How to Earn a Power BI Certification

Power BI is a Microsoft software program used widely in business and finance. See if Power BI certification can help your career.
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Updated on April 5, 2023
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  • Power BI is a widely used business intelligence software platform.
  • Being certified in Power BI can make you more appealing to employers.
  • Jobs using Power BI are well-paid and in high demand.
  • There are many different programs to get certified in Power BI.

Power BI, or Power Business Intelligence, is a Microsoft business software used for data visualization.

If you become certified in Power BI, you may find more opportunities in your job search in the corporate and finance world. You could also take on more responsibilities at your current position in the industry. Learn how to get certified in Power BI and what it might mean for you.

What Are the Requirements for a Power BI Certification?

There is no minimum education or skill requirement to start a certification course in Power BI. There are programs geared at both beginners and those with more advanced IT skills.

Depending on the type of certification course you take, you can become certified in Power BI anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. Many programs let you learn at your own pace.

While you can find various free courses online, these are mainly for beginners. Those wanting a more advanced or specialized course may need to look into paid courses. The cost for these courses varies.

What Skills Will I Learn With a Power BI Certification?

Learning Power BI can help you gain many transferable skills, whether it's your first time learning business intelligence software or you're adding Power BI to the list of software you can work with.

When you learn Power BI, you'll also improve your analytical thinking skills. That's on top of learning how to work with business data and data visualization — skills that will likely become more important in the corporate world in years to come.

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Is a Power BI Certification Worth It?

Depending on your current career field and job trajectory, Power BI may give you an advantage in the job market, making it worth pursuing. Power BI is considered a top business intelligence software, so anyone looking into a business analysis or IT career may benefit from learning it.

Moreover, you can choose from many options to learn Power BI based on your budget and timeline. Since you can learn Power BI cheaply or for free at your own pace, it can be a great low-cost way to enhance your technical skill set.

What Jobs Can I Get With a Power BI Certification?

Here are some of the jobs available to those certified in Power BI.

Power BI Developer

As a Power BI developer, your knowledge of Power BI will be at the forefront of your daily work. A Power BI developer is a software developer who specifically works with Power BI. They create data-rich dashboards specific to their company's needs and ensure all data is secure.

Power BI Specialist

While a Power BI developer job is a software development role, a Power BI specialist uses Power BI to work with a company's relevant data and compile reports on what the data means to help their company's decision-making.

Business Analyst

Business analysts may find Power BI to be an extremely useful tool. Like Power BI specialists, business analysts use data to find larger patterns and solutions to problems a given company or organization may have.

How Much Money Can I Make With a Power BI Certification?

Gaining Power BI skills can help prepare you for high-paying careers, whether in a job specifically relating to Power BI or in a role where your knowledge of Power BI is useful in day-to-day operations.

The occupations listed above can all lead to comfortable salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software developers, like Power BI developers, earned a median salary of $110,140 in May 2020. Business management analysts earned a median yearly salary of $93,000 in May 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions About Power BI Certification

Which certification is best for Power BI?

Which certification in Power BI is best for you is a personal decision only you can make. Consider the following before you decide on a certification course:

  • Price point
  • Time commitment
  • Experience level
  • How you plan to use your certification once you've earned it

Is Power BI certification free?

There are a variety of free courses available to become certified in Power BI. However, most of the reputable free courses available online are geared towards beginners and may result in a beginner's certification. This can be a great way to get started.

More experienced IT or business analysis professionals might find a more advanced course is more useful to their careers. However, more advanced or specialized courses often cost more.

Is the Power BI certification difficult?

If you're taking an advanced course without prior IT or software experience, you may find it very challenging to get your certification. This is why it's important to do your research before picking a certification course. If you choose a course appropriate to your needs and experience level, and you have enough time in your schedule to give it full attention, you're less likely to find it difficult.

BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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