Full route detail

Enterprise IT. Windows / AD / M365

The Microsoft-shop spine. A durable, hireable lane and a direct on-ramp to security, cloud and IAM.

Last reviewed May 2026·Reviewed by a practitioner working in junior sysadmin / endpoint admin hiring·Updated quarterly against live job listings

First role

Junior Sysadmin / Endpoint Admin

Timeline

1–3 years to senior sysadmin

Difficulty

Moderate

Salary

$55–85k entry · $85–120k senior

Phased progression

Foundations → first role → specialisation → advanced. The realistic order, not a script.

010–6 months
Foundations
Literacy, lab habits, the cert that opens first conversations.
MS-900
026–18 months
First paid role
Land a Junior Sysadmin / Endpoint Admin. Operational time, not more certs, earns the next move.
Junior Sysadmin / Endpoint Admin
$55–85k entry
031.5–3 years
Specialisation
Add a specialist credential aligned to the work you're already doing.
MD-102AZ-801
$85–120k senior
043+ years
Advanced
Move into adjacent roles. Long-term credentials become worth their cost.
M365 Administrator
$85–120k senior

01Foundations
0–6 months
Literacy, lab habits, the cert that opens first conversations.
MS-900
02First paid role
6–18 months
Land a Junior Sysadmin / Endpoint Admin. Operational time, not more certs, earns the next move.
Junior Sysadmin / Endpoint Admin
$55–85k entry
03Specialisation
1.5–3 years
Add a specialist credential aligned to the work you're already doing.
MD-102AZ-801
$85–120k senior
04Advanced
3+ years
Move into adjacent roles. Long-term credentials become worth their cost.
M365 Administrator
$85–120k senior

Certification sequence

Ordered by realistic relevance, not vendor marketing.

Primary

MS-900
MD-102
MS-102
AZ-800

Supporting

AZ-801
SC-300

Long-term

None on this route.

Practical projects

What to actually build, the portfolio that opens interviews.

Build a lab AD forest with one trust and a hybrid Entra connect
Standard endpoint baseline with Intune Autopilot
Hybrid Exchange mail-flow lab end-to-end

Adjacent roles (after this route)

M365 AdministratorEndpoint AdministratorAD EngineerIAM Engineer

Alternative paths in

·Pivot to Azure admin
·Pivot to IAM via SC-300

Realistic expectations

What no recruiter will tell you.

Misconception

That stacking certifications shortcuts the timeline. It doesn't. Operational time and a public portfolio are what compress the path.

Honest window

1–3 years to senior sysadmin is the realistic time to the first role on this route. Most people overshoot by 6–12 months. Plan for it; don't panic when it happens.

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