Top 5 Big Data Certifications You Must Do in 2024

If you are interested in pursuing a career in Big Data, Big Data certifications can greatly help. Here are some of the top Big Data Certifications:

Cloudera CDP Certification Program

The Cloudera CDP Certification Program helps you verify your proficiency with the Cloudera Data Platform. It helps you design and develop data pipelines to test your data ingestion, storage, and analysis skills. Cloudera, a worldwide leader in big data certifications, offers a platform for study courses and testing. They provide matched preparation classes for specific exams to help employees score higher on their chosen certification assessment.

CDP Certification Program certifications have a validity of two years and offer two exams within this program:

CDP-0011 CDP Generalist Exam

CDP-0011 CDP Generalist Exam allows candidates to demonstrate their broad understanding of CDP (Cloud Data Platform). Experienced employees or early career employees can take this exam. 

CDP-2001 CDP Administrator (Private Cloud Base) Exam

The CDP-2001 CDP Administrator (Private Cloud Base) Exam tests the knowledge and skills system administrators need to maintain and manage the Cloudera Data Platform.

SAS Certified Data Scientist

SAS Certified Data Scientist certification is part of a broader range of professional designations within the information technology domain offered by SAS corporation. Becoming a SAS Certified Data Scientist requires proving your knowledge of open-source tools, big data manipulation, and other business intelligence processes.

To earn this certification, you must clear seven exams across three credentials that assess your knowledge in data curation, advanced analytics, and AI and machine learning. This certification has no expiry period and doesn’t require specific prerequisite courses, although preparation classes are offered to help candidates succeed.

MongoDB Professional Certification

The MongoDB Professional Certification can aid you in big data projects. You can prepare for these certifications by taking the help of Mongo's online training programs and then taking the objective-based or multiple choice certification exams online. No prerequisites or training are required for the certification, which makes it ideal for developers who want to prove their ability to work on big data in the NoSQL platform.

MongoDB Certified Developer Associate Exam

MongoDB provides study materials or guides for the Certified Developer Associate Exam, covering topics like CRUD or create, read, update and delete operations, indexing and performance, aggregation, data modeling and replication. 

MongoDB Certified Database Administrator Exam

MongoDB provides study materials or guides for the MongoDB Certified Database Administrator Exam, covering topics like the philosophy and features of MongoDB applications, CRUD, indexing and performance, big data server and application administration and replication.

Microsoft Certifications 

Microsoft offers various certificates with free online training and paid, instructor-led courses to help prepare for exams. Here is the information about these courses:

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate

You can earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate certification by clearing the Exam DP-100. This certification exam is designed for data scientists with experience using Azure Machine Learning and Azure Databricks.

Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate

The Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate certification exam tests the data analysts' ability to prepare, model, visualize and analyze data, and deploy and maintain deliverables.

The Open Group certifications

The Open Group certifications offer knowledge and are experience-based:

Open Certified Data Scientist certification

This certification verifies that data scientist employees have the qualities required to analyze data for the overall improvement of the business.

There are three levels of certification within this program:

Level 1: Certified Data Scientist

Level 2: Master Certified Data Scientist

Level 3: Distinguished Certified Data Scientist

The Open CDS certification requires no exams with multiple-choice questions to complete. Applicants demonstrate their skills and experience through written applications and peer interviews.

Organizations have specific standards to assess your skill set, and certifications play a major role in ensuring you meet their requirements. The pay for Big Data Engineers, Administrators, Analysts, and Architects is among the highest in the market. But you need the qualifications to demonstrate your abilities and earn such high salaries.

If you are ready to gain certifications to prove your knowledge and skill in big data, here are some of the best big data certification course to consider:

• Big Data Specialization
  • Course Provider: Coursera
  • Level: Beginner
  • Duration: 8 Months
  • Offered By: The University of California San Diego

There are 6 Courses in the Big Data Specialization certification offered by Coursera. It helps learners gain skills like Analytics, Predictive Modelling, Map Reduce, Data Analytics, Hadoop, Data Analysis, etc. This is one of the best online resources for learning about big data. Like other Coursera specializations, this course has other ancillary courses dealing with topics like Big Data, Neo4j, Apache Spark, and MongoDB. You will also receive a certification once you have finished all the courses and projects. Over 1,20,020 learners have already benefitted from this course.

• Big Data Fundamentals with PySpark
  • Course Provider: DataCamp
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Duration: 4 Hours

Spark is a "lightning-fast cluster computing" technology used for big data. It provides a standard data processing platform engine and makes Hadoop obsolete by enabling you to run programs up to 100 times quicker in memory or 10 times faster on disc. 

The Big Data Fundamentals with PySpark certification course covers big data fundamentals using PySpark (a Python package for Spark programming). It includes 4 hours of training, 16 videos, and 55 separate exercises. Learners will use PySpark and its potent, higher-level libraries like SparkSQL, MLlib (for machine learning), to engage with works by William Shakespeare, examine Fifa football 2018 data, and execute clustering of genomic datasets.  

• Big Data Hadoop Certification Training Course
  • Course Provider: Edureka
  • Level: Beginner
  • Duration: 1+ month

There are no such prerequisites to enroll for the Big Data Hadoop Certification Training Course. However, prior knowledge of core Java and SQL will be helpful.  It is developed by Hadoop industry specialists and covers in-depth information on big data and the Hadoop ecosystem tools like HDFS, YARN, MapReduce, Hive, Pig, HBase, Spark, Oozie, Flume, and Sqoop. You will use Edureka's Cloud Lab to work on real-world industry use cases in retail, social media, aviation, tourism, and finance in this online instructor-led Hadoop training course.

• Big Data Fundamentals
  • Course Provider: edX
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Duration: 2+ months

The Big Data Fundamentals certification course will benefit learners to gain knowledge of the tools and analytical techniques needed to collect, organize, and drive data insights for decision-making. The course imparts computational and technological skills for professional advancement.  

It helps build programming abilities for data science, computational thinking, algorithm design, big data foundations, and data analysis. The instructors have years of computer science expertise. Your job prospects will increase with this five-course specialty. Additionally, it will get you ready for an entry-level position.

• Big Data: The Big Picture
  • Course Provider: 114 minutes
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Duration: 2 months

The Big Data: The Big Picture course introduces learners to big data principles, leading technologies, and popular software tools. Andrew Brust, a professional in the field, is the instructor of this course. By the end of the course, you will be able to define big data, understand how it interacts with traditional database and BI technologies, and create a plan for implementing big data in your company.

A big data certification for beginners or advanced levels greatly accelerates your career path, regardless of your experience level. It will provide the training you need to switch to the data industry and earn your first job if you are a beginner. These certification programs cover a wide range of topics, from a specialized area of study like the Big Data Engineer Master's Program to a more all-encompassing one like the Big Data Hadoop Certification Training. 

Certification in Big Data can help big data professionals advance or take on more specialized roles. Consider the situation where you want to learn more about Apache Cassandra or MongoDB, two examples of big data topics. Certification thus helps you acquire the required skills while demonstrating your qualifications to your current or prospective employers.

Certifications for big data professionals demonstrate the readiness of big data professionals, a desirable quality for managers conducting performance evaluations. Additionally, great managers know the value that a certified expert brings to any organization, which motivates them to keep the individual on the team by giving them raises or promotions (or both!). An article in Certification Magazine claims that when IT professionals earn additional certifications, their earnings tend to rise.

To summarize, here are some of the reasons why one must opt for big data certifications:

• High demand in the market
• Massive job opportunities
• Enhances Salary potential
• Better practical knowledge
• Structured learning approach
• Validates skills on a resume or portfolio
• Helps transition in career pathways

Now that you understand the value of certification, the next step is deciding on the certification program and course provider. Unfortunately, options for top big data certification are as numerous as the areas of study in the subject. Therefore, we have curated a list of the best big data certifications some leading course providers offer.

Earning the right Big Data certificate can open many career opportunities for big data professionals with experience or those transitioning from other fields into big data, or even complete freshers. It helps them climb the career ladder as they have a medium to showcase and validate their skills. The job titles for data science and big data are somewhat interrelated. However, there are special job roles for certified big data professionals.

Here is a list of top job options certified data professionals are eligible for:

Big Data Analyst

Possibly one of the most sought-after big data positions currently, experienced big data analysts are in high demand. A big data analyst needs to be well-versed in several essential technologies, including Hive, Pig, and Apache Hadoop, to mention a few. This big data position requires you to have excellent analytical skills and a background in statistics and algorithms to extract appropriate data from datasets. 

Big Data Architect

Any business looking to develop a strong big data strategy will find big data architects a huge asset. Big data architects need to be proficient in programming languages including C#,.NET, HTML5, Spark, Python, Hive, and all JavaScript frameworks, as well as large-scale databases, data analysis, and machine learning.

Regarding soft skills, you must be a strong leader who can collaborate with others, mentor them, and forge lasting bonds with clients, partners, and other important stakeholders within the business.

Big Data Engineer

The responsibility for developing, testing, implementing, and sustaining the big data solutions designed by architects in an organization lies on senior and associate big data engineer. This kind of role is in high demand in the United States and worldwide.

You will need various skills, including knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL), data warehousing, Extract Transform And Load (ETL), Hadoop-based analytics, coding, machine learning, and standard operating systems. You will also need to know about data architecture and different tools.

Big Data Developer

They process parallel data using tools like Apache Spark or Hadoop. Developers in big data need to be well-versed in NoSQL databases and how to grow, optimize, and troubleshoot them using tools like Pig, Hive, and Map Reduce. The big data developer-in-training concentrates on programming languages like Scala, Python, and Java.

Data Scientist

Data Scientists are analytical and technological experts in crunching numbers and extracting valuable insights from an organization's data sources. They collect structured and unstructured data, analyze it, and turn it into insightful, actionable business information. To become a Data Scientist, they need to be familiar with the same technologies used by other big data professions and the technology particular to the employer and their operational setup. They can also progress in their career and become a Senior Data Scientist with the correct skills and knowledge. 

Machine Learning Engineer

ML and AI are on the verge of becoming one of the most in-demand technology skills. ML is a critical element of the big data landscape. The creation of useful data analysis software by ML Engineers enables businesses to perform operations autonomously, eliminating the need for human oversight while saving significant time.

Business Intelligence Engineer

They are experts in reporting technologies, which they utilize to manage and query a company's vast data warehouses. They collaborate with BI analysts to turn data into understandable reports and intelligence that aid an organization in making crucial business choices.

You will need top-notch analytical, problem-solving, and consulting abilities and a solid grasp of business operations and quality assurance procedures to succeed in this line of work.

Working with some of the top names in the field is one of the best aspects of a career as a data analyst. Global companies like Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, and SAP are among the leading names in the field of major big data analytics software. Here is a sector-by-sector analysis of some of the top businesses and institutions that are seeking professionals with relevant big data skills:

There are many more companies that seek professionals with big data skills. With research and relevant experience, you can easily reach the heights of your professional journey. Regardless of the sector you decide to work in, a career as a big data professional is rewarding. Knowing which industry you want to work in, is vital, because each uses data differently and has different requirements for entry. And ultimately, the secret to long-term career success is choosing a field that interests you.

A pay rise accompanies a career in big data. The remuneration for big data roles is rising in line with the demand for qualified professionals. According to a study by the IT jobs website Robert Half Technology, most big data jobs provide salary and other benefits in the six-figure range, significantly more than the average market pay. You can earn high pay packages by understanding which big data certification is best.

Since big data professionals with the required skills are in high demand, you can expect a competitive salary if you have the necessary knowledge and experience. As we have mentioned, there is a shortage of talent. Therefore, pay packages will certainly prove to be attractive to qualified applicants. The financial rewards of switching to a profession in data analytics are far bigger than those of other IT jobs.

According to Market Data Forecast, big data growth statistics for 2022 are very promising. Its global market size is expected to reach $268.4 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 12%. Another report by Statista reveals that the worldwide big data analytics market will grow by 30%, generating revenue of over $68 billion by the financial year 2025. It is expected to reach $252,361.3 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.5%.

It seems that businesses are using big data more than ever before. Why? It greatly enhances their operational effectiveness, resulting in a better balance between speed, flexibility, and cost.

The future for a career in big data is promising since the market demand is continually rising. It goes without saying that there has never been a better time to work in the field of big data. IT professionals with experience in analytics, data mining, business intelligence, or data management, as well as those with a talent for and interest in math and statistics, are set to benefit. A professional certification demonstrates your skills to potential and current employers.

Although there are no formal criteria for becoming a big data professional, most of those in the field have a bachelor's or master's degree in science, mathematics, engineering, finance, economics, or statistics. If you are from a different background but are persistent enough, you can use big data training courses to master the skills and methods required to work in the big data industry.

Consider enrolling in a flexible online course through Careervira to strengthen your skills and chart your path in the promising and expanding field of big data.