With data increasingly vital to business success, business intelligence (BI) continues to grow in importance. With a strong BI strategy and team, organizations can perform the kinds of analysis necessary to help users make data-driven business decisions. BI encompasses numerous roles. BI analysts, with an average salary of $67,650 according to PayScale, provide application analysis and data modelling design for centralized data warehouses and extract data from databases and data warehouses for reporting, among other tasks. BI developers, with an average salary of $79,218 according to PayScale, work with databases and software to develop and fine-tune IT solutions. BI architects, with an average salary of $112,043 according to PayScale, analyse and implement BI for their organizations, with responsibilities that range from determining platforms to building and maintaining data warehouses. BI directors, with an average salary of $128,512 per year according to PayScale, lead design and development activities related to the enterprise data warehouse. IT Skills Demand and Pay Trends Report, research firm Foote Partners notes that cash pay for tech certifications is near its five-year low having increased by 4.3 percent from a year ago. The premium for data/database certs has fared better. Foote Partners called out the MCSE: Data Management and Analytics certification as an exception, gaining more than 10 percent in value from the previous quarter. Overall, premiums for single certifications are boosting base salaries by 7.3 percent, according to Foote Partners.
Certifications are not required to work in BI, but they may help you get an edge by proving to employers that you have the right skillset. Below is our guide to some of the most sought-after BI certifications.
IBM Certified Designer: IBM Cognos Analytics Author V11
The IBM Certified Designer: IBM Cognos Analytics Author V11 certification demonstrates your ability to build advanced reports, active reports, and dashboards using relational data and/or uploaded files, as well as enhancing, customizing, and managing professional reports. Candidates should have basic knowledge of database concepts and SQL, how to visually present data, and JavaScript. The certification requires passing the IBM Cognos Analytics Author V11 exam delivered by Pearson VUE.
Organization: IBM
Price: $100 to $200
Exam Details: C2090-621: IBM Certified Designer - IBM Cognos Analytics Author V11
Exam Structure: IBM C2090-621 Certification Exam Syllabus
QlikView Business Analyst
The QlikView Business Analyst certification demonstrates your knowledge of interface design of QlikView applications and is recommended for roles involved in the analysis, design, and layout of the QlikView application user interface. Candidates must have a basic knowledge of BI, reporting, and data analysis, as well as experience working with QlikView to design applications. The certification requires passing a multiple-choice exam delivered by Pearson VUE via a Pearson VUE Test Center or in your home/office using online proctoring. The certification does not expire, though Qlik releases new exams for every major release, so old certifications do "age out."
Organization: Qlik
Exam fee: $250
Exam Details: QV12BA: QlikView Business Analyst
Exam Structure: Qlik QV12BA Certification Exam Syllabus
QlikView Data Architect
The QlikView Data Architect certification demonstrates your knowledge of the technical aspects of QlikView application development, including design, data modeling, and scripting. It is recommended for roles involving developing, deploying, and supporting QlikView applications. The certification requires passing a multiple-choice exam delivered by Pearson VUE via a Pearson VUE Test Center or in your home/office using online proctoring. The certification does not expire, though Qlik releases new exams for every major release, so old certifications do "age out."
Organization: Qlik
Exam fee: $250
Exam Details: QV12DA: QlikView Data Architect
Exam Structure: Qlik QV12DA Certification Exam Syllabus
SAS Certified BI Content Developer for SAS 9
The SAS Certified BI Content Developer for SAS 9 certification validates you have the skills required to build reports, analyses, and dashboards using SAS 9. SAS recommends candidates come equipped with skills in information consumer reporting applications, data management, creating information maps, building an SAS BI Dashboard application, building stored processes and utilizing multidimensional (OLAP) data sources. The exam is administered by SAS and Pearson VUE. The exam consists of 60 to 65 multiple-choice questions and the candidate must achieve a score of 70 percent correct to pass.
Organization: SAS
Exam fee: $180
Exam Details: A00-270: SAS Certified BI Content Developer for SAS 9
Practice exam: SAS Certified BI Content Developer for SAS 9 Premium Practice Exam