7 Popular Data Analytics Certifications: Your 2025 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 analytics careers have emerged as one of the most demanded fields in Canada, and earning a certification or Professional Certificate is a great way to gain foundational knowledge while building your skill set [1]. 

A certification or certificate can also increase your earnings potential. According to Talent.com, the average data analyst salary in Canada is $91,948 per year [2].

Data analytics: Certificate vs. certification

Although they sound similar, certificates and certifications differ in several ways. 

A certificate offers proof that you have completed a specific professional training course, such as the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate program. A certification, meanwhile, is proof that you have taken and passed a specific exam, such as that required to achieve Microsoft’s Power BI Data Analyst Associate 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, positions asking for a “certified data analyst” typically require possessing a specific certification.

7 popular data analytics certifications, certificates, and other programs

As an aspiring or established data analyst, you’ll find various available certificate and certification courses. 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

The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate program 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: No prior experience, knowledge, or training required to take Google’s Data Analytics Professional Certificate program. 

Cost: The course costs 59 USD per month by subscription on Coursera [3].

2. IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate

The IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate program is a flexible online course that prepares those with no prior experience for entry-level data analyst positions. Through 11 courses that take approximately five months to complete, you will 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 program. 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 USD per month by subscription on Coursera [3].

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 understand data processes and repositories, the certification is well-suited to those looking to showcase their advanced analytic abilities and the value they can add to businesses. 

Requirements: Those with a confident grasp of data processes and repositories should pursue the Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification. 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 USD [4]. 

Tip: If you complete the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate on Coursera, you will receive a 50 per cent discount voucher to take the PL-300 Certification Exam.

4. SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional Certificate

Data analysts looking to improve their predictive and statistical modeling abilities in the professional world may consider the SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional Certificate. Geared toward those familiar with SAS programming, the online course takes approximately one month to complete and indicates the holder’s proficiency in modeling and programming for business purposes. 

Requirements: Before enrolling in this Professional Certificate program, you should have previous knowledge of and experience working with the SAS programming language. If you need more of an understanding of SAS, consider obtaining the SAS Programmer Professional Certificate first.

Cost: The course costs 59 USD per month by subscription on Coursera [3].

5. CompTIA Data+ certification

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 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 you have 18 to 24 months of experience in an analyst or reporting position that has exposed you to databases, analytical tools, statistics, and the basics of data visualization.

Cost: The exam costs 253 USD [5].

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, you can complete this self-paced program in just five 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 beginner-friendly Professional Certificate can help candidates prepare to apply for an entry-level role. You don’t need prior experience, but you should have basic computer literacy, high school math, and a willingness to work with numbers.

Cost: The course costs 59 USD per month by subscription on Coursera [3]. 

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 3-course series provides hands-on experience with Microsoft Copilot so you can accelerate your data insights in impactful ways.

Requirements: No prerequisites. However, you should have a desire to build or strengthen key AI skills.

Cost: The course costs 59 USD per month by subscription on Coursera [3].

Is a data analyst certification or certificate worth it?

Professional certificates or certifications can help early-career professionals enter the field and career veterans boost their job prospects. 

According to a 2023 Google survey, more than 35,000 Canadians have already graduated from Google's Career Certificate Program. Among them, 75 per cent report experiencing positive professional benefits as a result [6]. After you get your Google Career Certificate, you’ll receive access to a resume-building tool, practice interviews, and networking help. Additionally, you’ll be able to connect with Canadian employers in the hiring consortium who are accepting applicants who have obtained a Google Career Certificate.

Build key data analytics skills on Coursera

Preparing for data analytics certifications requires some time and effort to build your skill set. You can learn from industry leaders and prepare for a vibrant career when you enrol in courses like the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate program on Coursera. 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.