DA0-001 · ● Retiring · Entry · CompTIA
CRITICAL: DA0-001 English version retires April 14, 2026. CompTIA launched Data+ V2 (DA0-002) on October 14, 2025. Test DA0-002 if you plan to certify after mid-April 2026. DA0-001 remains valid through March 2029 for recertification and career use.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $269 USD (often discounted to $199–$219 via CompTIA promos); retake bundles available |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | 90 (all scored; mix of multiple choice and performance-based) |
| Passing | 675/900 scaled score |
| Format | Multiple choice (MC) + Performance-based questions (PBQ) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE (testing center or OnVUE remote proctored) |
| Languages | English (V1); Japanese also available |
| Valid | 3 years from date passed |
| Renewal | CompTIA Continuing Education (CE) credits or retake to refresh |
| Prerequisites | None; 18–24 months hands-on data analyst experience recommended |
| Released | February 2022 (V1) |
| Retiring | April 14, 2026 (English version only) |
Vendor source — CompTIA Data+ Certification ↗
Official exam objectives — CompTIA Data+ DA0-001 Exam Objectives PDF ↗
Exam blueprint — Alternative source: Exam Agenda ↗
About
CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) is a vendor-neutral, entry-level certification validating foundational data analysis, visualization, and governance skills. Launched February 2022, it bridges the gap between business users and technical data roles, certifying that candidates can transform business requirements into actionable reports, mine and analyze datasets, build dashboards, and apply data quality controls across the full data lifecycle. Equivalent to 18–24 months hands-on experience in a junior data analyst or business intelligence analyst role. Note: This cert is being superseded by DA0-002 (launched October 2025); DA0-001 English retires April 14, 2026.
Domain context — Data / AI / ML
Vendor-neutral foundational data analysis and business intelligence. Entry point into data careers; sits below specialized cloud certifications (Snowflake, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
Read full deep dive — Data / AI / ML Domain →
Topics covered
The exam covers five domains with the following distribution:
- Domain 1.0: Data Concepts and Environments (15% weight) — Data types, structures, lifecycle, storage systems (databases, warehouses, lakes)
- Domain 2.0: Data Mining (25% weight) — ETL/ELT, data extraction, transformation, quality assurance, data pipeline fundamentals
- Domain 3.0: Data Analysis (23% weight) — Statistical methods, exploratory data analysis, hypothesis testing, basic SQL, descriptive and inferential stats
- Domain 4.0: Visualization (23% weight) — Dashboard design (Tableau, Power BI awareness), effective data storytelling, chart selection, user experience
- Domain 5.0: Data Governance, Quality, and Controls (14% weight) — Data quality frameworks, metadata, compliance, security, organizational data standards
Source: Official CompTIA Data+ Exam Objectives ↗
Common skills at Data / AI · Entry
Shared skills for entry-level roles in the Data/AI/ML domain — not specific to this cert.
- SQL fundamentals (SELECT, JOIN, WHERE, GROUP BY, basic indexing)
- Data types and structures (relational, semi-structured JSON/XML, unstructured)
- ETL/ELT pipeline concepts and tools (hands-on awareness, not mastery)
- Statistical thinking (mean, median, std dev, correlation, p-values, confidence intervals)
- Data visualization best practices (choosing chart types, avoiding misleading visuals)
- Data quality and data governance fundamentals (accuracy, completeness, timeliness, lineage)
- Excel and spreadsheet proficiency for pivot tables, VLOOKUP, basic formulas
- Business domain awareness (understanding business KPIs, translating requirements to data queries)
Recommended courses at Data / AI · Entry
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Dion Training (Udemy) | CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Complete Course & Practice Exam | $10–15 | ↗ |
| Jason Dion Training (Dion Training) | CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Complete Course & Practice Exam | $49–99 | ↗ |
| LinkedIn Learning (Microsoft) | Prepare for the CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Exam | $39/mo (or via org subscription) | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Learning Path | $299/yr (or $29/mo) | ↗ |
| Coursera (Infosec Training) | CompTIA Data+ Exam Prep | Free audit; $49 certificate | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Focus on Jason Dion (most highly rated for CompTIA) or LinkedIn Learning (structured, official). Pluralsight and Coursera are solid alternatives if you prefer hands-on labs or platform subscriptions.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeasureUp | CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Practice Test | $99–149 | ↗ |
| MeasureUp | CertKit DA0-001 (2 exams + labs) | $149–199 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Certification | $59–79 | ↗ |
| Udemy (Kaplan/Boson) | CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) Practice Certification Exams | $10–15 | ↗ |
Best choice: MeasureUp is most accurate to real exam format and includes performance-based questions (PBQs). Use Whizlabs or Udemy as supplementary practice.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA Data+ Study Guide: Exam DA0-001 | Mike Chapple, Sharif Nijim | Sybex | 2022 | 978-1119845256 | ↗ |
Book note: The Sybex study guide (2022) is the only official CompTIA-endorsed study book for DA0-001. Covers all exam domains with review questions and online practice exam access. Still current for DA0-001 through its retirement date in April 2026.
Typical job titles at Data / AI · Entry
Junior Data Analyst · Reporting Analyst · Business Intelligence Analyst (entry) · Data Operations Analyst · Analytics Support Specialist · Data Quality Analyst
(Drawn from job boards listing CompTIA Data+ as preferred or required credential.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $65,000–$120,000 (with cert; entry to mid-level) | Glassdoor ↗ · Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide ↗ |
| ZAR | R450,000–R650,000 (entry level, Johannesburg/Cape Town) | Pnet ↗ · CareerJunction ↗ |
| GBP | £28,000–£42,000 (entry to junior mid-level, London +15%) | IT Jobs Watch ↗ |
Note: Salaries vary significantly by geography, company size, and industry. Robert Half 2026 data suggests entry-level junior analysts (no cert) start at $53,500 USD; Data+ certification can accelerate to $62,000–$65,000 entry level. Establish data analytics certifications (Tableau, Power BI, dbt) correlate with +$5,000–$15,000 salary lift.
Skills validated
Cert-specific skills this exam actually tests, distinct from generic "common skills."
- Data lifecycle management and requirements translation (business to technical)
- SQL query writing and optimization for exploratory data analysis
- ETL/ELT pipeline design and data transformation validation
- Descriptive and basic inferential statistics (hypothesis testing, confidence intervals)
- Dashboard and visualization design (with awareness of Tableau, Power BI, Looker)
- Data quality assessment and remediation techniques
- Metadata and data lineage documentation
- Data governance policies, compliance frameworks (GDPR, HIPAA awareness)
- Structured and unstructured data format handling (JSON, CSV, databases, APIs)
- Performance-based scenario analysis (given real data, produce analysis output)
Related certifications
- Stacks with (same level): Tableau Desktop Specialist ↗ · Microsoft PL-300 Power BI Data Analyst ↗
- Next step (Data Engineering): Snowflake SnowPro Core (COF-C03) ↗ · AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) ↗ · dbt Analytics Engineer Certification ↗
- Prerequisite for: Data Engineer, ML Engineer, and Analytics Engineer roles
- Replaces / Superseded by: DA0-002 (CompTIA Data+ V2, launched October 2025; English DA0-001 retires April 14, 2026)
- Vendor overview: CompTIA Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- CompTIA Data+ Certification ↗
- CompTIA Data+ Exam Objectives PDF ↗
- CompTIA Data+ Exam Agenda ↗
- Jason Dion Udemy Course ↗
- Jason Dion Training ↗
- LinkedIn Learning Path ↗
- Pluralsight Learning Path ↗
- Coursera CompTIA Data+ ↗
- MeasureUp Practice Tests ↗
- Whizlabs Practice Exams ↗
- Sybex Study Guide (Amazon) ↗
- Glassdoor Junior Data Analyst Salary ↗
- Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide ↗
- Data / AI / ML Domain Deep Dive ↗
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent domain: Data / AI / ML Domain
Vendor overview: CompTIA Vendor Overview
Summary
CompTIA Data+ (DA0-001) is a vendor-neutral, entry-level certification ideal for career starters or career changers targeting junior data analyst roles. It validates foundational SQL, statistics, visualization, and data governance knowledge—the core skills needed to turn business questions into data-driven insights. At $269 (often discounted), 90 minutes, and 675/900 passing score, it is accessible and widely recognized.
Key strengths: No prerequisites, broad applicability (finance, healthcare, retail, tech), bridges business and technical worlds, integrates with career progression toward data engineering or analytics engineering.
Key caveat: DA0-001 English version retires April 14, 2026. CompTIA launched DA0-002 (V2) in October 2025; plan accordingly if certifying after mid-April. Both cert codes will remain valid for 3 years post-issue and for career use indefinitely.
Typical timeline: 6–12 weeks study with prior SQL exposure; 12–16 weeks from zero technical background.
Salary impact: Entry-level junior data analysts earn $65,000–$85,000 USD (2026); cert holders at $62,000–$75,000+ depending on geography and employer.