A Full SAS Certification Guide – Exploring Top 5 Categories

We saw what is SAS and a complete understanding of its functions and procedures. In this segment we will be talking about the scope of SAS, what are the career options with it and what all SAS certification exam, one can take up to kick-start your career as a SAS professional.

Here, in this SAS Tutorial, we are going to explore 5 categories of SAS certifications online: Foundation Tools, Advanced Analytics, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Data Management, and Administration SAS Certification.

With each Certification, we will discuss SAS Certification Exam and SAS Certification Cost.

So, let’s start with SAS Certification.

Why Get Certified in SAS Programming

Here, we will discuss the reasons for getting SAS Certification.

1. Improve your skills and expertise simply by going through the process of preparing for a SAS Certification exam. Even long-time SAS users say they benefited from the exam preparation experience.
2. The industry gets to know your SAS skills and expertise.
3. Increased credibility with your employer as a technical professional committed to personal growth.
4. You get a very good boost to your income.
5. When you earn a SAS credential, you get a digital badge that you can share on different platforms documenting your accomplishment.
6. SAS skills are in high demand around the globe like we talked in the SAS Career article.
7. Defined training paths and different certification make preparation more accessible and affordable.
8. SAS certified individuals can be listed in the Directory of SAS Certified Professionals which employers can access to know your credentials.

Career and SAS Certification

You can start your career as a SAS fresher, however, it is easier to kick-start your career if you hold any SAS Certification.

SAS offers numerous IT certifications in the business intelligence space for IT pros working with data analytics, data mining, data warehousing, data management, administration and more.

The SAS Global Certification program includes credentials that validate SAS skills in Programming, Analytics, Data Science, Administration, Data Management and Enterprise Business Intelligence.

The SAS Global Certification basically has 5 categories of SAS Certification. These are-

• Foundation Tools
• Advanced Analytics
• Business Intelligence and Analytics
• Data Management
• Administration

One must take note that for any Base SAS certification exam, the candidate must at least have about 8 months of experience and for all other SAS certifications, 3 years is desired. While all this is not mandatory, it is always advised so that the candidate scores well. All exams are conducted by SAS.

a. SAS Foundation Tools Certifications

The Foundation Tools credentials aim at SAS professionals whose workdays revolve around writing and managing SAS programs

i. SAS Certified Base Programmer Using SAS 9:
The Base Programmer knows how to perform queries on databases and perform analyses, including importing and exporting raw data files, manipulating data, combining SAS data sets and creating reports.

ii. SAS Certified Advanced Programmer Using SAS 9:
The Advanced Programmer must be skilled in writing advanced DATA step programming statements and solving complex problems as well as interpreting SAS SQL code and writing SAS macros.

iii. SAS Certified Clinical Trials Programmer Using SAS 9:
This programmer works exclusively with clinical trials data, transforming raw data into polished, validated reports.

Table 1 SAS Certification – Foundation Tools

b. SAS Advanced Analytics Certifications

This type of SAS certification is designed for SAS professionals who gather, manipulate and analyze big data using SAS tools, run reports and make business recommendations based on complex models. The certifications in this category include:

• SAS Certified Data Scientist Using SAS 9: Data Scientists can use both open source and SAS tools to manipulate data, form conclusions and make recommendations, and deploy SAS solutions.
• A SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9: In SAS Certification, the professional uses predictive modeling and statistical analysis methods and techniques to analyze big data.
• A SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner 13: A Predictive Modeler prepares data and then builds, assesses and implements predictive models.
• SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst Using SAS 9 Regression and Modeling: The Statistical Business Analyst uses SAS software to perform statistical analyses including linear and logistic regression, correlation, t tests, variance analysis.

Table 2 SAS Certification – Advanced Analytics

c. SAS Business Intelligence And Analytics Certifications

The Business Intelligence and Analytics credentials SAS Certification is designed for IT professionals. Who create interfaces and reports for SAS 9 or who use SAS Visual Analytics routinely. The two certifications in this category are:

• SAS Certified BI Content Developer for SAS 9: The BI Content Developer focuses mainly on creating SAS interface applications, including data management and dashboard creation.
• SAS Certified Visual Business Analyst: This SAS Certification is for people who use SAS Visual Analytics, Visual Analytics Explorer, and Visual Analytics Designer to create reports.

Table 3 SAS Certification – Business Intelligence and Analytics

d. SAS Data Management Certifications

Professionals whose workdays (or career aspirations) revolve more around managing data and platforms rather than deep statistics, analysis and modeling will gravitate to Data Management credentials. The following list names are of this SAS certification in this category:

• SAS Certified Big Data Professional using SAS 9: The Big Data credential is designed for professionals conducting statistical analysis using SAS and open source data-management tools.
• SAS Certified Data Integration Developer for SAS 9: The Data Integration Developer works with data to prepare it for analysis and reporting. Candidates must know how to define the platform architecture for SAS Business Analytics. Also, to create metadata, transform data and tables and run jobs.
• SAS Certified Data Quality Steward: The Data Quality Steward validates skills of professionals using the DataFlux Data Management Studio.

Table 3 SAS Certification – Data Management

e. SAS Administration Certifications Plus Jobs & Resources

This SAS Certification has only one credential –

SAS Certified Platform Administrator for SAS 9 – Designed for professionals who support the SAS Business Analytics platform. Candidates must know how to set up folders, manage all accounts of users, apply security techniques, perform backups and complete other administrative tasks.

Table 3 SAS Certification – Administrator

Conclusion

Hence, you all got a clear picture about SAS Certification. What all options you can take up after learning SAS Programming Language.

In conclusion, we discuss the various kind of SAS certification: SAS Foundation Tools Certifications, SAS Advanced Analytics Certifications, SAS Business Intelligence, And Analytics Certifications, SAS Data Management Certifications, and SAS Administration Certifications Plus Jobs & Resources to take to suit your interests.

Furthermore, if you have any query feel free to ask in a comment section.