IBM certification courses are recognized worldwide and can prepare students for lucrative careers in data analytics and software development.
Providing step-by-step guidance to learners, insightful videos, downloadable resources, and even college credits in some cases, IBM courses can help anyone achieve their professional goals. Students receive a digital badge, a certification for their resume, and job-ready skills.
In this post, we'll review the most highly rated and valuable IBM certifications available.
9 Top IBM Certifications
- IBM Data Science Professional Certification
- IBM Full Stack Software Developer Certificate
- IBM Data Analyst Professional Certification
- IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate
- IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate
- IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate
- IBM Data Analytics Basics for Everyone
- IBM Visualizing Data with Python
- IBM Deep Learning with TensorFlow
1. IBM Data Science Professional Certification
The IBM Data Science Professional certification prepares students for an engaging career in data science. Consisting of 9 courses, each with quizzes, resources, and videos, this IBM certification course provides job-ready skills for the data landscape.
Successful graduates will receive a digital IBM badge and 12 college credits to continue with their university education.
Skills Gained
This IBM course provides students with data science, deep learning, machine learning, big data, and data mining skills. You’ll also develop your data analysis and methodologies knowledge using well-known tools and resources such as Python, Jupyter notebooks, and Rstudio.
Each student will be able to expand their skills via hands-on projects in the IBM cloud, which provides access to real-world data sets and open-source tools.
No prior knowledge of programming or computer science is required. The 9 online courses will guide you through everything from leveraging tools for data science to working with Python for AI and development. Projects covered include:
- Extracting financial data with Python
- Using SQL for demographic data sets
- Leveraging graph plots, regression models, and prediction models
- Creating Python dashboards for monitoring and reporting
- Applying and comparing machine learning algorithms.
Jobs You Can Do
Data scientists earn approximately $112,400 per year on an entry-level salary. You’ll also be able to pursue roles in Business Intelligence analytics, data architecting, data engineering, or operations analysis.
Read our comprehensive review of the IBM Data Science Professional certification to learn more about this IBM certification.
Time Investment and Cost
To complete this certification, you will need to complete all 9 courses, each of which consists of around 3-6 modules. Students consuming approximately 4 hours of content per week can complete their study within 5 months. A Coursera subscription will cost $39 per month, leading to a total cost of approximately $195.
2. IBM Full Stack Software Developer Certificate
Designed for budding software developers, the IBM Full Stack Software Developer certificate provides end-to-end guidance to the world of software development.
You’ll learn to leverage tools like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React to build beautiful front-end interfaces. You’ll also learn to leverage Python, Node.JS, Django, and Express to build back-end applications.
Successful graduates will complete the course with a certification from IBM and a comprehensive portfolio to share with employers.
Skills Gained
You’ll learn how to create your own applications and work with the technology behind them through 10 intuitive courses.
Students will learn about cloud computing strategies, CSS, HTML, and hybrid multi-cloud environments. There are also insights into crucial technologies for DevOps, CI/CD, Containers, serverless computing, microservices, and more.
Topics covered include:
- How to manage a cloud computing landscape
- Web development with CSS, HTML, and JavaScript
- Managing versions and data on GitHub
- Developing front-end applications with React
- Building Back-end apps with Node.JS and Express
- Using Python for AI, and data science
Jobs You Can Do
A full-stack developer can earn approximately $103,759 annually in the United States. The program will also provide the skills to pursue front-end and back-end development, cloud production, and application management roles.
Read our comprehensive review of the IIBM Full Stack Software Developer Certificate to learn more about this IBM certification.
Time Investment and Cost
No prior experience is required to begin this certification. Beginners can complete the course within 4 months at a rate of 10 hours of study per week or 8 months at 5 hours per study.
A Coursera subscription will cost $39 per month after a 7-day free trial, leading to a total cost of between $156 and $312, depending on the amount of time you dedicate to studying.
3. IBM Data Analyst Professional Certification
42% of the students who take this IBM Data Analyst certification begin a new career upon graduation. The course teaches students everything they need to know to work with various data sources as data analysts.
Skills Gained
The IBM Data Analyst Professional certification provides a complete guide to data analytics, delivered through 9 courses. No prior programming and statistical skills are necessary to start, though having good proficiency with numbers may be helpful.
Throughout the courses, you’ll learn how to utilize various data sources in an analysis process, with data wrangling and mining. You’ll create charts and plots with Excel and IBM Cognos Analytics and visualize data using Matplotlib and Python libraries.
Students also receive behind-the-scenes insight into APIs, libraries like Numpy and Pandas, and SQL basics.
Topics covered include:
- Defining the role of a data analysis
- Working with Excel to manage and organize data
- Using Python for AI and data science
- Visualizing data across a range of common platforms
- Working with IBM Data-driven tools
Jobs You Can Do
US data analysts can earn approximately $67,500 per year with an entry-level salary in this space. You’ll also be able to pursue roles related to financial and operations analytics, data management, and performance analytics.
Time Investment and Cost
The length of this certification will depend on how much time you’re willing to commit to studying. At a rate of 10 hours of study per week, learners can complete their education within 4 months.
A Coursera subscription of $39 per month (after a 7-day free trial) will cost $156 for 4 months of resource access.
4. IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate
As cybersecurity threats continue to develop in the digital landscape, the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certification is becoming increasingly popular.
This certificate helps students to pinpoint potential risks in a cloud or digital environment. You’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of the tools used for cybersecurity analytics and the threats business leaders need to be aware of.
Skills Gained
Throughout a series of 8 courses, students in this IBM training program will develop job-ready skills for one of the most in-demand professions.
The courses cover behind-the-scenes insights into managing incident response and threat intelligence with real-world case studies. You’ll also get hands-on experience using open-source security tools for compliance and privacy protection. No background knowledge is necessary, but it’s worth having a general knowledge of computers.
Topics covered throughout the course include:
- Cybersecurity roles, processes, and practices
- Compliance frameworks and system administration
- Network security and database vulnerabilities
- Forensics, incident response, and penetration testing
- Breach responses and cyber threat intelligence
Jobs You Can Do
The skills students develop during this course will prepare them for an entry-level career as a junior cybersecurity analyst, with the opportunity to grow over time. The average salary for a cybersecurity analyst is approximately $84,400 per year, depending on background and location. You’ll also develop transferrable skills related to network security, malware protection, and IT.
Read our comprehensive review of the IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Certificate to learn more about this IBM certification.
Time Investment and Cost
IBM recommends dedicating approximately 10 hours of study per week to this course to complete the certification within 3 months. However, the resources are delivered on a completely self-paced basis.
If you complete the course within 3 months, you’ll pay $39 per month, or $117, for your Coursera subscription.
5. IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate
The IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional certificate is a beginner-level program that requires no prior experience. Consisting of 13 courses, the certification provides students with job-ready skills related to DevOps and software engineering.
Skills Gained
Students will develop skill sets in various DevOps practices and methodologies in this IBM certification. You’ll learn how to master the cloud-native architecture, create application tests, and leverage Python and Linux shell scripts. You’ll also create projects in GitHub, containerize your applications, and deploy serverless technologies.
The educational resources will allow you to showcase your skills with your own digital portfolio. Topics covered throughout the 13 courses include:
- The formats and foundations of cloud computing
- Agile development and scrum methodologies
- Linux commands and shell scripting
- Git and GitHub version management
- Using Python for AI and application development
- Microservices, serverless development, and containerization
Jobs You Can Do
This IBM training program will provide you with the in-demand skills required to thrive as a junior engineer in the DevOps field. The median entry-level salary for professionals in this landscape is approximately $117,500 annually.
You’ll also be able to pursue roles as a software engineer, cloud-native developer, and DevOps leader.
Time Investment and Cost
At a rate of 10 hours of study per week, students can complete this course within as little as 3 months. A Coursera subscription of $39 per month following a 7-day trial will cost a total of $117 for this program.
However, you may have to pay more depending on how long it takes you to complete all of the modules.
6. IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate
Designed to help beginners launch a new career in data engineering, the IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate ensures students can master the complexities of Big Data, RDBMS, ETL, and Spark technologies with case studies and real-world insights.
Skills Gained
This IBM certificate consists of 13 courses, each with its own hands-on projects, quizzes, and downloadable resources. Following an introduction to data engineering, students will discover the talents they need to design, manage, and deploy structured and unstructured data in various scenarios.
By the time you finish the course, you’ll be able to work with crucial tools like Python programming language and Linux Shell scripts.
Students will learn all about relational databases, SQL statements for querying structured data, and NoSQL databases. You’ll also learn how to develop and execute queries, make the most of your data, and work with various crucial tools like MongoDB, Hadoop, and Apache Spark.
Throughout the courses, learners will cover topics such as:
- Python for data engineering, data science, and AI
- Working with relational databases (RDBMS)
- Using Python, Linux Commands, and Shell scripting
- Working with ETL and data pipelines using Airflow, Shell, and Kafka
- Managing data warehouses with BI analytics
- Handling Big Data with Spark and Hadoop
Jobs You Can Do
The skills you develop during this IBM certification will ensure you can get started in data engineering. A Data Engineer can earn a median salary of approximately $108,300 in the USA. You’ll also build transferrable skills for data analysis, Python programming, and database management roles.
Time Investment and Cost
If you commit approximately 10 hours a week to study for this certification, you can complete the course within around 5 months. However, you are free to take each module at your own pace. Each monthly subscription to Coursera will cost you $39 per month, leading to an approximate total cost of $195.
7. IBM Data Analytics Basics for Everyone
Great for beginners in the data landscape, the Data Analytics Basics for Everyone program from IBM ensures anyone can pursue a role in data management. Within this course, you’ll learn everything you need about the data ecosystem and the stages involved in data analysis. The course requires no prior knowledge and includes access to an IBM digital badge.
Skills Gained
Intended for newcomers to the Data Analytics landscape, this IBM certification provides a direct insight into all the components involved in managing and leveraging data. Throughout the program, students will gain hands-on experience using the data analytics process.
By completing your study, you can describe the different types and data sources available to businesses and explain how data repositories work. You’ll learn all about the ETL process and the components of Big Data platforms. You’ll also demonstrate your knowledge of gathering, mining, and analyzing data with hands-on projects.
Topics covered in the course include:
- Mining, gathering, and wrangling data from different sources
- Analyzing and visualizing data for reporting purposes
- Exploring different career opportunities in data analysis
- Working with state-of-the-art tools for data analysis
- Managing data and ensuring its accuracy
Jobs You Can Do
Primarily, this IBM course prepares students for an entry-level or junior career as a data analyst. However, the transferrable skills you learn will also allow you to pursue opportunities as a business analyst, data science, or Business Intelligence expert. In the US, the average entry-level salary for a data analyst is approximately $67,500 per year.
Time Investment and Cost
This course will take approximately 5 weeks to complete at a steady pace of 2-3 hours per week, making it ideal for beginners with limited time. There is a free option available, which doesn’t include a certificate or gradable assignments. However, for unlimited access to the course, users can pay approximately $100 and receive all of the resources and certifications.
8. IBM Visualizing Data with Python
Python is a crucial tool used by countless developers and data experts in the digital world. Commonly leveraged for data visualization, this solution lends itself to various roles in the modern landscape. The Visualizing Data with Python IBM course will show you how you can use Python to convey insights effectively to clients and stakeholders.
Skills Gained
This course is designed for people with initial Python and programming technologies knowledge. You will need to know the basics of how to use Python before you get started. Throughout the course, you’ll complete 5 modules, which introduce all the key components involved in presenting data using visualization libraries.
The instructors cover well-known resources such as Matplotlib, Folium, and Seaborn and how students can use area plots, bar charts, and histograms for visualization. You’ll also learn how to use specialized visualization tools to address specific use cases.
Some of the topics included in the program include:
- Plotting with Matplotlib within Python
- Using area plots, histograms, and bar charts for visualization
- Leveraging pie charts, scatter plots, bubble plots, and box plots
- Enhancing data with word clouds, waffle charts, and regression plots
- Visualizing geospatial data with Folium
Jobs You Can Do
Learning to visualize data effectively with Python will prepare students for a data analytics and data science career. You’ll be able to pursue roles connected to business and data intelligence, as well as programming and development. You may also be able to consider a career in Python development, with an average salary of $121,997 per year.
Time Investment and Cost
This course consists of 5 modules. Students could complete the program within 5 weeks if they dedicated 2-4 hours to weekly studying. A free audit track is available with limited access to course materials and no certification. Alternatively, the full course is available for approximately $100.
9. IBM Deep Learning with TensorFlow
Focused on the evolving AI landscape, the Deep Learning with TensorFlow IBM training program examines the use and management of unstructured data. You’ll learn how to leverage deep learning components within the Tensorflow ecosystem to solve real-world problems and query data. Successful graduates will receive a digital IBM badge.
Skills Gained
This course gives students insight into the various components of Tensorflow and how it can be used to manage unstructured data. You will need a basic knowledge of deep and machine learning concepts and Python and Jupyter notebooks before you begin.
Throughout five modules, students will gain a behind-the-scenes insight into the main functions, operations, and pipelines of Tensorflow. You’ll learn how this technology can be used in curve fitting, classification, and regression projects. Additionally, you’ll explore deep architectures like convolutional networks, autoencoders, and recurrent networks.
Some of the topics in the program include:
- Leveraging nonlinear and linear regression tactics
- Convolutional neural networks and how they work
- Recurrent neural networks and long short-term memory
- Restricted Boltzmann machines and collaborative filtering
- Using autoencoders within the deep belief network
Jobs You Can Do
A knowledge of Tensorflow for data management can provide students with opportunities to pursue careers in data science and analytics and AI development. You’ll learn how to use automation and intelligent tools to solve a range of real-world problems. This could pave the way to a career as an AI developer, which can provide an annual salary of around $123,099.
Time Investment and Cost
This IBM certification will take approximately 5 weeks to complete if you commit to studying around 2-44 hours per week. A free option is available with limited course resources and no certification. However, if you want to earn the IBM digital badge, you’ll need to pay for the verified course, which will cost approximately $100.
Is IBM Certification Worth It?
IBM certification courses will prepare you for a compelling career in IT technology, with insights into everything from data analysis to machine learning and security. If you want to pursue a new career in the technology industry, an IBM course could be worthwhile.
IBM is one of the better-known technology leaders in the market today, with a global presence. The IBM certifications above are well-renowned and recognized by countless employers, making them an excellent asset for students searching for new careers.
There are options available to suit every interest and skill level, and the courses above all come with a range of resources to help you not only develop your skills but prove your capabilities to potential employers.
Does IBM Have Free Courses?
IBM offers several free courses through the IBM training academy. Their free course catalog includes courses on automation, business operations, cloud, data analytics, IT infrastructure, and security. They are self-paced short courses that last less than 2 hours.
IBM premium certification courses are offered through Coursera with a 7-day free trial.
Methodology
To help you find the most valuable online certifications offered by IBM, we’ve looked at several courses on the IBM Training website and Coursera. Our chosen courses will help you build skills that are in high demand now. Becoming a data scientist, data analyst, and full-stack developer are some professions that can guarantee employment. The review was performed by an experienced trainer.
