's smaller. Automation questions tend to test whether you actually understand Graph and PowerShell syntax, not just whether you recognize the tool by name.
What the Exam Experience Actually Looks Like
Candidates get 100 minutes to work through the exam, and the proctored format may include interactive elements - not just single-answer multiple choice. Expect scenario-based questions that describe a business situation (a company rolling out Autopilot, a security team responding to a Defender alert, an admin trying to automate a compliance report) and ask you to choose the correct configuration or sequence of steps.
A score of 700 or higher is required to pass. Microsoft doesn't publish a simple "percentage correct" equivalent for that scaled score, so don't try to reverse-engineer it - focus instead on mastering the domain content. For a full explanation of how scoring works and what 700 actually represents, see MD-102 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
Interactive question formats mean you may need to drag, order, or configure settings on screen rather than just pick an option - practice with tools that simulate this rather than flashcards alone.
If you're trying to gauge how tough this exam is relative to other IT certifications, How Hard Is the MD-102 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 breaks down the difficulty factors in more depth, and MD-102 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows looks at what's publicly known about outcomes.
Who Earns MD-102 and Why
The Endpoint Administrator Associate credential targets IT professionals responsible for managing the fleet of devices - laptops, desktops, mobile devices, Cloud PCs - that a workforce uses to access Microsoft 365. That typically includes:
- Desktop and endpoint support technicians moving into administration
- System administrators managing Intune-enrolled device fleets
- IT professionals responsible for Windows Autopilot deployment projects
- Security-adjacent admins who configure Defender for Endpoint and compliance policies
Because the exam explicitly names Intune, Entra ID, Windows Autopilot, Defender for Endpoint, Windows 365, PowerShell, Microsoft Graph, and agentic tools as expected experience, employers hiring for these roles often look for candidates who've touched all of those tools in a real environment - not just studied them. If you're wondering how this credential translates into actual job postings, MD-102 Jobs covers the kinds of roles that list this certification as a requirement or preferred qualification.
Retake Rules and Renewal
If you don't pass on your first attempt, Microsoft requires a 24-hour wait before you can retake MD-102. After that, each subsequent attempt requires a 14-day wait, and you're capped at five attempts within any 12-month period.
Once earned, the certification isn't permanent by default - it renews every 12 months through a free Microsoft Learn renewal assessment. There's no fee to renew, but you do need to complete the assessment before expiration to keep the credential active. This renewal cadence matters if you're weighing the long-term value of the credential; Is the MD-102 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 discusses how the annual renewal factors into the overall return on your time and money.
For exact windows on when the current skills-measured version applies versus the version effective July 24, 2026, check MD-102 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling before you book anything.
Building a Study Plan Around the Domains
Rather than studying generically, structure your prep around the actual domain weights. Since Manage and maintain devices is worth the most (25-30%), it should anchor your schedule, with lighter domains slotted around it.
Prepare Infrastructure for Devices
- Practice Entra ID join, hybrid join, and enrollment restriction settings
- Set up a free Intune tenant if you don't already have hands-on access
Manage and Maintain Devices
- Build and test Windows Autopilot deployment profiles end to end
- Work through update rings, compliance policies, and configuration profiles repeatedly - this domain carries the most exam weight
Protect Devices + Manage and Secure Applications
- Pair conditional access with compliance state so you understand the dependency
- Practice app protection policies and Windows 365 provisioning scenarios
Optimize Endpoint Operations
- Write basic PowerShell scripts against Intune device objects
- Run sample Microsoft Graph queries for reporting scenarios
Use short, focused review blocks rather than marathon sessions, and revisit the heaviest domain more than once - a single pass through Manage and maintain devices in week 2 usually isn't enough given its exam weight. For a structured week-by-week plan with more detail than the outline above, see the MD-102 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. Practicing with realistic scenario questions on MD-102 Exam Prep before test day also helps you get comfortable with the interactive question formats mentioned earlier.
| Exam Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Pearson VUE - test center or online proctored |
| Duration | 100 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 or greater |
| U.S. price | $165 (regional pricing varies) |
| Number of domains | 5 (effective July 24, 2026) |
| Largest domain | Manage and maintain devices (25-30%) |
| Retake wait (1st failure) | 24 hours |
| Retake wait (later attempts) | 14 days |
| Attempt limit | 5 per 12-month period |
| Renewal | Every 12 months, free via Microsoft Learn |
Once you're confident in the mechanics above, a fast reference sheet can help during final review. The MD-102 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts condenses the domain weights, timing, and scoring details into a single page you can glance at the night before your exam. And if you haven't yet compared this credential's return against the time and money it takes, MD-102 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis is worth reading before you commit to a registration date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not quite. MD-102 is the exam code; passing it earns you the Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate certification. People often use "MD-102" as shorthand for both.
No formal prerequisite exists. Microsoft does expect hands-on experience with tools like Intune, Entra ID, Windows Autopilot, and Defender for Endpoint, even though registration itself isn't gated.
Five domains, effective July 24, 2026. Manage and maintain devices is the largest at 25-30% of the exam content.
You wait 24 hours before your next attempt after a first failure, then 14 days for any attempts after that, up to five total attempts within a 12-month period.
Yes, it renews every 12 months. Renewal is done through a free Microsoft Learn assessment rather than retaking the full exam.
Understanding what MD-102 actually is - the exam, the domains, the delivery mechanics, and the renewal cycle - puts you in a much better position than jumping straight into study materials. Once the fundamentals click, tools like MD-102 Exam Prep can help you turn that understanding into exam-day readiness.