Business analytics may be a lucrative role in IT, with a mean entry-level salary of $68,000 per annum. Throughout their careers, business analysts course average salaries starting from $40,000 to $100,000 per annum, consistent with PayScale. If you would like to advance your business analyst career, or change career paths, here are 10 certifications that will help prove your mettle.
Top 10 business analyst certifications
- PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PBA)
- Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
- IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
- IIBA Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA)
- IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
- IIBA Agile Analysis Certification (AAC)
- IIBA Certification in Business Data Analytics (CBDA)
- IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)
- IREB Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE)
- Simplilearn Business Analyst Masters Program
PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) Certification
The PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) certification is meant for business analysts who work with projects or programs, or project and program managers who work with analytics. It’s offered through the Project Management Institute, which focuses on widely known project management certifications, like the PMP. The certification focuses on business analysis training through hands-on projects and testing on business analysis principles, tools, and fundamentals.
If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need a minimum of three years experience, or 4,500 hours, in business analysis consecutively within the past eight years to earn this certification. Without a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need five years or 7,500 hours of experience.
You’ll be required to earn 60 professional development units within three years after completing the certification to take care of your renewal status. If you let your renewal lapse, your credentials are going to be suspended for one year until you fulfill the wants — then, it'll be terminated and you’ll need to reapply.
Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
The Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) may be a vendor-neutral certification that certifies your skills and skill to draw valuable insights from complex data sets to assist guide strategic business decisions. To qualify for this certification, you'll need a master’s degree during a related field and a minimum of five years of relevant experience, or a bachelor’s degree during a related field alongside seven years of experience in data or analytics. You can also qualify for the associate level aCAP exam if you've got a master’s degree with just three years of related experience in data or analytics.
IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
The Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) is that the first level of certification with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), it’s designed for fewer experienced and entry-level business analysts. You will get to complete a minimum of 21 hours of professional training credits, within the past four years, before you'll be eligible for the exam. You don’t need to renew your ECBA certification, but it’s assumed you’ll advance to the second or third levels of certification.
IIBA Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA)
Level 2 of the IIBA certification, the Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA) requires a minimum of 3,750 hours of business analytics work aligned with the IIBA’s Business Analysis Book of Knowledge (BABOK) guide within the past 7 years, 900 hours in two of six BABOK knowledge areas, or 500 hours in four of six BABOK knowledge areas. The certification also requires a minimum of 21 hours of professional development training within the past four years and two professional references. The CCBA exam consists of 130 multiple-choice questions that are scenario-based and need some analysis. It covers fundamentals, underlying competencies, key concepts, techniques, and every six knowledge areas covered within the BABOK.
IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
The Certified Business Analysis Professional CBAP certification is that the third level of certification with IIBA and it’s designed for “individuals with extensive business analysis experience.” To qualify for this certification, you’ll need a minimum of 7,500 hours of business analyst work experience within the past 10 years, 900 hours of labor experience hours within four of the six BABOK knowledge areas, a minimum of 35 hours of professional development within the past four years and professional references. The exam is 3.5 hours long and includes 120 multiple-choice questions that are supported by case studies. After you pass, you’ll get to report a minimum of 60 hours of continuous development units every three years.
IIBA Agile Analysis Certification (AAC)
As a methodology, agile has been rising in importance for business analysts over the past several years, according to the IIBA. The association’s competency-based Agile Analysis Certification (AAC) exam was designed to address this skill set and to certify business analyst professionals working in agile environments, which require fast adaption and rapid change. The exam was developed using the Agile Extension to the BABOK guide and was released in May 2018. It is a standalone certification and is a break away from the opposite IIBA business analyst certifications, which stack on top of 1 another. The exam is obtainable through remote online proctoring and consists of 85 multiple-choice, scenario-based inquiries to be completed in 2 hours. The exam’s four main topics include agile mindset (30%), strategy horizon (10%), initiative horizon (25%), and delivery horizon (35%). Your certification will last for 3 years, at which point you’ll get to renew the certification. There aren’t any eligibility requirements to require the exam, but the IIBA recommends a minimum of two to 5 years of agile-related experience.
IIBA Certification in Business Data Analytics (CBDA)
The Certification n Business Data Analytics (IIBA-CBDA) from the IIBA may be a new certification that “recognizes your ability to effectively execute analysis-related add support of business analytics initiatives.” To pass the exam, you'll get to examine a real-world business problem, identify the info sources and the way to get data, analyze the info, interpret and report results from the data. You’ll then need to demonstrate how those results can influence business decision-making and guide company-level strategies for business analytics.
IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)
The International Qualifications Board for Business Analysts (IQBBA) offers the Certified Foundation Level Business Analysis (CFLBA) as an entry-level certification, which can qualify you to earn higher levels of certification. It’s a globally recognized certification with accredited exam and training centers all across the planet. It’s designed for “people involved in analyzing business processes within a corporation, modeling businesses, and process improvement.” the inspiration level covers enterprise analysis, business analysis process planning, requirements elicitation, requirements analysis, solution validation, tools and techniques, innovation, and design.
Once you complete the entry-level exam, you'll continue on to the Certified Advanced Level Business Analyst (CALBA) and authorized Expert Level Business Analyst (CELBA) certifications. Accredited training and exam centers within the US are currently limited, with centers in Chicago, Maryland, Oklahoma, Florida, and Texas. However, there are options to take training courses and exams online.
IREB Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE)
The International Requirements Engineering Board (IREB) offers the Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) certification is meant for those working in requirements engineering (RE), and it’s offered at three levels. The Foundation Level is first, where you’ll be certified in the basics of RE. The Advanced Level is next, where you can choose between three paths, including Requirements Elicitation and Consolidation, Requirements Modeling and Requirements Management — but you’ll need to wait 12 months after completing the primary exam to require the advanced level exam. The Expert Level certifies you at the “highest level of expert knowledge,” which incorporates both your hands-on experience also as your knowledge and skills gained through previous certifications.
Your certification won't expire, and you'll not get to renew it. The IREB states that the CPRE is “based on the elemental methods and approaches of Requirements Engineering, and these alter only slowly,” so, at this point, they don’t see a need for renewal.
SimpliLearn Business Analyst Masters Program
If you’re new to the industry or want to vary careers and begin on the trail of a business analyst, SimpliLearn offers a Business Analyst Masters Program that's accredited by the IIBA. Through the program, you'll prefer to earn your CCBA certification also as certifications in Agile Scrum Foundation, Digital Transformation for Leaders, Python for Data Science, and R Programming for Data Science. Completion of the program also will earn you 35 IIBA and 25 PMI professional development units.
The course promises to make you an expert in Excel, CBAP, Tableau, Agile ScrumMaster, SQL, CCBA, and Agile Scrum Foundation. You’ll also find out how to create interactive dashboards, apply statistical tools and ideas, master the agile scrum methodology, plan and track Scrum projects, understand business analysis key concepts, analyze data using Tableau, and much more.