7 Popular Data Analytics Certifications: Your 2024 Guide

Data analytics is the practice of using data to make informed decisions. By collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data, you can find the most strategic and optimal course of action to achieve a specific goal. Data careers are a high-growth field, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and earning a certification or professional certificate is a great way to gain foundational knowledge while building your skill set [1].

We've compiled a list of seven popular data analytic certifications and certificates to help you get started. Ready to jump right in? Consider enrolling in the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. No prior experience necessary.

Data analytics: certificate vs. certification

Though they sound similar, certificates and certifications are not the same. A certificate is proof that an individual has completed a specific professional training course, such as the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. A certification, meanwhile, is proof that an individual has taken and passed a specific exam, such as is required to achieve Microsoft’s Power BI Data Analyst certification. 

Both can help you achieve your career goals. While a certificate may prepare some job seekers for specific jobs by providing essential training, such as in SQL, a certification may be required for certain positions that ask for a “certified data analyst” possessing a specific certification. 

7 popular data analytics certifications and certificates

Many certificate and certification courses are available to aspiring or established data analysts. Use the list of popular certification and certificate courses below to identify the option best suited to your goals. 

1. Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate

Google’s Data Analytics Professional Certificate is a flexible online certificate program that provides a comprehensive introduction to data analytics in just six months. Specifically designed for beginners with no prior experience, the course teaches students how to clean, visualize, and analyze data alongside how to use spreadsheets, SQL, and R programming. 

Requirements: There is no prior experience, knowledge, or training required to take Google’s Data Analytics Professional certificate. 

Cost: The course costs $59 per month by subscription on Coursera. 

2. IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate

The IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate is a flexible online course that prepares those with no prior experience for entry-level data analyst positions. Through eight courses that take approximately 11 months to complete, learners develop a working knowledge of Python, SQL, Excel, and IBM Cognos analytics, among other programs. 

Requirements: You don’t need prior experience to take the IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate. A basic understanding of computer literacy, high school math, and a willingness to work with numbers is all you need to get started. 

Cost: The course costs $59 per month by subscription on Coursera. 

3. Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate

Microsoft’s Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification indicates the certification holder’s ability to work with Power BI, an interactive software used to visualize data for business analytics and intelligence. Designed for subject matter experts who already possess an understanding of data processes and data repositories, the certification is well-suited to those looking to showcase their advanced analytic abilities and the value they can add to businesses. 

Requirements: The Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification should only be pursued by those with a confident grasp of both data processes and repositories. To achieve this certification, you must achieve a passing score of 700 on Exam PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst. 

Cost: Certification training options include free, self-guided courses and instructor-led options from various learning partners. The exam costs $165. Completers of the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate on Coursera will receive a 50 percent discount voucher to take the PL-300 Certification Exam.

4. SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional Certificate

The SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional Certificate is designed for data analysts looking to improve their predictive and statistical modeling abilities in the professional world. Designed for those with prior knowledge of SAS programming, the online certificate takes approximately three months to complete and indicates the holder’s proficiency in modeling and programming for business purposes. 

Requirements: This professional certificate is intended for those who already possess prior knowledge of and experience with the SAS programming language. Those who lack an understanding of SAS should take the SAS Programmer Professional Certificate first.

Cost: The course costs $59 per month by subscription on Coursera. 

5. CompTIA Data+

The CompTIA Data+ certification highlights an early career professional’s grasp of data mining, manipulation, visualization, and reporting. This certification is intended for those with one-and-a-half to two years of work experience, and the CompTIA Data+ certification offers the chance for those just starting in the industry to stand out from the crowd. 

Requirements: To achieve this certification, you must pass a 90-question exam with a score of at least 675 on a 100-900 scale. CompTIA recommends that those taking this exam have 18 - 24 months of prior experience in an analyst or reporting position that has exposed them to databases, analytical tools, statistics, and the basics of data visualization.

Cost: The exam costs $253.

Prepare with Coursera

IBM’s Data Analysis and Visualizations Foundations Specialization introduces beginners to the data ecosystem, the day-to-day duties of a data analyst, and the various lists and charts necessary to excel in the profession. 

6. Meta Data Analyst Professional Certificate

You can practice statistical analysis, data management, and programming using industry-standard tools like SQL, Tableau, and Python in Meta's beginner-friendly Data Analyst Professional Certificate. Designed to prepare you for an entry-level role, this self-paced program can be completed in just 5 months. By the end, you'll have completed hands-on projects for your portfolio that you can use to showcase your skills to potential employers.

Requirements: This professional certificate is intended for candidates preparing to apply for an entry-level role. You don’t need prior experience. Basic computer literacy, high school math, and a willingness to work with numbers is sufficient experience to get started.

Cost: The course costs $59 per month by subscription on Coursera. 

7. Microsoft Copilot for Data Science Specialization

Understanding how to work with generative AI tools and leverage the insights they deliver will be increasingly important in the data field. The Microsoft Copilot for Data Science Specialization provides hands-on experience with Microsoft Copilot so you can accelerate your data insights in impactful ways.

Requirements: This specialization is designed for existing and aspiring data scientists who want to build or strengthen key AI skills to advance their careers.

Cost: The course costs $59 per month by subscription on Coursera. 

Is a data analyst certification or certificate worth it?

Professional certificates or certifications, in addition to higher education degrees, can help early-career professionals enter the field, and career veterans boost their job prospects. According to a 2022 survey, 75 percent of Google Career Certificate Graduates in the United States reported a positive career outcome within six months of completion [2]. These improvements include everything from a new job or career to a promotion or raise.

These findings are supported by research conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In a 2023 survey, for example, the BLS found that professionals with either a certification or license faced lower levels of unemployment and earned more on average than those without either [3, 4]. 

At a glance, they found the following: 

These results suggest that obtaining either a certificate, certification, or another credential, such as a license, has the potential to have a positive impact on your career opportunities, salary, and employment.

Build key data analytics skills on Coursera

To hone your data analytic skills, consider enrolling in the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. When you complete the program, you'll get access to exclusive career resources and can connect with over 150 hiring organizations through Google's Employer Consortium.