Mastering Data Analytics (D.A.) is becoming essential in many jobs nowadays. Beginners to experienced analysts need to learn basic and advanced techniques and refresh their knowledge constantly. That’s where online courses come in handy.
Indeed, joining a Data Analytics online course not only boosts D.A. knowledge but also demonstrates a will to learn and to progress to employers. Getting a Data Analytics certificate can help candidates get a job more easily and employees get a promotion quicker.
Discover our top 5 picks based on learners’ level, interest, budget and goals.
To select our top 5 Data Analytics online courses available on the market, we considered various criteria:
Flexibility: is the course self-paced?
Price: is the course expensive and worth it?
Reviews: are testimonials from previous students good?
Trainer experience: are trainers legitimate to teach and share their knowledge?
Accessibility: when does the course start? For how long is it accessible? On which devices is it available? Are downloads or installation required to join the course?
Data Analytics courses are split per category: for beginners, for mixed learners, for experienced learners, for IBM users and for Python users.
Most companies use Google Workspace in the US and worldwide: more than 900 million people use Google Sheets each month (source: explodingtopics). That’s why it’s important for beginners to learn how to use Google Sheets to collect and analyse data.
Alex Margos offers a Spreadsheets for Beginners using Google Sheets online course on coursera.org that is perfect for Data Analytics beginners.
Self-paced course
Only 2 hours
No downloads nor installation required
Side-by-side interface to learn and practice at the same time
Certificate upon completion
Only available on desktop
Another most used Data Analytics tool is Microsoft Excel, combined with SQL. Indeed, Excel is used by beginners to experienced data analysts in all US medium and large businesses. That’s why it’s important to learn the basics as soon as possible.
Ted Jordan offers an online Excel: From Beginner to Advanced Course on tedjordan.org that is perfect for beginners. There is also an SQL Essentials Course available for advanced learners: students from all levels can join these Data Analytics online courses.
Self-paced courses
Only 2-3 hours
Course certifications
Great value for money
Lifetime resources
Available on all devices
Immediate access
The Excel online course might seem too easy to follow for some students.
Learning the basics of D.A. is not enough sometimes, that’s why joining an online course for advanced learners is a great idea.
Google offers a Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate online course on coursera.org that is perfect for experienced analysts. This course explains perfectly how to use tools like Tableau and how to combine D.A. tools with languages such as Python.
Professional certificate
Self-paced course
Recognised by employers
Long-time commitment: 200+ hours
The programming language Python is used by 45% of developers (source: statistica) and by many consumers and data analysts. It’s essential to know programming languages to gather and analyse data in an efficient way.
Charles Severance, professor at The University of Michigan, offers a Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) online course that would help Python beginners use this programming language with ease. This D.A. online course is available on online.umich.edu, coursera.org and edx.org. It’s about 76 hours long.
Self-paced online course
Immediate access
Shareable certificate upon completion
Access to course materials and certificate may be restricted (when joining for free)
Not suitable for non-beginners
With over 100,000 businesses using IBM worldwide (source: linkedin), learning how to use their Data Analytics tools and master D.A. in general is crucial.
EdX offer a IBM’s Data Analyst Professional Certificate online course split into 9 skill-building courses, available on edx.org. This online course is perfect to learn how to combine IBM, SQL, Excel and Python.
Self-paced
Suitable for learners with our without a college degree
Suitable for beginners
Detail-focused course
Long-time commitment: 120+ hours
Expensive: USD800+
Yes, online courses are great to learn Data Analytics. One of the advantages of some courses is the certificate you get after completing them.
A certificate is a great asset to share on LinkedIn, on your CV or with your employers. It demonstrates great professionalism and a strong desire to progress in the Data Analytics world.
The top Data Analytics online courses we selected are great to start your learning journey. Each course is tailored to a specific audience, that’s why it’s important to know how much money and time you are willing to spend when following an online course.
To select a Data Analytics online course, ask yourself these questions:
How much time am I willing to spend learning?
What’s my budget?
Do I want to showcase my learning experience with a certificate?
Do I want to follow the course on my laptop, tablet or mobile phone?
Do I need to join a self-paced course or isn’t it necessary?
If you go for the long-run, the Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate course offered by Google is a great pick. But if you prefer to join a condensed course and have a limited budget, the SQL Essentials Course provided by Ted Jordan would be a better choice.
Yes, D.A. online courses represent a good investment: you’ll be able to prove your knowledge to employers and stay up-to-date with the latest tools and techniques used in Data Analytics.
We hope this selection helps you pick the right Data Analytics online course for you. Of course, you don’t have to limit your learning experience to one provider. Checking Analytics websites like Analytics Insight is also a great habit to take to learn tips and discover tools for free.