If you work with reports, dashboards or business data—and want a recognised way to prove your skills—the CompTIA Data+ certification can be a smart move. It’s vendor‑neutral, globally recognised and designed for early‑career analysts who need to learn practical data concepts, prepare solid analysis, and communicate insights clearly.
Below, we break down what Data+ is, why it’s popular, the pros and cons, exam costs, Australian context, a step‑by‑step learning path, and an FAQ to help you decide whether to enrol in a course and start training.
What is the CompTIA Data+ Certification?
CompTIA Data+ validates the skills to analyse, interpret and communicate business data across tools and environments. It’s aimed at early‑career data analysts and similar roles who translate business requirements into data‑driven decisions.
There are two relevant versions right now:
- Data+ V1 (DA0‑001) – available in English until 14 April 2026.
Key exam facts for DA0‑001: up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, a passing score of 675 (on a 100–900 scale), and recommended 18–24 months’ experience in a report/business analyst role. - Data+ V2 (DA0‑002) – launches 14 October 2025, updating domains to reflect newer tooling, cloud and emerging AI concepts.
Why is the CompTIA Data+ Certification so popular?
- Vendor‑neutral, job‑relevant skills: Data+ focuses on fundamentals (data concepts, mining, analysis, visualisation, governance) rather than one tool, making your skills transferable across organisations and platforms.
- Early‑career focus with global recognition: CompTIA positions Data+ for people moving into analytics—giving employers a consistent benchmark of capability.
- Keeps pace with industry: The new DA0‑002 introduces updated coverage for cloud ecosystems and AI concepts to match modern workflows and tools.
Is the CompTIA Data+ Certification worth it today?
If you’re building a career in data and reporting, Data+ is current and practical:
- Timeliness: DA0‑002 lands in October 2025, while DA0‑001 remains available until April 2026, so you can choose the pathway that fits your schedule and learning plan.
- Credibility: CompTIA is widely recognised as a leading IT certification body, and Data+ sits neatly between entry‑level data literacy and more specialised analytics credentials.
- Outcome‑driven: The exam objectives emphasise clean data, appropriate statistical methods, and clear storytelling—skills employers expect in real projects.
For professionals in Australia, the combination of global recognition and practical skills is valuable, especially if your role spans reporting, BI, or cross‑functional decision support. (More on Australian context below.)
Pros of CompTIA Data+ Certification
1) Job availability
Data+ targets roles like data analyst, BI/reporting analyst, and professionals enabling data‑driven decisions—giving hiring teams a consistent, vendor‑neutral signal of baseline competence.
2) CompTIA Data+ salary potential
While exact pay varies by employer and sector, employer research consistently shows certifications help differentiate candidates and can correlate with higher starting salaries and career progression. In CompTIA’s employer insights, a strong majority report certifications as valuable in hiring and indicate certified professionals often receive higher starting pay.
3) Global recognition
CompTIA is a world‑leading IT certification body and Data+ benefits from that global footprint—useful if you work with multinational teams or aspire to mobility.
4) Career pathways
Data+ builds foundation skills that map into analytics, BI, data governance, and platform‑specific upskilling (e.g., Power BI/Tableau, SQL, Python) once your fundamentals are solid. The DA0‑001 objectives list common tools and concepts you’ll encounter in practice.
Cons of CompTIA Data+ Certification
1) Cost considerations (include exam cost/fee in Australia)
CompTIA’s official Data+ exam voucher is listed at USD $255 (pricing varies by region; local taxes may apply). In Australia, your final AUD price is shown during checkout based on location and tax settings through official channels.
2) Evolving industry demands
Analytics changes quickly—cloud data stacks, automation and AI workflows keep shifting. DA0‑002’s updated domains address these trends, but you’ll still need ongoing learning and training alongside your certification.
3) Certification difficulty
The exam includes performance‑based tasks and multiple‑choice items; you’re expected to apply statistics, data cleansing, query optimisation and present insights clearly. CompTIA recommends 18–24 months of relevant experience before attempting DA0‑001, which is a solid signal of intermediate difficulty for early‑career analysts.
Where to begin to get your CompTIA Data+ Certification
A simple, structured path to learn and prepare:
- Choose your version (DA0‑001 now vs DA0‑002 from 14 Oct 2025) based on your timeline and whether you want the newest domain coverage including AI.
- Download and study the objectives—treat them as your master checklist. Practise tasks across the domains (data concepts, acquisition/mining, analysis, visualisation, governance).
- Build hands‑on practice: use spreadsheets, SQL, and at least one BI tool to try dashboards, charts and storyboards that answer business questions. The objectives enumerate typical tools (SQL, Python, R, Excel, Power BI/Tableau).
- Schedule the exam via an official voucher and Pearson‑delivered testing—online proctored or test centre—then focus your final training sprints on weak domains. (Pricing policies and delivery are detailed by the vendor.)
Key topics covered in CompTIA Data+
DA0‑001 (Data+ V1) major domains
- Data Concepts & Environments (15%) – schemas, dimensions, data types/structures, file formats.
- Data Mining (25%) – acquisition, cleansing/profiling, manipulation, query optimisation.
- Data Analysis (23%) – descriptive and inferential statistics, analysis techniques, tool awareness.
- Visualisation (23%) – translating requirements, dashboards, chart selection and report types.
- Data Governance, Quality & Controls (14%) – governance concepts, data quality and MDM.
What’s new in DA0‑002 (Data+ V2)
DA0‑002 retains the core analytics focus while updating cloud/infrastructure context and introducing AI concepts (e.g., LLMs, NLP, automation), plus refreshed domain weights: Data Concepts & Environments (20%), Data Acquisition & Preparation (22%), Data Analysis (24%), Visualisation & Reporting (20%), Data Governance (14%).
Is a CompTIA Data+ enough to get a job?
A certification alone rarely lands a role, but Data+ gives you verifiable skills and a recognised credential that can help your résumé stand out—especially combined with a portfolio (reports/dashboards), practical SQL, and business context. Employers use certifications as signals when screening candidates, and many value them highly in hiring.
Is CompTIA Data+ worth it in Australia?
Yes—if you work in analytics, reporting, finance, operations, marketing or any role where decisions rely on data, Data+ can strengthen your fundamentals and provide a credential recognised beyond Australia. For local roles, vendor‑neutral certifications are helpful when job ads list analytics skills without committing to one stack. The global standing of CompTIA supports mobility and credibility.
Does having a CompTIA Data+ Certification pay well?
Certifications can influence salary outcomes, but figures vary by industry and experience. Employer research indicates certifications are valued and often linked to higher starting salaries and progression; still, your actual pay depends on your role, sector and demonstrated impact. Use Data+ to validate skills, then showcase measurable results in interviews.
Is the CompTIA Data+ very difficult?
It’s challenging enough to require structured study and hands‑on practice, but designed for early‑career professionals. Expect real‑world style tasks: cleaning datasets, choosing appropriate statistics, crafting dashboards that meet requirements, and understanding governance and quality checkpoints. The recommended experience (18–24 months) is a good benchmark.
Is the CompTIA Data+ certification stressful?
Any timed, performance‑based exam can feel stressful. Reduce pressure by practising to the objectives, rehearsing dashboard/report builds, and timing mock exams. Understanding how items map to the domains (and what “performance‑based” scenarios look like) helps you prepare calmly and manage your time on test day.
How many fail CompTIA Data+?
CompTIA does not publish exam pass‑rate statistics. That’s by policy across its certifications, so you won’t find official fail‑rate figures. Focus on objective‑driven study, realistic practice, and strong test‑taking strategies.
The future of networking jobs in Australia
While Data+ is an analytics certification (not purely networking), modern IT roles increasingly require data literacy alongside platform skills. Cross‑functional teams expect network, cloud and data professionals to communicate with dashboards and metrics. Building analytics fundamentals helps you contribute clearer insights in any IT domain—networking included. CompTIA’s broader research reflects ongoing demand for tech skills and evolving AI‑driven workflows globally, underscoring the value of structured upskilling.