Is a data analytics certification worth it, or should you self-learn?
Is a data analytics certification worth it? 40% of employers prefer demonstrable AI skills or certifications over a degree, per NASSCOM and Indeed in 2026.
A data analytics certification is worth it when it produces work an employer can check, and much less so when the certificate is the only thing on the CV. In NASSCOM and Indeed's May 2026 survey, 40% of employers preferred demonstrable AI skills or certifications over a degree, while CXOToday's coverage of the same report says 32% weigh skills, certifications and degrees equally.
What do employers say about certifications and degrees?
Employer surveys give credentials a real but limited weight. WEF's Future of Jobs Report 2025 found 30% of employers operating in India expecting to adopt skills-based hiring by removing degree requirements, against 19% globally. That is an expectation of surveyed employers, not a statement that degrees no longer matter, and the 32% who weigh degrees equally with skills and certifications show the same thing from the other side.
The NASSCOM and Indeed figure is specific: it concerns demonstrable AI skills, not data analytics in general. The table gathers the employer-side numbers and what each means for someone deciding whether to pay for a course.
| Source and period | Finding | Reading for a course buyer |
|---|---|---|
| NASSCOM with Indeed, May 2026 | 40% of employers prefer demonstrable AI skills or certifications over a degree; 32% weigh skills, certifications and degrees equally (CXOToday) | Demonstrable AI skills or certifications count with many employers, not all |
| WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025, India | 30% expect to remove degree requirements, against 19% globally | Degree rules are loosening at some employers |
| NASSCOM with Indeed, May 2026 | 58% cite low applicant volume as a key hiring challenge; 50% cite skills mismatch; 65% of employees are learning, lack confidence or have no exposure to AI tools | Employers describe a shortage of skilled applicants |
| LinkedIn via Storyboard18, February 2026 | 74% of recruiters in India find it hard to find qualified talent; 38% of Indian job seekers feel unprepared | Both sides report a skills gap |
| NASSCOM AI-Native Talent Index, 2026 | Score of 62 for early-career technology talent; technical depth still essential | Tool familiarity is not a substitute for depth |
| NASSCOM-Deloitte compensation survey, 2025 | Campus-hire proficiency shifting to advanced data analytics and AI/ML | Employers expect analytics skill from new graduates |
Where does a certificate help most, and where does it not?
The employer figures record what employers say they prefer, not what certificates deliver, and that holds for every course.
Entry level is where a credential is most likely to matter, because there is the least work history to read. foundit's June 2026 tracker had entry-level demand (0 to 3 years) down 6% after companies pulled back on bulk graduate intake, so first-job applicants compete for fewer seats. Switchers face a similar position, and career switch to data analytics covers that route. CXOToday's coverage of the NASSCOM and Indeed report adds that India's internship postings rose 103% over three years, with analytical skills, Microsoft Excel and Python in demand.
Later in a career a certificate carries less. foundit's June 2026 tracker shows the 7 to 10 year band as the only one growing, up 6%, and at that stage the work history is likely to weigh more than a course.
If many applicants hold a certificate, it stops being a differentiator by itself. What the surveys show is where the gap sits: employers cite skills mismatch (50%) and low applicant volume (58%), and 74% of recruiters in LinkedIn's India research find qualified talent hard to find. That makes evidence of skill the thing to add to a certificate.
Why does skills evidence matter more than the paper?
Skills date quickly. TeamLease Digital's Digital Skills and Salary Primer FY2026-27, built on 37,000 tech and digital roles across 18 cities, says 39% of core digital skills will change by 2030. A certificate records what was covered at one moment, while a project shows what a person can do with whatever tools are current.
The base is stable, though. foundit's December 2025 Hiring Snapshot puts Python (22% on foundit's own share measure) and SQL and databases (18%) at the top of its table of skills for 0 to 3 years of experience, with Java (16%), cloud (12%) and data analysis (10%) next. The order in which to learn the first two is in SQL vs Python for data analysts.
NASSCOM's 2026 AI-Native Talent Index scored India's early-career technology talent 62, with over 90% rated AI-native or AI-proficient, and NASSCOM says technical depth, mentorship and independent judgment remain essential. The index is NASSCOM's own construct, not a measure of hiring. NASSCOM's Strategic Review 2026 expects hiring to shift from volume to skill mix in FY27, and the NASSCOM-Deloitte survey of 2025 lists strategic thinking and analytical skills among the top skills sought.
The skills employers list are applied ones. CXOToday's coverage of the NASSCOM and Indeed report names data analytics and visualisation among the skills in demand across industries, next to Gen AI and LLMs, including prompt engineering. In WEF's India profile, 79% of surveyed employers list analytical thinking among core skills of 2025, and 94% expect AI and big data to be a skill of increasing use by 2030. A certificate that does not show these skills in use adds little to either list.
Self-learning, certification or a master's: who does each suit?
The right match depends on the person.
Self-learning suits someone who can set their own sequence and produce checkable work without deadlines. The skills tables above show what to cover, and the demand picture is in data analyst demand in India.
A structured certification suits someone who wants sequence, deadlines and a named issuing institute. The 40% figure covers demonstrable AI skills or certifications together, and the 32% figure covers employers who weigh skills, certifications and degrees equally, so certificates count for many employers, though the 40% figure combines them with AI skills.
A master's is a degree route. Degrees still count for many employers, as the 32% figure shows, but the route takes longer. Data analytics vs AI ML helps decide the direction before choosing the route.
What should a certification come with, and what should be checked before paying?
Whatever the route, the surveys point to evidence an employer can inspect: a few finished projects, SQL that can be explained, and a written account of how results were checked. Before paying for any course, these are worth confirming:
- who issues the certificate and whether the issuing body is named on it
- how learning is assessed and whether any assessment is supervised
- whether projects are reviewed by a person and kept as a portfolio
- whether the tools covered are the ones named in postings for the roles being targeted
- whether the cost, refund terms and any extra charges are stated in writing before payment
The syllabus questions are covered in the data analyst course syllabus guide, and a beginner-level comparison is in best data analytics course for beginners.
One structured option is the Certification Program in Data Analytics with AI and Gen AI, an online programme from E&ICT Academy, IIT Roorkee, run with Masai as the implementation partner. It has live sessions and an optional campus immersion, covers SQL, Python, Google Sheets, prompt engineering, LLM tools and agentic workflows with LangChain and CrewAI, and ends in a capstone project. Its modules include LLM Frameworks and Strategic Prompt Engineering, and Intelligence-Driven Wrangling and Visual Narratives.
Frequently asked questions
Are data analytics certification courses worth the money and effort?
They can be, when the course produces visible work. In NASSCOM and Indeed's May 2026 survey, 40% of employers preferred demonstrable AI skills or certifications over a degree. With foundit's June 2026 tracker showing entry-level demand down 6%, the certificate cannot carry an application alone.
Do certifications help get a data analyst job?
Employer surveys say they count with some employers. CXOToday's coverage of the NASSCOM and Indeed report says 32% weigh skills, certifications and degrees equally, and 58% cite low applicant volume as a key hiring challenge. Neither figure shows that a certificate leads to a job, so projects and SQL depth need to sit alongside it.
Is a certification better than a degree for data analytics?
Employers are split. WEF found 30% of employers operating in India expecting to remove degree requirements, against 19% globally, yet 32% in the NASSCOM and Indeed coverage weigh degrees equally with skills and certifications. Degrees still count for many employers, and a certificate is an addition rather than a replacement.
Which AI course is best for a non-IT background?
The useful test is fit: whether the tools match the roles being targeted and whether projects are reviewed by a person. The switching route itself is covered in career switch to data analytics, including what employers say about candidates without a tech degree.
Can self-learning alone get a data analyst job?
Employers weigh demonstrable skill, so it is possible in principle. foundit's December 2025 table puts Python and SQL first for early careers. A self-learner needs the same checkable evidence as anyone else: finished projects, explained queries and a clear record of what each one showed.
Next step
The Certification Program in Data Analytics with AI and Gen AI, E&ICT Academy IIT Roorkee page sets out the curriculum and how to apply.