There is a second effect worth naming. Some employers use a credential list to filter applicants automatically. A retired credential can fall out of that filter even though you hold it, which means you are quietly removed from a pool you should be in. Updating your profile with one current credential removes that risk, and it does not have to be expensive.
The cheapest fix is one Applied Skills lab in the data area, which is where Microsoft has put the successor content. The full path is in our guide to Microsoft Applied Skills certifications, and our guide to the Azure certification path for 2026 shows which live credentials sit next to the old ones.
What replaced the DP-203?
Microsoft Applied Skills credentials. These are scenario based assessment labs where you complete real tasks in a lab environment, and Microsoft publishes a credential journey map for the Data Analyst and Data Engineer role that lists which credentials lead toward each certification. Each credential page carries free Microsoft Learn preparation modules for the exact task it measures.
The practical difference is size. An applied skills lab takes days to weeks of preparation, not months, and the result appears on your profile quickly, usually within minutes though it can take up to 24 hours to show up in your credentials tab. Microsoft also says you can retake an assessment lab 72 hours after your last attempt, and that a cancelled lab still counts as an attempt, so plan your lab time carefully.
| Option | Cost shape | Preparation time | What it proves |
|---|
| Applied Skills lab | Assessment fee shown on each credential page | Days to weeks | One real task in a lab |
| Azure fundamentals exam | About $99 | Two to four weeks | Shared cloud vocabulary |
| Full data certification | About $165 for Associate level | One to three months | A whole role |
Our guide to Microsoft Applied Skills certifications goes through how the labs work, what the assessment fee looks like, and how to stack several of them into a convincing hiring signal.
What should a data engineer do now?
Build a two part story. First, the applied skills labs that match the work you want, because they map to concrete tasks such as configuring data storage, building a pipeline, or securing a data store. Second, one broader credential if the roles you are targeting name one. Our guide to Azure certification cost compares the Microsoft and AWS routes for the same job, which matters if your employer will pay for one of them.
If your goal is a full degree instead of a credential, the time and money math is different. Our guide to the best online MS in data science programs for 2026 covers the tuition and time commitment, and it is a reasonable second route for people who want the depth that a certification cannot give.
What should you stop buying?
Stop buying DP-203 exam simulators and full DP-203 video courses, and check the credential page before any purchase. The retirement notice is at the top of the Microsoft Learn page for this credential, so it takes ten seconds to confirm. Old question banks also encode the old outline, which no longer matches anything Microsoft is asking.
Instead, use the free Microsoft Learn modules attached to each Applied Skills credential and the free practice assessments on the live certification pages. Our guide to the Azure certification path for 2026 lists the credentials that are still live, so you can see what is worth your money before you spend it.
Fazlur Rahman
