Are you struggling to choose the best SQL certification that suits your career aspirations? You’re not alone! With so many options available, it can be a daunting task to determine which certification to pursue.
That’s why we’ve done the research for you and compiled a list of the top SQL certifications in the industry.
In this blog, we’ll share our findings and help you make an informed decision on which certification will help advance your career. Say goodbye to the overwhelming task of sifting through endless certification options and hello to a clearer path towards achieving your professional goals.
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The Oracle Database SQL Certification (1Z0-071) is designed to test and validate your skills in SQL programming using Oracle Database. The certification covers a range of topics, including SQL fundamentals, DDL and DML statements, data retrieval, sorting, filtering, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in Oracle SQL programming and your ability to develop effective database applications.
Name
Oracle Database SQL Certification (1Z0-071)
Features
Covers basic SQL concepts, such as creating, querying, and managing databases Validates skills in SQL language syntax and database structure Available in multiple languages Exam can be taken either in-person or online
Price
$245 USD
Duration
105 minutes
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers fundamental SQL concepts that are applicable to many database systems Oracle offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Oracle Database certification can be expensive compared to other certifications Requires knowledge of Oracle-specific features, which may not be applicable to other database systems
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900) certification is designed to test and validate your knowledge of fundamental data concepts and Azure data services. The certification covers a range of topics, including data storage options in Azure, relational and non-relational data stores, data processing, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your understanding of Azure data services and your ability to design and implement Azure data solutions.
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Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900)
Features
Covers basic concepts of data storage, processing, and management in Azure Validates skills in Azure data services, including SQL databases and data warehousing Available in multiple languages Exam can be taken either in-person or online
Price
$99 USD
Duration
60 minutes
Pros
Low-cost certification that covers basic data concepts and Azure data services Validates skills in popular cloud-based database technologies Microsoft offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Limited to Azure-specific technologies May not cover in-depth SQL concepts or advanced database administration topics
Passing Criteria
Score of 700 or higher on the exam
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900)
MySQL Certification is designed to test and validate your skills in developing and administering MySQL databases. The certification covers a range of topics, including MySQL architecture, installation, configuration, security, optimization, and more.
By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in MySQL development or administration and your ability to design and manage MySQL databases effectively.
Name:
MySQL Certification (Certified MySQL Developer or Administrator)
Features
Covers basic SQL concepts and advanced MySQL features, such as database design and optimization Validates skills in MySQL database management and development Available in multiple languages Two types of certifications – Certified MySQL Developer and Certified MySQL Administrator
Price
$195 – $300 USD, depending on the certification
Duration
90 – 150 minutes, depending on the certification
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers fundamental SQL concepts that are applicable to many database systems Oracle offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Limited to MySQL-specific technologies May not cover concepts or features of other database systems
Passing Criteria
Score of 64% or higher on the exam
MySQL Certification (Certified MySQL Developer or Administrator)
PostgreSQL Certification is designed to test and validate your skills in developing and administering PostgreSQL databases. The certification covers a range of topics, including PostgreSQL architecture, installation, configuration, security, optimization, and more.
By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in PostgreSQL development or administration and your ability to design and manage PostgreSQL databases effectively.
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PostgreSQL Certification (Certified PostgreSQL Associate or Professional)
Features
Covers basic SQL concepts and advanced PostgreSQL features, such as database administration and security Validates skills in PostgreSQL database management and development Available in multiple languages Two types of certifications – Certified PostgreSQL Associate and Certified PostgreSQL Professional
Price
$150 – $200 USD, depending on the certification
Duration
90 – 180 minutes, depending on the certification
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers both basic and advanced PostgreSQL concepts PostgreSQL offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation Cons:
Cons
Limited to PostgreSQL-specific technologies May not cover concepts or features of other database systems
Passing Criteria
Score of 75% or higher on the exam
PostgreSQL Certification (Certified PostgreSQL Associate or Professional)
The W3Schools SQL Certificate is designed to test and validate your skills in SQL programming. The certification covers a range of topics, including SQL fundamentals, data retrieval, sorting, filtering, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in SQL programming and your ability to develop effective database applications.
Name:
W3Schools SQL Certificate
Features
Covers SQL concepts, including analytical functions, regular expressions, and XML processing Validates skills in advanced SQL development and performance tuning in Oracle database environments
Price
$95
Duration
70 minutes
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers SQL concepts applicable to many database systems
Cons
w3schools is good for basic reference and I often recommend the website for learning
Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300) certification is designed to test and validate your skills in designing and implementing Azure database solutions. The certification covers a range of topics, including Azure database architecture, deployment, management, security, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in Azure database administration and your ability to design and manage Azure database solutions effectively
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Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300)
Features
Covers advanced database administration concepts, including performance tuning, security, and high availability Validates skills in administering and managing Azure SQL databases Available in multiple languages Exam can be taken either in-person or online
Price
$165 USD
Duration
180 minutes
Pros
Validates skills in Azure SQL database administration, a popular cloud-based database technology Covers advanced SQL concepts and database administration topics Microsoft offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Limited to Azure-specific technologies May not cover in-depth SQL concepts applicable to many database systems
Passing Criteria
Score of 700 or higher on the exam
Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300)
The Databases and SQL for Data Science course by Coursera is designed to provide you with a foundational understanding of databases and SQL programming for data analysis. The course covers a range of topics, including relational databases, SQL queries, data manipulation, and more. By completing this course, you will gain a solid understanding of databases and SQL programming and be able to apply these skills to data analysis and visualization.
Analyze data within a database using SQL and Python. Create a relational database on Cloud and work with tables. Write SQL statements including SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE. Build more powerful queries with advanced SQL techniques like views, transactions, stored procedures and joins.
Price
$200 -300 USD
Duration
39 hours
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers advanced SQL concepts applicable to many database systems IBM offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
The AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01) certification is designed to test and validate your skills in designing, deploying, and managing AWS database solutions. The certification covers a range of topics, including AWS database architecture, deployment, management, security, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in AWS database solutions and your ability to design and manage AWS database solutions effectively.
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AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01)
Features
Covers advanced database concepts, including performance optimization, security, and disaster recovery Validates skills in managing and administering AWS databases, including Amazon RDS, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon Redshift Available in multiple languages Exam can be taken either in-person or online
Price
$300 USD
Duration
180 minutes
Pros
Validates skills in AWS database management, a popular cloud-based database technology Covers advanced SQL concepts and database administration topics AWS offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Limited to AWS-specific technologies May not cover in-depth SQL concepts applicable to many database systems
Oracle Certified Professional: SQL Developer (OCP) certification is designed to test and validate your skills in SQL programming using Oracle Database. The certification covers a range of topics, including SQL fundamentals, DDL and DML statements, data retrieval, sorting, filtering, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in Oracle SQL programming and your ability to develop effective database applications.
Covers advanced SQL concepts, including advanced queries, subqueries, and data modeling Validates skills in Oracle SQL development and performance tuning Available in multiple languages Exam can be taken either in-person or online
Price
$245 USD
Duration
120 minutes
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers advanced SQL concepts applicable to many database systems Oracle offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Oracle Database certification can be expensive compared to other certifications Requires knowledge of Oracle-specific features, which may not be applicable to other database systems
The Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203) certification is designed to test and validate your skills in designing and implementing Azure data solutions. The certification covers a range of topics, including Azure data architecture, data storage options, data processing, and more. By earning this certification, you will demonstrate your expertise in Azure data solutions and your ability to design and manage Azure data solutions effectively.
Name:
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203)
Features
Covers advanced database concepts, including data integration, transformation, and processing Validates skills in designing and implementing Azure data solutions Available in multiple languages Exam can be taken either in-person or online
Price
$165 USD
Duration
180 minutes
Pros
Validates skills in Azure data engineering, a popular cloud-based data solution Covers advanced SQL concepts and data engineering topics Microsoft offers study materials and practice exams for exam preparation
Cons
Limited to Azure-specific technologies May not cover in-depth SQL concepts applicable to many database systems
Passing Criteria
Score of 700 or higher on the exam
Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203)
The Advanced SQL for Data Scientists course on LinkedIn Learning is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of advanced SQL programming concepts and techniques for data analysis.
The course covers a range of topics, including SQL joins, subqueries, window functions, and more.
By completing this course, you will gain a solid understanding of advanced SQL programming and be able to apply these skills to complex data analysis tasks.
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LinkedIn Learning – Advanced SQL for Data Scientists
Features
Data modeling – covering Normalisation and Denormalisation. Indexes like B-tree, Bitmap, and Hash. SQL Query functions, and Python functions. Semi-structured and hierarchical data.
Price
$66 for annual enrolment to Codecademy or $12 for monthly enrolment.
Duration
9 hours
Pros
Well-recognized certification in the industry Covers advanced SQL concepts applicable to many database systems
Cons
May not cover in-depth SQL concepts applicable to other database systems
Passing Criteria
Not applicable – Earn a completion certificate if you are a paid member.
LinkedIn Learning – Advanced SQL for Data Scientists
The Advanced SQL: The Ultimate Guide course by Udemy is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of advanced SQL programming concepts and techniques.
The course covers a range of topics, including SQL joins, subqueries, window functions, and more.
By completing this course, you will gain a solid understanding of advanced SQL programming and be able to develop complex database applications using SQL.
Name:
Advanced SQL : The Ultimate Guide
Features
All the advanced subjects that you need for SQL Expert Certification Learn Advanced SQL Query with Hundreds of Examples! Write, Read, Analyze Any Advanced SQL Codes Easily Learn Advanced SQL Functions in Oracle
Price
$50-100
Duration
Over 125+ Lectures, 12+ Hours On-Demand Content
Pros
-Most comprehensive, -Well-organized, -Professionally designed by SQL experts
Cons
Too much time wasted on typing commands that already exist in slides.
Passing Criteria
Weekly Quizzes & Assessments
Advanced SQL : The Ultimate Guide
Career Prospects after getting SQL Certifications
SQL certifications can assist people in acquiring the abilities and expertise required to succeed in a variety of data administration and analytical positions.
The following are some of the positions that SQL certifications may help, as well as how the certifications can further their careers:
Data Analysts
Database Developer
Data Scientists
Business Analysts
Database Administrator
SQL certifications can significantly enhance your career prospects in the data management industry. A data analyst with SQL certifications can demonstrate their expertise in SQL coding, database design, and administration.
This can set them apart from other candidates in a highly competitive job market, leading to more employment opportunities and higher earnings.
SQL proficiency is also critical for database administrators.
By obtaining SQL certifications, they can showcase their knowledge and proficiency in query optimization, database design, and maintenance, which can help them advance in their careers.
Business intelligence analysts who use SQL to create reports and dashboards can also benefit from SQL certifications.
These certifications can demonstrate their expertise in SQL coding and database administration, enhancing their skills and allowing them to pursue more complex projects.
Overall, SQL certifications can be a valuable asset for anyone seeking to excel in the data management industry.
Looking to Learn SQL? Book a Free Trial Lesson on Wiingyand match with top SQL Tutorsfor Concepts, Projects and Assignment Help today!
Conclusion:
Readers are urged to acquire SQL certification to develop their data management skills and gain certification in necessary SQL certifications given above.
Anyone interested in data administration and analysis has to be proficient with SQL, and earning a SQL certification has several advantages. Individuals may show their mastery of SQL and associated technologies, advance their skills and knowledge, improve their employment chances, and raise their earning potential by working towards a SQL certification.
12 Best SQL Certifications of 2026
