Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator Associate

SC-300 · ● Active · Associate · Microsoft

Exam facts

Vendor source — Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate ↗

Official exam guide — Study Guide for Exam SC-300 ↗

Exam objectives — Exam SC-300 Skills Measured ↗

About

The SC-300 certifies hands-on expertise in administering Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) and identity platforms within enterprise cloud and hybrid environments. Released in 2023, it is the primary Associate-level identity certification for professionals managing user lifecycles, access controls, authentication policies, and application integrations across Microsoft 365, Azure, and on-premises infrastructure. SC-300 is a practical, lab-heavy exam designed for identity engineers, M365 administrators, and access control engineers who implement real-world identity solutions. It is neither theoretical (like SC-900) nor architectural (like SC-100), but rather focused on operational execution.

Domain context — Identity & Endpoint Management

Vendor-agnostic discipline spanning user identity verification (authentication), permission management (authorization), user and device lifecycle, regulatory compliance, and zero-trust architecture. Microsoft Entra is the dominant platform in enterprise IAM, especially in organizations using Azure and Microsoft 365.

Read full deep dive — Identity & Endpoint Management Domain ↗

Topics covered

The SC-300 exam blueprint is organized into four domains with the following weights:

• Implement an identity management solution (25–30%)

  • Create, configure, and manage user and guest identities in Microsoft Entra ID
  • Configure identity lifecycle management with Lifecycle Workflows
  • Manage Azure AD Connect Sync and cloud sync for hybrid scenarios
  • Implement device identity and join strategies
  • Manage administrative units and role-based access control (RBAC)

• Implement an authentication and access management solution (25–30%)

  • Configure multi-factor authentication (MFA) and authentication methods
  • Implement Conditional Access policies and device-based policies
  • Manage passwordless sign-in (Windows Hello for Business, FIDO2, Microsoft Authenticator)
  • Implement and manage Azure AD Password Protection and self-service password reset
  • Configure session lifecycle and sign-in risk policies

• Implement access management for applications (10–15%)

  • Register and manage application identities in Microsoft Entra
  • Implement OAuth 2.0 / OIDC authorization flows
  • Configure app roles, delegated permissions, and application permissions
  • Manage service principals, managed identities, and application proxies
  • Implement single sign-on (SSO) for enterprise applications

• Plan and implement identity governance (25–30%)

  • Manage entitlements with access reviews and access packages (Entra ID Governance)
  • Implement privileged identity management (PIM) for administrative roles and resources
  • Configure Microsoft Entra Verified ID for decentralized identity claims
  • Implement threat protection and risk remediation
  • Manage B2B external identities and guest access policies

Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam SC-300 Skills Measured ↗

Common skills at Identity & Endpoint Management · Associate

Shared content for the Identity & Endpoint Management domain at Associate level — not specific to this cert.

• User authentication and identity verification (MFA, passwordless, device trust)
• Role-based access control (RBAC) design and implementation
• Single sign-on (SSO) and federation architecture
• Application integration and API authorization
• Identity governance, access reviews, and compliance auditing
• Hybrid identity synchronization (on-premises ↔ cloud)
• Security policy development and enforcement (Conditional Access)
• Privileged access management (PAM) and just-in-time (JIT) elevation

Recommended courses at Identity & Endpoint Management · Associate

Course-selection rule: SC-300 is hands-on; John Savill's Master Class and Microsoft Learn's free path are essential foundations. Paid options (Pluralsight, CBT Nuggets) add lab walkthroughs and exam simulators. Udemy and Whizlabs are cost-effective alternatives.

Practice exams

Books

Typical job titles at Identity & Endpoint Management · Associate

Identity Engineer · Identity Administrator · Microsoft Entra Administrator · IAM Analyst · Identity Access Management Specialist · Azure Identity Engineer · M365 Identity Administrator · Access Control Administrator · Compliance Identity Engineer

(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings that list SC-300 or related Microsoft identity certifications as required or preferred.)

Salary

Salary rule: SC-300 alone typically qualifies for mid-level identity/access roles ($85K–$110K USD). Stacking with SC-100 (Architect) or combining with hands-on Azure (AZ-104, AZ-305) or other security certs (SC-200, SC-400) enables senior architect and CISO-track salaries ($120K+). Years of hands-on experience are equally important.

Skills validated

Cert-specific — what this exam actually tests, distinct from the shared "Common skills" above.

• Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) administration and tenant configuration
• User, group, and guest identity lifecycle management
• Authentication methods and multi-factor authentication (MFA) deployment
• Conditional Access policies and risk-based access
• Role-based access control (RBAC) and administrative units
• Application registration, OAuth 2.0, OIDC, and API permissions
• Azure AD Connect Sync and Microsoft Entra cloud sync
• Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and just-in-time access
• Microsoft Entra Verified ID and decentralized identity
• Access reviews and entitlement management (Entra ID Governance)
• Security defaults and incident response for identity threats
• B2B external identities, guest policies, and Azure AD B2C basics
• Azure Key Vault, managed identities, and service principals
• Device identity and Windows Hello for Business
• Self-service password reset and Azure AD Password Protection

Related certifications

• Stacks with: SC-900 (Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals) ↗, AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) ↗, MS-900 (Microsoft 365 Fundamentals) ↗
• Common pairing: AZ-104 (Azure Administrator) ↗ — both administer Azure identity and access
• Prerequisite for / Pathway to: [SC-100 (Cybersecurity Architect Expert) ↗]({file not yet created}) — requires one of SC-200/SC-300/AZ-500 as prerequisite
• Equivalents at this level: [Okta Certified Associate (OCA) Administrator ↗]({file not yet created}), [SailPoint IdentityNow Certified Implementation Professional ↗]({file not yet created}), [CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) + hands-on IAM experience ↗]({file not yet created})
• Related entry path: [SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst) ↗]({file not yet created}) — complementary associate-level security cert in same ecosystem
• Vendor overview: Microsoft Vendor Overview ↗

Sources

• Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate
• Study guide for Exam SC-300
• Exam SC-300 Skills Measured
• SC-300 Learning Path: Implement an identity management solution
• SC-300T00 Official Course
• John Savill's SC-300 Master Class (YouTube)
• Exam Ref SC-300 by Razi Rais (Microsoft Press, 2024)
• MeasureUp SC-300 Practice Test
• Whizlabs SC-300 Practice Tests
• Glassdoor Identity Engineer Salary
• Robert Half Salary Guide
• IT Jobs Watch UK
• Hays Salary Guide

Last verified: 2026-05-01 Parent ecosystem: Microsoft Azure + M365 Parent domain: Identity & Endpoint Management Domain Vendor overview: Microsoft Overview