If you want to work as a data analyst, obtaining a certification is one of the most effective ways to increase your employment chances. A data analyst certification assesses your skills and knowledge and allows you to demonstrate them to potential employers.
One of the fastest-growing worldwide industries is data analytics. Big data analytics demand is estimated to reach $68.09 billion by 2024, with the global data analytics industry reaching $77.64 billion by 2024.
There has been a huge increase in the number of jobs in the data science and analytics market due to the increased use of data analytics.
Hence, obtaining a data analytics certification will assist you in staying current with industry changes. At the same time can help you land a job quickly.
The key to expanding your knowledge base is learning something new daily. If you were a working professional, you wouldn’t have time to study these topics from many sources.
As a result, it’s best to enroll in a professional certification-granting education program. This will make you a valuable asset to your company in the future.
Here is a review of the best data analyst certifications, including data analytics certifications, to assist you in making decisions and selecting the perfect one.
So, which data analytics certification programs are the best? Let’s have a look. First, see the table of content below…
Table of contents
- Is Data Analytics Certification Worth It?
- Which Certification is Best for Data Analyst?
- Can I Get a Job with a Certificate in Data Analytics?
- Are Certification in Data Analytics and Certifications in Big Data the Same?
- What Can I Do with a Certification in Big Data?
- What is the Most Useful Data Analytics Certification?
- Top 15 Data Analytics Certifications to Enhance your Career | 2024
- 1. CompTIA Data+ Certification
- 2. Cloudera Certified Associate (CCA) Data Analyst Certification
- 3. Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate
- 4. Associate Certified Analytics Professional
- 5. Microsoft Certified Azure Data Scientist Associate
- 6. CareerFoundry Data Analytics Program
- 7. Harvard University Business Analytics Course
- 8. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
- 9. SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9
- 10. Wharton Business Analytics Online Certificate Program
- 11. BrainStation Data Analytics Certificate
- 12. Thinkful Data Analytics Immersion Course
- 13. Springboard Data Analytics Career Track
- 14. General Assembly Data Analytics Course
- 15. Open Certified Data Scientist
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendation
Is Data Analytics Certification Worth It?
Obtaining one of the best data analytics certificates necessitates a financial, time, and effort investment.
Are the qualifications, on the other hand, really worth it?
Yes, we believe so.
Certifications, in general, set you apart from other job seekers.
On your résumé and LinkedIn page, they look great. They also let employers know that you have the specific skill set they are looking for in a candidate.
This could help you earn more money than someone who does not have a qualification.
A data analytics certification is worthwhile if your goal is to become a more competitive job prospect.
In a nutshell, Data analytics isn’t just a fad; it has significant commercial ramifications.
Companies like Netflix and Spotify can tailor their services down to the last detail because of data analytics.
It enables marketers to gain a new level of insight into customer behavior. To name a few areas, it is revolutionizing education, healthcare, travel, and politics.
Those who can work with and exploit data are highly valued, and both large and small businesses are turning to data analysts to assist them to gain a competitive advantage.
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Which Certification is Best for Data Analyst?
When you have a small pool of certification to select from, finding the correct data analytics certification is easier.
However, after much research the CompTIA Data+ is proving to be the best certification for most data analysts, followed by Microsoft Certified:
Data Analyst Associate.
They’ve received the highest number of enrollment on Coursera considering how less expensive the certification cost.
In the later part of this article, we’ll look at some of the best data analytics certifications to take.
Read Also: 4-Week Certificate Program That Pays Well
Can I Get a Job with a Certificate in Data Analytics?
Simply put, obtaining a certification can improve your chances of landing a job.
According to a Microsoft study, certification played a big impact in the candidate selection process for 91% of hiring managers.
It’s not easy to obtain a reputable data analytics certification, but once you do, you’ll have access to a plethora of profitable options. When you have the appropriate qualification, your resume will undoubtedly stand out from the crowd.
As a result, companies will have another motive to invest in you.
Here are a few job titles you might be qualified for with a professional certification in data analytics, just to mention a few:
- Data Analyst
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Data Visualiser
- Data and Analytics Manager
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Are Certification in Data Analytics and Certifications in Big Data the Same?
Data analytics certifications are intended to demonstrate that you understand data management and analytics ideas as well as data analysis skills.
While Big Data Certifications and certificate programs, on the other hand, are designed to assist you to learn more about raw data, and how it’s used to analyze insights for better and strategic business moves.
However, both certifications are the greatest place to start for anyone looking to enter or advance in the data analytics and big data sector.
Generally, certifications demonstrate to potential employers that a job candidate possesses the skills and information required to perform the specialized duties and tasks of a big data expert.
So, it’s critical to grasp the differences between data analytics certifications and big data certifications before you can confidently choose the right one for you.
What Can I Do with a Certification in Big Data?
A big data certification provides your career track a major boost, whether you’re just starting started or a seasoned professional.
If you’re new to the sector, a big data certification course delivers you the training you need to make the shift and land your first job.
These certification courses range from the extremely particular, such as Big Data Hadoop Certification Training, to a more all-encompassing field of study, such as the Big Data Engineer Master’s Program, which awards you a number of various certifications that are necessary for your chosen learning route.
A certification course can help you advance in your career or move into a more specialized role if you’re already a big data specialist.
For example, if you need to learn more about a specific element of big data, such as MongoDB or Apache Cassandra, certification can help you develop the necessary skills while also providing confirmation of your qualifications to your present or prospective employer.
Certifications show that current big data experts are proactive in their careers, which is a useful point to highlight to supervisors performing performance reviews.
Shrewd managers recognize that a qualified expert is a valuable asset to any firm, which provides an incentive for the company to keep the employee, usually in the form of promotions or raises (or both!).
Over 42% of survey respondents received a raise within a year of finishing a Big Data certification course, according to a Certification Magazine 2020 pay poll.
Furthermore, big data positions pay extraordinarily well. A data architect can make up to USD 190,000 per year, while a big data engineer can make up to USD 188,000 per year.
Finally, a data scientist can earn up to USD 190,000 per year, according to ZipRecruiter.
What is the Most Useful Data Analytics Certification?
When you have a small pool of credentials to select from, finding the most useful data analytics certification is easier.
Here’s a look at some of the most popular data analytics certifications right now.
- CompTIA Data+
- Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate
- Cloudera Certified Associate Data Analyst
- SAS Certified Big Data Professional Certificate
- Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
- Amazon AWS Certified Data Analytics
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate.
Top 15 Data Analytics Certifications to Enhance your Career | 2024
1. CompTIA Data+ Certification
Level: All levels
Price: TBD
Duration: 18-24 months
The CompTIA Data+ certification, offered by IT certifications provider CompTIA, is an excellent place to begin learning about data analytics.
It provides you with a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the analytics process.
It also confirms the data analytics skills that business leaders seek in a data expert.
CompTIA Data+ is also the only vendor-neutral data analyst certification that covers fundamental data analytics skills, evaluates hands-on competencies, and is vendor-neutral.
Furthermore, CompTIA Data+ enables you to evaluate and report on datasets.
It teaches you how to follow oversight and data quality guidelines, as well as how to understand the following:
- Environments and data concepts
- Exploration of data
- Visualization of data analysis
Are you ready to start with a vendor-neutral data analysis certification that demonstrates your data analytics abilities to employers?
If that’s the case, CompTIA Data+ is the certification for you.
For qualifying candidates, the CompTIA Data+ beta test is currently available. You can get the certification and $200 by taking the beta exam while also helping to develop the certification exam.
To check if you qualify, fill out our survey. CompTIA Data+ training solutions and the exam will be offered to the public in the first quarter of 2024 if you don’t qualify for the beta exam or need to train beforehand.
2. Cloudera Certified Associate (CCA) Data Analyst Certification
Level: Professionals with some knowledge of SQL
Price: $2,235 – $3,195 USD
Duration: Four days
This course will help you take your data abilities to the next level if you already work in a technical or analytical role.
Data analysts, business intelligence specialists, developers, system architects, and database administrators who want to learn how to work with big data and get their abilities validated should take this course.
You’ll need some SQL understanding as well as some familiarity with the Linux command line.
Above all, after completing the course, you will be able to sit for the CCA Data Analyst exam and get your certification.
Meanwhile, the course takes four full days to complete, but the on-demand option allows you to work at your own pace.
It will cost $3,195 USD if you choose the virtual classroom. At $2,235 USD, the on-demand option is marginally less expensive. An additional $295 USD is required for the CCA Data Analyst exam.
3. Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate
Level: Advanced
Price: $165 per exam
Duration: Four Days
Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate teaches you how to use Microsoft Power BI to maximize the value of a company’s data assets by cleaning and transforming data, as well as developing and building scalable data models.
In the context of Power BI, those who gain Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate are experts in data preparation, data modeling, data visualization, and data analysis.
Data experts and business intelligence specialists are ideal candidates for this qualification.
These individuals should be familiar with Power BI and have some expertise with it.
Microsoft will retire the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Data Management and Analytics certification in January 2024, and the Data Analyst Associate certification is one of several role-based qualifications that will replace it.
Holders of this certificate can develop and build scalable data models, clean and transform data, and provide sophisticated analytic capabilities, demonstrating subject matter expertise in helping businesses to leverage their data assets using Microsoft Power BI.
4. Associate Certified Analytics Professional
Level: Advanced
Price: $300
Duration: Self-Paced
The Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP) credential is an entry-level analytics certification. It demonstrates knowledge of the analytics process while excluding practical experience.
The certification focuses on business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data, technique selection, model creation, deployment, and lifecycle management, which are the seven areas of the analytics process.
5. Microsoft Certified Azure Data Scientist Associate
Level: Intermediate
Price: $165 for the exam
Duration: Self-Paced
Microsoft Certified Azure Data Scientist is another certification that stands out.
It’s expected that candidates for the Azure Data Scientist Associate certification should have subject matter knowledge in implementing and running machine learning workloads on Azure using data science and machine learning.
This responsibilities include developing and implementing an appropriate working environment for Azure data science workloads.
You experiment with data and train predictive algorithms. You also oversee the management, optimization, and deployment of machine learning models in production.
This certification requires knowledge and experience with data science as well as Azure Machine Learning and Azure Databricks.
6. CareerFoundry Data Analytics Program
Level: Beginners
Price: $6,900 USD
Duration: Eight Months
The CareerFoundry Data Analytics Program is designed for those who want to learn how to become a data analyst from the ground up.
This certification program is one of the most complete on the market, with a hands-on curriculum, a dual mentorship approach, a job guarantee, career coaching, and an active student community.
Furthermore, the curriculum is entirely online, making it a viable alternative for those who work or have other obligations.
At a rate of 15 hours per week, the program will take eight months to finish.
It is self-paced; you can work largely on your own time, but you must adhere to certain deadlines to stay on track for a timely completion.
The CareerFoundry Data Analytics Program costs $6,900 USD (or $6,555 USD if paid in full right away).
7. Harvard University Business Analytics Course
Level: Beginners and professionals looking to upskill
Price: $1,600 USD
Duration: 8 weeks (5-6 hours per week)
This introductory course is ideal for anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of data analytics.
Whether you’re a college student or graduate preparing for a business career, a mid-career professional looking to develop a more data-driven mindset, or if you’re thinking about taking a more comprehensive data analytics course and want to brush up on your analytical skills, take this certification.
This is a wonderful alternative if you want to dip your toes in without investing too much time and money.
It is offered fully online, at a flexible pace, and at a pretty cheap fee.
Above all, the Harvard Business School platform is used to provide the course content. The course is eight weeks long and requires roughly 40 hours to finish.
8. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
Level: Advanced
Price: $39 per month
Duration: Three Months at 12 Hours per Week
The IBM Data Science Professional Credential is a beginner-level certificate that shows a person’s knowledge of data science topics such as open-source tools and libraries, methods, Python databases, SQL, data visualization, data analysis, and machine learning.
Basically, the credential requires the candidate to complete nine courses (approximately three months at 12 hours per week), during which time they will complete multiple hands-on assignments and construct a portfolio of data science projects.
Candidates receive a Coursera Professional Certification and an IBM digital badge recognizing data science expertise at the completion of the program.
9. SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9
Level: Beginners and career-changers
Price: $250
Duration: 3 Months
The SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional is a professional that has received SAS certification in advanced analytics.
The SAS 9 certificate verifies the ability to analyze large amounts of data using a number of statistical and predictive modeling approaches.
Machine learning and predictive modeling techniques, as well as their application to large, distributed, and in-memory data sets, should be familiar to candidates.
Pattern spotting, business experimentation, optimization approaches, and time series forecasting are all skills they should have. Passing three tests is required for certification:
Predictive Modeling Using SAS Enterprise Miner 7, 13, or 14
SAS Advanced Predictive Modeling
SAS Text Analytics, Time Series, Experimentation and Optimization
The Predictive Modeling with SAS Enterprise Miner exam costs $250, while the others cost $180.
10. Wharton Business Analytics Online Certificate Program
Level: Managers and leaders looking to upskill
Price: USD 2,600
Duration: 3 months (6-8 hours per week)
This online class is designed for managers and executives who want to learn how data analytics may help them make better decisions.
Most importantly, this is a flexible, low-intensity way to learn the principles of data analytics for business if you want to improve in your current work and lead your team to success (rather than making a career transition into data analytics).
Above all, the course is divided into nine sections that will guide you through the many forms of data analysis, as well as the most important approaches and tools.
Also, the material of the course is provided through a mix of video and live online lectures.
Meanwhile, the course will take three months to complete and will require between six and eight hours per week of your time.
The course costs $2,600 USD, making it one of our more budget-friendly options.
11. BrainStation Data Analytics Certificate
Level: Beginners looking for an introductory course
Price: $3,950 USD
Duration: 10 weeks part-time
The BrainStation course is one of the less time-intensive alternatives on our list, lasting only 10 weeks on a part-time basis—ideal if you’re not yet ready to commit to a long program.
This course will teach you the essentials of data analytics, allowing you to utilize what you’ve learned in your current work or continue your education.
It’s worth noting that the BrainStation course is less focused on job transformation than some of the other alternatives available, so you won’t get much in the way of mentorship or career guidance.
Basically, you’ll focus on three main topics: building and managing databases, finding data trends, and visualizing and presenting insights, whether onsite or via entertaining live lectures.
You’ll finish a project on a dataset of your choice to receive your data analytics certificate.
On a part-time basis, the course takes 10 weeks to complete. Whether you attend in person or take the course online determines the exact schedule and duration.
Meanwhile, the course costs $3,950 USD, with a variety of payment options and scholarship alternatives.
12. Thinkful Data Analytics Immersion Course
Level: Beginners and career-changers with a bigger budget
Price: $13,600
Duration: 4 months (full-time)
The Thinkful program is a four-month full-time immersion program that promises to take you from complete beginner to job-ready data analyst.
If you want to start a career in data analytics and have the time and money to invest, this is without a doubt one of the most comprehensive programs accessible.
If you’re looking to start a career in the industry, keep in mind that the Thinkful course does not guarantee a job.
You’ll understand all the major principles of data analytics with instructor-led learning in a virtual classroom setting, starting with an introduction to data analytics in modern business and ending with a deep dive into Python and statistics.
13. Springboard Data Analytics Career Track
Level: Career-changers with some experience
Price: $6,600 USD
Duration: 6 months (15-20 hours per week)
The Springboard data analytics certification is for persons with two years of professional experience and a demonstrated ability for critical thinking and problem solutions.
This is a completely online, supervised course that provides both flexibility and a job guarantee—perfect if you already have some industry experience but want to change careers.
If you don’t fit the criteria for the Data Analytics Career Track, Springboard also offers an Intro to Business Analytics course, which does not guarantee a job.
When you sign up, a mentor will be assigned to you based on your availability and the abilities you want to improve.
You’ll learn entirely online, using case studies and project-based tasks to apply what you’ve learned.
Also, you’ll work on a final project that your mentor will examine to finish the course. You’ll receive a completion certificate that you may put on your LinkedIn page.
This is a six-month curriculum that requires most students to devote 15-20 hours per week.
Above all, the program costs $6,600 USD (with a 17 percent discount if you can pay the entire tuition upfront).
14. General Assembly Data Analytics Course
Level: Beginners looking to upskill
Price: $3,950
Duration: 10 weeks part-time (4 hours per week) or 1-week intensive
If you’re not wanting to work as a data analyst but want to learn some of the essential skills and tools, the General Assembly course is a great place to start.
It takes just four hours per week and covers a lot of ground.
This is an entry-level program designed for newcomers and career changers who want to develop practical skills, as well as marketers and product managers who want to progress their careers and data analysts who want to formalize their skillset.
Classes are held twice a week in the evenings or all day on Saturdays for part-time students, depending on your availability.
Alternatively, you can enroll in a one-week intensive session.
At a rate of four hours each week, the course will take ten weeks to finish. Alternatively, a one-week intense approach is available.
It’s crucial to remember that the majority of your project work will be completed outside of class hours.
The cost of the course is $3,950 USD.
15. Open Certified Data Scientist
Level: Beginner
Price: $1,250
Duration: Three Years
The Open CDS is an independent global certification that recognizes data scientists’ abilities, knowledge, and expertise.
Through written applications and peer interviews, candidates for Open CDS must demonstrate their abilities and experience against a set of conformance requirements.
There are no training courses included, and there are no written tests.
The certification is obtained in three stages:
First, the candidate must obtain four to five milestone badges;
Second, the candidate must complete the Experience Application Form;
Finally, the candidate must attend a board review. The certification lasts for three years, after which the holder may re-certify.
Conclusion
The abilities you gain are the single most significant thing you can get from any certification program, and that should be your top priority.
We’ve covered 15 of the best data analytics certification programs on the market in this article.
Hopefully, you were able to find something that fitted both your budget and your educational needs!
Now is the time to dig a little deeper into your study and do complete background checks on the programs you’ve shortlisted.
References
- careerfoundry.com – The Best Data Analytics Certification Programs
- cio.com – The top 11 big data and data analytics certifications
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