Certifications in data science are necessary to plan and work out structured growth in one’s career. It is a must as it enhances one’s technical skills and urges them to excel in their workplace. Simultaneously, the benefits of carrying a data science certification are advantageous in the short and long term. 

Another reason to upskill is the salary offered by companies ranging from $1,22,708 for beginners to $2,15,808 for seniors (Source: Glassdoor) Let’s read about the factors based on which one can move forward in getting a data science certification.

Criteria for Picking an Ideal Data Science Certification 

  • Goals – Look for career objectives and goals and track a data science certification that aligns with your goals.
  • Curriculum – Ensure that the certification covers both basic and complex concepts. Topics include statistics, data visualization, machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and big data analytics.
  • Accreditation and industry recognition – Apart from finding the authenticity of the particular certification, go for one that is industry-compliant and recognized.
  • Experience type – Although data science certifications require a concoction of theoretical and practical skills, top data science certifications have a reasonable focus on practical and hands-on experiences.

Top 7 Data Science Certifications:

  1. Certified Data Science Professional (CDSP™) by USDSI® (Beginner)

The Certified Data Science Professional (CDSP™) is a data science certification course built for freshers. It is specially designed to offer a smooth start to one’s skill-based data science career. 

  • Curriculum – Basics of data science, mathematics and statistics, big data, data analysis, data visualization, and Tableau
  • Prerequisites – A bachelor’s degree or equivalent/Associate degree or diploma
  1. Certification of Professional Achievement in Data Sciences by Columbia University (Professional)

Columbia University offers a data science program for beginners which requires learners to fulfill 12 credits for eligibility.

  • Curriculum – Probability and statistics, algorithms for data science, machine learning, data visualization, and exploratory data analysis
  • Prerequisites – Bachelor’s in STEM or any other background
  1. AWS Certified Data Analytics by Amazon (Professional)

Amazon Web Services offers Certified Data Analytics – A specialty certification that is designed for professionals who want to progress from their current field into a more advanced role. 

  • Curriculum – Data analytics fundamentals, building data lakes, data analytics solutions using Amazon Redshift
  • Prerequisites – None
  1. Certified Senior Data Scientist (CSDS™) by USDSI® (Professional)

Thе Cеrtifiеd Sеnior Data Sciеntist (CSDS™) is a cеrtification that offеrs an advancеd еdgе whеn it comеs to top data sciеncе cеrtifications. In this program, you can lеarn about thе stratеgic planning nееdеd for еxcеlling in markеting.

  • Curriculum – Essential operations in data science, data visualization with Tableau, big data and data lake, data science in marketing
  • Prerequisites – Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree; a minimum of 4-5 years of work experience
  1. Azure AI Fundamentals by Microsoft (Beginner)

Microsoft’s Azure AI Fundamentals is a course meant to give way to solutions by working on different areas simultaneously. These include improving an application, as well as focusing on areas like financial management, and healthcare.

  • Curriculum – Basic cloud concepts, client-server applications, computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), knowledge mining, and generative AI
  • Prerequisites – A basic level of computer and internet skills
  1. Certified Analytics Professional by aCAP (Professional)

The Certified Analytics Professional certificate is a certification meant for advanced data scientists that focuses on in-depth problem-solving. With this data science certification, learners can build models and deploy applications without any hassle. 

  • Curriculum – Business problem framing, analytics problem framing, methodology selection, deployment, and model building
  • Prerequisites – Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of professional analytics, ethics code sign-up
  1. Professional Certificate in Data Science and Analytics by MIT (Beginner)

The Professional Certificate in Data Science and Analytics offers a vast topic surrounding data science which discusses the application of AI and ML techniques. 

  • Curriculum – Fundamentals of data science, machine learning, optimization, deployment
  • Prerequisites – Familiarity with Excel datasets, data visualization, and basic Python

Conclusion

It’s important to note that different organizations offer different data science certifications based on several factors. These may include a comprehensive curriculum, focus area, or prerequisites. Due to the presence of competitive factors when it comes to these certifications, one must do their research before deducting the best course suited for them.