Popular Data Analyst Certifications – Boost Your Careers and Open Doors to Roles with Greater Responsibilities

In today’s IT area, data analysts are in high demand. But to become one, you need proper skills and credentials. Getting certified can help you stand out and succeed in this growing field.

Benefits of Earning the Data Analyst Certifications

1. Competitive Advantage: Most people have a degree in today’s job market. Earning a certification in data analytics helps you stand out. Additionally, employers see your data analyst certification as a sign of extra skills and expertise.
2. Career Opportunities: Currently, the need for data analysts is increasing fast. The data analyst certification offers more job options, often better-paying and specialized. It helps you access higher-level roles and career advancement.
3. Skills Validation: Many people list data analysis on their resume, but not everyone has proven skills. Earning the data analyst certification proves you know the tools and techniques. It shows passion and real effort in learning the field.
4. Learning Opportunities: The data world changes constantly. Data analyst certification keeps you updated with the latest trends and tech. You’ll learn from experts and be ready to apply new solutions in your job.
5. Professional Growth: Getting a data analyst certification gives a sense of pride and achievement. It helps you connect with other professionals and attend industry events. You’ll gain access to mentors, resources, and job opportunities.

Popular Data Analyst Certifications Are Available

Below is a curated list of popular data analyst certifications to help you begin your journey. If you’re eager to start developing job-relevant skills, consider enrolling in one of these certification programs today.

• Certified Business Data Analyst (CBDA)
• CompTIA Data+
• Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate
• SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional
• Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
• Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) Data Analyst
• Databricks Certified Data Analyst Associate
• SAP Certified Associate – Data Analyst – SAP Analytics Cloud

Certified Business Data Analyst (CBDA)

• Issuer: International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)
• Target Audience: Business analysts, data analysts, and professionals involved in business analytics initiatives who want to bridge business needs with data-driven insights. Ideal for those with some experience in business analysis or analytics looking to specialize.
• Skills Points:
  • Identifying research questions and defining business problems.
  • Sourcing, assessing, and preparing data for analysis.
  • Performing exploratory data analysis and applying analytical techniques.
  • Interpreting and communicating results to stakeholders effectively.
  • Supporting decision-making with actionable insights derived from data.
• Exam: CBDA, 75 scenario-based, multiple-choice questions in 2 hours.
• Why Pursue: Great for professionals aiming to enhance their ability to use data analytics in business decision-making and earn global recognition in the business analysis community.

CompTIA Data+

• Issuer: CompTIA
• Target Audience: Early-career data analysts, report analysts, or business analysts (18-24 months of experience) seeking a foundational, vendor-neutral certification to kickstart their analytics career.
• Skills Points:
  • Understanding data concepts, schemas, and environments.
  • Data mining, cleansing, and preparation.
  • Basic data analysis and statistical methods.
  • Data visualization and reporting techniques.
  • Data governance, quality, and compliance fundamentals.
• Exam: DA0-001, 90 questions (multiple-choice and performance-based) in 90 minutes.
• Why Pursue: Ideal for beginners or those transitioning into data analytics, offering a stepping stone to more advanced certifications.

Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate

• Issuer: Microsoft
• Target Audience: Data analysts and business intelligence professionals with experience using Microsoft Power BI, looking to demonstrate expertise in this specific tool.
• Skills Points:
  • Preparing and transforming data using Power Query.
  • Writing Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) for calculations and measures.
  • Designing and building scalable data models.
  • Creating visualizations, dashboards, and reports in Power BI.
  • Managing data security (e.g., row-level security) and sharing assets.
• Exam: PL-300 exam, approximately 100 minutes, proctored.
• Why Pursue: Perfect for those working in organizations using Microsoft tools, offering a strong credential for Power BI-focused roles.

SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional

• Issuer: SAS
• Target Audience: Experienced data analysts, data scientists, or statisticians proficient in SAS, aiming to specialize in advanced analytics and predictive modeling.
• Skills Points:
  • Advanced statistical analysis and predictive modeling techniques.
  • Machine learning and optimization methods using SAS tools.
  • Preparing and manipulating large, distributed datasets.
  • Applying analytics to big data in-memory environments.
  • Interpreting and deploying analytical models for business use.
• Exam: Earning three credentials

1. A00-225 SAS Certified Specialist: Advanced Predictive Modeling
2. A00-226 SAS Certified Specialist: Text Analytics, Time Series, Experimentation and Optimization
3. A00-255 SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner™ 14

• Why Pursue: Suited for professionals in industries like finance or pharmaceuticals where SAS is prevalent and advanced analytics is key.

Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)

• Issuer: INFORMS
• Target Audience: Mid to senior-level analytics professionals with a solid educational background and several years of experience, seeking a prestigious, vendor-neutral credential.
• Skills Points:
  • Framing business and analytical problems holistically.
  • Acquiring, cleaning, and structuring data for analysis.
  • Applying methodologies (e.g., statistical, optimization) to build models.
  • Deploying models and managing their lifecycle.
  • Communicating insights effectively to diverse stakeholders.
• Exam: CAP, 100 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours.
• Why Pursue: Highly respected for career advancement, especially in leadership or consulting roles within analytics.

Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) Data Analyst

• Issuer: Cloudera
• Target Audience: Data analysts, BI specialists, or SQL developers working with big data in Cloudera’s ecosystem, aiming to certify their skills in CDP tools.
• Skills Points:
  • Querying and analyzing data using Apache Hive and Impala.
  • Leveraging Cloudera Data Visualization for dashboards and reports.
  • Managing data in Cloudera Data Warehouse.
  • Applying data security and governance with tools like Ranger and Atlas.
  • Handling large-scale datasets in a big data environment.
• Exam: CDP-4001, 50 questions in 120 minutes, hands-on focus.
• Why Pursue: Valuable for those in organizations using Cloudera for big data analytics, particularly in tech or data-heavy sectors.

Databricks Certified Data Analyst Associate

• Issuer: Databricks
• Target Audience: Data analysts or BI professionals with some experience in Databricks SQL, seeking to validate their skills in the Databricks Lakehouse platform.
• Skills Points:
  • Using Databricks SQL for data querying and analysis.
  • Managing data with Databricks tools and best practices.
  • Creating production-grade visualizations and dashboards.
  • Building analytics applications to solve common problems.
  • Working within the Lakehouse architecture.
• Exam: 45 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, recertification every 2 years.
• Why Pursue: Ideal for those in modern data environments using Databricks, especially in data science or engineering-adjacent roles.

SAP Certified Associate – Data Analyst – SAP Analytics Cloud

• Issuer: SAP
• Target Audience: Data analysts or business users working with SAP Analytics Cloud, aiming to certify their ability to perform analytics within SAP’s cloud platform.
• Skills Points:
  • Connecting to data sources and preparing data in SAP Analytics Cloud.
  • Building and customizing analytical models.
  • Creating visualizations, stories, and dashboards.
  • Performing basic predictive analytics and planning functions.
  • Collaborating and sharing insights within the SAP ecosystem.
• Exam: C_SAC_2501, 60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes.
• Why Pursue: Excellent for professionals in organizations using SAP solutions, particularly in finance, supply chain, or enterprise settings.