Top 10 Microstrategy Administrator Certifications

Having a certification in microstrategy administration can be very beneficial in the job market. It shows employers that the candidate has a high level of knowledge and proficiency with the software, as well as experience working with it. Certified Microstrategy administrators are often given preference over non-certified applicants, as they have demonstrated their skills and understanding of the platform. Additionally, having a certification can help candidates stand out from other applicants, and may even lead to higher salaries or better job opportunities. Finally, having a certification demonstrates commitment to one’s career and dedication to staying up-to-date on new technologies and trends.

This article reviews some of the top certifications for Microstrategy Administrators and explains how they can help to advance a microstrategy administrator's career.

What are Microstrategy Administrator Certifications?

MicroStrategy Administrator Certification is a professional certification program designed to help individuals gain the skills and knowledge necessary to design, develop, and deploy successful BI solutions using MicroStrategy software. The certification is awarded by MicroStrategy University after completing a series of courses and exams.

The certification covers topics such as data modeling, report building, dashboard creation, security administration, system architecture, performance tuning, and more. By obtaining this certification, individuals demonstrate their understanding of the fundamentals and best practices for working with MicroStrategy software.

The certification can be beneficial for both those new to MicroStrategy software as well as those looking to build upon existing experience with the platform. It provides an opportunity for individuals to learn from industry experts in a structured environment, helping them become more efficient in their work with MicroStrategy software. Additionally, having this certification can demonstrate expertise in the field to potential employers or customers.

Pro Tip: Take advantage of the free online tutorials available on the MicroStrategy Academy website to help you prepare for your MicroStrategy Administrator Certification exam. These tutorials provide an in-depth understanding of the features and functionality of the MicroStrategy platform, giving you a better chance of passing your certification exam.

Related: What does a Microstrategy Administrator do?

Top 10 Microstrategy Administrator Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to Microstrategy Administrators today.

1. MicroStrategy Certified Developer

MicroStrategy Certified Developer is a certification program designed to recognize individuals who have demonstrated their expertise in the development of enterprise-level business intelligence solutions. The certification is offered by MicroStrategy, a leading provider of business intelligence and analytics software.

The program consists of two levels: Certified Developer and Certified Developer Advanced. To become certified, applicants must pass an exam that tests their knowledge and skills in developing applications with MicroStrategy products. The exam covers topics such as data modeling, report design, dashboard creation, security, performance optimization, and troubleshooting.

To get certified as a MicroStrategy Certified Developer, applicants must first complete the online training course offered by MicroStrategy University. This course typically takes about 40 hours to complete and costs $1,495 USD. After completing the training course, applicants can then register for the certification exam which costs $250 USD. The exam takes approximately 2 hours to complete and consists of multiple-choice questions.

Once an applicant has passed the exam they will receive their certificate within 4 weeks and become a MicroStrategy Certified Developer. This certification is valid for 2 years after which time the individual must retake the exam to maintain their certification status.

2. MicroStrategy Certified Administrator

MicroStrategy Certified Administrator (MCA) is a professional certification program designed to validate an individual's technical knowledge and skills in administering MicroStrategy software. The MCA certification is intended for individuals who are responsible for the day-to-day administration and maintenance of a MicroStrategy environment.

The MCA certification requires passing two exams: the MicroStrategy Administration Fundamentals exam (MADF) and the MicroStrategy Advanced Administration exam (MAAD). The MADF exam covers topics such as installation, configuration, security, performance tuning, and troubleshooting. The MAAD exam covers topics such as advanced architecture, scalability, system optimization, data modeling best practices, and system administration.

In order to become MCA certified, candidates must first register for the exams through Pearson VUE. Each exam costs $200 USD. Once registered for an exam, candidates can take it at any authorized testing center or online via Pearson VUE’s remote proctoring service. Candidates have up to three hours to complete each exam.

Once both exams are passed with a score of 70% or higher, candidates will receive their MCA certification from MicroStrategy. This certification is valid for three years from the date of completion.

3. MicroStrategy Certified Architect

MicroStrategy Certified Architect is a certification program that recognizes individuals who demonstrate expertise in designing, developing, and deploying MicroStrategy solutions. It is designed to validate an individual’s knowledge and skills in the areas of architecture, development, deployment, and administration of MicroStrategy solutions.

It typically takes around 6-8 months to get certified as a MicroStrategy Certified Architect. To become certified, you must pass two exams: the MicroStrategy Certified Developer exam and the MicroStrategy Certified Architect exam. The cost for these exams is $250 USD each.

To prepare for the exams, you should have a good understanding of the fundamentals of data warehousing concepts and architectures, as well as experience working with MicroStrategy products such as Desktop Professional, Web Professional, Enterprise Manager, Command Manager, Developer Studio and Intelligence Server. You can also take advantage of available online training courses to help prepare for the exams.

4. MicroStrategy Certified Business Analyst

MicroStrategy Certified Business Analyst is a certification program that provides professionals with the skills and knowledge to effectively analyze, design, and deploy business intelligence solutions. It is designed to help individuals develop the skills necessary to design, build, and deploy enterprise-wide business intelligence solutions that are tailored to their organization’s needs.

The certification program consists of two levels: MicroStrategy Certified Associate Business Analyst (MCAB) and MicroStrategy Certified Professional Business Analyst (MCPBA). The MCAB level focuses on basic concepts such as data modeling, report building, dashboard creation, security configuration, and more. The MCPBA level focuses on advanced topics such as data warehousing, analytics development, predictive analytics, mobile application development, and more.

It typically takes 6-12 months of self-study or instructor-led training to become certified in either level. In order to become certified at either level you must pass an online exam administered by MicroStrategy. The cost for the exam varies depending on which level you are attempting but generally ranges from $150 - $250 USD per exam attempt.

5. MicroStrategy Certified System Administrator

MicroStrategy Certified System Administrator (MCSA) is a certification program offered by MicroStrategy, an enterprise business intelligence and analytics platform. The MCSA certification is designed to validate the knowledge and skills of individuals who are responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, and administration of MicroStrategy products.

The MCSA certification consists of two exams: one on MicroStrategy fundamentals and one on system administration. To become certified as an MCSA, candidates must pass both exams with a score of 70% or higher. The exams are administered online through Pearson VUE testing centers.

The cost of the MCSA certification varies depending on the country in which you reside. Generally speaking, the cost ranges from $150 - $200 USD for each exam. It typically takes about two weeks to receive your results after taking the exams.

In order to prepare for the exams, MicroStrategy offers several courses that cover topics such as architecture, installation and configuration, security, report design and development, performance tuning and optimization, data warehousing concepts and more. Additionally, there are numerous online resources available that can help you prepare for the exams as well as practice tests to help you assess your readiness before taking them.

6. MicroStrategy Certified Data Warehouse Administrator

MicroStrategy Certified Data Warehouse Administrator (MCDA) is a certification program designed to recognize individuals who have achieved a high level of proficiency in the use of MicroStrategy software. The MCDA certification is designed to validate an individual’s knowledge and experience in the design, implementation, and maintenance of data warehouses using MicroStrategy tools.

To become certified as an MCDA, you must successfully complete two exams: the MCDA Core Exam and one elective exam. The Core Exam covers topics such as data warehouse design, ETL processes, data modeling, reporting & analysis, and performance tuning & optimization. The elective exam focuses on specific areas such as Business Intelligence or Advanced Analytics.

The exams are administered by Pearson VUE testing centers located around the world. Each exam takes approximately 2 hours to complete and costs $200 USD per exam. In total, it takes about 4 hours to complete both exams and costs $400 USD for both exams.

Once you have passed both exams with a score of 70% or higher, you will receive your official MCDA certification from MicroStrategy. This certification is valid for two years from the date you pass your final exam.

7. MicroStrategy Certified Business Intelligence Professional

MicroStrategy Certified Business Intelligence Professional (MCBIP) is a certification program from MicroStrategy, a leading provider of business intelligence software. The MCBIP certification is designed to demonstrate that an individual has the knowledge and skills necessary to design, develop, and deploy effective business intelligence solutions using MicroStrategy products.

To become certified as an MCBIP, you must pass two exams: the MicroStrategy Certified Business Intelligence Professional Exam and the MicroStrategy Certified Architect Exam. The exams are offered in both online and in-person formats. To take the exams, you must have a valid license for one of the current versions of MicroStrategy products.

The cost of taking the exams varies depending on your geographic location and whether you are taking them online or in person. Generally speaking, it costs around $200 USD per exam. You can find more detailed pricing information on the MicroStrategy website.

In terms of preparation time, it is recommended that you spend at least 30 hours studying for each exam before taking it. This includes reading through official documentation and tutorials provided by MicroStrategy as well as practicing with sample questions and scenarios.

Once you have passed both exams, you will receive your MCBIP certification which is valid for three years from the date of passing your last exam. After three years, you will need to retake one or both of the exams in order to maintain your certification status.

8. MicroStrategy Certified Security Administrator

MicroStrategy Certified Security Administrator (MCSA) is a certification designed to validate an individual's knowledge and skills in administering the MicroStrategy platform. It is an advanced-level certification that demonstrates proficiency in configuring, managing, and troubleshooting security within the MicroStrategy platform.

To get certified as a MCSA, you must pass two exams: the MicroStrategy Certified Security Administrator Exam and the MicroStrategy Certified Security Administrator Advanced Exam. The exams are available online through Pearson VUE. The cost of each exam is $175 USD.

The MCSA certification requires about 40 hours of study time to prepare for the two exams. This includes reading technical material, attending training classes, and taking practice exams. Once you have passed both exams, you will be awarded your MCSA certification from MicroStrategy.

9. MicroStrategy Certified Performance Optimization Specialist

MicroStrategy Certified Performance Optimization Specialist (MCPS) is a certification program designed to help professionals demonstrate their expertise in optimizing the performance of MicroStrategy applications. The certification consists of two exams: the Performance Optimization Exam and the System Architecture Exam.

The Performance Optimization Exam tests your knowledge of best practices for designing, deploying, and troubleshooting MicroStrategy applications. It covers topics such as query optimization, data modeling, and performance tuning. The System Architecture Exam tests your understanding of system architecture concepts such as scalability, availability, security, and high availability.

It typically takes around 6-8 weeks to complete both exams. To get certified, you need to successfully pass both exams with a score of 70% or higher. You can register for the exams through the MicroStrategy website or through a third-party provider such as Pearson VUE or Prometric.

The cost of the MCPS certification program varies depending on where you take the exam and how many attempts you make at each exam. Generally speaking, it costs around $400-$500 USD for both exams combined.

10. MicroStrategy Certified Reporting and Analytics Professional

MicroStrategy Certified Reporting and Analytics Professional (MCRA) is a certification program designed to provide professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to create, manage, and deploy sophisticated reporting and analytics solutions using MicroStrategy. This certification is ideal for individuals who want to demonstrate their expertise in the field of business intelligence and analytics.

The MCRA certification is offered by MicroStrategy University, which provides training courses and materials needed to prepare for the exam. The certification consists of two exams: an online assessment that tests basic knowledge of MicroStrategy concepts, followed by a hands-on lab exam that requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to use the software. Candidates must pass both exams in order to be certified as an MCRA professional.

The online assessment typically takes 1-2 hours to complete, while the hands-on lab exam can take up to 4 hours depending on the complexity of the tasks assigned. The cost of the certification depends on whether you choose self-paced or instructor-led training; self-paced training typically costs around $500 USD while instructor-led training can range from $1,000 - $2,000 USD.

Do You Really Need a Microstrategy Administrator Certificate?

The answer to whether you need a Microstrategy Administrator Certificate depends on your career goals, the type of work you are interested in and the industry you are targeting. A Microstrategy Administrator Certificate is a certification that demonstrates the ability to deploy, configure, manage and maintain MicroStrategy applications. It is an important credential for those who want to excel in their career as a MicroStrategy Administrator.

Having this certification can help open up job opportunities in many industries such as data analytics, business intelligence, software engineering, and more. This certification proves that you have the skills necessary to perform complex tasks related to managing and maintaining a MicroStrategy application. It also shows that you have experience with the specific tools used by this system.

If you want to be taken seriously as a professional working with MicroStrategy applications, then having a certificate is essential. The certificate will provide proof of your knowledge and experience with the software, helping employers verify that you are qualified for the job. Additionally, it can also make your resume stand out from other candidates who don’t have one.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a job involving MicroStrategy applications or want to advance your career in this field, then getting certified is highly recommended. Having a certificate will give employers assurance that you have the necessary skills and knowledge required for success in this role.

Related: Microstrategy Administrator Resume Examples

FAQs About Microstrategy Administrator Certifications

1. What are the requirements for becoming a Microstrategy Administrator?

A: To become a Microstrategy Administrator, you must have at least 3 years of experience working with the Microstrategy platform and have completed the Microstrategy Certified Professional or Advanced Administrator Certification exams.

2. How long is the certification valid?

A: The certification is valid for two years from the date of completion. After two years, you will need to retake the exam to maintain your certification status.

3. What topics are covered in the certification exam?

A: The topics covered on the certification exam include architecture and deployment, system administration, security and data access, report design and development, object creation and management, dashboard design and development, mobile application design and development, as well as advanced analytics and visualization techniques.

4. Is there a fee associated with taking the certification exam?

A: Yes, there is a fee associated with taking the certification exam. You can find more information about fees on our website.

5. Are there any prerequisites for taking the certification exam?

A: Yes, there are some prerequisites that must be met before taking the certification exam including having an active Microstrategy license and completing either the Microstrategy Certified Professional or Advanced Administrator course prior to registering for the exam.