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Best Azure Certifications Online Courses

Advertiser Disclosure Published: Jun 20, 2024, 10:29am

Best Azure Certification Online Courses Of 2024

Amy BoyingtonEducation Expert Writer

As a self-proclaimed lifelong learner and former educator, Amy Boyington is passionate about researching and advocating for learners of all ages. For over a decade, Amy has specialized in writing parenting and higher education content that simplifies the process of comparing schools, programs and tuition rates for prospective students and their families. Her work has been featured on several online publications, including Online MBA, Reader’s Digest and BestColleges.

Amy Boyington

Amy BoyingtonEducation Expert Writer

Education Expert Writer

Ilana HamiltonUpdate Editor, Education

With five years of experience as a writer and editor in the higher education and career development space, Ilana has a passion for creating accessible, relevant content that demystifies the higher-ed landscape for traditional and nontraditional learners alike. Prior to joining Forbes Advisor's education team, Ilana wrote and edited for websites such as BestColleges.com and AffordableCollegesOnline.org.

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Ilana Hamilton

Ilana HamiltonUpdate Editor, Education

Update Editor, Education

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Published: Jun 20, 2024, 10:29am

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Microsoft Azure certification is a reputable credential in the tech industry, denoting one’s skills and expertise in cloud computing with Azure. Microsoft offers these certifications directly, although several providers have online courses to help you learn what you need to become certified.

Why take a course? Azure certifications require learners to be well-versed in specific skills, such as designing security solutions or configuring Azure resources. A course can give you the tools to improve your skills for your target credential.

We’ve compiled seven popular Azure certification courses for you to consider, some of which are from Microsoft Training Services Partners. Note that this is a soft ranking based on writer research rather than our standard methodology. However, we specifically chose highly rated courses offering value and expert-led content and instruction.

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics, education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
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Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Best Certifications

Show Summary

Key Takeaways

Microsoft Azure certifications are geared toward different skill levels. Make sure you have the recommended background knowledge and skills for the credential you’d like to earn before taking a course or exam.
Providers offer online Azure certification courses in instructor-led and self-paced formats to cater to different learning styles.
Azure certification courses range from free for basic coverage to thousands of dollars for more intensive, bootcamp-style programs.

Should You Earn Azure Certification?

Pro Tip

Online Azure certifications are generally available in self-paced and instructor-led formats. Although instructor-led courses often come with a higher price tag, they can provide much more support to students who need additional guidance.

Learning new skills—especially those that tech companies seek most, including artificial intelligence and cloud computing—can keep you ahead of the competition when applying for jobs. It’s not uncommon for companies to require or prefer candidates who earn a relevant tech certification.

Microsoft Azure certifications are among many in-demand tech-focused certifications, allowing professionals to demonstrate their expertise with specific Azure skills, such as increasing data security, managing cloud storage and processing data. These reputable certifications could lead to career advancement and higher salary opportunities.

Should You Earn Your Azure Certification Online?

If Azure certification seems right for you, your next step is deciding whether to prepare for your credential online. Online learning can make it easier to study in your spare time and move through content at your own pace, but it doesn’t suit every learner.

Azure certification course providers typically offer either self-paced or instructor-led courses. A self-paced format lets you move through the course as quickly or as slowly as you’d like, although you may have a deadline for completion. Instructor-led courses are more stringent, with set meeting times and a schedule to follow. Self-paced courses are generally more affordable but lack the support of instructor-led courses.

Some courses offer a limited free trial or preview to help you decide if its format works for you. An in-person Azure certification course might be a better option if you prefer more face-to-face engagement or peer collaboration.

Azure Certification Options

Microsoft Azure certifications are available in four tiers, each targeting a different level of expertise.

Azure Fundamental certifications, such as Azure Fundamentals and Azure Data Fundamentals, are for cloud computing beginners. The next tier, Associate, caters to individuals with some cloud computing experience. This level includes Azure Developer Associate and Azure Network Engineer Associate.

Expert Azure certifications, such as Cybersecurity Architect Expert and DevOps Engineer Expert, are reserved for professionals with Azure experience who want to showcase their advanced expertise. Finally, Specialty certifications, such as Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty and Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty, highlight specific skills for intermediate and advanced Azure professionals.

Microsoft offers the only official Azure certifications, but several education platforms and providers have courses to help you prepare for an Azure credential. Learn more about prep courses for Microsoft Azure certifications in the following section.

7 Online Azure Certification Course Options

Coursera

Program Title

Create Machine Learning Models in Microsoft Azure

Cost

$49/month

Program Length

Self-paced with 12 hours of content

Create Machine Learning Models in Microsoft Azure

$49/month

Self-paced with 12 hours of content

Program Overview

This course from Coursera is for intermediate Azure users preparing for the Azure Data Scientist Associate certification. Enrollment also gives users access to the full certification course plan from Coursera, so they only need to pay the subscription fee for as long as necessary to complete the course or program.

This course includes three modules on creating, training and evaluating deep learning models, plus 23 quizzes to test your knowledge. Upon completion, each graduate receives a digital certificate from Coursera to display on their LinkedIn profile or website or in their email signature.

DataCamp

Program Title

Introduction to Azure

Cost

$300/year

Program Length

Self-paced with three hours of content

Introduction to Azure

$300/year

Self-paced with three hours of content

Program Overview

Beginners to Azure can complete DataCamp‘s Introduction to Azure course alone or as part of the platform’s Azure Fundamentals track, which includes eight hours of content and four courses. The Introduction to Azure course explores popular Azure services and its core components, such as data and resource management solutions.

DataCamp charges per year or per month for access to its courses and tracks, and users have access to the course’s content for the length of their subscription. However, all content is self-paced, so learners can work through it on their own schedule. DataCamp offers its first module free after registering an account.

Microsoft

Program Title

Microsoft Azure Certification Courses

Cost

Free

Program Length

Self-paced, usually with several hours of content

Microsoft Azure Certification Courses

Free

Self-paced, usually with several hours of content

Program Overview

Microsoft provides web-based courses for each of its 22 Azure certifications for beginner to advanced users, offering helpful skill drill-downs for anyone preparing for a credential. Each free course has multiple modules that break down key concepts covered in its related certification exam, such as role-based access control, load-balanced traffic and machine learning with Azure. Most modules are less than one hour each.

Learners can also use Microsoft’s practice tools, including online assessments, study guides and virtual sandboxes, to solidify their knowledge and practice their skills. Some courses include expert-led videos with exam preparation tips.

ONLC Training Centers

Program Title

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Instructor-Led Course

Cost

$495

Program Length

One day

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Instructor-Led Course

$495

One day

Program Overview

ONLC Training Centers is a Microsoft Training Services Partner offering multiple instructor-led and self-paced Azure certification courses. Its Microsoft Azure Fundamentals instructor-led course is available online with live instruction, lectures and demonstrations. ONLC Training Centers encourages students to gain some IT experience before joining the class, as it moves through Azure cloud concepts, security, core services and other topics quickly.

Alternatively, students living near an ONLC Training Centers location can attend the training in person. Learners who prefer a self-paced format can also opt for the on-demand version of this course, which costs $245 with a two-day completion goal.

Simplilearn

Program Title

Microsoft Certified Azure Developer Associate Training Course

Cost

$800

Program Length

Varies

Microsoft Certified Azure Developer Associate Training Course

$800

Varies

Program Overview

As a Microsoft Training Services Partner, Simplilearn provides online bootcamps and courses to train for Azure certifications.

This bootcamp-style course groups students into collaborative cohorts who meet with Microsoft-certified trainers for live online instruction. Schedules vary between cohorts but are typically flexible for full-time workers, with weekend, evening or early morning classes. The class includes 13 lessons covering topics such as API management, Azure function implementation and secure cloud solutions.

To enroll, students must have a high school diploma, at least one year of software development experience and at least two years of Azure-related professional development experience.

TLG Learning

Program Title

Designing and Implementing a Microsoft Azure AI Solution

Cost

$2,495

Program Length

Four days

Designing and Implementing a Microsoft Azure AI Solution

$2,495

Four days

Program Overview

TLG Learning, a Microsoft Training Services Partner, offers this four-day class online with live instruction from an IT expert. During the program, students learn the capabilities of Azure’s AI solutions, how to create and secure AI solutions and how to build AI applications with Azure. The course includes 31 lessons.

TLG Learning recommends that students complete its Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals course before enrolling, but beginner knowledge of Azure, C# or Python, and JSON and REST are required.

Students who complete the course in its entirety can retake it at any time for free.

Udemy

Program Title

Microsoft Azure: From Zero to Hero – The Complete Guide

Cost

$100

Program Length

Self-paced with over 21 hours of content

Microsoft Azure: From Zero to Hero – The Complete Guide

$100

Self-paced with over 21 hours of content

Program Overview

This Udemy course targets Azure beginners with some software development experience. The self-paced curriculum includes 20 sections exploring networking, security, messaging and monitoring in Azure, with nearly 300 lectures.

Learners also get over 40 downloadable resources to reference as they move through the material, including an end-of-course summary with guidance on designing custom Azure apps.

Purchasing the course grants lifetime access and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Azure Certification

Which certification is best for Azure?

The best Azure certification varies by person and their intended career goals. For example, Azure Developer Associate is a good certification for developers, while Azure AI Engineer Associate is best for AI professionals. Meanwhile, cloud computing and Azure beginners might pursue the Azure Fundamentals certification.

Is it worth getting Azure certified?

In most cases, yes—getting Azure certified is worth it. Microsoft Azure certifications are well-known and respected in the IT industry. Earning an Azure certification could help you find a job, advance your career or increase your salary.

Which certification is easier, AWS or Azure?

AWS and Azure certifications can be challenging to earn, especially if you’re new to the industry. However, if you have the recommended skills and experience for the specific credential you pursue, earning your certification shouldn’t feel too difficult.

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Amy Boyington

Education Expert Writer

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