CBAP certification: A high-profile credential for business analysts

CBAP books, study guides, and sample exam questions

As noted, the primary document you’ll want to use to study for the CBAP exam is the BABOK Guide, which is available from Amazon as well as from IIBA itself. Two other guides generally held in high regard by those who have taken the exam are CBAP Certification Study Guide by Richard Larson, and the CBAP Certified Business Analysis Professional All-in-One Exam Guide by Joseph Phillips.

You’ll probably be exposed to some sample exam questions as well during the training you take for your PD hours. But if you want to get a sneak peek as to what the questions will look like, you can check out some samples from training companies such as Adaptive US, TechCanvass, or ProProfs.

CBAP certification salary

Possibly the biggest question anyone wants to know about a certification is will I make more money if I get this cert. Unfortunately, this is complex to answer, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is trying to sell you something (a certification, probably). In particular, a CBAP certification requires extensive professional experience, which can itself lead to boosted salary, so while many CBAP holders earn good money, it can be difficult to untangle cause and effect.

Nevertheless, salary information IIBA offers suggests a CBAP can boost your pay. According to the most recent salary survey report by IIBA, the average annual salary for a CBAP certified professional is $121,364, about 15% higher than a comparative salary for a non-certified business analyst.

CBAP benefits: Is CBAP worth it?

That said, there are other benefits, perhaps harder to quantify. We noted the process of documenting the professional experience requirements can be a positive exercise. And if employers and potential employers know you’ve done the work associated with the exam and application, that can open doors for you.

“The CBAP designation will garner you some attention for what it inherently tells me about you,” says Kyle Crawford, who started his career as a business analyst and currently works as manager of information services at Bowling Green State University. “The process to earn the certification interacts with your work experience, and they both strengthen and provide additional context to the other. I expect heading into an interview that there’ll be plenty of jumping-off points for discussion. These, along with the breadth of required experience, often lead certified candidates to a less siloed, more holistic view of projects, understanding, and accounting for downstream impact others might not have considered. The effort to keep their certification up to date also attests to them being motivated to keep apprised of the industry and constantly seek to evolve their skill set.”

More on the business analyst role:

What is a business analyst? A key role for business-IT efficiency

5 essential traits of elite business analysts

10 business analyst certifications to advance your analytics career10 boot camps for business analysts