What Is the Power BI Certification, and How Do You Get It?

According to HG Insight's report, The Business Intelligence Market Landscape in 2024, by 2025, organizations worldwide will spend $59.7 billion on business intelligence (BI) software, with Microsoft leading the market [1]. In 2024, Gartner also named Microsoft a Magic Quadrant leader for its analytics and BI platforms, underscoring Power BI's market-leading position [2]. 

If you work in a role that involves data analysis, visualization, or reporting, you may use Power BI. It’s an excellent tool to collect, process, and present data and reveal valuable insights about customer behavior, inventory, revenue, and more. To help you deepen your understanding of the platform and demonstrate your competency using it, Microsoft offers several professional credentials related to Power BI, including:

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Enterprise Data Analyst Associate

• Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate

• Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Solution Architect Expert

• Microsoft Certified: Power Platform App Maker Associate

• Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate

While these certifications each require a specific knowledge of Power BI or intend to help you learn aspects of Power BI, Microsoft also offers certification specifically for data analysts: the Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Certification. Earning this credential demonstrates your ability to build and scale data models, clean datasets, and implement meaningful analytics methodologies into your company’s data. 

Who should get the Power BI certification?

If you are currently working in or pursuing a job that requires analyzing and visualizing data, getting the Power BI certification can be a helpful step in your career in roles as a data analyst, scientist, technology professional, and business intelligence. If your employer already uses Microsoft products, adding a Power BI certification can expand your skill set.

Technically, you don't need any certifications to work with Power BI if you can demonstrate that you're adept at handling its various analytics and visualization functions. However, the technical skills you acquire by earning the Power BI certification may help you stand out when you apply for positions in the IT or data analytics industries.

How to get the Power BI certification

To get the Power BI certification, you must pass Exam PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst. The exam has no formal requirements or prerequisites, making it a beginner-friendly place to start if you want to enter the data analytics and business intelligence industry.

Microsoft recommends reviewing the exam study guide and watching videos to prepare for the test. The company also offers a practice opportunity through Windows Sandbox and a free practice test on its website. When you're ready, schedule the exam through Pearson Vue, which offers online and in-person exam options—and pay the $165 fee [3]. The exam is available in multiple languages, including Chinese, Spanish, and French. A passing score is 700 or higher. 

Read more: 5 Business Intelligence Tools You Need to Know

What's on the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst exam?

The Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst exam measures your ability to prepare, model, visualize, and analyze data and deploy and maintain assets and deliverables. Microsoft regularly updates the exam, most recently on April 23, 2024 [3]. The following offers the current breakdown of the skills measured on the exam:

• Prepare the data: Between 25 percent and 30 percent of the questions are in this domain. Topics covered include procuring data from data sources before transforming and cleaning it. You may see questions about choosing datasets, resolving inconsistencies in the data, and more.

• Model the data: This section comprises 25 to 30 percent of the exam. Questions in this domain cover designing and implementing a data model, using DAX to create model calculations, and optimizing model performance. In this section, you may need to use your knowledge of statistics.

• Visualize and analyze the data: About 25 to 30 percent of the exam covers topics in this domain. It includes creating and enhancing reports to identify patterns in the data, implementing AI visuals, formatting data visualizations, and designing reports users can view on mobile devices.

• Deploy and maintain assets: This section makes up between 15 percent and 20 percent of the exam. Here, you will demonstrate your ability to create dashboards, create and assign roles for workspaces, set security measures for accessing datasets, and more.

Training for the Power BI exam

To prepare for the Power BI exam, Microsoft recommends that you engage with its study materials, such as exam prep videos, study guides for the specific exam, and practice assessments. You can also enroll in alternative online courses from various university programs to improve your Power BI skills. However, if you choose this route, look for Microsoft-affiliated coursework and training.

Microsoft offers instructor-led courses and self-paced modules designed to support your learning style. The course structures break down the material on the exam step-by-step so you can target different areas and focus on the areas where you need to improve.

Once you have reviewed your study materials, you can take a practice test and assess if you feel prepared for the real exam. By taking a practice exam, you give yourself an excellent opportunity to identify your areas of strength and growth opportunities, making your exam preparation more efficient and focused. 

What jobs can you get with the Power BI certification?

This credential can help pave the way forward in various careers, from software development to management analysis. Power BI is an in-demand skill among many employers, particularly in the data analytics and business intelligence industries. Below are examples of jobs you can get with a Power BI certification and their average annual earnings. 

*All salary data comes from Lightcast™ as of August 2024. 

• Software developer: $132,466

• Software quality assurance analyst: $105,575

• Management analyst: $128,387

• Computer and information systems manager: $170,817

• Information security analyst: $119,693

• Financial analyst: $128,003

• Computer systems analyst: $108,589

• Computer network architect: $128,558

• Database architect: $135,504

• Database administrator: $101,895

Getting started with Coursera

Power BI is a useful data analytics tool that many data professionals use daily. Gaining Power BI certification can help advance your skills and set you apart from other professionals in your field. 

Deepen your knowledge and expertise using Power BI with courses, Guided Projects, and Professional Certificates on Coursera. The Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate includes eight courses that cover the topics assessed in the PL-300 exam and a capstone project to show off your skills. After completing the program, you'll have a sharable certificate and make preparations to take the Power BI certification exam.