What Excel Certifications Are There?

Jul 25
3 min read

If you're looking to put your Excel skills on a resume or simply want a concrete goal to work toward, you'll want to know what certifications are actually available.

Quick Answer

The main Excel certifications come from Microsoft itself, under the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) program. There are two core MOS Excel exams: Excel Associate (covering everyday features) and Excel Expert (covering advanced functions and data tools). A third Microsoft credential, the Data Analyst Associate, is also worth knowing about if your work leans toward Power BI and data modeling.

The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certifications

Microsoft's own certification program is the most widely recognized credential for Excel skills. The exams are administered through Certiport testing centers, and you can find a local test center or take some versions online.

MOS: Excel Associate

This is the entry-level exam. It tests the core skills most office workers use daily: managing workbooks and worksheets, creating and formatting tables, using basic formulas and functions, creating charts, and organizing data.

It maps to Excel for Microsoft 365 (there are also versions for Excel 2019 and 2016 if you're on an older install). If you're comfortable with the kinds of things covered in basic Excel formulas and functions, you're already partway there.

The exam costs around $100 USD, though pricing varies by country and test center.

MOS: Excel Expert

The Expert exam goes significantly deeper. Expect questions on advanced formula logic, working with named ranges, data validation, PivotTables, Power Query, and functions like XLOOKUP and complex date calculations.

This is the one to aim for if Excel is a core part of your job and you want something that genuinely signals advanced competence. It also costs roughly $100 USD and is available for Microsoft 365 and older versions.

Passing both the Associate and Expert exams earns you the MOS Expert certification, and if you also pass the Word and PowerPoint Expert exams, you can earn the MOS Master designation.

The Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate

This one is a step up in scope. The exam (exam code PL-300) is primarily focused on Power BI, but because Power BI and Excel overlap heavily in data modeling, DAX, and Power Query, strong Excel users often find this a natural next credential.

It's the right choice if your work involves building dashboards, connecting to data sources, or doing anything beyond standard spreadsheet work. It costs around $165 USD and is taken directly through Microsoft, not Certiport.

Other Excel-Adjacent Certifications

A few other credentials come up when people search for Excel certification, and they're worth a quick mention.

Certiport IC3 Digital Literacy includes a component on productivity software but is very broad and not Excel-specific. It's mainly aimed at students.

LinkedIn Learning and Coursera certificates are not formal certifications in the same sense. They don't involve a proctored exam and carry less weight on a resume than a MOS credential, but they're a reasonable way to build structured knowledge and show self-directed learning.

Corporate training providers (like New Horizons or Skillsoft) offer their own Excel certificates after course completion. Again, these are course completion certificates, not independently validated exam credentials.

Which One Should You Go For?

For most people, the answer is straightforward. If you're newer to Excel or want a broadly recognized credential, go for MOS Excel Associate first. If you're already comfortable with advanced formulas and data tools, skip straight to MOS Excel Expert. If your role is shifting toward data analytics and reporting, add the Data Analyst Associate down the line.

The MOS exams are the only ones that signal to an employer that a neutral third party has tested your skills, which is what makes them worth the cost.