Is The Google Data Analytics Certificate ACTUALLY Worth It?

Summary

The video discusses the value of Google's Data Analytics Certificate, hosted on Coursera. It evaluates the certificate based on factors like time to completion, cost, job demand, salary expectations, course quality, and job placement potential. The certificate is praised for its affordability, quick completion time, and high demand in the job market, scoring an impressive 9.17 out of 10. The presenter encourages considering alternatives to traditional college education, as the certificate offers a low-risk way to explore data analytics.

Takeaways

• 🕒 The Google Data Analytics Certificate can be completed in as little as 2-3 months, much faster than traditional education programs.
• 💵 The certificate is cost-effective, with a monthly fee of $39, significantly lower than college or boot camp fees.
• 📈 There is a high demand for data analytics skills, with 380,000 job openings in the US and a rapid growth rate in related fields.
• 💼 An entry-level data analyst can expect a median salary of around $74,000 per year, which is high for a starting position.
• 🏆 The certificate has a high production value and positive reviews, scoring an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars on the Coursera platform.
• 🎯 The certificate has a good chance of helping you land a job, with 75% of graduates reporting an improvement in their career trajectory within six months.
• 🔍 The curriculum is recognized by over 300 companies, indicating a strong industry alignment and potential job opportunities.
• 🌐 The skills learned are not only useful for data analyst roles but also transferable to other careers like product management and digital marketing.
• 🔄 The certificate uses R instead of Python, which might be a limitation for some data analytics roles that prefer Python.
• 📚 The certificate is a low-risk investment compared to traditional education, allowing individuals to test their interest in data analytics without a significant financial commitment.

Q & A

What is the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

The Google Data Analytics Certificate is a professional certificate hosted on Coursera, designed to teach entry-level skills needed to land a data analytics job. It claims that no degree or experience is required to start the program.

How long does it take to complete the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

The website suggests it takes approximately six months with 10 hours of study per week, but self-reported data indicates it can be completed in as little as two to three months, especially for those who are already familiar with the skills.

What is the cost of the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

At the time of the video recording, the certificate costs about $39 per month on Coursera. So, if completed in six months, it would cost around $234, and approximately $78 if completed in two months.

What is the demand for data analytics skills in the job market?

Data analytics is a highly sought-after skill with a significant number of job openings. LinkedIn lists 578,000 job postings with 'data analysis' in them, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a much faster than average growth rate for market research analysts.

What is the typical salary for entry-level data analysts?

According to the Google analytics course, the median entry-level salary for data analytics is about $74,000 per year. Glassdoor reports that data analysts generally make about $93,000 per year, and business analysts make about $95,000.

How does the production value of the Google Data Analytics Certificate compare to other educational options?

The production value and teaching material are subjective, but reviews tend to be positive. The certificate is organized and taught by professionals, and it offers a structured learning experience with a respected certificate upon completion.

What are the chances of landing a job with the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

While the certificate alone may not guarantee a job, data analytics is in high demand, and the certificate has a good chance of helping land an entry-level position. The website claims job opportunities at over 300 companies that recognize the certificate.

What is the overall value of the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

The certificate offers a high value for the price, with 75% of graduates in the U.S. reporting an improvement in their career trajectory within six months of completion. It's a low-risk way to explore data analytics as a career.

Why might someone choose the Google Data Analytics Certificate over a traditional degree or boot camp?

The certificate is a lower-cost, lower-risk alternative to traditional degrees or boot camps. It allows individuals to quickly gain relevant skills and test their interest in data analytics without a significant financial or time commitment.

What are some potential career paths for someone with a Google Data Analytics Certificate?

With a data analytics background, individuals can pursue careers as data analysts, business analysts, or even move into roles such as principal data engineer or senior vice president of data engineering. The skills are also valuable for roles in product management and digital marketing.

What programming language does the Google Data Analytics Certificate focus on, and why might this be a point of criticism?

The certificate teaches R instead of Python. While R is used in data analytics, Python is more commonly seen in job roles. This might be a limitation for some, as they may need to learn Python separately to meet specific job requirements.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to the Google Data Analytics Certificate

The video discusses the value of the Google Data Analytics Certificate, a topic highly requested by viewers. The speaker plans to evaluate the certificate by considering factors such as time to completion, cost, job demand, salary expectations, teaching material quality, job landing potential, and overall value. The certificate, hosted on Coursera, is designed to teach entry-level data analytics skills with no prior degree or experience required. The speaker will rank each factor on a scale from 1 to 10. The time to complete the certificate is officially stated as six months with 10 hours of study per week, but self-reported data suggests it can be completed much faster, often in two to three months.

05:01

💼 Cost and Demand for Data Analytics Skills

The video highlights the affordability of the Google Data Analytics Certificate, costing $39 per month, which is significantly less than traditional education options. The demand for data analytics skills is very high, with 380,000 job openings in the US and a LinkedIn search showing 578,000 job postings with 'data analysis' in their description. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a faster-than-average growth rate for market research analysts, reflecting the high value placed on data skills in various industries. The speaker emphasizes the importance of data analysis in improving return on investment for companies.

10:03

💼 Salary Expectations and Course Quality

The video outlines the potential salary for entry-level data analysts and business analysts, with median salaries ranging from $74,000 to $95,000 per year. Higher-level positions can command salaries over $150,000. The production value of the certificate's classes is subjective but generally well-reviewed. The speaker discusses the certificate's potential to land a job, noting that while a certificate alone may not secure employment, the high demand for data analytics skills increases the likelihood. The Google Data Analytics Certificate has a 4.8-star rating on the Coursera website, and many people have reported securing jobs after completing it.

🌟 Overall Value and Alternatives to Traditional Education

The video concludes with an evaluation of the certificate's overall value, noting that 75% of graduates report an improvement in their career trajectory within six months of completing the certificate. The speaker argues that certificates like these offer a lower risk compared to traditional education, as they are cheaper and quicker to complete. The video suggests that while college is appropriate in some cases, alternatives like certificates provide valuable options for learning in-demand skills. The Google Data Analytics Certificate receives a high recommendation from the speaker.

Keywords

💡Google Data Analytics Certificate

The Google Data Analytics Certificate is a professional certification program offered by Google in partnership with Coursera. It aims to equip learners with entry-level data analytics skills required to land jobs in the field. In the video, the host evaluates the worthiness of this certificate by discussing various factors such as time to completion, cost, and job prospects. The certificate is highlighted as a more accessible and affordable alternative to traditional degrees.

💡Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform that hosts the Google Data Analytics Certificate. It provides courses from universities and companies worldwide, allowing learners to access a broad range of educational content. In the context of the video, Coursera serves as the platform through which the certificate is delivered, emphasizing the convenience and flexibility of online learning.

💡Time to Completion

Time to completion refers to the estimated duration it takes to finish a course or program of study. The video mentions that the Google Data Analytics Certificate can be completed in approximately six months with a recommended study time of 10 hours per week. However, many learners reportedly finish sooner, which is a significant factor in evaluating the certificate's value and efficiency.

💡Cost

Cost, in this context, refers to the financial investment required to obtain the Google Data Analytics Certificate. The video discusses the affordability of the certificate, priced at $39 per month, as a key advantage over traditional education pathways like college degrees or boot camps, which can be significantly more expensive.

💡Demand

Demand, in the video, refers to the job market's need for data analytics skills. The host cites statistics indicating a high demand for data analytics professionals, with hundreds of thousands of job openings. This demand underscores the relevance and potential value of the Google Data Analytics Certificate in securing employment.

💡Salary

Salary is the compensation received for work, and the video discusses the potential earnings for entry-level data analysts and business analysts. It mentions median salaries and how they compare favorably to other entry-level positions, suggesting that obtaining the Google Data Analytics Certificate could lead to financially rewarding careers.

💡Production Value

Production value pertains to the quality of the course content and materials provided in the Google Data Analytics Certificate. The video suggests that the quality is high, as indicated by positive reviews, which is important for learner engagement and the effectiveness of the educational content.

💡Job Placement

Job placement refers to the likelihood of securing employment upon completing a course or program. The video discusses the certificate's potential to help learners land jobs, supported by claims of job opportunities at over 300 companies and positive testimonials from learners who have successfully transitioned into data analytics roles.

💡Value Proposition

Value proposition is the benefit or advantage offered by a product or service. In the video, the value proposition of the Google Data Analytics Certificate is its potential to provide a clear career path and job opportunities at a fraction of the cost and time commitment of traditional education, making it an attractive option for many learners.

💡Online Learning

Online learning refers to the delivery of education through the internet, which allows for flexible and remote study. The video positions online learning platforms like Coursera as an alternative to traditional classroom settings, emphasizing convenience and accessibility as key benefits.

💡Data Analysis

Data analysis is the process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to extract useful information, draw conclusions, and support decision-making. The video highlights data analysis as a sought-after skill in various industries, making the Google Data Analytics Certificate a valuable asset for those looking to enter or advance in this field.

Highlights

The Google Data Analytics Certificate is designed to teach entry-level skills needed to land a data analytics job, with no degree or experience required.

The estimated time to complete the course is six months at 10 hours per week, but many testimonials report completion in two to three months or even faster for those with prior experience.

The course is hosted on Coursera and costs $39 per month. If completed in two months, the total cost would be approximately $78, making it a cost-effective alternative to boot camps or traditional education.

Data analytics is a highly in-demand field, with over 578,000 job postings on LinkedIn and a 22% projected growth rate for related roles like market research analysts.

The median entry-level salary for data analysts is $74,000, with the potential to earn more in advanced roles like principal data engineer ($157,000) or senior vice president of data engineering ($211,000).

Data analytics skills are not limited to data analyst roles. They are valuable across various industries, including accounting, digital marketing, and product management.

The course includes professional guidance, ensuring students learn the most up-to-date skills and trends needed to secure a job in data analytics.

The certificate has a 4.8-star rating on Coursera with over 61,000 reviews, and is recognized by more than 300 companies for its curriculum.

While the course teaches R, one critique is that Python might be more commonly used in data analytics roles, making this course less comprehensive in some contexts.

Google Certificates have gained credibility over time, with more professionals and companies recognizing their value, although additional study or skills may be required to fully prepare for certain roles.

The certificate can serve as a low-risk way to explore a career in data analytics, costing much less time and money than a college degree or boot camp.

Coursera reports that 75% of U.S. Google certificate graduates see an improvement in their career trajectory within six months of completing the program.

The certificate includes modules focused on preparing students for job interviews and helping them land entry-level roles in data analytics.

The course's production value and engagement are rated highly, though opinions vary based on personal preferences for instructors and subject matter.

Overall, the Google Data Analytics Certificate offers excellent value for its cost and time commitment, with an overall score of 9.17 out of 10.

Transcripts

is the google data analytics certificate

actually worth it this was a highly

requested topic so if you enjoy me

making this type of video go ahead

gently tap that like button hit the

subscribe button ring the notification

bell and comment down below any thoughts

comments criticisms etc and let's jump

right into it so i'm going to be going

over all of the important factors for

the google data analytics certificate

and i'm going to be ranking each of them

on a scale from 1 to 10. so we're going

to talk about the time to completion how

much it costs the demand the salary you

would expect if you were to get an

entry-level position after getting the

certificate the production value and

engagement of the teaching material

itself the chances that the certificate

will land you a job and the overall

value of the certificate in terms of how

much it costs versus the value that it

gives you so we're basically going to

cover every single angle i could think

of when it comes to evaluating a

certificate and seeing if it's worth

your time and effort and in case you

weren't aware this is a certificate

hosted on coursera and it's basically

designed to teach you the entry-level

skills you need to land a data analytics

job and they even claim at the top that

there is no degree or experience

required so that is a very bold claim so

let's go ahead and jump into it and the

first thing we're going to talk about is

how long it takes to complete so on the

website itself they say it takes

approximately six months to complete

with you studying 10 hours per week so

that's approximately 240 total study

hours if you were to study those 10

hours per week for six months however

almost all of the self-reported data

reviews and testimonials say that it

doesn't take anywhere near six months

typically for most of the reviews i

looked through it ranged from as low as

three days to typically somewhere around

two to three months now the person who

was able to get it done in three days

was obviously somebody who already had

the skills and they were basically just

doing the certificate to bolster their

resume or something along those lines

but there are many reports of people

finishing it in a month and even people

doing it part time can often finish in

two to three months so it doesn't really

take all that long especially if you

compare it with something like a boot

camp which typically takes somewhere

between three and nine months or a

college degree which typically takes

four to five years in order to get your

bachelor's now to put this in

perspective as somebody who studies

education and alternative education and

all these things surrounding it pretty

much all day long all the time the

fastest service that i've heard of that

reliably gets people jobs takes about

one month and that is incredibly rare

i've only seen one service do it and

that's because they actually partnered

directly with companies and they get

people interviews so if you're able to

complete this certificate and land your

job after two to three months that is

phenomenal so overall when it comes to

the time to completion i'm going to have

to give this one a score of 9 out of 10.

all right so next we're going to talk

about the cost and yes this is very

important because there are many

different ways of getting educated out

there that are incredibly expensive

college costs eighty thousand dollars

boot camps typically cost ten thousand

dollars or more well it's hosted on

coursera and at the time of recording

this video according to my research they

cost about thirty nine dollars per month

and by the way if you do wanna check the

course out i have it linked down in the

description as well as the pinned

comment below so if you take six months

to finish it that would be about

234 dollars if you finish it in two

months that's going to be around 78 so

yeah when you compare this to basically

any other way of getting educated cost

wise there's no comparison and i know

some people are going to comment down

below oh you can look everything up on

google you can get educated for free yes

there are many things you can look up on

google but there are a ton of advantages

to having a professional who knows the

current trends knows the current meta so

to speak tell you exactly what you need

to know in order to get hired at

companies it's all organized for you

there's professionals teaching it and at

the end you get a certificate that is

respected by many companies out there

which we're going to get into that later

so this is just way way better from a

cost standpoint this is incredibly cheap

you're not really going to find anything

that has this low of a price point this

one has to get a 10 out of 10 when it

comes to cost next we're going to be

talking about demand now we're going to

be talking about the demand of the

certificate itself of course but overall

we're going to focus more on the demand

of data analytics in general so when you

look at the certificate they say there's

380 000 us job openings and data

analytics and that's correct but i think

it's actually an understatement anything

to do with data data analysis data

engineering data science etc is

incredibly valuable and it's a highly

sought after skill if you look at

linkedin and you sort by entry-level

jobs you'll see that there's 578 000 job

postings that have the word data

analysis in them and bls doesn't have

data analysts specifically unfortunately

they don't get specific enough for that

but they do have market research

analysts with about a 22 growth rate

which is much faster than average and

this all makes sense after all data is

now more valuable than oil or gold and

this makes complete sense if you think

about it let's say you work for a

company and you're selling jerseys for

your favorite team which happens to be

the los angeles lakers if you show an ad

for lakers jerseys to a million random

people let's say you get a hundred sales

but you had to spend a lot of money to

get those hundred sales and chances are

you probably lost money but if you show

that same ad for lakers jerseys to a

million lakers fans chances are you

might get something more like 10 000

sales so your return on investment just

increased by 100x people were 100 times

more likely to buy your product and this

is exactly what data analysis does for

companies now the skills that data

analysis offers expands into many

different jobs as well a lot of the time

accountants for instance are learning

data analysis skills in order to have

vertical growth within their career data

is also becoming much more industry

specific so even if you don't want to

become a data analyst or a business

analyst there's still going to be a

massive amount of demand for the skill

of data analysis and so getting the

certificate likely will help you out

either way and so when it comes to the

demand i have to give this one a 10 out

of 10. next we're going to be talking

about salary and this is how much you

can expect to make if you are able to

land that entry-level job as a data

analyst or a business analyst so for the

amount of time it takes to get into this

data analysts and business analysts make

incredibly good money so according to

the google analytics course job openings

and data analytics make about 74 000 and

this is a median entry-level salary per

year that is absolutely ridiculously

good for an entry-level job now

according to glassdoor data analysts in

general make about 93 000 per year and

business analysts make about 95 000 and

there are many different options for you

in terms of career paths for instance

you might go down the career path of

becoming a principal data engineer and

they make about 157 000 a year and you

might even become a senior vice

president of data engineering and they

make about two hundred and eleven

thousand dollars a year and not only can

you move into data specific related jobs

but it's also really good for making

horizontal moves as well so going into

different career paths my friend richard

who's a product manager that i

interviewed on this channel told me for

instance that his number one

recommendation for somebody who wants to

become a product manager at a major

software or tech company is to get into

data analytics so data analytics is

incredibly important just about anywhere

you go within the company it's also

becoming very important for people who

get into digital marketing as well next

one on the list is going to be the

production value of taking the classes

and the certificate itself now take this

part with a grain of salt because it's

incredibly subjective how much you like

something has a lot to do with whether

you like the personality of the

instructors or whether you like the

subject itself but if you look at the

reviews they do tend to be pretty good

so overall i'm gonna give this one an 8

out of 10. next one on the list is very

important that's going to be the

certificates chances of landing you a

job now a lot of the time i'm not going

to lie certificates likely will not land

you a job all on their own and let's be

honest do you even expect them to do

that it's a 39 a month certificate you

know there's a lot of people who

graduate from college who still can't

even land jobs and that costs 80 000 so

if a 39 a month certificate even gives

you a puncher's chance of landing a job

then that's got to be a pretty good

value but with that being said data

analytics is such a highly sought after

skill that this certificate actually

does have a pretty good chance of

landing you an entry-level job now they

claim on the website that there is job

opportunities at over 300 different

companies that have basically agreed

that the google data analytics

certificate curriculum is really good to

teach people the skills they need to

land that entry-level job on top of that

the network effects of people who have

started taking these certificates with

coursera edx and other companies like

that are starting to kick in it used to

be a little bit of a joke or a meme when

you saw certificates on people's resumes

because just about anybody out there

could make up a certificate and it

really didn't matter i mean i could

literally almost just make up my own

certificate and then like put it on my

own resume it's almost like a hotel that

rates themselves like five golden stars

or something along those lines but with

that being said many many people who are

highly respected within industries

they're starting to take these

certificates and they're seeing the

value in them and so whether you're

taking this certificate because you're

trying to gain the skills to get a

promotion or you're trying to switch

into a different career or you're just

trying to get an entry level job these

do have a lot of value and there are

tons of reviews and testimonials from

people on reddit and youtube of people

who have gotten jobs just by taking the

certificate alone and on top of that

there is a significant amount of the

course that is dedicated to getting you

interviews and landing you a job and on

the coursera website itself this

certificate does have a 4.8 star rating

with 61 588 ratings at the time of

recording this video and if you look at

the individual courses within the

certificate most of them are rated 4.8

stars but two of them quartz 5 and

course 6 are rated 4.6 but with that

being said is it reasonable to truly

expect a 39 a month certificate to

reliably land you a job probably not for

the average person i think the typical

person taking this will actually have to

do some outside study or other things to

supplement this certificate but with

that being said i think the main reason

that people end up failing and getting a

job is because of the fact that they

just find out they're not interested in

data analysis or becoming a data analyst

and imagine getting a data analytics

degree in college and then finding out

you know your fourth or your fifth year

that you're not interested and you don't

want to be a data analyst after you've

already spent 80 000

and like five years of your life versus

finding out that you're not interested

in data analysis after spending maybe a

few weeks and 39 on a certificate so i

think you get my point here whether you

end up getting a job or not i think this

is a phenomenal way to dip your toe into

data analytics whether you have any

experience or not so overall i'm going

to give this one a score of 8 out of 10

when it comes to the chances of landing

you a job next we're going to talk about

the overall value of the certificate and

what i mean by value is how much you get

for the price you pay so according to

coursera 75 of google certificate

graduates in the united states report an

improvement in their career trajectory

within six months of certificate

completion now i kind of wish they did

this certificate by certificate they

sort of group all google certs into one

but it is pretty impressive that 75

percent of people showed those positive

outcomes now it is relatively well

respected right now and it's only going

to get more respected as time goes on it

has become incredibly obvious to

companies and basically anyone else who

looks into this that college simply

cannot keep up with modern skills

colleges often teach people something

that might have been true 20 or 30 years

ago but isn't true now and when a new

technology comes out colleges are way

too slow and stuck in the mud to catch

up and teach people the most in-demand

skills and so companies came together

and they were like we need to figure out

how to solve this problem and that is

why google and ibm and all these

different companies started creating

these certificates they had a ridiculous

amount of demand for people who had data

analytics skills and nobody to fill

those jobs now one criticism of this

course is it does teach you r instead of

python and python is of course very

common to see in data analytics roles so

this is not a comprehensive course so i

think one of the main reasons you see

some negative reviews on the internet

when it comes to certificates is because

people go into it with the wrong mindset

and when it comes to comparing

certificates degrees boot camps and

online courses that's almost like

comparing a hammer to a wrench if the

situation requires you to smash a nail

into the board then a hammer is going to

be the best tool to use and if the

situation requires you to tighten a nut

or a bolt then a wrench is going to be

the best tool to use and so whether a

certificate or boot camp etc is going to

be the best choice for you depends on

your individual situation but with that

being said when it comes to the risk

that you take with a boot camp versus

college versus an online course versus a

certification the certificate has very

little risk if you go to college for

data analytics and then you end up

hating it you just wasted eighty

thousand dollars and four years of your

life if you take a certificate for data

analytics and you end up hating it you

just wasted 39

and a month of your life so clearly the

risk is much much lower for taking the

certificate and that's why i think these

are a fantastic way for you to dip your

toe into different subjects so overall

as long as you understand the value

proposition of certificates the value

here is easily a 10 out of 10. now when

you add everything up and then you

divide it the overall score is 9.17 out

of 10. the google data analytics

certificate gets a massive thumbs up

from me i think it is phenomenal how

we're seeing all of these different

alternatives and competitors to college

pop up because college is the right

choice in certain situations but it's

not always the right choice and it seems

like our society tries to make everybody

go to college when in reality there are

a lot of other really good options check

this other video out right here i made

it just for you go ahead gently tap that

like button hit the subscribe button

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down below any thoughts comments

criticisms etc that you have on the

video and i will see you next time