By Quick answer: Which AI certifications are best for data analysts?
- Foundations — ML Specialization, Kaggle.
- Cloud — DP-100, AWS MLE.
- GenAI — Databricks GenAI Engineer.
- Daily use — Google AI Essentials.
Key takeaways
- Analysts already have the data skills AI needs.
- Learn ML evaluation, not just model training.
- AI-assisted analysis still needs human checks.
Data analysts are well placed to move into AI: they already know data, SQL and stakeholders. These seven certifications add machine learning and AI platforms on top.
Seven AI certifications for analysts
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machine Learning SpecializationDeepLearning.AI & Stanford / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan1 | 2 months at 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 2 | Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)Microsoft | Exam priced by country2 | Self-paced | Free test |
| 3 | AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1503 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 4 | Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer AssociateDatabricks | $2004 | 90 minutes | Free test |
| 5 | Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)Microsoft | Exam priced by country5 | Microsoft fundamentals exam | Free test |
| 6 | Kaggle Learn Micro-Courses (ML, Python, SQL)Kaggle (Google) | Free6 | Short micro-courses, a few hours each | Free test |
| 7 | Google AI EssentialsGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan7 | Under 10 hours (per course page) | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- Machine Learning Fundamentals CertificationPractise for Machine Learning Specialization before you pay.Start free test →
- Azure Machine Learning Certification TestPractise for Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100) before you pay.Start free test →
- AWS ML Engineer Associate Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- Databricks Generative AI Engineer Practice ExamPractise for Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer Associate before you pay.Start free test →
Each certification, and how it moves analysts into AI
- CourseraMachine Learning SpecializationML foundations$49/mo Coursera plan
- MicrosoftMicrosoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)ML on AzureExam priced by country
- AWSAWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – AssociateML on AWS$150
Machine Learning Specialization
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan1
- Time
- 2 months at 10 hours a week
Andrew Ng's ML course, about two months part-time. Andrew Ng's specialization with Stanford teaches supervised and unsupervised learning, model evaluation and practical machine learning in Python. It takes about two months at ten hours a week and is widely regarded as the clearest structured start in ML.
Best forML foundations
Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country2
Training and deploying models on Azure ML. Microsoft's associate exam proves you can train and deploy machine learning models with Azure Machine Learning. It's priced by country, needs Python and ML basics and renews free online each year.
Best forML on Azure
AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate
- Cost
- $1503
ML engineering on AWS. $150. AWS's associate exam proves you can prepare data, train, deploy and monitor machine learning models on AWS. It costs $150 and expects hands-on ML and AWS experience, making it a strong credential for ML engineers.
Best forML on AWS
Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer Associate
- Cost
- $2004
- Format
- 90 minutes
LLM applications on Databricks. $200. Databricks' associate exam proves you can design and build LLM applications on the Databricks platform, from data preparation to evaluation. It's 90 minutes and costs $200, so it suits data and AI engineers whose teams use Databricks.
Best forGenAI on Databricks
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country5
- Format
- Microsoft fundamentals exam
Microsoft's AI fundamentals exam. Microsoft's AI fundamentals exam covers machine learning, computer vision, language and generative AI workloads on Azure. Training is free on Microsoft Learn, the exam is priced by country and fundamentals certifications don't expire.
Best forAI fundamentals
Kaggle Learn Micro-Courses (ML, Python, SQL)
- Cost
- Free6
- Time
- Short micro-courses, a few hours each
Free Intro to ML and intermediate ML courses. Kaggle's free micro-courses cover Python, pandas, SQL, data visualisation and machine learning, each in a few hours with hands-on notebooks and a free certificate. They're ideal practice alongside a structured course.
Best forfree ML practice
Google AI Essentials
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan7
- Time
- Under 10 hours (per course page)
Practical AI for analysis, under ten hours. Google's short course teaches practical generative AI for everyday work: drafting, research, analysis and using AI responsibly. It needs no technical background and takes under ten hours, so it suits almost any professional who wants to use AI tools with more confidence.
Best forAI-assisted analysis
Analyst to ML in six months
- Month 1 — Kaggle Intro to ML.
- Months 2–3 — ML Specialization.
- Months 4–5 — DP-100 or AWS MLE prep with a project.
- Month 6 — take the exam and publish the project.
How we ranked these picks
We chose AI certifications that build on analysts' existing skills. Fees come from official pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do data analysts move into AI?
Learn ML (ML Specialization), then a cloud ML exam.
Is DP-100 good for analysts?
Yes if your employer uses Azure.
Do analysts need deep learning?
Not usually; classic ML covers most analyst use cases.
Can AI do data analysis?
It can speed it up; analysts check and interpret.
Is there a free AI test for analysts?
Yes. Science of Apps offers free ML and AI tests.
Sources
- DeepLearning.AI & Stanford — Machine Learning Specialization, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Databricks — Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Kaggle (Google) — Kaggle Learn Micro-Courses (ML, Python, SQL), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google — Google AI Essentials, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- The best online certifications of 2027 — the full top 10 across every field
- Best Certifications by Profession (2027 Directory) — related guide
- Free Online Certifications in 2027: 10 That Employers Respect — related guide
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Machine learning certifications for beginners: seven best for 2027, in learning orderThe 7 best machine learning certifications for beginners in 2027: Kaggle, CS50 AI, the ML Specialization, IBM Data Science, AI-900, AWS AI and more.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AI certifications for financial analysts in 2027: six for AI-assisted analysisThe 6 best AI certifications for financial analysts in 2027: Google AI Essentials, ML Specialization, Google Advanced, AI for Business, AI-900 and Kaggle.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AI certifications for cloud engineers in 2027: seven for running AI on cloudThe 7 best AI certifications for cloud engineers in 2027: AWS ML Engineer, AWS AI Practitioner, AI-102, GCP PMLE, Databricks GenAI, NVIDIA DLI and LLMs.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AI certifications for supply chain professionals in 2027: six for AI in planning and operationsThe 6 best AI certifications for supply chain professionals in 2027: AI Essentials, AI for Everyone, AI for Business, ML Specialization, Kaggle and AWS.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AI certifications for bankers in 2027: six for AI in risk, operations and serviceThe 6 best AI certifications for bankers in 2027: AI for Business, AI for Everyone, Google AI Essentials, AWS AI Practitioner, AI-900 and ML Specialization.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AI certifications for finance professionals in 2027The 6 best AI certifications for finance professionals in 2027: AI Essentials, AI for Business, ML Specialization, Google Advanced, AI-900 and AWS.
Get the ideas, not the noise.
Sign up with Google and we’ll send you short UX psychology tips by email — why people tap, stall and leave, and what to do about it. Unsubscribe anytime. Prefer something to keep? Get the free Laws of UX guide as a PDF.
Prove the skill before you pay for the exam.
Start with the free Machine Learning Fundamentals Certification. 1,200+ free, test-based certifications graded on our server. Pass and get a founder-signed certificate with a credential ID employers can verify.