10 Most Valuable SQL Server Certifications in 2024

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10 Most Valuable SQL Server Certifications in 2024
pankajbhadwal

Pankaj Bhadwal
Last updated on December 22, 2024

    Here are some of the best SQL Server Certifications for both beginners and advanced programmers.

    SQL stands for Structured Query Language, which is pronounced "S-Q-L" or "See-Quel" in some cases. The SQL language is the industry standard for working with relational databases. Inserting, searching, updating, and deleting database records are all possible with SQL. A Microsoft SQL server can do a variety of different tasks, including database optimization and maintenance.

    The following is a curated list of the Best SQL Server Training Courses and Certifications for gaining SQL skills. The list includes both basic and advanced courses offered by some of the most popular teachers all around the globe.

    What is SQL Server?

    Microsoft's SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that competes with MySQL and Oracle databases. While SQL Server supports SQL (Structured Query Language), T-SQL is SQL Server's version of the SQL language.

    T-SQL stands for Transact-SQL, which is Microsoft's proprietary language. T-SQL can declare variables, handle exceptions, and run stored procedures. For more than two decades, SQL Server has been exclusively used in the Windows environment. However, in October 2016, SQL Server 2017 became available for both Windows and Linux.

    Benefits of learning SQL server

    Following are some of the prime benefits of learning Microsoft SQL Server:

    1. Perform Data Mining

    Performing CRUD (Create, Read, Update and Delete) operations becomes necessary when interacting with databases. Knowing SQL, on the other hand, will enable you to perform CRUD for extracting information out of the data quickly. You may see update events, monitor table and database activity at certain intervals, and get information based on your needs using SQL queries.

    2. Manage Big Data

    You'll need a high-performance system to manage massive amounts of data. However, SQL shines in this situation because it solves our concerns with large amounts of data. SQL is capable of handling data pools of any size.

    3. Quick Access To Data

    Since SQL is capable of handling massive volumes of data, it can access huge data sets very quickly.

    4. High Paying Jobs

    The job market for SQL Server Developer appears to be good, and it is predicted that the demand for SQL experts is going to increase dramatically in the future years. SQL programmers and developers can easily get high-paying jobs in a wide range of industries.

    Best SQL Server Certification Courses

    1. Free SQL Training (LinkedIn Learning)

    LinkedIn Learning offers several lectures and blogs on many facets of SQL Server. There are three levels of difficulty for the certifications: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. You can take all of the courses to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the relevant topics, or you can focus on certain talents.

    The certifications offered by the platform will help you learn the fundamentals of PL/SQL, SQL Server DBA, reporting services playbook, as well as other technical skills like storage subsystem performance, transactional replication, and much more. You will also get practical experience that you can apply to industrial projects.

    Highlights

    • The lectures are easy to understand.
    • You will learn how to set up the testing infrastructure as well as develop and maintain databases from the beginning.
    • Learn about data reporting and analysis, SQL for data scientists, SQL server security, encryption, and masking.
    • Best practices, recommendations, and overcoming frequent pitfalls while composing SQL queries are just a few of the noteworthy lessons of this SQL Server certification course.

    2. The Complete SQL Bootcamp

    This comprehensive course will teach you how to create complicated queries to a database using Microsoft SQL Server. At the end of the course, you will be able to work with Amazon Redshift, Oracle, and other major SQL databases. The course will help you enhance your skills by exploring the essential topics and practice them in the tasks along with taking the tests.

    Highlights

    • Clear instructions for installing and configuring various tools required to work with Microsoft SQL Server.
    • Learn how to work on projects and become familiar with the tools and massive datasets.
    • Get a better understanding of the topics shared with the help of demonstrations and practice with the examples provided during the classes along with completing assignments.
    • This course does not require you to have any prior knowledge of SQL or SQL Server because all topics are presented from the ground up.

    3. SQL Certification for Data Science

    This course provides you with a basic understanding of SQL Server and how to interact with data and evaluate it to draw meaningful conclusions. To give significant insights to your company, know how to discuss essential topics, and make better outcomes. The classes start from the beginning, assuming you have no prior knowledge about SQL servers or cloud databases.

    Develop a good understanding of SQL fundamentals and learn how to write simple and complicated queries to retrieve data from databases. You will also work with a variety of data types, including strings and numbers, and learn the methods to filter and narrow down the results.

    Highlights

    • Understand the relevance of SQL and how it differs from other computer languages.
    • Learn how to use various features and commands of SQL and how to utilize them effectively.
    • Get hands-on experience with assignments and put what you've learned in lectures into practice.
    • The course is broken down into several sections to ensure effective learning.
    • To receive a course completion certificate, you must complete the graded tests.
    • With a flexible deadline, you can learn at your own pace.

    4. Coursera SQL Certification

    The courses offered on Coursera for SQL Server are good to start learning database management systems. The basic-level classes will help you lay a firm foundation, while the advanced-level lessons will allow you to go deeper into some of the more complicated concepts. Individuals will be able to work with databases and software to learn how they may be used in a variety of industries, including data science, big data, and analytics.

    Highlights

    • It is a well-structured course.
    • Offers a great learning experience with lots of interactive lectures, challenges, and projects.
    • Design apps and learn how to extract meaningful information from databases.
    • The video lectures will assist you in preparing for interviews as well as solving business-related database challenges.

    5. 70-461, 761: Querying Microsoft SQL Server with Transact-SQL

    If you're unfamiliar with SQL Server fundamentals or how to extract information from data, this comprehensive SQL certification can be of great help to you. This Udemy course will help you build a strong foundation in SQL Server. You'll learn about SQL syntax's inputs and outputs, how to utilize aggregate functions to analyze data, how to build reports using sales and user data, and much more.

    Instead of simply watching the instructor developing code and explaining it to you, you will get the option to write the code on your own. After completing this certification program, you will be able to communicate with any SQL database.

    Highlights

    • Know which data type to employ in different scenarios and how to modify date, integer, and string data values with functions.
    • Find missing data by joining two or more tables together.
    • Use techniques like Union, Case, and Merge, as well as perform error checking.
    • Use a database with ranking and analytic operations, grouping, geography, and geometry.
    • Learn how to create subqueries, CTEs, PIVOTs, UDFs, APPLYs, and synonyms.
    • Learn about transactions, query optimization, and the differences between row-based and set-based operations.

    6. Foundation of Big Data Analysis with SQL

    This SQL Server certification will provide you with a broad overview of how to use SQL Server for dealing with large amounts of data. You'll begin by learning about data, database systems, and SQL before moving on to big data properties and SQL technologies for working with big data platforms.

    The course comes with video lectures, downloadable tools, practice exercises, and much more to provide better understanding of the topics to the candidates. You will get a certificate of completion after completing all the assignments and tasks.

    Highlights

    • The course clarifies the differences between operational and analytic databases and how they can be used with big data.
    • Understand how the volume and type of data affect the database system selection.
    • Learn about the characteristics and advantages of SQL dialects optimized for use with large data storage and analysis systems.
    • Install an exercise environment that will be maintained throughout this specialized course, and get a chance to undertake some preliminary database research.
    • Get assistance from experienced teachers.

    7. Microsoft SQL for Beginners

    If you're just getting started with SQL, then this introductory course on Coursera would be a great pick for you. It will teach you the fundamentals of SQL and lead you through the steps of setting up a text editor, MAMP, or XAMPP, as well as creating a SQL Server database.

    This course is part of a specialist program at the University of Michigan called Web Applications for Everyone. As a result, you'll be taught by some highly skilled professors. Additionally, during your learning journey, the instructors will resolve your queries related to SQL Server.

    Highlights

    • Know how to create SELECT statements in their entirety.
    • Execute simple SELECT commands against a single table.
    • Use the WHERE clause to filter data and the ORDER BY clause for sorting the data.
    • Learn how to construct a database and how to standardize it.
    • Return columns from many tables in the same query by using joins.
    • Understand what INNER JOIN, LEFT/RIGHT OUTER JOIN, and FULL OUTER JOIN are in detail.
    • Explore SQL statements that use aggregate functions.
    • Know the usage of the HAVING clause for filtering data into groups.

    8. Modern Big Data Analysis with SQL Certification

    This course will assist you in gaining the necessary skills to work with big amounts of data using SQL. Individuals would be skilled to query huge data using modern distributed SQL engines. Anyone with little to no prior experience can take this course.

    With this certification program, you will discover how data is stored in distributed clusters and cloud storage, as well as how to query such massive databases. This curriculum includes a professional certificate that will allow you to demonstrate your abilities to potential employers.

    Highlights

    • Learn about big data SQL engines such as Apache Hive and Apache Impala to get a clear picture of the SQL SELECT statement and its key clauses.
    • Learn how to use various tools to explore and navigate databases and tables while learning the fundamentals of SELECT statements.
    • Learn how to manage large datasets, load them into clusters and cloud storage, and organize them effectively.
    • Get assistance from a team of specialists to answer any problems you're having with the course material.
    • Video lectures, quizzes, and hands-on activities are included to help you better comprehend the topics.

    9. MySQL for Data Analysis and Business Intelligence

    Understanding SQL is critical for anyone who wishes to acquire a competitive advantage in their professional career. This Udemy course can help you learn and master SQL. It is more than simply an introductory course; you will learn how to work with a real-world database and why SQL is important for data analytics and business intelligence. 365 Careers, which has taught over 2 lakh people in SQL, is offering this course. Their instructors will support you at every stage of your study so that you learn effectively.

    Highlights

    • Learn the fundamentals and advanced concepts of SQL, as well as how to write SQL code.
    • Use professionally proven SQL methods to work with a complicated real-world database.
    • Get better job opportunities as a SQL developer, database administrator, or business analyst.
    • Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a verified certificate.

    10. Database and SQL Certification for Data Science with Python

    The major goal of this SQL Server certification is to help you learn the essential relational database concepts. This course is created in partnership with IBM and built by industry professionals, so you'll be studying from some of IBM's highly skilled educators.

    With this certification, you will learn how to execute SQL queries in data science using real databases, data science tools , and datasets. A series of hands-on workshops will allow you to design and run SQL queries. You will also receive a certificate of completion once you have completed the course successfully.

    Highlights

    • Learn and understand the potential of SQL and how to use it for communicating with and extract data from large datasets.
    • Learn how to use SQL and Python to connect to databases from Jupyter notebooks.
    • Create and access a cloud-based database instance, as well as learn to write fundamental SQL queries like create, drop, select, and delete.
    • If you have any concerns with the course content or material, you can seek assistance from a team of professionals.
    • The course offers the flexibility to study from home without being bound by any deadlines, as well as a 30-day free sample of the course.

    Conclusion

    The best approach to demonstrate your industry preparedness is to obtain a SQL Server certification. Adding it to your CV will put you ahead of your competitors for a job role. However, obtaining the SQL Server certification needs a combination of experience, knowledge, skill, and, most importantly, dedication. The examinations at the end of a SQL Server certification will evaluate how much and how well you know about SQL.

    We hope this article helped you get familiar with the most prominent SQL Server certifications out there and find one that suits all your requirements in the best way possible.

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    FAQs


    Yes, there are numerous SQL Server certifications available out there. Popular SQL Server certifications are: Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA): 1. Database Fundamentals SQL Certification 2. Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate 3. Oracle Database SQL Certified Associate Certification 4. IBM Certified Database Associate - DB2 11.1 Fundamentals for LUW 5. EDB PostgreSQL 12 Associate Certification.

    The cost of an SQL Server certification varies depending upon the certification you choose and where you wish to take the exam. The above list of SQL Server certifications depicts the cost of different SQL Server certifications.

    There is no such best SQL certification. You need to choose the certification based on your level of knowledge. If you are a beginner, you can start with entry-level SQL Server certifications.

    Yes, you should definitely learn MS SQL Server in 2022 because it is among the top relational database management solutions. Many companies still prefer MS SQL Server to store, manage, and manipulate their data.

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