Certified Analytics Professional Certification brought to you by INFORMS

Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP®)

Phase out of aCAP certification.

The aCAP exam and certification are being phased out. Approved aCAP exam candidates are welcome to test within their approved eligibility period. The last day to apply for the aCAP exam is June 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. No applications will be accepted after this date. If you do not meet the requirements for CAP-Expert eligibility, we encourage you to consider the CAP-Essentials certification with an exam designed for those with less analytics experience. 

Active aCAPs who passed the exam will be required to transition to CAP-Expert before their aCAP certification expires.

This does NOT impact aCAP Academic Pathway who have not taken an examination. aCAP Academic Pathway certificants are encouraged to pursue the CAP-Essentials certification. 

aCAP Exam FAQs

Why is the aCAP exam and certification going away?

The aCAP exam is based on the same exam blueprint as the CAP-Expert exam and maintains the same difficulty level. After many years of feedback, INFORMS recognized many aCAP exam candidates were looking for a certification option to validate their foundational and mid-level skills and knowledge. In response, INFORMS has created two new levels of certification, CAP-Essentials and CAP-Pro. Both of which address the same seven domains of CAP-Expert, without testing at the same robust level of skills and knowledge as the CAP-Expert exam.

I am an approved aCAP candidate. Am I still allowed to take the aCAP exam?

Yes. Please consult your aCAP application approval email to verify your eligibility period. aCAP candidates are eligible for 12-months from their aCAP application approval date.

I currently hold the aCAP certification. What happens to my certification?

Those who have passed the aCAP exam are eligible to apply to transition to CAP-Expert certification after one full year as an aCAP. We encourage those eligible to transition to do so before their 3-year certification period ends. Recertification of aCAP will be discontinued after June 30, 2025.

If you hold the aCAP Academic Pathway certification via the Academic Pathway program, you are not eligible to transition to CAP-Expert. You must pass an examination. We encourage you to consider CAP-Essentials certification with an exam designed for those with less analytics experience. 

When is the last day to apply to sit for the aCAP exam?

The last day to apply for the aCAP exam is June 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. No applications will be accepted after this date.

What is the difference between the aCAP exam and the CAP-Essentials exam?

The aCAP exam is based on the same advanced level of skills and knowledge as the CAP-Expert exam. The CAP-Essentials exam focuses on foundational skills and knowledge of the INFORMS Analytics Framework.

aCAP Academic Pathway Page

The Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP®) designation is aimed at both the entry-level analytics professional who is educated in the analytics process but may not have experience in practice yet, or the candidate with analytics work experience that does not yet meet the criteria of the Certified Analytics Professional credential.

This prestigious program is the beginning of a career pathway that leads to the elite CAP designation. Those with aCAP designations have:

  • Demonstracted their skills by passing an exam based on analytics practice. 
  • Agreed to the analytics code of ethics

Unlike other certificates or certifications, aCAP serves as a vendor- and technology-neutral testament to an analytics professional’s superior competency in the seven domains of analytics, providing organizations with a trusted means to identify, recruit, and retain top analytics talent.

The INFORMS Analytics Framework:

The aCAP exam questions cover all seven domains of the analytics process, with the distribution of questions as follows:
  • Business Problem Framing - 14% of exam questions
  • Analytics Problem Framing - 17% of exam questions
  • Data - 23% of exam questions
  • Methodology Selection - 14% of exam questions
  • Model Building - 16% of exam questions
  • Deployment - 10% of exam questions
  • Lifecycle Management - 6% of exam questions

You can learn more about the domains in the Job Task Analysis (JTA)

Download the aCAP Handbook

 

aCAP is an independent validation that you have superior knowledge of the entire analytics process - from business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data through to methodology selection and model building, deployment and lifecycle management. aCAP enables you to easily convey to others that you have mastery of the analytics process.

Maintaining your aCAP means that you are continually working to advance your skills. That’s achieved through a combination of continuing education, ongoing analytics employment, and sharing analytics experiences and knowledge - all part of the requirements for renewing your aCAP every three years.

Every day more and more employers are adding “aCAP Preferred” to their analytics job openings because aCAP provides a trusted means to identify, recruit and retain top analytics talent. Add “aCAP” to your signature to open doors to new opportunities and professional growth.

Learn more about the benefits of certification
 

Requirements

There is no minimum education or experience to sit for the aCAP exam. Candidates are required to sign and commit to adhere to the aCAP Code of Ethics and pass the aCAP exam.

Education & Experience

Any level of education
Any level of professional experience

Steps to Achieve

Pledge to adhere to ethics guidelines
Pass the exam

 

aCAP Pricing

  $55 - Nonrefundable Application Fee
$150 - Exam Fee INFORMS Members
  $75 - Exam Fee for Developing Nations INFORMS Members (Developing Nations Special Member Rate List)
$245 - Exam Fee Nonmembers
$150 - Retake Exam Fee INFORMS Members
$245 - Retake Exam Fee Nonmember
$100 - aCAP to CAP Tranistion Fee - Only available to aCAP certificants through the aCAP Traditional Pathway. Certificants wishing to transition from aCAP to CAP must hold their aCAP for a minimum of 12-months and meet the CAP criteria before applying to transition from aCAP to CAP.
$100 - Refund Processing Fee - Refund requests must be emailed to [email protected] within 90 days from payment or by eligibility expiration date, whichever date comes first.

Alongside numerous other benefits, INFORMS members enjoy a $100 discount from the base price of getting certified. Discounted rates on CAP and aCAP are also available for organizations looking to capitalize on the powerful competitive advantages of team certification. Interested parties should contact [email protected] for more information.

Currently an aCAP and looking to transition to CAP-Expert?

Those who are pursuing CAP-Expert certification after first passing the aCAP exam become eligible to transition after accruing the required education/experience for CAP-Expert. Employer verification of soft skills, which is not needed to earn an aCAP certification, will also be required. Please contact our certification manager to confirm your eligibility and begin this process.

Learn more about transition from aCAP to CAP

Roadmap to Becoming an aCAP

From deciding you want to be a Certified Analytics Professional to making sure you have all the necessary tools to successfully take the exam, here’s all you need to know to get started on your aCAP journey.

The following milestones in the aCAP certification application process will help you stay on the path to becoming a aCAP.

  1. Create your account
  2. Submit your application and Pay application fee
  3. Wait for application confirmation
  4. Pay and schedule aCAP exam within 12 month eligibility period
  5. Take your exam. Good luck!

The following resources will help you prepare to take the aCAP exam. These can be found in the Resources section of the website.

We asked current aCAPs to share their study tips. Think about how you take tests and prepare in the way you're most comfortable.

  • Develop a study timeline
  • Register for a CAP/aCAP Prep course
  • Refer to your study guide frequently
  • Refer to the Job Task Analysis for domain knowledge
  • Review case studies for each domain
  • Take a self-assessment of knowledge areas

These tips will help you during the exam. Be sure to supplement these tips with strategies that worked for you in the past.

  • Read each question two or three times very slowly
  • Pace yourself - take short breaks if needed
  • Try not to skip around
  • Make sure no question is left unanswered
  • Elminate answers you know are not correct
 
 

Timeline for Certification

Congratulations on making the decision to take the next step in your analytics career. Here is an estimate of how long it might take before you are awarded the Associate Certified Analytics Professional credential. The time estimated for studying may vary depending on your knowledge and skill level.

1 Day

Create Account

Create an account here.

1 Day

Submit Application & Pay Application Fee

Complete and submit to INFORMS the “aCAP Certification Application and Agreement” form online and agree to the Code of Ethics.

7-10 Days

Pay Invoice & Schedule Exam

INFORMS processes applications within seven business days of receipt of application. After your aCAP application is approved and the exam fee paid, candidates will receive an email from the exam provider in 3-5 business days with instructions for scheduling the exam.

2 Months

Study for Exam

Make sure you have time scheduled on your calendar to study for the exam, and take the practice exam.

1 Day

Pass Exam

Show up well rested and on time. The exam is three hours, and you will receive an official score report noting pass/fail immediately following completion of the exam.

1 Week

Receive Certification

You will receive an email with your test results within 1 week of completing the exam. Upon successful completion, you will be able to view your aCAP credential in your account.

Ready to Start Your aCAP Journey?

Start your application now!