A business analyst is a critical role in many organizations. The job requires seeing the big picture and synthesizing information from across the business to find opportunities. Although every business analyst brings their own special set of skills and experiences to the table, earning a certification is a great way to prove your expertise.
Business analysts help enterprises make the most of their data by detecting trends and patterns. They may also be called upon to create internal or external reports summarizing findings and communicating insights.
What is a Business Analyst Certification?
A business analyst certification is a document that shows that an individual has acquired specific knowledge, skills, and abilities in business analysis. Many businesses want to see certifications as part of an employee’s job application; it demonstrates a person’s commitment to their career. These days, there are many options for certifying your business acumen. Not all credentials are created equal—and some are better than others, depending on your goals and experience level.
Is a Business Analyst Certification Worth It?
As enterprises get larger and more complex and opportunities abound, a business analyst certification may provide a career-launching springboard. It is increasingly difficult to compete with other candidates in today’s job market when trying to find work as a business analyst. To stand out from others who are also vying for jobs in your industry, you should consider gaining one of these valuable certifications recognized throughout all major industries.
When it comes to working in a highly competitive environment like many tech companies, having some extra credentials can help you prove your worth to employers. After reading our guide on the best business analyst certifications for 2022, you will be able to decide which certification will suit your needs best.
Also read: Best Data Analytics Tools for Analyzing & Presenting Data
The Benefits of Becoming a Certified Business Analyst
Certification can help you stand out to employers and increase your credibility with your colleagues. A certification shows commitment and dedication to your career. There are several benefits that the right business analyst certification can provide:
- Employers value recognized credentials from industry-leading organizations.
- Receive recognition from peers: Many managers rely on their peers’ input when deciding who should be hired or promoted.
- Increased credibility in front of clients: Achieving one of these certifications doesn’t just give you a certificate—it gives you professional recognition. It adds weight to your CV and opens up opportunities.
Top 10 Best Business Analyst Certifications
There are many different certifications available to business analysts (BA). Deciding which type is right for you depends on your job role, skill set, and career goals.
Check out our list of BA certifications to help you choose which one is best suited to your needs.
Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
The Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) certification is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to apply analytics tools and techniques to a business problem. The CAP exam questions cover all seven domains of the analytics process, including business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data, methodology selection, model building, deployment, and lifecycle management.
Earning CAP certification can boost your earning potential—and it only takes about three months to complete all required training courses and pass exams. This makes it one of the most cost-effective certifications on our list; if you’re serious about pursuing a career in analytics, it should be at or near the top of your list.
Requirements
Candidates must meet some specific requirements before applying for the CAP certification. They include:
- 3 years of experience with MA/MS in a related area
- 5 years of experience with BA/BS in a related area
- 7 years of experience with any degree in an unrelated analytics area
Cost: CAP offers two pricing models, one for INFORMS members at $495 and the other for nonmembers at $695.
IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) covers the foundational knowledge of business analysis according to the BABOK (business analyst body of knowledge) guide. The course is designed for both novice and experienced professionals who want to better understand what it means to be a BA. It will help beginners know what a BA does and how they can add value to their organization. Experienced BAs can use ECBA as a refresher before taking more advanced courses or to prepare for certification exams.
Requirements
- To be eligible for this certification, candidates must complete a minimum of 21 professional development (PD) hours within the last four years.
Cost
| ECBA Certification | Application fee | Exam fee | Exam re-write fee |
| Member | $45 | $150 | $95 |
| Non-member | $45 | $305 | $250 |
| Corporate member | $45 | $105 | X |
IIBA Certification of Capabilities in Business Analysis (CCBA)
Capabilities in business analysis certification is an advanced certification that builds on ECBA. Business analysts with more than two years of experience may benefit from the CCBA’s certification of their capacity to take on larger and more complex project responsibilities.
Requirements
Candidates must meet the following requirements to be eligible to earn the CCBA certification:
- Candidates must have a minimum of 3,750 hours of work experience in business analysis within the last 7 years.
- A minimum of 900 hours must be completed in each of two of the six BABOK guide knowledge areas. Alternatively, a minimum of 500 hours must be completed in each of four of the six BABOK guide knowledge areas within these 3,750 minimum hours required.
- Complete a minimum of 21 hours of PD within the last 4 years.
- Candidates must provide references.
Cost
| CCBA Certification | Application fee | Exam fee | Exam re-write fee |
| Member | $145 | $250 | $195 |
| Non-member | $145 | $405 | $350 |
| Corporate member | $145 | $205 | X |
IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) is one of the most important certificates for business professionals. It is a professional certification program for business analysts. This certification is designed for those who have extensive business knowledge and years of practical company experience. It is the highest competency-based certification for business analysts offered by IIBA, and analysts who have it are among the most senior analysts in the industry.
This certification validates a person’s business analysis abilities and competencies. It is ideal for people who have extensive experience, have the CCBA certification, manage their enterprises, and train their workers. This certification is also suitable for hybrid business analysis professionals such as project managers, testers, quality assurance (QA) professionals, change/transformation managers, and designers.
Requirements
Candidates must meet the following requirements to be eligible to earn the CCBA certification:
- Completing a minimum of 7,500 hours of business analysis work experience in the last 10 years is required.
- Complete a minimum of 900 hours in 4 of the 6 BABOK guide knowledge areas within this experience, for at least 3,600 of the required 7,500 total.
- Completed at least 35 hours of professional development in the past four years.
- Requires two references.
Cost
| CBPA certification | Application fee | Exam fee | Exam re-write fee |
| Member | $145 | $350 | $295 |
| Non-member | $145 | $505 | $450 |
| Corporate member | $145 | $305 | X |
IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)
The Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA) certification offered by the International Qualifications Board for Business Analysts (IQBBA) is a professional accreditation that validates your foundational knowledge of business analysis.
As one of our best business analyst certifications, it will help you develop and prove your competency in core BA skills. It’s also a great starting point if you’re looking to pursue a career in business analysis. After getting certified, candidates should be able to demonstrate their understanding of: processes within an organization, business goals and objectives, designing business solutions, and working in innovation, requirements gathering techniques, and scope management.
Requirement
IQBBA requires candidates to have a basic experience in solution concept, design, or development.
Best for:
- Business and system analysts
- Requirements engineers
- Product owners
- Product managers
Cost: The foundation level exam fee is $229.
PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)
Project Management Institute (PMI) offers this certification. The professional business analyst (PBA) certification is designed for business analysts who work on projects or applications and program managers who use analytics. The certification focuses on hands-on business assessment training and examination of the principles of business evaluation.
Whether you’re a project or program manager who does business analysis as part of your job, the PMI-PBA certification is suitable for you.
Requirement
PMI certification prerequisites are based on your education level.
Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree)
- 60 months of business analysis experience
- 35 contact hours of education in business analysis
Bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent
- 36 months of business analysis experience
- 35 contact hours of education in business analysis
Cost: PMI offers separate charges for members and non-members. The exam price is $405 for members and $555 for non-members.
Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA-CBDA)
The IIBA-CBDA certification is awarded to professionals with a minimum of two to three years of experience in business analysis who have taken and passed an exam. Candidates should have practical skills in one or more application areas, such as change management, strategy execution, information security risk management, and customer experience management. CBDA certification will let employers know that you are qualified to help their organization manage data analytics initiatives and priorities.
Certification exam knowledge area
- Identify the research questions
- Source data
- Analyze data
- Interpret and report results
- Use results to influence business decision making
- Guide organization-level strategy for business analytics
Cost
| ECBA Certification | Application fee | Exam fee | Exam re-write fee |
| Member | X | $250 | $195 |
| Non-member | X | $400 | $350 |
| Corporate member | X | $225 | X |
Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA-AAC)
The IIBA-AAC gives you a look into how agile methodologies are implemented and can set you up for success as a BA in an agile environment. It’s helpful if you’re working with a high-performing team that focuses on completing projects quickly and has to deal with constantly changing objectives and requirements.
This certification will help you achieve proficiency in agile requirements, analysis, and design. Many business analysts find that Agile Analysis Certification helps them keep their teams organized and focused.
Certification exam knowledge area
The IIBA-AAC exam is structured across four knowledge areas and consists of 85 multiple-choice, scenario-based questions to be completed in two hours. They include:
- Agile Mindset
- Strategy Horizon
- Initiative Horizon
- Delivery Horizon
Cost
| ECBA Certification | Application fee | Exam fee | Exam re-write fee |
| Member | X | $250 | $195 |
| Non-member | X | $400 | $350 |
| Corporate member | X | $225 | X |
Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE)
The Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) is a personal certification designed for professionals who work in requirements engineering, business analysis, and testing. The IREB created the certification program, the courses are delivered by independent training providers, and the CPRE exam may be taken at recognized certification bodies.
CPRE is available at three tiers:
- Foundation Level is where you will be certified in the basics of requirements engineering
- Advanced Level follows and covers three paths: Requirements Elicitation and Consolidation, Requirements Modeling, and Requirements Management. You must wait 12 months after passing the first test to take the advanced level exam.
- Expert Level certifies you at the “highest level of expert knowledge,” which encompasses your hands-on experience and the skills and capabilities you’ve earned from previous certifications.
Validity: The CPRE certificate has lifetime validity.
Cost: The Certification Bodies set the certification fees, which vary based on the country. Contact the certification bodies directly to inquire about pricing for your country.
SimpliLearn Business Analyst Masters Program
This IIBA-accredited Business Analyst Masters Program is designed for those new to the industry or changing careers. Upon completing the training, you will get 35 IIBA and 25 PMI professional development units. It offers to teach Excel, CBAP, Tableau, Agile ScrumMaster, SQL, CCBA, and Agile Scrum Foundation.
You will learn to develop interactive dashboards, use statistical tools and concepts, master the agile scrum process, plan and track Scrum projects, understand fundamental business analysis methodology, and use Tableau to analyze data.
Requirement
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline
- Basic knowledge of mathematics and statistics
Cost: SimpliLearn charges $1,399 for this course or $116.58/mo with SimpleLearn split-it.
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