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Google Data vs Data+

Google Data Analytics Professional and CompTIA Data+ compared with live job-market data: demand, salary, difficulty, and cost — updated weekly.

The short answer

Data+ leads on market demand (19 vs 8 US job postings) and Data+also leads on average salary ($88,000). Google Data is the more accessible starting point at 1/5 difficulty versus 2/5 for Data+.

Side-by-Side Data

Google DataData+
Job Postings819leads
Market Share0.00%0.00%
Demand TrendStableStable
Avg Salary$75,000$88,000leads
Difficulty (1-5)1 / 52 / 5
Exam Cost$49/month (Coursera)$246
Study Time180+ hours30-60 hours

Job counts and market share from live US job postings, updated weekly. Want a different matchup? Use theinteractive comparison tool.

Google Data

Google Data Analytics Professional

Google's entry-level Coursera certificate covering spreadsheets, SQL, R, and Tableau. Self-paced across 9 courses, completable in under 6 months at 10 hours/week. No prior experience required. Includes a capstone project for portfolio building.

Data+

CompTIA Data+

CompTIA's entry-level data analytics certification covering data mining, visualization, and statistical analysis. The 90-minute DA0-001 exam has up to 90 questions requiring 675/900 to pass. Recommends 18-24 months of analytics experience. Valid for 3 years.

Stable demandFull Data+ data →

Google Data vs Data+: FAQ

Which pays more, Google Data or Data+?+

Data+ is associated with the higher average salary: about $88,000 vs $75,000 for Google Data, based on current US job market data.

Which is more in demand, Google Data or Data+?+

Data+ currently appears in 19 US job postings versus 8 for Google Data — roughly 2.4× the demand. Data updates weekly from live job listings.

Is Data+ harder than Google Data?+

Generally yes: we rate Data+ 2/5 difficulty versus 1/5 for Google Data, reflecting exam depth and experience requirements.

Should I get both Google Data and Data+?+

Many professionals eventually hold both, but sequencing matters. A common path is starting with Google Data (1/5 difficulty) and progressing to Data+. Compare requirements on each certification's detail page before committing.