Data Analysis Certificate

What is a Data Analysis Certificate?

Every data analyst certification program is a little bit different.

Many different organizations offer certificate programs. As you will see in our list of data analyst certification programs below, you can earn a certificate from a college or university, an online learning platform like Coursera, and even from private technology companies like Google. The common thread is that these programs in data analysis are generally taught by experts in the field.

Most data analysis certificate programs require the completion of multiple courses. Some programs will consist of three or four classes while others might require the completion of six courses or more before granting a completed data analysis certificate.

For this reason, the time required to earn a certificate can vary greatly, especially depending on your educational background and level of experience. For example, a certification program for beginners might take a full year to complete simply because of the breadth of information you must master. But, if you have a background in data analysis, an advanced certificate might only take a few weeks.

Lastly, the cost of a data analyst certification can vary widely. In some cases, you might find certification courses that are free to enroll or very low cost. In other cases, earning a data analyst certification might require full tuition and fees.

The certificate program you select should fit your budget and your needs. To help you identify potential data analyst certification courses, we have listed a few options for you in the next section.

As noted above, there are data analytics certification courses for just about every skill, timeline, and budget.

To help organize potential courses for you, we have broken them down into three categories - beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Likewise, each top course includes a brief outline, an estimated cost, and a timeline for completion. There are links to additional options for each skill level as well.

Beginner Data Analyst Certification Programs

A popular data analyst certificate for beginners is Google’s Data Analytics Professional Certificate.

This certificate program from Google prepares you for entry-level work in data analytics. You will learn essential data cleaning, data visualization, and R programming skills.

The course includes eight modules, each on a different data analysis topic. This includes data analysis foundations, data exploration, and data integrity. There is also a capstone project that allows you to put your skills to the test, which may ultimately help prepare you to land your first data analytics job.

Cost: Approximately $234.00

Time toComplete: Six months

Other Beginner Data Analysis Certificates:

• Data Analysis Basics with Excel from EdX ($398.00)
• IBM Data Science Professional Certificate from Coursera (approximately $429.00)
• Data Analytics Course Online from BrainStation ($3,950.00)

Intermediate Data Analyst Certification Programs

For more experienced data analysts, Udemy offers Statistics for Data Analysis Using Python

Python is a valuable data analysis tool to have in your toolkit. If you already have some data analysis experience, this course can help you expand your capabilities to secure a promotion or switch careers.

Offered by Udemy, this course has nine modules with 137 lectures. There are about 16 hours of course materials to work through. Topics include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and hypothesis testing with Python.

Cost: $84.99

Time to Complete: One week

Other Intermediate Data Analysis Certificates

• Azure Data Scientist Associate Certification from Microsoft (free study materials; $165 for the certification exam)
• Advanced Business Analytics Specialization from Coursera (approximately $195.00)
• Data Analyst Nanodegree from Udacity ($1,356.00)

Advanced Data Analyst Certification Programs

Advanced data analysts looking for a data analysis graduate certificate should consider Harvard’s data analytics graduate certificate.

This graduate certificate program from Harvard University teaches you skills related to statistical analyses, data mining, and programming. You will also explore how to use databases, engage in data visualization, and apply your learning to different applications.

You must finish four graduate courses within three years to complete the program. You must also earn a B or better in all four courses.

Cost: $2,980 per course

Time to Complete: Up to three years

Other Advanced Data Analysis Certificates:

• Power BI Data Analyst Associate Certification from Microsoft (free study materials; $165 for the certification exam)
• Certified Associate Data Analyst from Cloudera (free study materials; $295 for the certification exam)
• Applied Business Analytics Program from MIT ($2,800.00)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I get a data analysis certificate?

A data analyst certification program can help you find employment, retain employment, get a promotion, or switch careers. You can also learn new skills that can be applied in many different settings, from marketing to sports to social media.

Data analysts are in demand, too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in the computer and information research science field are expected to grow by 22 percent through 2030. This is much faster growth than for most jobs.

Employment as a data analyst can be financially lucrative, too. The BLS reports that the median annual salary for computer and information research scientists was $126,830 in 2020.

Can I complete a data analyst certification online?

There are many online certification options for data analysis. Each certification program listed above is completely online. In some cases, the certifications are self-paced. You get to study your data analyst certification at your own pace. Some courses charge a monthly fee, so the price of the data analyst certification will rise the longer it takes you to finish.

Will a data analyst certification program help me find a job?

Successfully completing a data analyst program will certainly help you find a job.

A certificate indicates to employers that you have the skills they want. It also demonstrates your skills and abilities while showing potential employers that you are a go-getter that took the initiative to learn something new. Employers are always looking for employees that have the latest training, too.

Ultimately, though, your ability to apply what you have learned in a valuable way is what employers want.

Can I earn more money with a data analyst certification?

Your salary depends on various factors, one of which is your level of education and expertise. A certificate shows that you have expertise in this field and that you have continued your education. That being the case, it is likely that you will earn more money after completing a data analyst certification program - but it is not a guarantee.

What skills do I need to be a data analyst?

The specific skills you need to be a data analyst depend on the job for which you are applying. That said, there are some basic skills that most data analyst jobs require:

• Linear algebra
• Calculus
• Excel
• Python
• R
• Data cleaning
• Data visualization
• SQL
• Machine learning
• Critical thinking skills

Additionally, you need excellent communication and presentation skills. After all, the role of a data analyst is to present data to stakeholders in a way that is accessible and understandable.

If you lack any of these skills, take an individual course to learn relevant material before you take certification courses in data analytics. You might find free data analysis courses on platforms like Coursera, EdX, Udacity, and Udemy, to name a few.