Azure Network Engineer Career Path: Certifications, Skills and Salaries

Azure network engineers design, build and run the networks that cloud workloads depend on. As more organisations move their infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, employers need people who can do this work, and they pay well for it.

Network engineers working on Azure are paid in line with other network and systems administration roles. This guide sets out the certification path, the skills the role needs, and how to study for each exam.

What a network engineer does

Day-to-day responsibilities

Azure network engineers design and maintain the connections between cloud resources, on-premises infrastructure and users. A typical day involves configuring virtual networks, troubleshooting connectivity, applying security policies and tuning network performance.

Much of the work is designing network layouts to meet business requirements: site-to-site VPNs for hybrid connectivity, load balancers for high availability, or network security groups around sensitive workloads. You also work with other IT teams so their applications and services have reliable, secure connectivity.

Monitoring and troubleshooting take up a large part of the role. You analyse network metrics, investigate bottlenecks and respond to connectivity incidents. When a new application is deployed, you check that its network segmentation and access controls are in place.

The Azure services involved

Virtual Networks (VNets) are the base of Azure networking. You work daily with subnetting, route tables and network security groups to build secure, efficient network topologies.

Azure VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute handle hybrid connectivity. They connect on-premises networks to Azure securely, and designing and implementing them is a regular part of the job.

Azure Load Balancer and Application Gateway keep applications available and performing well. Network Security Groups and Azure Firewall control access to resources.

You will also use Azure DNS for name resolution, Network Watcher for monitoring and diagnostics, and Azure Bastion for secure remote access to virtual machines.

Industries and companies that hire for the role

Financial services companies hire Azure network engineers for cloud migrations that must meet strict security and compliance requirements. Healthcare organisations need network engineers to design HIPAA-compliant cloud architectures that protect patient data.

Technology companies, consulting firms and managed service providers hire Azure network engineers to support their clients' cloud migrations and day-to-day operations. Government agencies and educational institutions also employ them.

Microsoft, Accenture, Deloitte and IBM all recruit experienced Azure network engineers. Many retail, manufacturing and energy organisations keep dedicated cloud networking teams as their Azure use grows.

The certification path: AZ-900 -> AZ-104 -> AZ-700

AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals

AZ-900 covers core Azure concepts, services, pricing and support options. It introduces cloud computing principles and Azure's basic networking, security and governance features.

Difficulty level: Beginner. Most candidates need 20-40 hours of study over 2-4 weeks. The exam does not require hands-on experience, so people new to Azure can take it.

It sets your baseline Azure knowledge before the more technical exams, including the basic networking terms and Azure service categories that later certifications build on.

Format: 40-60 questions, multiple choice and scenario-based, 45 minutes duration. Passing score is 700 out of 1000 points.

AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate

AZ-104 covers Azure administration: managing virtual networks, implementing storage, configuring Microsoft Entra ID and monitoring resources. For a network engineer, its value is the hands-on VNet configuration, routing and connectivity work.

Difficulty level: Intermediate. Expect 60-100 hours of study over 6-10 weeks. The exam assumes practical experience with Azure administration tasks.

AZ-104 moves from AZ-900's concepts to real administrative scenarios. You work with network security groups, virtual network peering and basic connectivity troubleshooting, all of which carry straight into network engineering.

Format: 40-60 questions, multiple choice, case studies, and interactive scenarios, 100 minutes duration. Passing score is 700 out of 1000 points.

AZ-700: Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions

AZ-700 is about Azure networking only: hybrid connectivity, application delivery, network monitoring and security. The associate-level certification tests whether you can design complex network architectures and implement enterprise networking.

Difficulty level: Advanced. Plan for 100-150 hours of study over 8-12 weeks. The exam expects substantial hands-on experience with Azure networking services in real implementations.

AZ-700 starts from the networking concepts in AZ-104 and goes much further into specialised scenarios such as ExpressRoute, Azure Virtual WAN and complex hybrid connectivity patterns. These are the topics the network engineer role is built on.

Format: 40-60 questions, including case studies, drag-and-drop scenarios, and complex multi-part questions, 100 minutes duration. Passing score is 700 out of 1000 points.

Skills the path builds

Technical skills

Most of the technical work centres on Virtual Networks and their components: subnet design, IP address planning and network security group configuration. With practice, segmenting a network for security and performance becomes routine.

Hybrid connectivity is the next major area. You learn to design and implement VPN gateways for site-to-site connections, configure ExpressRoute for dedicated private connections, and troubleshoot connectivity across hybrid environments.

Load balancing and application delivery are a third. You learn when to use Azure Load Balancer and when to use Application Gateway, how to configure health probes, and how to spread traffic for performance and availability.

Monitoring and troubleshooting skills come from hands-on time with Network Watcher, Azure Monitor and other diagnostic tools. You learn to read network metrics, trace packet flows and find bottlenecks.

Soft skills

You will often explain network designs to people who are not technical: presenting architecture recommendations, justifying design decisions, and turning business requirements into technical plans.

Project management helps when a network change spans several teams and timelines. Many changes need careful planning with application teams, security groups and business stakeholders.

Diagnosing network faults and designing for unusual requirements both need analytical thinking. Over time you build a systematic method for troubleshooting and for design decisions.

Getting hands-on experience

Start with an Azure free tier account and practise basic VNet configuration, subnet creation and network security group setup. Build simple multi-tier architectures to see how traffic flows and where security controls sit.

Set up a home lab for hybrid connectivity. Create site-to-site VPN connections between Azure regions, or between Azure and a simulated on-premises environment.

Work through the Microsoft Learn modules, which include guided hands-on labs for each certification topic. The labs run in real Azure environments and take you through complex scenarios step by step.

A portfolio project is worth building, for example a multi-region application with hybrid connectivity, load balancing and full monitoring.

Salary and job market

Figures are the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage estimates for network and computer systems administrators, the closest occupation BLS tracks; it does not report Azure-specific roles or pay by years of experience.

Salary range

Pay varies with experience, location and employer. BLS does not report pay by experience level, so the percentiles above show the spread of pay in the occupation, not steps on a career ladder.

Demand for the role

Organisations across Microsoft's large commercial customer base run workloads on Azure, and every one of those workloads needs secure, reliable connectivity. That keeps network skills relevant, although BLS projects overall employment in the occupation to decline.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of network and computer systems administrators to decline 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 13,400 openings a year on average as workers leave or change occupations.

Cloud networking skills carry across to other cloud platforms. Many employers value multi-cloud experience, and Azure networking is a good base for learning another provider.

Remote work

Most network engineering tasks, from design and configuration to monitoring and troubleshooting, can be done remotely. Many companies have moved technical roles to permanent remote or hybrid arrangements.

Experienced Azure network engineers can also find plenty of contract and consulting work. Many organisations need specialist help for a migration, implementation or optimisation project without hiring full time.

Who is hiring

Microsoft Partners and consulting firms such as Accenture, Deloitte, PwC and KPMG recruit Azure network engineers for client engagements. These roles expose you to many different environments, so you learn quickly.

Cloud-first companies and technology startups want Azure networking skills to build scalable, secure infrastructure. Financial services firms, healthcare organisations and government agencies hire steadily because of their compliance and security requirements.

Managed service providers and system integrators hire Azure network engineers for their cloud practices. These roles often mix technical work with customer contact and project management.

How long it takes

Timeline from beginner to certified

Starting with no Azure experience, expect 6-12 months to complete all three certifications. That assumes steady study and hands-on practice, possibly alongside a job in a related IT role.

AZ-900 takes most beginners 3-4 weeks of part-time study. AZ-104 typically takes 2-3 months, with a lot of hands-on practice. AZ-700 is the largest commitment at 3-4 months of focused study and practical work.

Full-time and part-time study

Full-time study is faster but not practical for most people with a job. At 6-8 hours a day of study and hands-on practice, you might complete all three certifications in 4-6 months.

Part-time study, at 1-2 hours on weekdays and 4-6 hours at weekends, is easier to keep up. It leaves time to absorb the material properly alongside work and personal commitments.

Candidates who do best combine formal study with hands-on practice at work. If you already work in IT, ask to take on Azure networking tasks while you study.

When to take each exam

Take AZ-900 first, whatever your existing IT experience. The broad overview shows how Azure services fit together and gives context for the harder topics.

Take AZ-104 once you have some hands-on experience with basic Azure administration. Leave a gap before AZ-700 and use it to practise the networking concepts and build real-world experience.

Book AZ-700 only after you have worked with Azure networking services in practice. The exam expects the depth of understanding that comes from implementing real solutions.

How to study

Resources for each exam

Microsoft Learn has the official, free learning path for each certification. The interactive modules include hands-on labs and cover every exam objective. Start there.

Paid platforms such as Pluralsight, A Cloud Guru and Udemy have structured video courses with practical labs. They often explain topics in more detail, with more real-world context, than the official documentation.

Microsoft's official documentation is the main reference for technical detail. Learning to find things quickly on docs.microsoft.com pays off for the rest of your career.

The "Exam Ref" book series gives full study guides with practice questions. They work well for a final review and for finding gaps before exam day.

Using practice tests

Practice tests show you where your gaps are and get you used to Microsoft's question formats. Use them throughout your study, as well as in the final week.

AzurePrep has practice questions for every live Azure certification, each with a detailed explanation. AZ-900 is free in full with a free account, the other live certifications have a free preview, and one All-Access subscription (monthly or annual) unlocks everything. Use them to check your understanding after each study section.

Sit some practice tests under exam conditions to build stamina and pacing. Microsoft exams are tiring, and practice helps you stay focused for the full duration.

Go through every wrong answer until you understand why you missed it. The explanations often fill gaps your other study materials left.

Common mistakes

Reading and watching videos is no substitute for hands-on practice. You only see how Azure networking services work together by configuring them.

Cramming does not work well for these exams. Microsoft certifications test understanding more than memorisation, so regular, spaced study sessions with practical work give better results than a last-minute push.

Allow enough time for AZ-700. Many candidates fail because they reach this associate-level certification without enough practical experience. Build your skills gradually.

Tips for this career path

Study networking fundamentals alongside the Azure topics. OSI layers, TCP/IP, routing and DNS make Azure networking much quicker to learn.

Practise designing network architectures on paper or in a diagramming tool. Many exam questions and real-world problems depend on knowing how the components connect.

Learn the PowerShell and Azure CLI commands for networking operations. You will use them in exam scenarios and in daily work.

Develop a systematic way of troubleshooting. Network faults often involve several components, and a methodical process finds the root cause faster.

FAQ

Is AZ-900 required before AZ-700?

AZ-900 is not formally required before AZ-700, but it is strongly recommended. AZ-700 assumes the basic Azure services and concepts that AZ-900 covers, and its networking topics build directly on them. Candidates who skip AZ-900 often find the later exams confusing and take longer to prepare.

How hard is the network engineer certification path?

Moderately hard. It needs real hands-on experience as well as theory. AZ-900 suits beginners, but AZ-104, and AZ-700 in particular, expect practical experience with Azure networking services. Most candidates find AZ-700 the hardest because its scenario questions depend on knowing how several networking services interact. Practical experience counts for more than memorisation.

Can I become a network engineer without a degree?

Yes. Employers care more about Microsoft certifications, practical experience and demonstrable skills than about formal qualifications. Many Azure network engineers come from IT support or system administration, or taught themselves. Build a portfolio of practical projects, earn the relevant certifications, and get hands-on experience through labs, internships or entry-level jobs.

What's the difference between a network engineer and a cloud architect?

Azure network engineers design, implement and manage networking within Azure environments. Cloud architects design whole cloud solutions, covering networking, compute, storage and application components. Network engineers go deep on connectivity, security and performance, while architects weigh several technical areas against business requirements. On large projects the two work together: the architect sets the overall design and the network engineer implements the networking detail.

How often do I need to renew Azure certifications?

Role-based certifications such as AZ-104 and AZ-700 expire after one year and need annual renewal. Microsoft offers free online renewal assessments that cover new features and updates. AZ-900 is a fundamentals certification and does not expire. Renewal keeps your skills in step with Azure's frequent changes, and most people find it manageable because it covers recent updates rather than the whole syllabus.

Where to start

The Azure network engineer path starts with AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, which gives you the base knowledge the networking exams build on.

Write a study plan, set up an Azure free tier account for hands-on practice, and study a little every day. Structured learning plus practical experience is what employers look for.

azureprep.com has practice questions for each certification on the path. Start with the free AZ-900 practice questions at azureprep.com/exam/az-900 to check your readiness and find the areas that need more study.

Cloud networking skills are still needed as organisations run more workloads on Azure, and the certification path builds the skills employers list for these roles.