- MD-102 is Microsoft's Endpoint Administrator Associate exam, delivered via Pearson VUE for $165 USD.
- You need a score of 700+ out of 1000 within a 100-minute testing window.
- Five domains are tested, with Manage and maintain devices weighted heaviest at 25-30%.
- Effective July 24, 2026, a new domain on automation, monitoring, and reporting joins the blueprint.
What Is MD-102 Certification?
MD-102 is the exam code Microsoft assigns to the Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate credential. It validates that you can deploy, configure, protect, and manage Windows and other endpoints across a modern, cloud-connected organization. Unlike broad IT-generalist certifications, MD-102 is narrowly focused on endpoint management workflows built around Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Entra ID, Windows Autopilot, and related Microsoft 365 tooling.
Microsoft administers the exam itself, and Pearson VUE handles delivery, whether you sit it at a physical test center or take it online with a remote proctor. There are no formal prerequisites - anyone can register - but the exam is written for people who already have hands-on exposure to endpoint management tasks rather than someone starting from zero. If you're still deciding whether this credential fits your career path, the ROI breakdown for MD-102 certification is a good next read.
How the Exam Actually Works
Understanding the exam's structure matters as much as understanding endpoint management itself. Here's what candidates should expect on exam day:
- Delivery: Pearson VUE, either at a test center or online-proctored.
- Price: $165 USD in the United States, with regional pricing applied elsewhere.
- Time limit: 100 minutes to complete the exam.
- Question format: The proctored exam may include interactive components, not just static multiple-choice items, so you may need to configure, sequence, or match items on screen rather than simply select an answer.
- Passing score: 700 or greater on Microsoft's 1000-point scale.
For a deeper look at exactly how that score threshold is calculated and what it means practically, see the MD-102 passing score guide. And if you're mapping out registration windows or blackout periods, the MD-102 exam dates guide walks through scheduling considerations. For a full cost breakdown including any add-ons or retake fees, check the MD-102 certification cost guide.
Key Takeaway
Because the exam can include interactive, scenario-based questions rather than pure multiple choice, practicing with Intune's actual admin console - not just reading documentation - pays off during the real test.
The Five Skills Domains
MD-102 is organized into five weighted domains. Knowing the weighting helps you allocate study time proportionally instead of spreading effort evenly across topics that don't carry equal exam weight.
Domain 1: Prepare infrastructure for devices (20-25%)
Covers tenant and enrollment prerequisites before devices ever reach an end user.
- Configuring Microsoft Intune tenant settings and roles
- Planning and implementing Windows Autopilot deployment profiles
- Configuring device enrollment for Windows, iOS/iPadOS, and Android
Domain 2: Manage and maintain devices (25-30%)
The largest domain on the exam - expect the heaviest concentration of questions here.
- Managing device configuration profiles and compliance policies
- Monitoring devices with Intune reporting and endpoint analytics
- Managing updates for Windows and other platforms
Domain 3: Protect devices (15-20%)
Focused on securing endpoints against threats and enforcing baseline protections.
- Implementing Microsoft Defender for Endpoint policies
- Configuring endpoint security policies in Intune
- Managing Microsoft Entra ID device-based access controls
Domain 4: Manage and secure applications (15-20%)
Covers the application lifecycle inside a managed device fleet.
- Deploying and updating apps through Intune
- Managing app protection and app configuration policies
- Monitoring and troubleshooting application issues
Domain 5: Optimize endpoint operations by using automation, monitoring, and reporting (10-15%)
This domain is added to the skills-measured outline effective July 24, 2026, reflecting the growing role of automation and agentic tooling in endpoint administration.
- Automating repetitive administrative tasks with PowerShell and Microsoft Graph
- Building monitoring and reporting workflows for fleet health
- Using agentic tools and workflows to streamline endpoint operations
Each domain deserves dedicated attention rather than a single pass through generic notes. The complete guide to all five MD-102 domains breaks down subtopics and objective-level detail if you want to go deeper than this overview.
| Domain | Weight | Core Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare infrastructure for devices | 20-25% | Tenant setup, Autopilot, enrollment |
| Manage and maintain devices | 25-30% | Configuration, compliance, updates |
| Protect devices | 15-20% | Defender for Endpoint, security policy |
| Manage and secure applications | 15-20% | App deployment, protection policies |
| Optimize endpoint operations | 10-15% | Automation, monitoring, reporting |
Who Hires MD-102 Holders
MD-102 sits squarely in the endpoint and device administration career track. Roles that commonly reference this certification include desktop support engineers moving into administration, systems administrators managing device fleets, IT support specialists responsible for Intune-managed environments, and endpoint or device management engineers at organizations standardized on Microsoft 365. Because the exam assumes hands-on familiarity rather than teaching from scratch, it tends to be pursued by people already working with Windows device management day to day, using it to formalize and validate skills they're applying on the job.
If you're trying to understand where this credential fits relative to job titles and hiring expectations, the MD-102 jobs overview covers the roles most likely to ask for or value this certification.
Tools and Technologies You Must Know
The audience profile behind MD-102 explicitly expects hands-on experience across a specific toolset. This isn't a certification you can pass by memorizing concepts abstractly - you need working familiarity with:
- Microsoft Intune - the core console for enrollment, configuration, compliance, and app management
- Microsoft Entra ID - identity, conditional access, and device-based access controls
- Windows Autopilot - zero-touch provisioning and deployment profiles
- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint - endpoint threat protection and security policy enforcement
- Windows 365 - Cloud PC provisioning and management
- PowerShell - scripting for bulk administration and automation tasks
- Microsoft Graph - programmatic access to tenant data and automation endpoints
- Agentic tools and workflows - increasingly relevant as Domain 5 formalizes automation-driven operations
Building a Domain-Aware Study Plan
Rather than studying every topic equally, weight your time to match the exam's own weighting - spend the most time where the most points live.
Infrastructure Foundations
- Set up an Intune trial tenant and configure enrollment
- Build and test a Windows Autopilot deployment profile
Manage and Maintain Devices (heaviest domain)
- Work through configuration profiles and compliance policy scenarios
- Practice update ring management and endpoint analytics reporting
Protection and Application Management
- Configure Defender for Endpoint policies end to end
- Deploy and troubleshoot app protection policies
Automation and Final Review
- Script common admin tasks with PowerShell and Microsoft Graph calls
- Take timed practice questions to build speed within the 100-minute limit
This kind of week-by-week structure only works if you also track your accuracy by domain rather than overall score - a candidate scoring well on Domain 1 but weak on Domain 2 needs a very different last week than one with the opposite gap. For a fuller walkthrough of pacing, resource selection, and review cadence, the MD-102 study guide for passing on your first attempt goes into more depth than a single section here can. If you're still calibrating how much difficulty to expect relative to your current experience level, the MD-102 difficulty guide is worth reading before you commit to a hard exam date.
Renewal and Retake Rules
A few operational details affect how you plan around the exam:
- Retake waiting periods: After a first failed attempt, you must wait 24 hours before retesting. After that, subsequent attempts require a 14-day wait.
- Attempt limit: A maximum of five attempts is allowed within any 12-month period.
- Renewal: The Associate-level certification is valid for 12 months and renews at no cost through a short Microsoft Learn renewal assessment - no need to retake the full MD-102 exam annually.
Because retakes cost money and time, it's worth confirming you meet baseline expectations before scheduling. The MD-102 requirements and eligibility guide clarifies what "no formal prerequisites" really means in practice versus what background knowledge you're expected to bring.
Key Takeaway
Budget for the possibility of a retake in your prep timeline, but don't rely on it - a 14-day wait after a second failure can derail job application timelines or internal promotion deadlines.
Once you've got the fundamentals down, running through timed practice exams on our MD-102 practice test platform is one of the most direct ways to simulate the actual 100-minute pressure and interactive question style before you sit the real thing. Combining domain-by-domain review with full-length practice runs on the practice test site tends to expose weak spots faster than passive reading alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. MD-102 in this context refers specifically to Microsoft's Exam MD-102 for the Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate credential, focused on Windows and Microsoft 365 endpoint management - not any other credential that may share a similar code.
There are no formal prerequisites. Microsoft does expect candidates to have hands-on experience with tools like Intune, Entra ID, and Autopilot, but there's no required certification you must hold first.
You have 100 minutes to complete the exam, and you need a score of 700 or higher to pass.
You can retake it after a 24-hour wait for a first failure, or after 14 days for later attempts, up to five attempts total within a 12-month period.
Yes, it's valid for 12 months, but renewal is free and done through a short Microsoft Learn assessment rather than retaking the full exam.
For quick fact-checking before exam day, keep the MD-102 cheat sheet handy, and if you're still weighing career impact, the MD-102 salary guide and MD-102 pass rate breakdown round out the picture beyond exam mechanics alone.