By Michael Stromberg, Hack Reactor graduate (2016) · Last verified November 9, 2026
Professional certificates are online training programs built by tech companies like Google, Meta, IBM, and Microsoft to prepare beginners for a specific entry-level job. This directory lists every major one, what job it targets, and where to take it, with an in-depth review of each as we publish them.
How to choose a certificate
- Start from the job. Search postings for the role you want and pick the certificate built for it.
- Pair it with a certification where one exists. Google IT Support leads to CompTIA A+; Google Cybersecurity leads to Security+. See our certifications directory.
- Try before you pay. Coursera offers a 7-day free trial and financial aid. You don’t need Coursera Plus unless you’ll take several.
- Plan your projects. A capstone plus one or two projects of your own makes a far stronger portfolio.
Certificate or certification?
A certificate shows you completed a training program. A certification shows you passed a proctored exam against an industry standard, like CompTIA Security+ or AWS Cloud Practitioner. Many IT and security job postings name certifications specifically, so the strongest beginner paths combine both. Exams have their own section: Certifications.
Google Career Certificates
Designed by Google practitioners and hosted on Coursera at $49 a month in the U.S. Google says most people finish a foundational certificate in 3–6 months at under 10 hours a week. Graduates can apply to Google’s employer consortium of more than 150 U.S. companies.
| Certificate | Prepares you for | Where to take it | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analytics | Junior data analyst: spreadsheets, SQL, Tableau, R | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| Cybersecurity | Entry-level security analyst; prepares you for CompTIA Security+ | Coursera, about $49/month | Read review |
| IT Support | Help desk and IT support; prepares you for CompTIA A+ | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| Project Management | Project coordinator; counts toward PMI’s CAPM | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| UX Design | Junior UX designer, with a portfolio | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| Digital Marketing & E-commerce | Digital marketing coordinator | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| Advanced Data Analytics | Next step after Data Analytics: Python, statistics, machine learning | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| Business Intelligence | BI analyst: data modeling, dashboards | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| IT Automation with Python | Next step after IT Support: Python scripting, Git | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| AI Professional Certificate | Using AI tools at work; not tied to one job | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
| AI Essentials (short course) | A quick introduction to generative AI at work | Coursera, about $49/month | Coming soon |
Meta Professional Certificates
Built by Meta’s engineers and staff and hosted on Coursera.
| Certificate | Prepares you for | Where to take it | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front-End Developer | Junior front-end developer: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React | Coursera subscription | Coming soon |
| Back-End Developer | Junior back-end developer: Python, Django, APIs, databases | Coursera subscription | Coming soon |
| Data Analyst | Junior data analyst | Coursera subscription | Coming soon |
IBM Professional Certificates
Built by the IBM Skills Network. Most are offered on both Coursera and edX.
| Certificate | Prepares you for | Where to take it | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analyst | Junior data analyst: Excel, SQL, Python, dashboards | Coursera or edX | Coming soon |
| Data Science | Junior data scientist: Python, SQL, machine learning | Coursera or edX | Coming soon |
| Full Stack Software Developer | Junior full-stack and cloud developer: JavaScript, Node.js, Python, Kubernetes | Coursera or edX | Coming soon |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | Entry-level security analyst | Coursera or edX | Coming soon |
Microsoft and others
Microsoft added eleven new professional certificates on Coursera in April 2026, and also offers free “Essentials” certificates on LinkedIn Learning. AWS and Salesforce publish beginner programs on Coursera too.
| Certificate | Prepares you for | Where to take it | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Cloud Support Associate | Entry-level Azure cloud support | Coursera subscription | Coming soon |
| Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst | Power BI analyst; prepares you for the PL-300 exam | Coursera subscription | Coming soon |
| Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst | Entry-level security analyst on Microsoft tools | Coursera subscription | Coming soon |
| Microsoft Essentials certificates | Short introductions, e.g. Azure AI and Security | LinkedIn Learning; free assessment | Coming soon |
Do employers value certificates?
More than many people assume, for the roles they’re built for. Google reports that more than 70% of graduates see a positive career outcome (a new job, promotion, or raise) within six months, based on its 2025 graduate survey, and its certificates carry recommendations for up to 15 college credits from the American Council on Education.
They’re strongest for IT support, data analytics, cybersecurity, and project coordination, especially paired with the matching certification exam. For software developer roles they’re a solid foundation but rarely enough on their own; you’ll need portfolio projects to compete with bootcamp and computer science graduates. For free alternatives, see Other Paths.