AZ-900 Explained: Why It's the First Step to a $100k Career
If you've been researching tech careers in New Zealand, you've probably noticed something interesting in job listings: Azure skills appear everywhere. Not just in cloud engineering roles, but in positions across sales, project management, and business analysis. Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) has become the entry ticket to this ecosystem, and understanding why can reshape how you approach your career.
What exactly is the AZ-900 certification?
AZ-900 is Microsoft's foundational cloud certification that validates your understanding of Azure services, cloud concepts, and core Azure pricing and support. The 50-minute exam doesn't require coding skills or prior technical experience, making it accessible to anyone curious about cloud technology.
The certification covers four main domains: cloud concepts (making up 25-30% of questions), Azure architecture and services (35-40%), Azure management and governance (30-35%), and general security features. According to Microsoft's official certification page, you'll learn to describe cloud computing benefits, differentiate between cloud service types, and explain Azure's core services.
What makes AZ-900 genuinely useful is its design philosophy. Microsoft built it for people who work alongside cloud technology, not just those building it. That includes sales professionals explaining cloud benefits to clients, project managers overseeing Azure migrations, and administrators managing hybrid environments.
How much can Azure-certified professionals earn in New Zealand?
Cloud engineers with Azure skills earn between $120,000 and $165,000 annually in New Zealand, with solutions architects commanding $145,000 to $205,000. These figures represent a significant premium over general IT roles and explain why certification investment generates strong returns.
According to SEEK's December 2025 salary data, cloud engineers in New Zealand earn an average of $120,000 to $125,000, with the ICT sector offering the highest rates at around $127,500. Glassdoor's 2025 research shows top earners reaching $245,000, though the typical range sits between $91,875 and $138,750.
For those willing to build expertise beyond AZ-900, the salary trajectory steepens considerably. PayScale reports that cloud solutions architects average $150,736 in New Zealand, with experienced professionals (10-19 years) earning approximately $158,774. Entry-level architects with 1-4 years of experience can expect around $120,000.
The progression from AZ-900 to these higher salary brackets follows a clear certification pathway. After completing the fundamentals exam, most professionals pursue the Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104), then advance to specialised certifications like Azure Solutions Architect Expert. Each step unlocks new role possibilities and corresponding salary increases.
Is AZ-900 just for technical people?
AZ-900 was specifically designed for both technical and non-technical professionals who need to understand cloud technology without becoming developers. This makes it valuable for sales managers, HR leaders, finance professionals, and anyone whose work intersects with digital transformation.
Consider the reality of modern business: 95% of Fortune 500 companies run workloads on Azure. When your organisation discusses cloud migration, understanding the difference between Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) matters. Knowing what Azure regions and availability zones mean for data sovereignty becomes relevant when your company operates across the Tasman.
Sales professionals use AZ-900 knowledge to have informed conversations with technical buyers. Project managers reference it when scoping cloud migration timelines. Finance teams apply it when evaluating OpEx versus CapEx decisions for IT infrastructure. The certification provides shared vocabulary across departments.
A Wellington-based project manager recently explained it this way: knowing Azure fundamentals meant she could challenge unrealistic vendor timelines and understand why certain compliance requirements mattered for government contracts. That knowledge directly influenced her ability to manage stakeholder expectations and project budgets.
What's driving the demand for Azure skills in New Zealand?
Public cloud spending in New Zealand is projected to reach $5.1 billion by 2026, nearly double the $2.6 billion spent in recent years. This growth is creating approximately 134,000 new jobs requiring cloud and related digital skills.
According to research commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by IDC, public cloud adoption will generate $21 billion in cumulative new revenue for New Zealand's cloud ecosystem by 2026. Around 20% of the new jobs created will require specific technical and IT-related digital skills.
Microsoft's recent investment in New Zealand's first hyperscale cloud data centres has accelerated this demand. Microsoft New Zealand reported that gen AI adoption enabled by cloud infrastructure could add $76 billion to the New Zealand economy by 2038. Having local data centres resolves previous concerns about data residency and sovereignty, removing barriers that previously slowed enterprise cloud adoption.
The New Zealand government's Cloud First policy, introduced in 2012, continues driving public sector demand. However, recent research from Mandala Partners found that 67% of government systems still aren't hosted in the cloud. Accelerating cloud adoption could save $3.6 billion by 2035 and generate $2.3 billion in AI-driven productivity gains. That represents enormous opportunity for professionals with verified cloud skills.
Christchurch City Council recently migrated 90% of its servers to Azure public cloud. Their Chief Information Officer noted that having hyperscale providers operating locally has removed data residency concerns while enabling better citizen services through AI and modern analytics platforms.
How does AZ-900 compare to other entry-level IT certifications?
AZ-900 focuses specifically on Microsoft's cloud platform, while certifications like CompTIA A+ cover broader IT fundamentals. Your choice depends on whether you want vendor-specific depth or vendor-neutral breadth.
CompTIA A+ remains valuable for help desk and desktop support roles where you'll troubleshoot hardware, operating systems, and network connections across various vendors. It's a generalist certification proving baseline IT competency.
AZ-900, by contrast, provides focused knowledge about the platform that runs a significant portion of enterprise workloads in New Zealand. Given that many government agencies and large enterprises have existing Microsoft relationships through Office 365 and enterprise agreements, Azure skills often translate more directly to available job opportunities.
The practical difference shows in job listings. Search SEEK for "Azure" and you'll find hundreds of results across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Many explicitly mention Azure certifications as preferred or required qualifications. The specificity of vendor certification signals to employers that you can contribute immediately within their existing technology stack.
That said, these certifications aren't mutually exclusive. Some professionals combine CompTIA Network+ with Azure certifications to demonstrate both foundational knowledge and cloud specialisation. The key is understanding what roles you're targeting and which credentials those employers value.
What does the AZ-900 exam actually cover?
The exam tests your understanding of cloud concepts, core Azure services, security features, pricing, and support options across 40-60 questions in 50 minutes. You need approximately 70% to pass.
The cloud concepts domain verifies you understand why organisations adopt cloud computing, including benefits like high availability, scalability, and elasticity. You'll need to explain shared responsibility models and differentiate between public, private, and hybrid cloud deployments.
For Azure architecture and services, expect questions about core components: compute services (virtual machines, containers, functions), networking (virtual networks, load balancers, VPN gateways), and storage options (blobs, files, tables, queues). You should understand when to use each service type and how they work together.
The management and governance section covers Azure Resource Manager, resource groups, subscriptions, and management groups. Questions test your knowledge of Azure Policy, role-based access control (RBAC), and tools like Azure Portal, CLI, and PowerShell.
Security questions focus on Azure Security Center, Azure Sentinel, and key concepts like defense in depth and Zero Trust. You'll also need to understand identity services, particularly Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID) and multi-factor authentication.
Pricing and support questions verify you understand the factors affecting Azure costs, the Azure pricing calculator, total cost of ownership calculator, and different support plans available. Understanding the difference between capital expenditure (CapEx) and operational expenditure (OpEx) appears regularly.
How should you prepare for the AZ-900 exam?
Most successful candidates combine official Microsoft learning paths with practice exams, typically preparing over 2-4 weeks of consistent study. The exam doesn't require memorising obscure details, but it does require genuine understanding of concepts.
Microsoft offers free learning paths through Microsoft Learn that cover all exam objectives. These self-paced modules include hands-on exercises using a free Azure sandbox environment. You can explore actual Azure services without needing a credit card or worrying about accidental charges.
Practice tests prove particularly valuable because they familiarise you with question formats and identify knowledge gaps before exam day. The questions test application of concepts rather than rote memorisation, so understanding why certain answers are correct matters more than memorising definitions.
NZIQ offers certification bundles starting from $149 that include exam vouchers and optional retake protection. The retake voucher option provides a safety net if you don't pass on your first attempt, reducing the financial risk of certification. Sessions run monthly at 3pm NZT and can be taken online from your own location.
The exam experience itself is straightforward. You'll receive a mix of multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and scenario-based questions. Flagging uncertain questions for review and managing your time across all questions works better than spending too long on any single item.
What career paths open up after AZ-900?
| Certification Level | Certification | Target Roles | NZ Salary Range | Study Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) | All IT roles, Sales, Project Managers | $70,000 - $95,000 | 2-4 weeks |
| Associate | Azure Administrator (AZ-104) | Cloud Administrator, Systems Admin | $95,000 - $145,000 | 2-3 months |
| Associate | Azure Developer (AZ-204) | Cloud Developer, DevOps Engineer | $100,000 - $150,000 | 2-3 months |
| Associate | Azure Security Engineer (AZ-500) | Security Analyst, Security Engineer | $110,000 - $160,000 | 2-3 months |
| Expert | Azure Solutions Architect Expert | Solutions Architect, Cloud Architect | $145,000 - $205,000 | 3-6 months |
| Expert | Azure DevOps Engineer Expert | Senior DevOps Engineer, Platform Lead | $140,000 - $190,000 | 3-6 months |
Salary data based on SEEK, PayScale, and Glassdoor NZ figures, December 2025. Study times assume part-time preparation alongside work commitments.
AZ-900 serves as the gateway to role-based certifications including Azure Administrator, Developer, Data Engineer, and Security Engineer, each unlocking different career trajectories. The fundamentals certification proves you understand the platform; advanced certifications prove you can build on it.
The most common next step is Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104), which validates skills in implementing, managing, and monitoring Azure environments. This certification typically leads to cloud administrator roles earning $95,000 to $145,000 in New Zealand.
For those interested in development, the Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204) certification demonstrates ability to design, build, test, and maintain cloud applications. Combined with programming skills, this pathway leads to developer and DevOps roles with strong salary potential.
Data-focused professionals often pursue Azure Data Engineer Associate or Azure Database Administrator Associate certifications. Given New Zealand's growing demand for data analytics capabilities, these specialisations command premium compensation.
The architecture pathway culminates in Azure Solutions Architect Expert, requiring deep understanding of compute, network, storage, and security. Architects design solutions that meet business requirements while optimising for cost, security, and performance. This pathway leads to the highest compensation brackets, with senior architects earning well above $170,000.
Security specialists pursue the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, particularly relevant given increasing cyber threats. The public sector alone accounted for nearly 40% of nationally significant security incidents in recent reports, creating urgent demand for professionals who understand both Azure and security fundamentals.
Why should you consider certification now?
The timing for cloud certification in New Zealand couldn't be better. Microsoft's local data centre investment has removed the last major barrier to enterprise cloud adoption. Government and corporate digital transformation projects are accelerating. And the skills shortage means certified professionals face less competition for available roles.
Cloud adoption in New Zealand isn't slowing down. Research from IDC and Mordor Intelligence projects the ANZ cloud computing market will grow from $10.79 billion in 2025 to $29.65 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate of 22.42%. That growth translates directly into demand for professionals who understand cloud platforms.
The AZ-900 certification provides a low-risk, high-reward entry point. The exam costs significantly less than traditional education, takes weeks rather than years to achieve, and proves competency that employers actively seek. Even if you're not pursuing a purely technical role, understanding Azure fundamentals improves your ability to contribute in any technology-adjacent position.
For professionals considering a career change into tech, certifications offer an alternative to expensive degrees. For those already in tech roles, Azure credentials differentiate your profile in a competitive market. For managers and executives, understanding cloud platforms improves your ability to lead digital initiatives effectively.
The cloud isn't going anywhere. The question is whether you'll have the verified skills to participate in its growth.
Ready to start your Azure certification journey? Explore NZIQ's Microsoft Certified Fundamentals exam options, including bundles with practice tests and retake vouchers that reduce your risk while you build career-changing skills.