Certified Analytics Professional Certification brought to you by INFORMS
What is CAP®?
The Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) certification is a trusted, independent verification of the critical technical expertise and related soft skills possessed by accomplished analytics and data science professionals, and valued by analytics-oriented organizations.
As a vendor- and technology-neutral certification, CAP is a testament to an analytics professional’s superior competency in the seven domains of INFORMS Analytics Framework, providing a valuable platform for organizations to better identify, recruit, and retain top analytics talent, as well as for professionals to distinguish themselves in today’s highly competitive analytics workforce.
Turn your analytics knowledge into verified expertise.
Analytics professionals excel at solving complex problems, but technical skills alone aren't enough to advance. Success requires proving you can align analytics with business strategy and lead high-impact initiatives.
Our new certification framework, anchored by the CAP-Expert (CAP-X) designation, validates your ability to see beyond the technical – showing employers you can connect analytics to organizational success at every step in your career.
Three Levels of Professional Recognition
The analytics profession requires different skills and responsibilities at every career stage. Each certification level recognizes excellence in specific capabilities:
- CAP-Expert (CAP-X): Senior-level certification recognizing strategic leadership and business impact
- CAP-Pro (CAP-P): Mid-career certification demonstrating effective project management and execution
- CAP-Essentials (CAP-E): Early-career certification validating foundational analytics knowledge and business understanding
Each certification marks a clear milestone in your analytics journey, with CAP-Expert representing the highest level of professional achievement.
Why Become Certified?
Are you thinking about earning an analytics or data science certification but wondering if it’s worth it? While not all certifications are created equal, those seeking to showcase their professional competency or convey a sense of credibility and prestige should not underestimate the importance of getting certified.
Choosing a top certification or certificate program can lead to more job opportunities, higher pay, and greater job security. Why? Organizations recognize that obtaining certification requires you to go above and beyond. Certifications can also help you gain and develop skills that you wouldn’t otherwise learn on the job. And since hiring managers prize well-rounded, hardworking, and industrious candidates, earning your CAP is sure to help set you apart from the rest.
Ready to Apply?
Start your applicationLatest News
- Introducing CAP-Expert: The New Standard in Analytics Leadership
January 7, 2025 -
Important Update: SSO Integration for INFORMS and the CAP Dashboard (Prolydian)
October 8, 2024 -
INFORMS announces change to education requirements for aCAP candidates
September, 2022
Earning a professional certification can set you apart from the competition, enable you to derive personal satisfaction from accomplishing a key career goal, and help to improve your overall job performance by setting you on a course for continued professional development.
In the analytics space, Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) from INFORMS is the leading global professional certification for early- to mid-career professionals – designed to prove that you have the ability to turn data into insights.
If you want to open the door to new opportunities while avoiding the time and expense of pursuing higher education, CAP certification is a powerful option. Whether you work in machine learning or statistical modeling (or anything in between), CAP is a signifies that you’re ready to take the next step.
For organizations seeking to enhance their ability to transform data into valuable insights and actions, Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) provides a trusted means to identify, recruit, and retain top analytics talent. Although many certifications focus on a particular technology or vendor, CAP is designed to equip individuals with the skills to evaluate a task, formulate a methodical approach, and communicate actionable analysis – regardless of the software and systems being used.
Hiring CAP-certified individuals means knowing that you’re building a capable, cohesive team fluent in advanced analytics and data science methodologies and possessing the soft skills necessary to convey complex ideas and work in harmony with customers, partners, stakeholders, and each other.
People make organizations. If you want to find top talent that can give you a competitive edge, CAP is here to point you in the right direction.
How Do You Become Certified?
Your journey to becoming a top data analytics professional and the most valued leader in any organization starts with your experience and qualifications. What defines the analytics skills needed to be a CAP? It’s not just the mastery of how to assess complex problems and apply advanced analytics solutions but also the business acumen needed to lead award-winning analytics and data science teams. Start today by creating your account and submitting your credentials. Once approved, you can think about how to prepare to take the CAP exam. Training materials include the CAP Handbook, Job Task Analysis (JTA), and the CAP Study Guide. Additional supplements and exam preparation are available in the INFORMS CAP Prep Online courses designed to help orient analytics professionals to the seven domains of analytics knowledge.
Steps to Becoming Certified
1. Apply to Take the Exam
To get started earning your Certified Analytics Professional credential, create your CAP account and submit your qualifications today. Approved candidates will be notified about their eligibility to take the CAP exam.
Nonrefundable Application Fee:
$55
CAP Exam Fees:
$440 INFORMS Member
$640 Nonmember
aCAP Exam Fees:
$150 INFORMS Member
$245 Nonmember
2. Take the CAP Exam
Approved candidates are eligible to pay and schedule their exam for 12 months from their application approval date. After exam fees are paid, candidates will be sent their "Authorization to Test" email that will include information regarding how to schedule their exam. Exam fees paid but not used within a candidate's eligibility period are considered forfeited.
3. Maintain your Certification
CAPs can maintain their active certification status by earning the required Professional Development Units (PDUs). These formal and informal learning options ensure that CAPs are at the cutting edge of industry and academia, and the most sought-after analytics professionals.
How to Stay Current
Continuing Education Options
Upload your PDUs
Start Your Journey to Certification!
Completing your online application is the first step to becoming CAP certified. Once your application has been submitted, reviewed, and accepted, you will be eligible to take the Certified Analytics Professional exam at one of Kryterion's computer-based testing centers around the world or via an online-proctored session in your own home. Completed applications are typically processed within seven business days.
