By Quick answer: Is Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) worth it in 2027?
- Verdict — Worth it for data scientists on Azure.
- Cost — Priced by country
- Time — Two to three months part-time
- Best for — data scientists in Microsoft environments
Key takeaways
- Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) is worth it for data scientists in Microsoft environments.
- It's less useful for teams on other clouds.
- Compare the alternatives below before you pay.
This is an honest review of Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100): what it covers, what it costs, who it helps and who should pick something else. We list the best alternatives so you can compare before you commit.
Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) and its alternatives
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)Microsoft | Exam priced by country1 | Self-paced | Free test |
| 2 | AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1502 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 3 | Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning EngineerGoogle Cloud | $2003 | 2 hours, multiple choice | Free test |
| 4 | Machine Learning SpecializationDeepLearning.AI & Stanford / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan4 | 2 months at 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 5 | Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)Microsoft | Exam priced by country5 | 100 minutes | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- Azure Machine Learning Certification TestPractise for Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) before you pay.Start free test →
- AWS ML Engineer Associate Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- Google Professional ML Engineer Practice ExamPractise for Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer before you pay.Start free test →
- Machine Learning Fundamentals CertificationPractise for Machine Learning Specialization before you pay.Start free test →
Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100), then the alternatives worth comparing
- MicrosoftMicrosoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)The credential reviewedExam priced by country
- AWSAWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateAWS alternative$150
- Google CloudGoogle Cloud Professional Machine Learning EngineerGoogle Cloud alternative$200
Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country1
Training and deploying ML models with Azure Machine Learning; priced by country. Microsoft's associate exam proves you can train and deploy machine learning models with Azure Machine Learning. It's priced by country, needs Python and ML basics and renews free online each year.
Best forthe credential reviewed
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate
- Cost
- $1502
AWS ML Engineer. AWS's associate exam proves you can prepare data, train, deploy and monitor machine learning models on AWS. It costs $150 and expects hands-on ML and AWS experience, making it a strong credential for ML engineers.
Best forAWS alternative
Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer
- Cost
- $2003
- Format
- 2 hours, multiple choice
Professional ML Engineer. Google Cloud's professional exam tests production machine learning: framing problems, building pipelines and serving and monitoring models. It's two hours, costs $200 and is aimed at experienced ML engineers.
Best forGoogle Cloud alternative
Machine Learning Specialization
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan4
- Time
- 2 months at 10 hours a week
ML Specialization. Andrew Ng's specialization with Stanford teaches supervised and unsupervised learning, model evaluation and practical machine learning in Python. It takes about two months at ten hours a week and is widely regarded as the clearest structured start in ML.
Best forpreparation
Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country5
- Format
- 100 minutes
Azure AI Engineer. Microsoft's associate exam proves you can build AI solutions on Azure, including generative AI, language and vision apps. It's a 100-minute exam priced by country, needs coding skills and renews free online each year.
Best forAI apps alternative
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Proctored | Azure-specific |
| Azure ML focus | Needs ML basics |
| Free yearly renewal | Services change |
Table: Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) pros and cons
Our verdict
Worth it for data scientists on Azure. It's a strong choice for data scientists in Microsoft environments. If you're teams on other clouds, look at the alternatives above first.
How we ranked these picks
We reviewed Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) on cost, time, assessment, employer recognition and fit, using the official page checked 3 November 2026. Science of Apps has no commercial relationship with the issuer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) worth it?
Worth it for data scientists on Azure. It suits data scientists in Microsoft environments.
How much does Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) cost?
Priced by country.
How long does Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) take?
Two to three months part-time.
DP-100 or AI-102?
DP-100 for ML models; AI-102 for AI apps.
Is there a free practice test?
Yes. Science of Apps offers free practice tests for this topic, instantly graded with a verifiable certificate.
Sources
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google Cloud — Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- DeepLearning.AI & Stanford — Machine Learning Specialization, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
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