Top Big Data Certifications to choose from in 2024

List of top big data certifications for 2024 that will equip you with the big data skills and make you job-ready to pursue a rewarding career in analytics.

Top Big Data Certifications to choose from in 2024
 |  BY ProjectPro

Embarking on the journey of big data opens up a world of amazing career opportunities that can make a difference in people's lives. And guess what? 2023 is the best time to explore this exciting field by pursuing the top big data certifications. In this constantly changing world of big data tools and technologies, project managers and hiring managers often do not understand what to look for in a particular candidate while hiring for big data job roles. That's where acquiring the best big data certifications in specific big data technologies is a valuable asset that significantly enhances your chances of getting hired. Whether you aspire to be a Hadoop developer, data scientist, data architect, data analyst, or work in analytics, it's worth considering the following top big data certifications available online. Read below to determine which big data certification fits your requirements and works best for your career goals.


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Why Should You Acquire a Big Data Certification?

Big data is a multifaceted speciality that is gaining momentum rapidly, and there need to be more big data experts around. According to reports, the big data market was worth $162.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $273.4 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 11.0%. In fact, a simple job search on LinkedIn reveals over 154,143 open job openings related to big data in 2023. This exponential growth indicates big data's immense potential and significance in various industries and sectors. However, despite the high demand for big data expertise, there is a need for more skilled professionals in the field. This shortage of qualified big data professionals, combined with the increasing demand for data-driven insights, presents a golden opportunity for individuals with the right expertise.

Acquiring a big data certification can make a significant difference in capitalizing on this opportunity and standing out in the highly competitive job market. These certifications serve as a validation of your skills and knowledge in working with large datasets. By earning a certification, you establish yourself as an expert in big data, setting yourself apart from other candidates during the hiring process. Hiring managers and employers often prioritize candidates with certifications, as it demonstrates that your skills are up-to-date and aligned with industry standards. 

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List of the Best Big Data Certifications 

Here is the list of the best big data certifications available, highlighting industry-recognized programs that can boost your career prospects and open doors to exciting data analytics and management opportunities. 

Big Data Certifications for Beginners

Check out the best certifications for big data beginners below: 

Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP)

The Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP) credential offered by INFORMS is a highly recognized and independent certification that serves as an entry point into the analytics field. The certification is specifically designed for entry-level professionals who want to kickstart their careers in analytics.  

The aCAP certification significantly emphasizes seven domains encompassing the analytics process. These domains include business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data, methodology selection, model building, deployment, and lifecycle management. By covering these domains comprehensively, the aCAP certification equips professionals with a well-rounded understanding of the entire analytics process from start to finish. However, it is essential to note that the aCAP certification is valid for three years, providing professionals with a real credential that reflects their commitment to the analytics field. 

Prerequisites: Candidates must hold a master's degree in a field related to data analytics or possess less than three years of professional experience. 

Duration: Self-paced 

Exam Registration Cost: $200 for INFORMS members; $300 for nonmembers

Associate Big Data Engineer (ABDE™) - Data Science Council of America (DASCA) Certifications

The Associate Big Data Engineer (ABDE™) certification is a valuable credential offered by the Data Science Council of America (DASCA). Designed for professionals seeking to establish themselves in big data engineering, this certification validates the knowledge and skills necessary to work with big data technologies and tools effectively. This certification program is designed to equip individuals with a strong foundation in big data engineering principles, techniques, and practices. It covers various aspects of big data, including data ingestion, storage, processing, and analysis. Earning this certification will help individuals demonstrate their competence in working with large-scale datasets and implementing solutions to extract meaningful insights.

Pre-requisites: 

  • Candidates should have a strong and prior understanding of programming fundamentals.

  • Proficiency in object-oriented programming, particularly Core JAVA, is necessary.

  • Knowledge of SQL statements is required.

  • Familiarity with scripting languages like PERL or RUBY is expected.

  • Comfortable with Linux and Unix environments.

Certification Program Fee: $585.0 

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Big Data Hadoop Certifications 

Listed below are the most popular and recognized big data Hadoop certifications worth considering: 

Cloudera Certified Associate Spark and Hadoop Developer (CCA175) 

The Cloudera Certified Associate Spark and Hadoop Developer (CCA175) is a professional certification offered by Cloudera, a leading big data solutions provider. This certification is designed to test the technical skills of individuals in writing, optimizing, and maintaining Hadoop and Spark development projects.

The CCA175 certification assesses the candidate's knowledge and understanding of critical concepts related to Hadoop and Spark ecosystems. It evaluates their proficiency in working with Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS), configuring and managing different types of Hadoop and Spark jobs, and applying various design patterns in their development projects. 

Prerequisites – There are no definite prerequisites to take any Cloudera certification. However, comprehensive hands-on training in Hadoop and Spark is an excellent way to approach the exam. 

Validity – CCA does not expire, but it has to be renewed every two years to maintain the privileges and current status with the latest releases of Cloudera Distribution.

Time Limit: 120 minutes 

Big Data Certification Cost - $295 

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Cloudera Certified Professional (CCP) Data Engineer (DE575)

The Cloudera Certified Professional (CCP) Data Engineer (DE575) is a certification program offered by Cloudera to identify and recognize skilled data professionals in data engineering. This certification demonstrates the proficiency of data professionals in key skills related to data engineering. These skills include data ingestion, data transformation and storage, data analysis, and workflow management. 

The CCP Data Engineer exam assesses the candidates' ability to solve customer problems using a pre-configured Cloudera Enterprise cluster. The exam consists of 5-10 performance-based tasks requiring hands-on technical solutions implementation. Each task is accompanied by a uniquely large data set and specific requirements. During the exam, candidates must analyze each customer problem, determine the optimal approach, and implement the technical solution on a live cluster. They can choose any tool or combination available on the cluster to solve the problems.  

Prerequisites: The candidates should possess extensive expertise in developing data engineering solutions.

Time Limit: 240 minutes 

Hortonworks Certified Associate (HCA)

The Hortonworks Certified Associate (HCA) certification program, offered by Hortonworks University, is designed for entry-level professionals who wish to validate their fundamental skills in open data platforms and modern data applications. This certification allows individuals to demonstrate their understanding of various technologies and their practical applications within the Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP). The HCA exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions and requires a passing score of 75%. It is based on the Hortonworks Data Platform 2.4 and covers five main categories: Data Access, Data Management, Data Governance, Workflow, Operations, and Security. 

Acquiring the HCA certification helps individuals showcase their knowledge in these areas and their ability to work with the Hortonworks Data Platform. Moreover, completing the HCA exam also makes individuals eligible to attempt any of the Hortonworks Certified Professional level exams.

Pre-requisites: There are no specific prerequisites to take this exam. However, it is recommended to take the Hortonworks Essentials training course to enhance exam preparation.

Exam Duration: 60 minutes 

Certification Exam Cost: $100 USD 

AWS Big Data Certifications 

Here is one of the most widely recognized AWS big data certifications - Amazon Web Services Big Data Specialty Certification. 

Amazon Web Services Big Data Specialty Certification

The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Big Data – Specialty certification is for individuals with at least two years of experience utilizing AWS technology for complex Big Data analyses. This certification validates the ability to implement core AWS Big Data services, including storage, data warehousing, and querying, while adhering to architectural best practices. It also assesses the candidate's skills in designing and maintaining scalable and cost-effective Big Data architectures and leveraging automation tools to streamline data analysis processes. 

Prerequisites: The candidate should possess the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification or associate-level certifications such as AWS Certified Solution Architect, AWS Certified Developer, or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator. Additionally, a minimum of five years of experience in data and analytics is required, along with expertise in designing data-processing architecture and a comprehensive understanding of integrating AWS technologies within the data life cycle.

Exam Duration: 170 minutes 

Certification Exam Cost: 300 USD 

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Big Data Certifications from Google

Check below the most famous big data certification offered by Google: 

Google Cloud Certified – Professional Data Engineer

The Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Certification exam is a widely recognized certification offered by Google. This certification exam assesses a candidate's ability to design data processing systems, optimize complex machine learning models, and build and optimize data processing systems on the Google Cloud Platform. Professionals with this certification have the skills to implement scalable, reliable, secure, and cost-effective data solutions. They excel in designing data pipelines, optimizing data storage and querying, and ensuring data governance and compliance. Attaining the Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Certification demonstrates an individual's ability to leverage GCP technologies to overcome complex data challenges and contribute to the success of data-driven big data projects.

Prerequisites: There are no specific prerequisites to take this exam. However, having 3+ years of industry experience, including 1+ years designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud, would be beneficial. 

Exam Duration: 120 minutes 

Certification Exam Cost: $200 USD 

Big Data Certifications from Microsoft

Listed below are the highly recognized big data certifications offered by Microsoft.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate

The Microsoft Certified - Azure Data Engineer Associate is a highly esteemed certification that holds great value for data engineers, data architects, and other professionals who are actively involved in managing and analyzing data using Azure. It validates an individual's proficiency in seamlessly integrating, transforming, and consolidating data from diverse sources. These experts employ Azure's comprehensive suite of data services to build secure data pipelines, perform thorough data analysis, and optimize data platforms. By acquiring this certification, individuals demonstrate their exceptional skills in Azure data engineering and their ability to leverage Azure services to analyze and transform data effectively. 

Prerequisites: 

Exam Duration: 100-120 minutes 

Certification Exam Fee: $165 

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Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate

The Microsoft Certified - Azure AI Engineer Associate certification is designed for professionals with expertise in creating, managing, and implementing Azure AI solutions. It confirms the candidate's proficiency and understanding of the necessary skills to effectively utilize Azure Cognitive and other Azure services to develop AI solutions. This certification evaluates the candidate's capability to employ REST-APIs and Software Development Kits (SDKs) to construct secure solutions for image processing, video processing, natural language processing, knowledge mining, and conversational AI on the Azure platform.

Prerequisites: 

  • Proficiency with Programming languages such as Python or C#. 

  • Familiarity with implementing AI solutions 

Exam Duration: 220 minutes 

Cost: $165

Other Top Big Data Certifications

In addition to the abovementioned certifications, several other top big data certifications are worth considering. So, let's explore some of the other top big data certifications that can further enhance your skill set in big data: 

Dell EMC Data Science and Big Data Analytics Certification

The EMC Data Science and Big Data Analytics Certification, offered by Dell EMC Education Services, is specifically designed to validate individuals' in-depth knowledge and expertise in data analytics. This certification program focuses on essential concepts and practical skills required for effectively analyzing and exploring data, utilizing statistical models, selecting appropriate data visualization tools, and helping candidates enable advanced analytic capabilities. It also covers important aspects of Data Science, such as natural language processing, random forests, and logistic regression, to show employers your capability of completing data science projects. The certification exam comprises 60 questions covering various data analytics and big data aspects. It also evaluates candidates' understanding and proficiency in data analytics, encompassing topics like the data analytics lifecycle and the eight advanced analytics methods. 

Prerequisites:  The certification has no specific requirements, making it accessible to a wide range of big data professionals seeking to enhance their data analytics skills.

Duration: 90 minutes 

Cost: $230 

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Oracle Big Data Fundamentals - 2017 Implementation Essentials (1Z0-449)

The Oracle Big Data Fundamentals Certification - 1Z0-449 is a certification program offered by Oracle Corporation. It focuses on validating the skills and knowledge of professionals working with Oracle Big Data solutions. The certification is ideal for individuals who have a strong understanding of big data concepts and want to demonstrate their expertise in implementing Oracle Big Data solutions. The exam covers topics such as business intelligence, big data concepts, Oracle Big Data solution stack, Hadoop and MapReduce, Oracle Big Data Connectors, Oracle Big Data SQL, Oracle NoSQL Database, and Oracle Advanced Analytics. This certification demonstrates proficiency in implementing Oracle Big Data solutions and can enhance career prospects in roles like big data developers, data engineers, data analysts, and database administrators.

Prerequisites: There are no specific prerequisites to take this exam. However, it is recommended that candidates have a basic understanding of Big Data concepts and technologies, as well as experience working with Oracle's Big Data solutions.

Duration: 120 minutes 

Cost: $245 

There are several additional big data certifications available for aspiring data scientists that are not covered in this guide. These notable certifications include the SAS Certified Data Scientist, Microsoft Certified - Azure Data Scientist Associate, and the Senior Data Scientist (SDS) certification. To learn more about these certifications and how they can enhance your professional journey, we highly recommend visiting our data science certifications blog. This blog offers comprehensive information on each certification, including prerequisites, focus areas, exam durations, costs, and the value they add to your career. So, don't miss out to further your understanding of big data certifications for data scientists by exploring our informative blog today!

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While certifications are crucial in enhancing your skill set, practical knowledge, and hands-on experience are equally essential for a successful big data career. Practical experience gained by working on industry-grade big data projects enables you to apply theoretical concepts to solve complex problems and develop a deep understanding of big data technologies and tools. Now, the question is: where can you find such projects? Luckily, ProjectPro has got you covered! 

ProjectPro is a treasure of practical knowledge, offering comprehensive project solutions that guide you through the entire project lifecycle. It contains over 270+ solved end-to-end projects based on data science and big data. So, don't miss out on gaining practical experience in big data. Visit the ProjectPro Repository today and start your journey towards becoming a proficient big data professional. 

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FAQs on Big Data Certifications 

1. How much do you get paid with AWS Certified big data?

The average salary of an AWS big data certified professional in the USA is $125,000 annually. However, it varies based on experience, job role, and location. 

2. What are the certifications for big data?

Some of the most popular certifications for big data are as follows: 

  • Hortonworks Certified Associate (HCA)

  • Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP)

  • Cloudera Certified Associate Spark and Hadoop Developer (CCA175)

  • AWS - Big Data Specialty Certification

  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate

  • Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate

 

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