Top Business Analysis Certifications [To Advance Analytics]
By Shashank Jain
Are you an aspiring Business Analyst or one who is already playing the role of a Business Analyst? The role of a Business Analyst has been gaining great traction in today’s scenario, and Business Analysts are among the most highly paid professionals today across industries and domains.So, what do Business Analysts do? They analyse the Business!And what exactly does Business Analysis entail? Business Analysis is a set of tasks, knowledge, and techniques required to identify business needs and determine solutions. Business analysts help organizations make the most of the information they collect by finding trends, patterns, and errors that might otherwise go unnoticed.There are lot of aspiring Business Analysts out there, as well as those who have been playing the role of Business Analysts for years in various organizations and have gained some competence through sheer experience. But what makes the difference between someone who is just a Business Analyst, someone who is a great Business Analyst? Great Business Analysts possess an extensive skill set and thorough technical proficiency, they know the right tools and techniques that a specific business scenario calls for. Great BAs have a deep understanding of business processes, technologies, and are equipped with all the required soft skills.To become a great Business Analyst in this exciting field, it is desirable to be certified. Certifications are not just to prove your skills, but also to demonstrate the knowledge you have acquired, place you as a more competitive candidate for open positions, increase your earning potential, as well as to help you find jobs in more advanced roles. In this article, we'll look at the top certifications for Business Analysis, understand what the benefits of earning a business analyst certification are, and a few reasons why it's a good idea to get certified.In addition to Business Analysis Certifications, this article will also detail Business Analytics certifications – which is basically advanced level certifications for Business Analysts who already possess the Business Analysis Certifications and want to advance their career in the business Analytics stream.Certification name and explanationIn this article, we will discuss about below 12 certifications that are for Business Analysis and Business Analytics:Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™)Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC) Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA)Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA)IQBBA– Foundation LevelIQBBA– Advanced LevelPMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®CPRE –Foundation Level CPRE -Advanced LevelCPRE -Expert LevelAffiliation BodyCertification NameInternational Institute of Business AnalysisCertified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®)Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®)Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™)Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC)Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA)Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA) This is an Advanced Analytics certificationInternational Qualification Board for Business AnalysisIQBBA – Foundation LevelIQBBA – Advanced LevelProject Management InstitutePMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®International Requirements Engineering BoardCPREFoundation Level Advanced Level Expert Level1. Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) IIBA awards the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) certification to those professionals who have extensive business analysis (BA) experience, and have passed the rigorous online exam. CBAP® recipients are senior members of the Business Analyst community.Benefits:It demonstrates you have the knowledge, competencies, and experience as a highly effective business analysis professional.It allows you to stand out to employers and peers by showcasing your dedication to your career and the profession of business analysis.CBAP certified professionals have higher compensation, and you should be earning up to 13% more being CBAP certified.You will get better fulfilment and higher confidence at work.Demand:CBAP Certified Professionals are in very high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries.Salary:A CBAP earns an average salary in range of $90,000 - $120,000 every year.Industries hiring CBAP Professionals:Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for CBAP:Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also give the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on completion of the training, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take CBAP training:Individuals with significant experience in Business AnalysisIndividuals with a CCBA™ designationProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration:You should spend 4-6 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee:The Course fee ranges from $250-$400 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee:$125Exam Fee:$325 for members, $450 for non-members.Retake Fee:$250 for members, $375 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for CBAP Certification.2. Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®)IIBA awards the Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) certification to those who have the requisite experience and have passed the exam. CCBA certification is recommended if you are a business analysis practitioner with 2 to 3 years’ experience. Once you earn your Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®), you would be recognized in your workplace to take on larger and or more complex project responsibilities.Benefits: It would boost your worth to your employer.Once you possess the CCBA certification, it will show your organization’s commitment to maintain global standards of process and delivery. You would be able to demonstrate efficiency in business analysis work to the stakeholders.Demand:CCBA Certified Professionals are in very high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries.Salary:A CBAP earns an average salary in range of $35,000 - $60000 every year.Industries hiring CCBA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for CCBA: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also give the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on completion of the training, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take CCBA training: Individuals with an ECBA™ designationProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration: You should spend 3-5 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee: $125Exam Fee: $325 for members, $450 for non-members.Retake Fee: $250 for members, $375 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for CCBA Certification.3. Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) IIBA awards the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) certification to entry level BAs. ECBA certification covers foundational knowledge on how to approach business analysis.Benefits: ECBA covers the foundational knowledge on business analysis according to the BABOK® Guide and showcases that you have the core knowledge and competencies to embark on a career in the in–demand field of business analysis. You would stand out from the crowd – and it would highlight that you have the knowledge and are certified by the leading authority in business analysis, IIBA.Demand: ECBA Certified Professionals are in high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries.Salary: An ECBA earns an average salary in range of of $20,000 - $30,000 every year.Industries hiring ECBA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for ECBA: Training should be taken from an IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDU’s (Professional Development Units) and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take ECBA training: Business Analyst AspirantsProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration: You should spend 2-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee: $60Exam Fee: $110 for members, $235 for non-members.Retake Fee: $85 for members, $195 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for ECBA Certification.4. Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC)IIBA awards the Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC) to Agile professionals who have passed the exam. This is one of the new competency-based IIBA® Agile Analysis (IIBA®-AAC) Certification which addresses both necessity and demand for agile and analyst communities to collaborate and transform project delivery.Benefits: The IIBA® Annual Business Analysis Salary Survey reports 71% of BA professionals practice agile approaches, and those certified in agile analysis earn up to 16% more. Help you in augmenting your business analysis skill set and expertiseEnsures that you stay up to date on best practices and industry trendsDemand: AAC Certified Professionals are in high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries adopting agile practicesSalary: An IIBA-AAC earns an average salary of $100,000 every year.Industries hiring IIBA-AAC Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IIBA-AAC: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on course completion, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take IIBA-AAC training: This certification recognizes the competencies of BA professionals with two to three years’ experience executing analysis-related work in an agile context.Duration: You should spend 2-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Exam Fee: $250 for members, $375 for non-members.Retake Fee: $200 for members, $325 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for IIBA-AAC Certification.5. Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA)IIBA awards Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA) to cybersecurity professionals who have passed the exam. IIBA® and IEEE Computer Society have partnered to offer a robust learning and certification program on Cybersecurity Analysis for business analysts who are working on the Cybersecurity aspects in the organizations.Benefits: You would be equipped with the basics of cybersecurity needed to assist in the overall cybersecurity solution. You would become an expert by learning essential concepts and industry best practices in cybersecurity.Demand: CCA Certified Professionals are in high demand in organizations that need Cybersecurity solutionsSalary: An IIBA-CCA earns an average salary of $85,000 every year.Industries hiring IIBA-CCA Professionals: Information Technology and Technology companies requiring cybersecurity solutions.How to take training for IIBA-CCA: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on course completion, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take IIBA-CCA training: This certification recognizes the competencies of BA professionals with five plus years’ experience executing analysis-related work in the cybersecurity context.Duration: You should spend 2-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee: $1250Exam Fee: $350 for members, $475 for non-members.Retake Fee: $300 for members, $425 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for IIBA-CCA Certification.6. Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA)IIBA awards Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA) to business analytics professionals who have passed the exam. This certification would help you to execute analysis related work in support of business analytics initiatives.Benefits: After achieving this certification, you would be an expert in the Business data analytics discipline by which you can apply specific set of techniques, competencies and practices to perform the continuous exploration, and investigation of business data. You would get an edge in terms of providing insights about a business that can lead to improved evidence-based decision-making.Demand: IIBA®- CBDA Certified Professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require business analytics capabilitiesSalary: An IIBA-CBDA earns an average salary of $100,000 every year.Industries hiring IIBA®- CBDA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IIBA®- CBDA: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on course completion, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take IIBA®- CBDA training: This certification recognizes the competencies of BA professionals with five plus years’ experience executing analysis-related work in an analytical context.Duration: You should spend 4-5 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $300-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Exam Fee: $450 325for members, $575 375for non-members.Retake Fee: $400 200for members, $525 325for non-membersRefer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for IIBA-CBDA Certification.7. IQBBA – Foundation LevelIQBBA awards IQBBA – Foundation Level certification as a base qualification in the BA field. This certification would help you to learn the basics of Business Analysis and Requirements Engineering.Benefits: You would be equipped with effective elicitation of requirements from users who may not actually know what they need You would learn the proper ways of documentation of the requirementsYou would know how to help a set of users through the process of user acceptance testing You would know how to reduce requirement maintenance time by using effective analysis techniquesDemand: IQBBA - Foundation Certified Professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require the business analysis activities by the mid-level business analysts. Salary: An IQBBA – Foundation Level earns an average salary in range of $25,000 - $40,000 every year.Industries hiring IQBBA – Foundation Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IQBBA – Foundation: Training should be taken from the accredited training providers listed at: Who should take IQBBA – Foundation training: This training should be taken by business and system analysts, requirements engineers, product owners and product managers. IQBBA also expects the participants to have a basic experience in solution concept, design or development.Duration: You should spend 2-3 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$300 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: Ranges from EUR 150 to EUR 200 as per exam location selectionRefer to for Exam fee per locationRetake Fee: Same as Exam feeFor retake, you should contact your accredited training provider for retake exam fee and process8. IQBBA – Advanced LevelIQBBA awards IQBBA – Advance Level certification as an advanced qualification in the BA field. The Advanced Level aim to further improve the Foundation Level skills acquired by business analysts who have gained the Foundation level certification. The Advanced Level helps in developing more advanced skills in the specific knowledge area of IQBBA Business Analysis approach – for example, in the scope of Requirements Management.Benefits: You would be more proficient in Business analysis Process management, Requirements Management and Strategic analysis and optimization.Demand: IQBBA - Advanced Certified Professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require the business analysis activities by the senior-level business analysts. Salary: An IQBBA – Advanced Level earns an average salary of $75,000 every year.Industries hiring IQBBA – Advanced Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IQBBA – Advanced: Training should be taken from the accredited training providers listed at: Who should take IQBBA – Advanced training: This training should be taken by senior level business and system analysts, requirements engineers, product owners and product managers. IQBBA also expects the participants to have a basic experience in solution concept, design, or development.Duration: You should spend 3-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$300 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: Ranges from EUR 150 to EUR 200 as per exam location selectionRefer to for Exam fee per locationRetake Fee: Same as Exam feeFor retake, you should contact your accredited training provider for retake exam fee and process9. PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Project Management Institute (PMI)® awards the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® certification to professionals who have the requisite experience and have passed the rigorous exam. This certification is very suitable for you if you work with project teams and manage requirements or product development, or if you’re a project or program manager who performs business analysis as part of your role.Benefits: For those business analysts who work with stakeholders in defining requirements, shaping project outputs and driving intended business outcomes, the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® will help in spotlighting your valuable skills.Demand: PMI-PBA professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require the business analysis as well as support the project management activities. Salary: A PMI-PBA earns an average salary of $85,000 every year.Industries hiring PMI-PBA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for PMI-PBA: You should enrol in a formal study course offered by PMI chapters or Authorized Training Partners. You can also review self-study books published by Authorized Training Partners and other reputable training organizations.Who should take PMI-PBA training: Business Analyst AspirantsProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration: You should spend 4-5 months for studies and then go for examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $300-$500 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: $405 for members, $555 for non-members.Retake Fee: $275 for members, $375 for non-members.10. Certified Professional for Requirement Engineering – Foundational, Advanced and Expert Level The International Requirements Engineering Board (IREB) awards the Certified Professional for Requirement Engineering – Foundational Level, Advanced Level and Expert level certifications. This certification is suitable for business analysts who want to excel at the requirement engineering concepts.Benefits: Those business analysts who work with stakeholders in defining requirements, after gaining this certification will find themselves equipped with techniques and best practices of requirement engineering.Demand: CPRE-FLs, ALs and ELs are in demand in all the domains that require experts in business analysis and requirements engineeringSalary: CPRE certified professionals earns an average salary of $75,000-$100,000 every year.Industries hiring CPRE-FL, AL and EL Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for CPRE-FL, AL and EL: You should enrol in a formal study course offered by IREB or Authorized Training Partners.Who should take CPRE training: Attending a CPRE training course is recommended but not mandatory. The training providers recognized by IREB can prepare participants optimally for the exam.Duration: You should spend 2-3 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$250 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: Ranges from USD 140 to EUR 180 as per authorized training partner you are taking study guidance and exam Refer to, and for exam detailsRetake Fee: Same as Exam feeFor retake, you should contact your accredited training provider for retake exam fee and processSummaryAs you can see, we’ve given you a ready reckoner of the top BA certifications in this article. The certification that is best for you should be chosen based on the experience that you have, how much study you need to put in, as well as the knowledge you need for your chosen career path. All the certifications mentioned in this article have helped thousands of professional in excelling in their careers.![Top Business Analysis Certifications [To Advance Analytics]](https://d2o2utebsixu4k.cloudfront.net/media/images/009427a0-2092-40dc-b98a-82358650ac83.png)
Shashank Jain
Shashank Jain is a Senior Consultant with 13+ years of experience in IT industry and 9+ years’ experience in Business Analysis, Product Owner, Scrum Master, Consulting & Project Management roles. Shashank is Certified Product Owner, Scrum Master and holds Certified Business Analysis Professional credentials. He specializes in transforming the conversation between the business and IT, resulting in maximizing business value realization. He has practised Agile-Scrum for more than 8 years which consist of more than 20 initiatives with consistent achievement of 85%+ team goals.
Posts by Shashank Jain
Top Business Analysis Certifications [To Advance Analytics]
By Shashank Jain
Are you an aspiring Business Analyst or one who is already playing the role of a Business Analyst? The role of a Business Analyst has been gaining great traction in today’s scenario, and Business Analysts are among the most highly paid professionals today across industries and domains.So, what do Business Analysts do? They analyse the Business!And what exactly does Business Analysis entail? Business Analysis is a set of tasks, knowledge, and techniques required to identify business needs and determine solutions. Business analysts help organizations make the most of the information they collect by finding trends, patterns, and errors that might otherwise go unnoticed.There are lot of aspiring Business Analysts out there, as well as those who have been playing the role of Business Analysts for years in various organizations and have gained some competence through sheer experience. But what makes the difference between someone who is just a Business Analyst, someone who is a great Business Analyst? Great Business Analysts possess an extensive skill set and thorough technical proficiency, they know the right tools and techniques that a specific business scenario calls for. Great BAs have a deep understanding of business processes, technologies, and are equipped with all the required soft skills.To become a great Business Analyst in this exciting field, it is desirable to be certified. Certifications are not just to prove your skills, but also to demonstrate the knowledge you have acquired, place you as a more competitive candidate for open positions, increase your earning potential, as well as to help you find jobs in more advanced roles. In this article, we'll look at the top certifications for Business Analysis, understand what the benefits of earning a business analyst certification are, and a few reasons why it's a good idea to get certified.In addition to Business Analysis Certifications, this article will also detail Business Analytics certifications – which is basically advanced level certifications for Business Analysts who already possess the Business Analysis Certifications and want to advance their career in the business Analytics stream.Certification name and explanationIn this article, we will discuss about below 12 certifications that are for Business Analysis and Business Analytics:Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™)Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC) Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA)Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA)IQBBA– Foundation LevelIQBBA– Advanced LevelPMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®CPRE –Foundation Level CPRE -Advanced LevelCPRE -Expert LevelAffiliation BodyCertification NameInternational Institute of Business AnalysisCertified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®)Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®)Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™)Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC)Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA)Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA) This is an Advanced Analytics certificationInternational Qualification Board for Business AnalysisIQBBA – Foundation LevelIQBBA – Advanced LevelProject Management InstitutePMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®International Requirements Engineering BoardCPREFoundation Level Advanced Level Expert Level1. Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP®) IIBA awards the Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) certification to those professionals who have extensive business analysis (BA) experience, and have passed the rigorous online exam. CBAP® recipients are senior members of the Business Analyst community.Benefits:It demonstrates you have the knowledge, competencies, and experience as a highly effective business analysis professional.It allows you to stand out to employers and peers by showcasing your dedication to your career and the profession of business analysis.CBAP certified professionals have higher compensation, and you should be earning up to 13% more being CBAP certified.You will get better fulfilment and higher confidence at work.Demand:CBAP Certified Professionals are in very high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries.Salary:A CBAP earns an average salary in range of $90,000 - $120,000 every year.Industries hiring CBAP Professionals:Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for CBAP:Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also give the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on completion of the training, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take CBAP training:Individuals with significant experience in Business AnalysisIndividuals with a CCBA™ designationProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration:You should spend 4-6 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee:The Course fee ranges from $250-$400 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee:$125Exam Fee:$325 for members, $450 for non-members.Retake Fee:$250 for members, $375 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for CBAP Certification.2. Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®)IIBA awards the Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®) certification to those who have the requisite experience and have passed the exam. CCBA certification is recommended if you are a business analysis practitioner with 2 to 3 years’ experience. Once you earn your Certification of Capability in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®), you would be recognized in your workplace to take on larger and or more complex project responsibilities.Benefits: It would boost your worth to your employer.Once you possess the CCBA certification, it will show your organization’s commitment to maintain global standards of process and delivery. You would be able to demonstrate efficiency in business analysis work to the stakeholders.Demand:CCBA Certified Professionals are in very high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries.Salary:A CBAP earns an average salary in range of $35,000 - $60000 every year.Industries hiring CCBA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for CCBA: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also give the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on completion of the training, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take CCBA training: Individuals with an ECBA™ designationProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration: You should spend 3-5 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee: $125Exam Fee: $325 for members, $450 for non-members.Retake Fee: $250 for members, $375 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for CCBA Certification.3. Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) IIBA awards the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) certification to entry level BAs. ECBA certification covers foundational knowledge on how to approach business analysis.Benefits: ECBA covers the foundational knowledge on business analysis according to the BABOK® Guide and showcases that you have the core knowledge and competencies to embark on a career in the in–demand field of business analysis. You would stand out from the crowd – and it would highlight that you have the knowledge and are certified by the leading authority in business analysis, IIBA.Demand: ECBA Certified Professionals are in high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries.Salary: An ECBA earns an average salary in range of of $20,000 - $30,000 every year.Industries hiring ECBA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for ECBA: Training should be taken from an IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDU’s (Professional Development Units) and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take ECBA training: Business Analyst AspirantsProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration: You should spend 2-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee: $60Exam Fee: $110 for members, $235 for non-members.Retake Fee: $85 for members, $195 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for ECBA Certification.4. Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC)IIBA awards the Agile Analysis Certification (IIBA®-AAC) to Agile professionals who have passed the exam. This is one of the new competency-based IIBA® Agile Analysis (IIBA®-AAC) Certification which addresses both necessity and demand for agile and analyst communities to collaborate and transform project delivery.Benefits: The IIBA® Annual Business Analysis Salary Survey reports 71% of BA professionals practice agile approaches, and those certified in agile analysis earn up to 16% more. Help you in augmenting your business analysis skill set and expertiseEnsures that you stay up to date on best practices and industry trendsDemand: AAC Certified Professionals are in high demand in the IT, banking, manufacturing sectors, and other growing industries adopting agile practicesSalary: An IIBA-AAC earns an average salary of $100,000 every year.Industries hiring IIBA-AAC Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IIBA-AAC: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on course completion, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take IIBA-AAC training: This certification recognizes the competencies of BA professionals with two to three years’ experience executing analysis-related work in an agile context.Duration: You should spend 2-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Exam Fee: $250 for members, $375 for non-members.Retake Fee: $200 for members, $325 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for IIBA-AAC Certification.5. Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA)IIBA awards Certificate in Cybersecurity Analysis (IIBA®- CCA) to cybersecurity professionals who have passed the exam. IIBA® and IEEE Computer Society have partnered to offer a robust learning and certification program on Cybersecurity Analysis for business analysts who are working on the Cybersecurity aspects in the organizations.Benefits: You would be equipped with the basics of cybersecurity needed to assist in the overall cybersecurity solution. You would become an expert by learning essential concepts and industry best practices in cybersecurity.Demand: CCA Certified Professionals are in high demand in organizations that need Cybersecurity solutionsSalary: An IIBA-CCA earns an average salary of $85,000 every year.Industries hiring IIBA-CCA Professionals: Information Technology and Technology companies requiring cybersecurity solutions.How to take training for IIBA-CCA: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on course completion, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take IIBA-CCA training: This certification recognizes the competencies of BA professionals with five plus years’ experience executing analysis-related work in the cybersecurity context.Duration: You should spend 2-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Application Fee: $1250Exam Fee: $350 for members, $475 for non-members.Retake Fee: $300 for members, $425 for non-members.Refer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for IIBA-CCA Certification.6. Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA)IIBA awards Certification in Business Data Analytics (IIBA®- CBDA) to business analytics professionals who have passed the exam. This certification would help you to execute analysis related work in support of business analytics initiatives.Benefits: After achieving this certification, you would be an expert in the Business data analytics discipline by which you can apply specific set of techniques, competencies and practices to perform the continuous exploration, and investigation of business data. You would get an edge in terms of providing insights about a business that can lead to improved evidence-based decision-making.Demand: IIBA®- CBDA Certified Professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require business analytics capabilitiesSalary: An IIBA-CBDA earns an average salary of $100,000 every year.Industries hiring IIBA®- CBDA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IIBA®- CBDA: Training should be taken from an IIBA® EEP (Endorsed Education Provider). The EEPs also gives the much-needed PDUs (Professional Development Units) on course completion, and guidance in form filling for the exam.Who should take IIBA®- CBDA training: This certification recognizes the competencies of BA professionals with five plus years’ experience executing analysis-related work in an analytical context.Duration: You should spend 4-5 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $300-$350 from the IIBA EEP (Endorsed Education Provider).Exam Fee: $450 325for members, $575 375for non-members.Retake Fee: $400 200for members, $525 325for non-membersRefer to for the details on application fee, exam fee and Retake fee for IIBA-CBDA Certification.7. IQBBA – Foundation LevelIQBBA awards IQBBA – Foundation Level certification as a base qualification in the BA field. This certification would help you to learn the basics of Business Analysis and Requirements Engineering.Benefits: You would be equipped with effective elicitation of requirements from users who may not actually know what they need You would learn the proper ways of documentation of the requirementsYou would know how to help a set of users through the process of user acceptance testing You would know how to reduce requirement maintenance time by using effective analysis techniquesDemand: IQBBA - Foundation Certified Professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require the business analysis activities by the mid-level business analysts. Salary: An IQBBA – Foundation Level earns an average salary in range of $25,000 - $40,000 every year.Industries hiring IQBBA – Foundation Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IQBBA – Foundation: Training should be taken from the accredited training providers listed at: Who should take IQBBA – Foundation training: This training should be taken by business and system analysts, requirements engineers, product owners and product managers. IQBBA also expects the participants to have a basic experience in solution concept, design or development.Duration: You should spend 2-3 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$300 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: Ranges from EUR 150 to EUR 200 as per exam location selectionRefer to for Exam fee per locationRetake Fee: Same as Exam feeFor retake, you should contact your accredited training provider for retake exam fee and process8. IQBBA – Advanced LevelIQBBA awards IQBBA – Advance Level certification as an advanced qualification in the BA field. The Advanced Level aim to further improve the Foundation Level skills acquired by business analysts who have gained the Foundation level certification. The Advanced Level helps in developing more advanced skills in the specific knowledge area of IQBBA Business Analysis approach – for example, in the scope of Requirements Management.Benefits: You would be more proficient in Business analysis Process management, Requirements Management and Strategic analysis and optimization.Demand: IQBBA - Advanced Certified Professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require the business analysis activities by the senior-level business analysts. Salary: An IQBBA – Advanced Level earns an average salary of $75,000 every year.Industries hiring IQBBA – Advanced Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for IQBBA – Advanced: Training should be taken from the accredited training providers listed at: Who should take IQBBA – Advanced training: This training should be taken by senior level business and system analysts, requirements engineers, product owners and product managers. IQBBA also expects the participants to have a basic experience in solution concept, design, or development.Duration: You should spend 3-4 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$300 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: Ranges from EUR 150 to EUR 200 as per exam location selectionRefer to for Exam fee per locationRetake Fee: Same as Exam feeFor retake, you should contact your accredited training provider for retake exam fee and process9. PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Project Management Institute (PMI)® awards the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® certification to professionals who have the requisite experience and have passed the rigorous exam. This certification is very suitable for you if you work with project teams and manage requirements or product development, or if you’re a project or program manager who performs business analysis as part of your role.Benefits: For those business analysts who work with stakeholders in defining requirements, shaping project outputs and driving intended business outcomes, the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® will help in spotlighting your valuable skills.Demand: PMI-PBA professionals are in high demand in all the domains that require the business analysis as well as support the project management activities. Salary: A PMI-PBA earns an average salary of $85,000 every year.Industries hiring PMI-PBA Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for PMI-PBA: You should enrol in a formal study course offered by PMI chapters or Authorized Training Partners. You can also review self-study books published by Authorized Training Partners and other reputable training organizations.Who should take PMI-PBA training: Business Analyst AspirantsProduct ManagersNon-BA consultantsTrainersHybrid Business Analysis professionals, including: Project Manager, Testers, Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, Change/Transformation Managers, and DesignersDuration: You should spend 4-5 months for studies and then go for examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $300-$500 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: $405 for members, $555 for non-members.Retake Fee: $275 for members, $375 for non-members.10. Certified Professional for Requirement Engineering – Foundational, Advanced and Expert Level The International Requirements Engineering Board (IREB) awards the Certified Professional for Requirement Engineering – Foundational Level, Advanced Level and Expert level certifications. This certification is suitable for business analysts who want to excel at the requirement engineering concepts.Benefits: Those business analysts who work with stakeholders in defining requirements, after gaining this certification will find themselves equipped with techniques and best practices of requirement engineering.Demand: CPRE-FLs, ALs and ELs are in demand in all the domains that require experts in business analysis and requirements engineeringSalary: CPRE certified professionals earns an average salary of $75,000-$100,000 every year.Industries hiring CPRE-FL, AL and EL Professionals: Information Technology, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Banking, Financial Services, Technology Companies.How to take training for CPRE-FL, AL and EL: You should enrol in a formal study course offered by IREB or Authorized Training Partners.Who should take CPRE training: Attending a CPRE training course is recommended but not mandatory. The training providers recognized by IREB can prepare participants optimally for the exam.Duration: You should spend 2-3 months for studies and then attempt the examination.Course Fee: The Course fee ranges from $200-$250 from the accredited trainers.Application Fee: $0Exam Fee: Ranges from USD 140 to EUR 180 as per authorized training partner you are taking study guidance and exam Refer to, and for exam detailsRetake Fee: Same as Exam feeFor retake, you should contact your accredited training provider for retake exam fee and processSummaryAs you can see, we’ve given you a ready reckoner of the top BA certifications in this article. The certification that is best for you should be chosen based on the experience that you have, how much study you need to put in, as well as the knowledge you need for your chosen career path. All the certifications mentioned in this article have helped thousands of professional in excelling in their careers.![Top Business Analysis Certifications [To Advance Analytics]](https://d5jbouauxtwah.cloudfront.net/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJrbm93bGVkZ2VodXQtcHJlcG8tbGl2ZSIsImtleSI6Im1lZGlhXC9pbWFnZXNcLzAwOTQyN2EwLTIwOTItNDBkYy1iOThhLTgyMzU4NjUwYWM4My5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19)
2418
- by Shashank Jain
- 07 Jun 2021
- 6 mins read
Are you an aspiring Business Analyst or one who is... Read More
Why and How to Pass the PSPO Exam?
By Shashank Jain
The role of the Product Owner is in high demand in the current market. It has consistently appeared among LinkedIn's most promising jobs. Agile and Scrum methodologies have overtaken the traditional methods of building software and managing projects, as they have been consistently proven to give better results than traditional project management methods.In this article, you will learn about PSPO, among the most sought-after Product Owner certifications around the world. PSPO stands for Professional Scrum Product Owner and this certification is offered by Scrum.org. Before jumping into the details, let’s get to know about the accreditation body, that is Scrum.org, that offers the PSPO certification. Ken Schwaber, the co-creator of Scrum, who founded Scrum.org in 2009 as a global organization, has been dedicating himself to improving best practices in the world of Scrum. Unlike other training and certification organizations, Scrum.org is focused on improving professionalism in complex product delivery and that drives everything they do. For getting the Professional Scrum Product Owner certification, you would be required to demonstrate your familiarity, understanding and capability to apply Scrum fundamentals in the real world. All training materials are collaboratively maintained and improved by the community of Scrum experts and the founder Ken Schwaber, the co-creator of Scrum.Prove your Product Owner KnowledgePSPO is offered in 3 levels—I, II, and III. Before signing up for the training and certification for any of the three levels, Scrum.org gives you a chance to assess your readiness, and prove your knowledge, understanding and ability to apply Scrum in the real-world. This can be done with the free assessment offered by Scrum.org. The assessments are available to anyone who wishes to validate their knowledge of the Scrum framework and ability to support value creation and delivery. Scrum.org has decoupled the certification assessments from the training. Although each Scrum.org training class includes a free attempt at a Scrum.org assessment, you would still need to prove your knowledge by passing the assessment test with a score of 85% or better to receive the associated Professional certification. Those who pass the assessment receive the industry recognized PSPO I, II and III Certification to demonstrate their mastery of the content. However, Scrum.org highly recommends that you should take a Professional Scrum Product Owner course. This is not mandatory, and participants can attempt any of the three certifications after self-study also.Prepare for the assessmentTo prepare for the certification assessment, you should be thorough with the multiple focus areas as defined by the Professional Scrum Competencies.Here are the Professional Scrum competencies and the key terms that you should learn:Understanding and Applying the Scrum FrameworkDeveloping People and TeamsManaging Products with AgilityDeveloping & Delivering Products ProfessionallyEvolving the Agile OrganizationEmpiricismScrum ValuesScrum TeamEventsArtifacts\DoneScalingSelf-Managing TeamsFacilitationLeadership StylesCoaching & MentoringTeachingForecasting & Release PlanningProduct VisionProduct ValueProduct Backlog ManagementBusiness StrategyStakeholders & CustomersEmergent Software DevelopmentManaging Technical RiskContinuous QualityContinuous IntegrationContinuous DeliveryOptimizing FlowOrganizational Design & CulturePortfolio PlanningEvidence Based ManagementDetails To navigate through the preparation, you should: Be very familiar with the Scrum Guide. Read it at least 4-5 times Understand the Product owner Learning path As the Product Owners work closely with Scrum masters, hence it is required for Product owners to understand the Scrum Master Learning Path Go through various blogs available here Read and understand at least 4-5 times: Scrum Glossary Evidence Based Management Guide Evidence Based Management Nexus Guide is also a valuable resource You can take Open assessments as many times you wish. Find out why you got an answer wrong and read up on the answers in the Scrum Guide. My advice would be that you should not attempt the real assessment unless you have scored 100% at least three times in a row in the open assessments.CertificationLet’s understand the various levels of the PSPO certification. There are 3 levels:Details are available at.For this certification, there are steps and preparation that you should follow and this article will take you through all you need to be a PSPO.Exam Fee, Passing Score, Time limit, Number of Questions, Exam Format, Difficulty and LanguageExam FeePassing ScoreTime limit# of QuestionsExam formatDifficultyLanguagePSPO I Assessment$20085%1 hour80Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer and True/FalseIntermediateEnglishPSPO II Assessment$25085%1 hour40Multiple Choice, Multiple AnswerAdvancedEnglishPSPO III Assessment$50085%2 hours35Multiple Choice and essayExpertEnglishOnce you pay the exam fee for the respective assessment, you would receive the password for attempting the assessment in 1 business day. Assessment passwords do not expire and remain valid until used. PSPO Subject Areas To clear PSPO certification, you should have thorough understanding of the Subject areas. The Subject areas for PSPO are: Agile Product Management: The role of a Product Owner in Agile Product Management is to maximize the value of the product developed by the implementation team. From the certification point of view, you should understand the importance of the role of Product owner, which is an internal facing role and requires gathering technical requirements, grooming the product backlog, and detailing user stories. Additionally, while reading you should keep focussing on how a product owner envisions a product’s life in an agile environment. You should also learn the techniques of building a Business Model Canvas, writing a business case and creating the value proposition. Eventually, that will help you in defining the customer segments, value proposition, and major activities that you should perform during the agile product lifecycle. You should also understand the core responsibilities carried out by the Product Owner in the Agile product management as part of Product Strategy-understanding the customer needs, creating the product roadmap, prioritizing the features, understanding customer experiences and measuring the product success.Value Driven Development The primary motto of Agile is to satisfy the customer needs through early and continuous delivery of software. The Product Owner should focus on delivering the maximum value at the earliest in Value driven development. You should have sound understanding about user stories and should follow the INVEST rule, that is user stories should be: I - Independent N - Negotiable V - Valuable E -Estimable S - Small T - Testable Each of the user stories should have a clear story point. You should also have an understanding of the business value so that Return of Investment can be calculated. The KPI i.e., Return of Investment helps the Product Owner to perform prioritization in the Value Driven Development.Scrum Theory and Empiricism The Scrum Values are the foundation for behaviour and practices in Scrum. They are closely related to the theory and first principles of Scrum and support teams in their work. The Scrum Team can always fall back on these essentials. The Product Owner should demonstrate following 5 attributes: Courage: Product Owner should help in encouraging the scrum team members to do the right thing and work on tough problems. Focus: Product Owner should ensure that scrum members focus on the work of the Sprint and goals of the Scrum team. Commitment: Product Owner should create the environment where Scrum team members should personally commit to achieve the goals of the Scrum team. Respect: Team members in the Scrum team should respect each other. Openness: Team members in the Scrum team and the stakeholders should be open about the work and associated challenges.Scrum Framework As a Product Owner, you should have a great understanding of the Scrum framework and the constituting team members--Developers and Scrum Master. You should also understand about the artifacts used in the Scrum framework such as Product Backlog, Sprint backlog and Increments. Various events take place in Scrum like Sprint, Sprint planning, Daily scrum, Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective meetings. An understanding of the entire framework is highly recommended for the prospective Product Owners and for this certification.Product Backlog Management You should have a decent understanding about product backlog management. While you prepare the backlog, you should keep the following in mind: Your backlog should be the single source for delivery of valuable items It should possess transparency to the scrum team and stakeholders It should follow the prioritization and should be ordered based on the value, dependencies, and risk You should always keep an eye on the estimates for the product backlog items Your product backlog should be a point for starting conversations with the team members Ensure that the items in your product backlog contain specifications, mock-ups, architecture models, user acceptance criteria etc Release Management Product Owners can follow different release strategies. The releases can be Major, Minor or functional releases. A major release can contain many large changes. They should be infrequent as they are often aligned with the organization timelines. While a major release is in progress, other works should be frozen, as a major release incurs high customer absorption costs and high business risks. A minor release can contain broad changes. They should be pre-scheduled as they often align with the sprint boundaries. Minor release should contain bug fixes and patches. A functional release can contain individual functionalities. Functional releases offer immediate value to the stakeholders. They incur low customer absorption costs and have minimal or no business risks.Required Course There are various courses available online for undertaking product owner certifications. You should pick the course based on your needs and the level of expertise you expect to achieve. Recommended Course: PSPO PSPO (Professional Scrum Product Owner) from Scrum.org is one of the recommended certification courses for Product Owners because it gives following benefits: PSPO assessment from Scrum.org requires you to have a good knowledge of Scrum and the passing score is high i.e., 85%, ensuring that your level of understanding is sound It is not required to renew the certification once you have passed it, as it has a lifetime validity Once you have cleared the certification, your name would be added to the Scrum.org website and anyone can verify your credentialsWays to learn more to help you prepare Here are the tips that you can follow to clear the PSPO certification: 1. Ensure that you give equal importance to all the subject areas as questions would arise from all of them. However, the weightage varies roughly as below. Please note these are based on the inputs taken from various PSPO takers: Agile Product Management: 20% Value Driven Development: 20% Scrum Theory and Empiricism: 15% Scrum Framework: 15% Product Backlog Management: 15% Release Management: 10% Miscellaneous from Open Assessment in Scrum.org: 5% 2. Make sure you are alert and focused when you are taking the exam. Take the exam according to your convenience, at a time that suits you. When you are taking the exam, move to a silent place so that you are uninterrupted. 3. Read the questions carefully and then answer. They may trick you by asking questions which contain ‘never’, ‘always’, ‘not’ or ‘which of the following cannot be available’ option. So, pay extra attention to the keywords in the questions. 4. There are multiple choice questions as well in the exam, make sure you have read all of the options and then answer. 5. Be very attentive about the questions related to specific subject areas. Conclusion PSPO is among the more difficult certification exams for Product Owners. Ensure that you have given yourself sufficient time to prepare, around 4-6 weeks. Remember, that PSPO is a very valuable certification in the Product Owner profession and as of January 2021, there are only 97,208 PSPO 1, 1906 PSPO II and 347 PSPO III certified holders around the globe. This certification can be a great way for you to be noticed by potential recruiters. Also, this is a great way to validate your skills and knowledge of Product Owner responsibilities and demonstrate your expertise to your employer.
7439
- by Shashank Jain
- 05 Mar 2021
- 7 mins read
The role of the Product Owner is in high demand in... Read More