Published on June 8th, 2024 | by Bibhuranjan

Best Business Analyst Certifications in 2024

Most of the professions in the market are associated with some certifications and the same applies to Business Analysis as well.

Institutes like IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis), BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT), PMI (Project Management Institute), and many more are working hard to improve Business Analysis certifications and make sure they reach out to wider audiences.

This article is primarily focused on Business Analysis certification and gives a brief about the plethora of certifications available for Business Analysts to choose from. Whether you are a Business Analyst Apprentice planning for a transition or an expert in the field of Business Analysis, the list covers Business Analysis Certifications for all professionals.

Why do certifications matter?

The answer to this can vary depending on what outcome is the candidate looking for from getting certified. It could be:

Job change
Honing current skills
Increasing credibility in the market
Self-Motivation
Promotion

The reason for getting certified can be multiple, certification should be seen as a catalyst in career growth, not as a job guarantee.

Best Business Analyst certifications

Parameters for rating a certification as “best” in the market can vary, let’s look at some of the parameters affirming why the below-listed certificates are considered as best.

Parameters considered:

Offered by: Exam/certification conducted/organized by
Suitable for: Who should take this certification
Eligibility: Minimum exam/certification eligibility
Skills covered: What skills the exam/certification covers & what you will learn
Cost: Cost of the exam/certification
Time to complete: Hours/weeks needed to complete the exam/certification

BCS Certificate in Business Analysis Practice

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: British Computer Society (BCS)
Suitable for: Those with some practical experience in business analysis, looking to deepen their understanding and apply their skills in a strategic context
Eligibility: No requirements as such but the candidates should have some practical experience in business analysis to excel in the exam
Skills covered: Focuses on strategic analysis, stakeholder management, and business system modeling. Provides a holistic view of business analysis.
Cost: Approximately $500 – $1,500, including training and exam fees. Costs may vary based on the training provider
Time to complete: Varies based on the training schedule, but typically completed in a few weeks to a few months
Additional notes: This certification is well-regarded in the UK and internationally, providing a foundation for advancing your career in business analysis

BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: British Computer Society (BCS)
Suitable for: Experienced business analysts looking to validate their extensive skills and knowledge. Requires a combination of certificates and a diploma project
Eligibility: No requirements as such but the candidates should demonstrate a detailed understanding of business analysis best practices to excel in the exam
Skills covered: Comprehensive coverage of business analysis best practices, techniques, and methodologies
Cost: Approximately $3,000 – $4,000, including training, exams, and diploma project. Costs may vary based on the training provider
Time to complete: Varies widely, but typically 1-2 years of part-time study and project work
Additional notes: This diploma is highly regarded and provides a thorough validation of your business analysis skills and knowledge

ECBA- Entry Certificate in Business Analysis

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)
Suitable for: Candidates who want to demonstrate foundational knowledge and understanding of business analysis as per the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) Guide.
Eligibility: No requirements as such but the candidates should complete 21 Professional Development hours to become eligible for the exam
Skills covered: Foundational knowledge of core competencies & knowledge areas as per the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) Guide.

Business Analysis Knowledge
Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
Elicitation and Collaboration
Requirements Life Cycle Management
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition

Cost: Varies from $150 – $350 depending on whether you are appearing as an IIBA member, IIBA corporate member, or non-member
Time to complete: Varies, but 3 months on average with training and self-study
Additional notes: ECBA certification is a globally recognized certification that increases candidates’ credibility in the market. Highly recommended for candidates who want to transition to the business analysis field.

CCBA- Certification of Capability in Business Analysis

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)
Suitable for: Business analysis practitioners with 2-3 years of experience, including:

1. Individuals with an ECBA™ designation

2. Product Managers

3. Non-BA consultants

4. Trainers

5. Hybrid Business Analysis professionals including Project Managers, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and Designers

Eligibility: A candidate must:

1. Complete a minimum of 3,750 hours of Business Analysis work experience in the last 7 years

2. Within these 3750 minimum hours required, a minimum of 900 hours must be completed in each of 2 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Knowledge Areas OR, a minimum of 500 hours must be completed in each of 4 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Knowledge Areas

3. Complete a minimum of 21 hours of Professional Development within the last 4 years

Skills covered: Foundational knowledge of core competencies, knowledge areas as per the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) Guide, applied knowledge & ability to recommend actions

Core Competencies/knowledge areas covered:

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
Elicitation and Collaboration
Requirements Life Cycle Management
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
Strategic Analysis
Solution Evaluation

Cost: A non-refundable application fee of $145 and exam fees vary from $205-$405 depending on whether you are appearing as an IIBA member, IIBA corporate member, or non-member
Time to complete: Varies, but 4-5 months on average with training and self-study
Additional notes: CCBA is a globally recognized certification that helps candidates build the skills needed to take on large and complex projects in their profession

Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: Project Management Institute
Suitable for: Business Analysis professionals who closely work with the stakeholders to define the requirements & are driven to deliver successful projects
Eligibility:

Educational Background	Business Analysis Experience	Training in Business Analysis
Secondary degree (High school diploma, associate’s degree, or global equivalent).	60 months working as a practitioner of business analysis. This experience must have been earned in the last 8 years.	35 contact hours earned in the topic of business analysis practices.
OR
Bachelor’s degree or higher degree (or global equivalent).	36 months working as a practitioner of business analysis. This experience must have been earned in the last 8 years.	35 contact hours earned in the topic of business analysis practices.
OR
Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree from a GAC accredited program (bachelor’s or master’s degree or global equivalent)	Minimum two years/24 months unique non overlapping professional business analysis experience experience*	35 contact hours of formal education

Skills covered: Comprehensive understanding of the Business Analysis concepts, techniques, and practical implementation, topics covered:

1. Domain 1: Needs Assessment

2. Domain 2: Planning

3. Domain 3: Analysis

4. Domain 4: Traceability and Monitoring

5. Domain 5: Evaluation

Cost: Member: ₹23,288, Non-member: ₹45,510
Time to complete: Varies, but on an average 6 months
Additional notes: PMI-PBA helps in career growth & helps in building key skills needed in the business analysis field

CBAP- Certified Business Analysis Professional

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)
Suitable for: business analysis professionals with extensive experience in the field of business analysis, including:

1. Individuals with a CCBA™ designation

2. Product Managers

3. Non-BA consultants

4. Trainers

5. Hybrid Business Analysis professionals, including Project Managers, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and Designers

Eligibility: A candidate must:

Complete a minimum of 7,500 hours of Business Analysis Work experience in the last 10 years
Within this experience, a minimum of 900 hours completed in 4 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Knowledge Areas, for a total of at least 3,600 of the required 7,500 total
Complete a minimum of 35 hours of Professional development in the last 4 years
Provide two references

Skills covered: Advanced knowledge of core competencies, knowledge areas as per the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) Guide, applied knowledge to resolve complex challenges

Core Competencies/knowledge areas covered:

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring
Elicitation and Collaboration
Requirements Life Cycle Management
Requirements Analysis and Design Definition
Strategic Analysis
Solution Evaluation

Cost: A non-refundable application fee of $145 and exam fees vary from $305-$505 depending on whether you are appearing as an IIBA member, IIBA corporate member, or a non-member
Time to complete: Varies, but 6-8 months on average with training and self-study
Additional notes: Globally recognized certification for seasoned business analysis practitioners’

Techcanvass, an IIBA Endorsed education provider (EEP), offers a CBAP preparation Course which helps you prepare for the exam. CBAP exam is not an easy exam and it needs structured preparation and preparation materials like question bank, revision guide, mind maps etc. Techcanvass course includes all these resources.

CAP- Certified Analytics Professional

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: Certified Analytics
Suitable for: professionals working in the data analytics fields or their project involves data analytics-related work, data science professionals
Eligibility:

1. 2 years of analytics work experience with MA/MS degree or higher

2. 4 years of analytics work experience with BA/BS degree

3. 8 years of analytics work experience with any level of education

4. Confirmation of soft skills from employer

Skills covered: data analytics, areas covered- there are seven areas of responsibility: business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data, methodology selection, model building, deployment, and lifecycle management.
Cost: Nonrefundable Application Fee: $55

CAP Exam Fees: $440 INFORMS Member and $640 Non-member

· Time to complete: on average 2-3 months

CBDA-Certification in Business Data Analytics

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)
Suitable for: professionals working in the business data analytics fields or their project involves business data analytics-related work
Eligibility: no work experience is required but it is recommended that business analysis professionals have a minimum of two years of experience in analysis-related work in business data analytics
Skills covered: business data analytics, data analysis

Domains Covered:

Identify the Research Questions (Domain 1)
Source Data (Domain 2)
Analyze Data (Domain 3)
Interpret and Report Results (Domain 4)
Use Results to Influence Business Decision Making (Domain 5)
Guide Organization-level Strategy for Business Analytics (Domain 6)

Cost: exam fees vary from $225-$400 depending on whether you are appearing as an IIBA member, IIBA corporate member, or a non-member
Time to complete: on an average 1-2 months
Additional notes: CBDA helps business analysts make informed decisions based on business data analysis

AAC- Agile Business Analysis Certification

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)
Suitable for: business analysis professionals looking to gain a better understanding of the synergy between agile and business analysts
Eligibility: no work experience is required, but recommended for business analysis professionals having two-three years’ experience in implementing analysis-related work in an agile working space
Skills covered: agile mindset, best practices, techniques, and approaches to be used in an agile context. Domains covered:

Agile Mindset
Strategy Horizon
Initiative Horizon
Delivery Horizon

Cost: exam fees vary from $225-$400 depending on whether you are appearing as an IIBA member, IIBA corporate member, or a non-member
Time to complete: on an average 2-3 months

Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Qualification Board for Business Analysis (IQBBA)
Suitable for: Candidates who are looking to develop a foundational understanding of business analysis like individuals working as business and system analysts, requirements engineers, product owners, product managers, sales, and marketing managers, or for anyone hoping to transition to business analysis
Eligibility: No prerequisites or experience required
Skills covered:

Fundamentals of Business Analysis
Strategy Definition
Management of the Business Analysis Process
Requirements Engineering in Business Analysis
Solution Evaluation and Optimization

Cost: 150.00 EUR
Time to complete: varies and is dependent on the training provider, self-learning

Certified Advanced Level Business Analyst (CALBA)

Here are some key facts about the certification:

Offered by: International Qualification Board for Business Analysis (IQBBA)
Suitable for: Candidates who want to hone their skills acquired at a foundational level. It helps the candidates acquire advanced skills and expertise in the specific knowledge areas of the IQBBA® Business Analysis approach- Strategic Analysis and Optimization, Business Analysis Management, Requirements Engineering and Management
Eligibility: Candidates who have completed the CFLBA
Skills covered: gain skills to handle more complex and advanced challenges in your industry. Areas covered:

Strategic Analysis and Optimization
Business Analysis Management
Requirements Engineering and Management

Cost: 180.00 EUR
Time to complete: varies and is dependent on the training provider, self-learning

Conclusion

Certifications play an important role in career transition, career advancement & self-motivation. In an interview setting, it not only shines on the candidate’s CV but also gives confidence to the interviewer about the dedication of the candidate towards the field.

The above list of certificates is globally recognized and holds great respect in the Business Analysis world. This list contains all the major Business Analysis certifications including certifications that will support business analysis work and help the candidates take their career to the next level.

We have helped many candidates clear Business Analysis certifications, if you are looking for any Business Analysis certification training contact us at https://techcanvass.com/.

Tags: Business Analyst, Business Analyst Certifications, diploma, Jobs

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.