Top 6 Data Analytics Certifications to Boost Your Career (The Latest Guide for 2024)?

Top 6 Data Analytics Certifications to Boost Your Career (The Latest Guide for 2024)?

Whether you're a newcomer or already working in data analytics, getting a certification or certificate can help you move forward in your career.

Data analytics involves using data to make informed decisions. By gathering, cleaning, and analyzing data, you can determine the best strategies to achieve specific goals.

Many people in data analytics wonder which certification or certificate is best for their career goals. Should you get a certificate or a certification? Which ones are suitable for your current skills and experience?

If these are your questions, you've come to the right place. This guide lists six popular data analytics certifications and certificates, along with suggested courses to help you get started.

Whether you want to break into the field or advance to roles like data analyst or data scientist, this article provides the information you need to choose the right certification. Read on to discover which option is best for you.

Data Analytics Certificate vs. Certification

Although they might sound similar, certificates and certifications are different.

A certificate proves you've completed a specific training course, like Google's Data Analytics Professional Certificate, which takes six months. A certification, on the other hand, shows you've passed an exam, like the one required for Microsoft's Power BI Data Analyst certification.

Both can help you reach your career goals, but your choice depends on what you want to achieve. A certificate might prepare you for certain jobs by teaching essential skills like SQL. A certification might be necessary for positions that require a “certified data analyst” with a specific credential.

There are courses for data analysts at all levels, whether you're just starting or have years of experience.

Here are six popular certification and certificate programs for aspiring or experienced data analysts. Use this list to find the option that best matches your goals.

1. Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate

Google's Data Analytics Professional Certificate is a flexible online program that gives beginners a thorough introduction to data analytics in six months. The course covers how to clean, visualize, and analyze data, as well as how to use tools like spreadsheets, SQL, and R programming.

Requirements: No prior experience, knowledge, or training is needed to start this course.

2. IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate

The IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate is another flexible online course designed for beginners. Over 11 months, you'll learn about Python, SQL, Excel, and IBM Cognos analytics through eight courses, preparing you for entry-level data analyst roles.

Requirements: No prior experience is needed. Basic computer literacy, high school math, and a willingness to work with numbers are sufficient.

3. Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate

Microsoft's Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification shows you can work with Power BI, a tool for visualizing data in business analytics. This certification is for experts who understand data processes and repositories and want to demonstrate their advanced skills.

Requirements: You need a solid grasp of data processes and repositories. To get this certification, you must score at least 700 on Exam PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst.

4. SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional Certificate

The SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional Certificate is for data analysts who want to improve their predictive and statistical modeling skills. This three-month online course is intended for those already familiar with SAS programming and proves your ability to model and program for business.

Requirements: You should already know SAS programming. If you're not familiar with SAS, start with the SAS Programmer Professional Certificate.

5. CompTIA Data+

The CompTIA Data+ certification highlights your skills in data mining, manipulation, visualization, and reporting. Aimed at early-career professionals, this certification helps you stand out if you have 1.5 to 2 years of experience in the field.

Requirements: You need to pass a 90-question exam with a score of at least 675 out of 900. CompTIA recommends having 18-24 months of experience in an analyst or reporting role.

6. Meta Data Analyst Professional Certificate

Meta's Data Analyst Professional Certificate helps you practice statistical analysis, data management, and programming with tools like SQL, Tableau, and Python. This beginner-friendly, self-paced program can be completed in five months, preparing you for entry-level data analyst positions.

Requirements: No prior experience is needed. Basic computer literacy, high school math, and a willingness to work with numbers are enough.

Is a Data Analyst Certification or Certificate Worth It?

Both certificates and certifications can help early-career professionals enter the field and experienced professionals advance their careers.

A 2022 survey found that 75% of Google Career Certificate Graduates in the U.S. saw positive career outcomes within six months of completion, including new jobs, promotions, or raises.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also supports this. In a 2023 survey, they found that professionals with a certification or license had lower unemployment rates and higher median wages than those without either.

With a certification (but not a license):

Median weekly wage: $1,463 Unemployment rate: 2.3%

With a license:

Median weekly wage: $1,355 Unemployment rate: 1.8%

Without a certification or license:

Median weekly wage: $1,024 Unemployment rate: 4.2%

These statistics suggest that earning a certificate, certification, or other credential can positively impact your career prospects, salary, and employment opportunities.

Next Steps

Getting a professional certificate or certification signals your expertise to employers. To improve your analytic skills, consider taking an online course through platforms like Coursera.

For example, Google's Data Analytics Professional Certificate prepares beginners for entry-level positions in data analytics without requiring any prior experience.

Alternatively, Amazon Web Services' AWS Fundamentals Specialization teaches how to apply key AWS services to various professional use cases in just four months.