IIBA - CBAP vs IIBA - CBDA - Which Certification Should One Pursue?

by Ann P on Aug 3, 2020 12:00:00 AM

Which Certification Should One Pursue

This is a question that arises in many professional minds. Both CBAP and CBDA come from the same organization, IIBA. So which one should you pursue?

Let's make a thorough comparison below.

Aspect	CBAP	CBDA
Focus	Core business analysis activities	Data analysis activities
Part of Core BA certification	Yes
Study Guide	Business Analysis Body of Knowledge	Data Analysis Guidelines
Market recognition	Very High	Low
Exam Fees (For Members)	$350	$250
Re-certification cost and duration	$85 (Members) $120 (Non-Members) 3 years (from Certification date)	$30 (Members) $50 (Non-Members) 1 year (from Certification date)
Previous BA experience	7500 hours in the last 10 years	No such requirement
Exam complexity	High	Medium
References required	2	0
Preparation Hours	120 to 150	100 to 120

CBAP Recommended -

Senior BAs who qualify for the test
To become an enterprise / strategic level BA
If your organization has CBAP certifications as part of the competency framework
Part of BA Center of Excellence/BA Competency team

CBDA Recommended –

Existing CBAPs
Business analysts with a data analysis background/experience
If your organization has CBDA certifications as part of the competency framework

We strongly recommend one complete part of the core certification, CBAP, CCBA, and ECBA, before going for non-core certifications such as CBDA, AAC, and CCA.