Question 1

What are the Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert prerequisites?

Accepted Answer

You must pass AZ-104 (Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate) before, or alongside, AZ-305. Microsoft assumes deep AZ-104 hands-on knowledge plus design experience across compute, networking, storage, identity, and governance. There is no waiver. Most candidates have 2–5 years of Azure admin or architect experience before attempting AZ-305.

Question 2

How much does the AZ-305 exam cost in 2026?

Accepted Answer

AZ-305 costs $165 USD globally (₹4,800 INR in India, AED 605 in the UAE, £113 in the UK, €152 in the EU). Microsoft Learn provides the official free study path. Watch for free vouchers via Microsoft Learn Cloud Skills Challenges and Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft regularly gives away AZ-305 vouchers worth $165.

Question 3

Azure Solutions Architect Expert salary in the USA

Accepted Answer

Certified Azure Solutions Architect Experts in the U.S. earn $145,000–$185,000/year (median ~$162K, per Glassdoor and Microsoft Learn 2026 salary surveys). Total comp with bonuses and stock at FAANG-adjacent enterprises clears $200K. Government and consulting (Accenture, Deloitte, Avanade) typically pay $130K–$160K base.

Question 4

AZ-305 vs AWS Solutions Architect Professional, which is harder?

Accepted Answer

AWS SAP (SAP-C02) is considered harder by most candidates on r/AWSCertifications and r/AzureCertification, 75 scenario questions in 3 hours vs AZ-305's ~60 questions in 2 hours. AZ-305 is shorter and more design-pattern focused, AWS SAP is deeper on services. Pay is comparable; pick the cloud your employer uses.

Question 5

How long to prepare for AZ-305 if I already have AZ-104?

Accepted Answer

Most candidates with AZ-104 pass AZ-305 in 6–10 weeks of part-time study (~8 hours/week). Reddit's r/AzureCertification consensus stack: John Savill's free AZ-305 study guide on YouTube + MeasureUp practice exams + 2–3 reference architecture reviews from Microsoft's Azure Architecture Center. Skip paid bootcamps unless your employer pays.

Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert Exam Preparation