Career Skills
IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate: the 11 courses, the time they take and how billing works
The IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate is a self-paced online program on Coursera, created by IBM for beginners who want to prepare for entry-level data analyst work.
Coursera lists 11 courses, estimates about four months at ten hours a week, and says no prior experience is required.
The courses cover Excel, SQL, Python with Pandas and NumPy, dashboards in IBM Cognos Analytics and Python, a capstone project, and a course on using generative AI in data analysis. Coursera bills Professional Certificates as a monthly subscription. We could not confirm the US price from our location, so check it on the enrollment page.
This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with IBM or Coursera. It helps you judge whether the courses, the time and the billing model fit your goal before you enroll.
At a glance
- Provider
- IBM, on Coursera
- Level
- Beginner; no prior experience or degree required
- Format
- 11 self-paced online courses with hands-on labs and a capstone project
- Time
- About 4 months at 10 hours a week (Coursera's estimate)
- Price (US)
- Not verified: monthly Coursera subscription, shown at enrollment (checked September 30, 2026)
What you'll learn
- Clean, analyze and chart data in Excel spreadsheets
- Query databases with SQL and analyze data in Python with Pandas and NumPy
- Build dashboards in IBM Cognos Analytics and with Python libraries
- Complete a capstone project you can add to a portfolio
Who it suits
- Beginners with basic computer skills and high-school math who want a structured, self-paced program
- People who want Python as well as Excel and SQL in one entry-level program
- Learners who can keep up about ten hours of study a week for several months
- People who may want college credit later, since the program has an ACE credit recommendation
Check before you decide
- A certificate is not a degree, and it does not guarantee a job or a particular salary.
- We could not verify the US price. Billing is monthly, so the total depends on how long you take.
- Coursera's time estimates differ: four months at ten hours a week on the page, and as little as five months in its FAQ.
- College credit is only a recommendation; each school decides whether to accept it.
Opens the full guide on this site, with more detail and the sources we used.
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