DATABRICKS-DEA · ● Active · Associate · Databricks
Self-paced online proctored exam validating core competency in Databricks Lakehouse Platform, Apache Spark-based ELT, incremental data processing, production pipelines, and data governance. Target role: Data Engineer, Big Data Engineer, or Analytics Engineer working with Databricks platform.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $200 USD |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | 45 (all scored) |
| Passing score | ~70% (equivalent score 63 out of 90) |
| Format | Multiple choice + multiple response |
| Delivery | Webassessor online proctored (remote, proctor-supervised) |
| Languages | English |
| Valid | 3 years from pass date |
| Renewal | Retake exam or maintain by earning points via approved learning paths |
| Prerequisites | None (but intermediate SQL + Python strongly recommended) |
| Released | 2021 (current format active 2024) |
| Retiring | N/A — active and regularly updated |
Vendor source — Databricks Certification ↗
Official exam guide — Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Study Guide ↗
Exam objectives — Data Engineer Associate Exam Objectives ↗
About
The Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate credential validates hands-on proficiency with the Databricks Lakehouse Platform and Apache Spark—specifically in building, deploying, and maintaining data pipelines in production. Launched in 2021 and updated in 2024, this exam targets mid-level practitioners transitioning into or solidifying roles as data engineers working with Delta Lake, Databricks SQL, and Spark-based ETL/ELT workflows. It is the foundation credential in Databricks' data engineering stack and a prerequisite pathway for the Professional-level and Generative AI Engineer certifications.
Domain context — Data/AI
Data engineering foundations and cloud-native big data platforms. Covers distributed data processing, lakehouse architecture, incremental transformations, data quality, and governance.
Read full deep dive — Databricks Ecosystem →
Topics covered
The exam blueprint weights five core domains:
- Databricks Lakehouse Platform (~24%) — Unity Catalog, workspace fundamentals, compute concepts, cluster types, SQL Endpoints, Jobs, Data Explorer
- ELT with Apache Spark (~29%) — DataFrames, SQL transformations, PySpark fundamentals, Delta Lake format, schema inference, write modes (append, overwrite, merge)
- Incremental Data Processing (~22%) — Structured Streaming, Change Data Feed, medallion architecture (Bronze/Silver/Gold), incremental data loading patterns
- Production Pipelines (~16%) — Databricks Workflows (Jobs), scheduling, error handling, monitoring, orchestration, MLflow integration
- Data Governance (~9%) — Unity Catalog, data lineage, access controls, data quality, PII handling, audit logs
Source: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Objectives ↗
Common skills at Data/AI · Associate
Shared foundational competencies for data/analytics roles at Associate level.
- SQL query writing and optimization (SELECT, JOIN, aggregation, window functions, CTEs)
- Python scripting for data processing and automation
- Familiarity with relational and semi-structured data schemas
- Understanding of ETL vs. ELT paradigm and when to apply each
- Basic distributed computing concepts (partitioning, shuffling, parallelism)
- Data quality validation and testing practices
- Logging, monitoring, and debugging data pipelines
- Version control (Git) for pipeline code
Recommended courses at Data/AI · Associate
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Databricks Academy (Official) | Data Engineer Associate Certification Prep | Free | ↗ |
| Udemy (Derar Alhussein) | Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate - Preparation | $12–$50 | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | Databricks Data Engineer Path | $299/yr | ↗ |
| A Cloud Guru | Databricks Data Engineer Associate | $49/mo | ↗ |
| YouTube (Databricks Official) | Databricks Learning Playlist | Free | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: The Databricks Academy official prep course is free and authoritative. Alhussein's Udemy course is widely cited as the best structured independent preparation. Pluralsight and A Cloud Guru offer path-based curricula covering breadth.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Udemy (Derar Alhussein) | Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Exams | $15–$30 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate Practice Tests | $20 | ↗ |
| Databricks Academy | Official Practice Exam | Free (limited attempts) | ↗ |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Databricks Lakehouse Platform Cookbook | Rui Qiu | Packt Publishing | 2023 | 978-1835463079 | ↗ |
| Learning Spark (2nd ed.) | Jules S. Damji, Brooke Wenig, Tathagata Das, Denny Lee | O'Reilly | 2020 | 978-1492041659 | ↗ |
| Spark: The Definitive Guide | Bill Chambers, Matei Zaharia | O'Reilly | 2018 | 978-1491912219 | ↗ |
| Delta Lake Up and Running | Bennie Hagedorn | O'Reilly | 2024 | 978-1098139155 | ↗ |
Book rule: The Databricks Lakehouse Cookbook directly targets the platform and topics on the exam. Learning Spark and Spark: The Definitive Guide are foundational Apache Spark references that cover 70%+ of the ELT exam content. Delta Lake Up and Running (2024) is current and covers incremental processing and lakehouse patterns.
Typical job titles at Data/AI · Associate
Data Engineer · Big Data Engineer · Lakehouse Engineer · Analytics Engineer (Databricks) · Data Platform Engineer (Databricks-focused) · ETL Developer (Apache Spark / Databricks)
(Job titles drawn from Databricks job board, LinkedIn, and major data engineering job postings listing this cert as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $85,000 – $130,000 | Glassdoor Data Engineer ↗ · Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide ↗ · Levels.fyi (Data Engineer) ↗ |
| ZAR | R580,000 – R950,000 | Pnet Data Engineer ↗ · PayScale ZA Data Engineer ↗ · CareerJunction Data Engineer ↗ |
| GBP | £55,000 – £85,000 | IT Jobs Watch Data Engineer ↗ · Hays Data Engineer Salary Report ↗ |
| EUR | €60,000 – €95,000 (DE/FR/NL avg) | Glassdoor EMEA ↗ |
| AUD | A$95,000 – A$140,000 | LinkedIn Salary (AUS) ↗ |
Salary rule: Ranges reflect typical Data Engineer roles where Databricks certification is listed as required or preferred. Regional variations account for cost-of-living and local demand; USD figures are mid-market enterprise data engineering roles with 2–4 years experience post-Associate certification.
Skills validated
Specific technical competencies tested by this exam.
- Databricks Workspace & Compute Management — cluster configuration, compute pools, SQL Endpoints, workspace organization
- Apache Spark SQL & DataFrames — transformations, actions, query optimization, caching strategies
- PySpark Programming — RDD/DataFrame/Dataset APIs, UDF creation, performance tuning
- Delta Lake — ACID transactions, table formats, schema evolution, time-travel, Z-Order optimization
- Structured Streaming — continuous processing, stateful operations, trigger modes, watermarking
- Change Data Feed (CDF) — incremental data capture and processing patterns
- Medallion Architecture — Bronze/Silver/Gold layer design, data quality checks, incremental loads
- Databricks SQL — SQL Endpoints, SQL queries, parameterized queries, dashboards
- Databricks Workflows — job scheduling, multi-task pipelines, error handling, notification integration
- Unity Catalog — metastore setup, table access control, lineage tracking
- Data Governance — PII masking, audit logging, compliance patterns in Databricks
Related certifications
- Stacks with: [Databricks Certified Data Analyst ↗]({file not yet created})
- Prerequisite for: [Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional ↗]({file not yet created})
- Prerequisite for: [Databricks Certified Generative AI Engineer Associate ↗]({file not yet created})
- Common path: Complete DEA → Professional → Generative AI Engineer for full Databricks data/ML stack
- Equivalents at this level: [AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty ↗]({file not yet created}) (broader AWS analytics) · [Google Cloud Certified Associate Cloud Engineer ↗]({file not yet created}) (broader cloud platform)
- Vendor overview: Databricks Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Databricks Certification homepage: https://databricks.com/learn/certification
- Data Engineer Associate exam guide: https://www.databricks.com/learn/certification/data-engineer-associate
- Databricks Academy official courses: https://customer.databricks.com/s/
- Udemy Databricks Data Engineer Associate course (Derar Alhussein): https://www.udemy.com/course/databricks-certified-data-engineer-associate/
- Whizlabs practice tests: https://www.whizlabs.com/databricks-certified-data-engineer-associate/
- Pluralsight Databricks Data Engineer Path: https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/databricks-data-engineer
- Learning Spark 2nd Edition (O'Reilly): https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/learning-spark-2nd/9781492041659/
- Spark: The Definitive Guide (O'Reilly): https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/spark-the-definitive/9781491912201/
- Databricks Lakehouse Platform Cookbook (Packt): https://www.packtpub.com/product/databricks-lakehouse-platform-cookbook/
- Delta Lake Up and Running (O'Reilly): https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/delta-lake-up-and/9781098139155/
- Glassdoor Data Engineer Salaries: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm
- Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide: https://www.roberthalf.com/salary-guide
- Levels.fyi Data Engineer: https://www.levels.fyi/jobs/data-engineer/
- IT Jobs Watch Data Engineer UK: https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jobs/data%20engineer.do
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: Databricks Ecosystem
Parent domain: Data/AI Domain
Vendor overview: Databricks Vendor Overview