Google offers several free and paid certification courses through its own learning platforms and third-party providers. Their goal is to help people build job-ready skills to start a career in the tech industry.
In this post, you’ll learn the best Google certifications worth pursuing. We’ve examined all Google certifications, and we will help you decide which ones can open up new career opportunities.
Things to Know About Google Certifications
They are 100% online certificates meaning that you can complete the courses online without having to attend a classroom in person.
Google courses are designed and built by experts working at Google. Some certifications are delivered by Google online training platforms (Google Skillshop, Google Digital Garage, Grow with Google), and others by external e-learning providers.
Google offers both free and paid certifications (see Google Certifications List).
Google certifications are grouped into three main categories.
Google Career Certifications – These are professional certifications related to IT support, Data Analytics, Project Management, UX Design, and Android Development. Google career certifications are paid for and delivered by Coursera.
Google Digital Marketing Certifications – These are free and paid certifications delivered by Google Digital Garage and Coursera. These courses cover various topics, including online marketing, social media marketing, cloud training, SEO, email marketing, machine learning courses, and more.
Google Product Certifications – These are free training courses (with certifications) related to Google products. The most popular are Google Ads certifications and Google Analytics. Courses and certifications are delivered by Google Skillshop.
11 Top Google Certifications For 2023
These are the top free and paid Google certification courses worth pursuing.
- Google Digital Marketing Certification (Free)
- Google Ads Search Certification (Free)
- Google Shopping Ads Certification (Free)
- Google Analytics Individual Certification (Free)
- Google Ads Display Certification (Free)
- Google IT Support Professional Certificate (Paid)
- Google Data Analytics Certificate (Paid)
- Google Project Management Certificate (Paid)
- Google UX Design Certificate (Paid)
- Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate (Paid)
- Google Digital Marketing and eCommerce Certificate (Paid)
1. Google Digital Marketing Certification (Free)
One of the most popular Google courses is the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing. This is considered by many experts as one of the best digital marketing courses.
It’s a free course that includes 26 modules created by Google trainers. Upon completion of the lessons, you can take an exam and earn a digital marketing certificate.
The certificate is accredited by the Open University and IABE Europe, and it’s the official Google Digital Marketing Certification.
Why take this certification?
You should consider studying for this certification if you want to pursue a career in digital marketing.
By taking this course, you’ll build the necessary skills to work with various digital marketing channels, including:
- Content Marketing
- eCommerce Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Display Advertising
- Mobile Marketing
- Online Marketing Strategy
It’s a certification course aimed at beginners, and the total time investment is 40 hours. To get certified, you must complete all 26 modules and pass the Google garage exam (40 questions, multiple-choice).
Jobs you can do with the Google digital marketing certification:
The average salary for Digital marketing professionals in the US is between $52K – $100K per year (depending on experience and job position).
2. Google Ads Search Certification (Free)
Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords) is the most popular PPC platform and one of the major sources of income for Google.
To educate marketers on taking advantage of all Google Ads features, they created several Google Ads certification courses delivered by Google Skillshop for free.
One of the Google Ads courses worth pursuing is the Google Ads Search Certification.
Why take this certification?
- Acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to run search ads campaigns on Google
- It’s a requirement if you want to become an official Google Ads Partner
- It’s one of the most recognized certifications in the marketing industry
To become Google ads certified, you must pass a 50-question multiple-choice exam with a score of 80% and above. Exams are taken via Google Skillshop, and they are free.
To prepare for the exams, you can use the study guide and resources provided by Skillshop or register for a third-party Google Ads course.
Jobs you can do with the Google Ads Search Certification:
- Google Ads Specialist
- PPC Specialist
- PPC Manager
- SEM Specialist
The average salary of a Google Ads specialist is $71k per year.
3. Google Shopping Ads Certification (Free)
If you want to start a career in eCommerce or acquire the skills needed to promote your own products on Google, you should definitely consider the Shopping Ads Certification.
Why take this certification?
The shopping ads certification will teach you how to design, set up and optimize Google Shopping campaigns.
You’ll learn how to add your product catalog to the Google merchant center to get your products to appear in Google search and use them in different types of campaigns, including shopping and retargeting campaigns.
Jobs you can do with the Google Shopping Ads Certification:
- PPC Specialist
- eCommerce Specialist
- PPC Expert
The average salary of an eCommerce specialist is $58K per year.
4. Google Analytics Individual Certification (Free)
One of the hands-on skills all digital marketing professionals should have is how to use Google Analytics.
Google Analytics is the most popular website analytics platform, and getting the Google Analytics Certification shows your competency in using the tool.
Why take this certification?
By enrolling in this free Google certification, you’ll learn both basic and advanced Google Analytics concepts. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to use different reports to analyze and interpret how users find and interact with a website.
The total time investment needed for this course is 2 hours. To get certified, you need to pass the Google Analytics exams (70 multiple-choice questions) with a score of 80% or higher.
Jobs you can do with the Google Analytics Certification:
- Google Analytics Professional
- Google Analytics Specialist
- Junior Data Analyst
5. Google Ads Display Certification (Free)
Another Google certification worth considering is the Google Ads Display Certification. It’s a free certification offered by Google Skillshop.
Why take this certification?
Google display ads are great for brand awareness and retargeting and this course will teach you how to maximize the ROI from your paid campaigns.
The total time investment is about 2 hours. To get certified you need to pass the Google Ads Display assessment with a score of 80% and above.
Jobs you can do with the Google Ads Display Certification:
- Google Ads Specialist
- Google Display Specialist
- PPC Manager
- SEM Specialist
6. Google IT Support Professional Certificate (Paid)
If you want to get a job in the IT support industry, pursuing the Google IT Support Professional Certificate is your best bet.
According to Google, there are more than 340K job openings in the field of IT, and this online certificate will help you build the necessary skills to work as an IT support professional.
Why take this certification?
- The Google IT Support certificate is the most popular Google career certificate on Coursera.
- It opens up new career opportunities.
- It’s perfect for beginners with no prior experience in IT support.
- It’s one of the professions you can do from home.
- The need for IT support specialist is high in demand and constantly increasing.
- It’s the first step toward obtaining a more specialized certification and earning a higher salary.
- You can get college credits and exceptions from other courses.
The cost for getting this Google career certificate is $39 per month, and the estimated duration is 6 months (allocating 10 hours per week).
To get certified, you need to complete 5 courses:
- Technical Support Fundamentals
- The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking
- Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User
- System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services
- IT Security: Defense against the digital dark arts
Jobs you can do with a Google IT support certificate:
Once you become Google IT support certified, you can apply for several jobs, including help desk technician, systems analyst, support specialist, database administrator, IT technician, and computer user specialist.
The average annual salary for entry-level IT support professionals is around $50K.
Review
Read ourGoogle IT Support Professional Certificate Reviewto learn more about this certification.
7. Google Data Analytics Certificate (Paid)
Data analytics is one of the hottest topics in the marketing industry. With the growth of data coming from various resources, you need professionals to gather, interpret and analyze the data to make informed business decisions.
This professional career certificate from Google will help you build the necessary skills to get an entry-level marketing job as a Data Analyst.
Why take this certification?
- According to Google, there are more than 300K job openings in the US looking for data analysts
- Build job-ready skills
- Understand how to use data to solve problems
- It’s an online course (no need to attend a class in person)
To get certified, you need to complete 8 courses:
- Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere
- Ask Questions to Make Data-Driven Decisions
- Prepare Data for Exploration
- Process Data from Dirty to Clean
- Analyze Data to Answer Questions
- Share Data Through the Art of Visualization
- Data Analysis with R Programming
- Google Data Analytics Capstone: Complete a Case Study
The cost for getting this Google career certificate is $39 per month and the estimated duration is 6 months (allocating 10 hours per week).
Jobs you can do with a Google Data Analytics certificate:
- Data Analyst
- Junior Database Administrator
- Junior data scientist
- Finance Analyst
- Operations Analyst
- Business performance analyst
- Marketing analyst
The average annual salary for Data Analytics certified professionals is $68K.
Review
Read ourGoogle Data Analytics Certification Reviewto learn more about this certification.
8. Google Project Management Certificate (Paid)
Having project management skills is a requirement if you want to pursue a management position in a company, become a digital marketing consultant, or start your own business.
Any task that you perform online, whether this is a development project, executing an SEO campaign, running a digital marketing project, or a social media marketing strategy, is like a small project.
Knowing how to plan, organize and monitor the project on time and within budget is key to running profitable projects.
Why take this certification?
- Become a certified Google Project management and get one of the 475K available jobs.
- Learn how to run successful IT and digital marketing projects
- Learn how to use project management tools
- Get credits (100 hours) toward becoming a PMI-certified project management
To become certified, you need to complete 6 courses:
- Foundations of Project Management
- Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project
- Project Planning: Putting It All Together
- Project Execution: Running the Project
- Agile Project Management
- Applying Project Management in the Real World
The cost for getting this Google career certificate is $39 per month, and the estimated duration is 6 months (allocating 10 hours per week).
Jobs you can do with a Google Project Management certificate:
- Project manager
- Junior Project manager
- Project Coordinator
- Project Assistant
- Program Manager
- Scrum master
- Project Administrator
- Technical project manager
The average annual salary for entry-level project management professionals is $59K per year.
Review
Read ourGoogle Project Management Certificate Reviewto learn more about this certification.
9. Google UX Design Certificate (Paid)
User experience is a key factor for the success of any physical or digital product, including websites and mobile apps. The Google UX Design certificate will help you build the skills needed to design interfaces that offer a great experience to users.
To become a certified UX designer, you need to complete 7 courses.
- Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design
- Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate
- Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes
- Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts
- Create High-Fidelity Designs and Prototypes in Figma
- Responsive Web Design in Adobe XD
- Design a User Experience for Social Good & Prepare for Jobs
The cost for getting this Google career certificate is $39 per month, and the estimated duration is 6 months (allocating 10 hours per week).
Why take this certification?
No prior experience is needed to follow this course, but it’s not for everyone. If you feel you don’t have the creativity and vision to design interfaces for the web or mobile, then you better choose a different career path.
This is a great course for people who like and have the talent to work with design tools and concepts.
Jobs you can do with a Google UX Design certificate:
- UX designer
- UI designer
- Web designer
- Product designer
The average annual salary for UX designers is $59K.
Review
Read ourGoogle UX Design Certificate Reviewto learn more about this certification.
10. Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate (Paid)
Python is the most in-demand programming language for the web. Python courses are popular on all online learning platforms, and the need for Python programmers is constantly increasing.
By taking this Google career course, you’ll learn how to use Python to create programs/scripts for automating common administrative tasks.
The cost of getting this Google career certificate is $39 per month, and the estimated duration is 4 months (allocating 10 hours per week).
Why take this certification?
This is a specialized professional certification, and although no prior coding experience is required, it’s for people who want to learn to program. If you find programming too confusing, it’s better to choose a different career path.
If on the other hand, you want to start exploring the exciting world of computer programming and become a Python expert, this course is a great starting point.
There are more than 530K job postings related to Python (in the US alone), and you’ll have no difficulty in finding a job.
Jobs you can do with a Google Python Professional certificate:
- Python programmer
- Web developer
- IT Support Specialist
- IT Automation specialist
- Junior System administrator
The average annual salary for good Python programmers is around $115K annually in the United States.
Review
Read ourGoogle IT Automation With Python Certificate Reviewto learn more about this certification.
11. Google Digital Marketing and eCommerce Certificate (Paid)
Besides the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Google has recently released a new professional certificate combining Digital Marketing and eCommerce together, the Google Digital Marketing & eCommerce Professional Certificate.
This certificate includes seven courses designed by Google Marketing experts and delivered via Coursera. Unlike the Fundamentals certificate, which is free, this is a paid certification. The cost to register for the course and get certified is $39 per month, and the estimated duration is 6 months (the expected total cost is $234).
Through the lessons, you’ll learn how to use digital marketing to reach your target audience. The certificate covers concepts related to search engine optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, and display advertising.
A portion of the courses (2/7) is allocated exclusively to eCommerce marketing. In particular, you’ll learn how to design an online store (using Shopify), add product information and optimize it for online sales.
Why take this certification?
You should take this certification if you want to start a career as a digital marketing professional with a focus on eCommerce marketing. Compared to the Fundamentals Certification, which includes 40 hours of content, this certificate includes 152 hours of content, and the lessons are more comprehensive and practical.
In addition, as part of the practical assignments, you’ll get a chance to work with popular digital marketing tools like MailChimp, Canva, Shopify, and Hubspot.
Jobs you can do with a Google Digital Marketing & eCommerce Certificate:
- Digital Marketing Coordinator
- Marketing Specialist
- SEO Specialist
- Search Engine Analyst
- Media Planner
- E-commerce Associate
- Email Marketing Expert
The average salary of a junior e-commerce specialist in the US is around $51K per year.
Review
Read ourGoogle Digital Marketing & eCommerce Certificate Reviewto learn more about this certification.
Google Certifications List
The table below shows the cost of the most popular Google certifications.
| Certification | Cost | Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Google Digital Marketing Certification | Free | Google Digital Garage |
| Google Ads Search Certification | Free | Google Skillshop |
| Google Shopping Ads Certification | Free | Google Skillshop |
| Google Analytics Individual Certification | Free | Google Skillshop |
| Google Ads Display Certification | Free | Google Skillshop |
| Google IT Support Professional Certificate | Paid ($39/mo) | Coursera |
| Google Data Analytics Certificate | Paid ($39/mo) | Coursera |
| Google Project Management Certificate | Paid ($39/mo) | Coursera |
| Google UX Design Certificate | Paid ($39/mo) | Coursera |
| Google IT Automation with Python Certificate | Paid ($39/mo) | Coursera |
| Google Digital Marketing and eCommerce Certificate | Paid ($39/mo) | Coursera |
Are Google Certifications Worth It?
Google certifications are certainly worth it. All professional and career Google certifications are prepared by Google experts and are carefully designed to help students build job-ready skills.
The certifications are accredited by Universities, professional institutions, and employers, and they can help you secure a job in the IT or digital marketing industry.
Most certifications are free, and the paid certifications are reasonably priced.
Google Certifications Video Review
Watch this video for a visual walkthrough of the best Google certifications.
Google Certification Alternatives
There are a number of professional certifications that are considered alternatives to Google certifications and can help you learn new skills and secure an entry-level job in various industries. The most popular are the Meta Certifications, Microsoft Professional Certifications, Google Cloud Certifications, and Coursera Certifications.
What is your learning experience with Google courses? Do they worth it? Let me know in the comments below.
FAQs
Which free Google certification pays the most? ›
The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate is one of the most valuable Google career certifications you can get. Certified data analysts get an entry-level salary of $67,900 per year and can grow to more than $110K per year once they get 10+ years of working experience.
Are Google certification courses free? ›How much do the Google Career Certificates cost? The IT Support, User Experience Design, Project Management, Data Analytics, and Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificates cost $39 per month by subscription on Coursera.
Which Google certificate gets you a job the fastest? ›The Google Project Management Professional Certification class by Coursera takes our top spot because learners with no prior experience can acquire the skills necessary to succeed in an entry-level project management role in six months or less.
Has anyone gotten a job with Google certificate? ›Can I get a job with Google certificates? Yes, Google certificates are designed to provide a path to highly-demanded jobs that most aspirants are looking for.
How much can you get paid for a Google IT certificate? ›How much does a Google IT Certificate make? As of Apr 9, 2023, the average annual pay for a Google IT Certificate in the United States is $69,020 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $33.18 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,327/week or $5,751/month.
Can you really make money with Google certification? ›Although earning certificates may seem like just another step toward learning everything possible about marketing with Google Ads, it goes further than that — it actually provides real opportunities to start earning money right away.
Do Google certificates look good on resume? ›The simple answer: Yes. These certificates are a great way to boost your resume and give you the tangible skills required for entry-level positions in these competitive fields. Google Certificates are a great choice to add skills to your resume, as: They are designed for beginners.
How fast can you finish a Google certificate? ›Overview of the Google Career Certificate Courses. The Google Career Certificate courses generally take three to six months to complete. Users set their own pace, so the time it takes to finish varies.
How long do Google certifications last? ›All Professional Google Cloud certifications are valid for two years from the date an individual certifies.
Can you finish a Google certificate in a week? ›How long does it take to earn a Google certification? Most certification courses and assessments take between three and six months to complete. Depending on the subject, Google estimates that most learners take about 10 weeks on each course. Users can work at their own pace, so completion time varies.
Which certificate course is best of Google? ›
- Google. Google Data Analytics. ...
- Google. Google IT Support. ...
- Google. Google Project Management: ...
- Google. Google UX Design. ...
- Google. Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce. ...
- Google. Google Business Intelligence. ...
- Google. Google IT Automation with Python. ...
- Google. Crash Course on Python.
Here's the thing: Cloud certifications aren't a guarantee you'll get a cloud job (much like any certificate). There's no denying they can help you jump-start your cloud career, but when it comes to landing that cloud computing job, hands-on experience is what will really make you stand out.
What type of job I can get Google certificate? ›| Google Career Certificate | IT Job Role | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Google IT Support Certificate | Help Desk Technician | $49,000 |
| IT Support Specialist | $53,000 | |
| Network Administrator | $72,000 | |
| Google UX Design Certificate | Web Developer | $68,000 |
What happens if you don't pass a certification exam? If you don't pass an exam, you can take it again after 14 days. If you don't pass the second time, you must wait 60 days before you can take it a third time. If you don't pass the third time, you must wait 365 days before taking it again.
Are Google certificates actually worth IT? ›Are Google Career Certificates Worth It? Yes, the Google certification is well worth the time and effort. These certifications can add value to your resume. So, it is true to say that they can help you land an entry-level job in the IT industry with ease.
How much can I make with a Google project management certificate? ›| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $166,000 | $13,833 |
| 75th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,916 |
| Average | $94,511 | $7,875 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,500 | $3,791 |
What do I need to do to become a Google Certified Educator? In order to receive the Google Certified Educator status, you will need to pass the corresponding Level 1 or Level 2 exams. These exams test you on your ability to use Google for Education tools in a classroom setting.
Will Google pay you to learn? ›Yes, all apprenticeships at Google are paid opportunities and include some benefits and perks to support your learning and development while on the program.
Are Google certificates hard to get? ›Earning a Google certification isn't easy. It takes work. This list of 10 Google certification tips will help you beat the odds and become a Google Certified Educator!
How much does Coursera charge? ›How much is Coursera? Coursera Courses can be accessed for free, Guided Projects start at $9.99 and Specializations and Professional Certificates from $39.99 a month.
How much is the Google IT course? ›
How much does a Google professional certificate program cost? Each program is free to try out for seven days with a Coursera trial. After the trial ends, the program will cost $39 a month to keep learning, so the faster you complete each course, the more money you'll save.
Should I put my GPA on my resume Google? ›List your GPA if the employer requires you to. Add your GPA if it's equal or higher than 3.5. Consider putting your GPA only if you have under 3 years of experience. Don't add your GPA if you're an experienced candidate.
Can you finish Google it certificate in 7 days? ›The course is designed to take six weeks to complete, with five to six hours spent learning each week for 34 hours of total learning time.
How many times can you fail Google certification? ›- If you don't pass an exam, you can take it again 14 days after the date of your exam. If you don't pass a second time, you must wait 60 days before you can take it a third time. If you don't pass the third time, you must wait a year before taking it again.
Can you complete the Google certificate in a month? ›At under 10 hours per week, you can complete the certificate in less than 6 months. Upon completion, you can directly apply for jobs with Google and over 150 U.S. employers, including Deloitte, Target, Verizon, and of course, Google.
Is the Google Level 1 exam open book? ›The level 1 exam is open book, but it is timed, so you need to work efficiently.
Is the Google Level 1 exam hard? ›The level 1 exam will test your knowledge of core Google Workspace products including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Classroom. You need to be comfortable using these tools in a classroom context in order to pass the exam. As you will see from the teacher feedback I've included below, this exam is not easy.
Which computer course is best for high salary? ›- Web Development Course. ...
- Cyber Security Course. ...
- Artificial Intelligence Course. ...
- Software and Programming Language Courses. ...
- Cloud Computing Course. ...
- Data Science Course. ...
- Online DevOps Course. ...
- Ethical Hacking Course.
Self-Paced Online Course
The Google Educator Level 2 Certification is a self-paced, online program. Participants can begin anytime and go at their own speed throughout the program.
Are Coursera Certificates worth it? On the whole, yes. If you're seeking promotion, looking for a career change, or the skills you are learning are highly sought after, then a Coursera Certificate does have value and is definitely worth the investment. Coursera partners and course providers are world class.
How to get Coursera for free? ›
- Look for a link to Audit the course on individual course pages. ...
- Some courses include assessment items (but no certificate) for free. ...
- Some courses are paid-only. ...
- If you are unable to pay and want a certificate, you can apply to Coursera for Financial aid.
Coursera Inc.
(/kərˈsɛrə/) is a U.S.-based massive open online course provider founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller.
I will definitely take more of their courses in the near future. Its a great certification for someone who wants to build a career in Digital Marketing. I will recommend this to everyone who is starting out as a Google Ads Specialist.
How much does a Google Certified Cloud Engineer earn? ›Average Google Cloud Engineer yearly pay in the United States is approximately $128,904, which is 12% above the national average.
How much is Google Cloud exam? ›To register, you will need to pay a certification fee. The foundational certificate costs $99, the associate cloud engineer certification costs $125, and all the professional certifications cost $200.
What is the salary of Google Associate Cloud Engineer? ›$87,500 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $147,000 is the 75th percentile.
What is the passing score for the Google certification exam? ›The Google Cloud certification exam is a multiple-choice, multiple-response test. You will have two hours to complete the exam, and there is no limit on the number of questions you can answer. You must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher to earn your certification. The examination is administered by Google Cloud.
Which Google certification pays the most? ›The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate is one of the most valuable Google career certifications you can get. Certified data analysts get an entry-level salary of $67,900 per year and can grow to more than $110K per year once they get 10+ years of working experience.
Are Google IT certificates free? ›How much do the Google IT Certificates cost? The IT Support and IT Automation with Python Certificates cost $39 per month by subscription on Coursera.
Is Google course free? ›Whether you're a beginner or seasoned small business, Google offers free online courses to help you make the most of the web.
Is Google skillshop worth IT? ›
I will definitely take more of their courses in the near future. Its a great certification for someone who wants to build a career in Digital Marketing. I will recommend this to everyone who is starting out as a Google Ads Specialist.
Is Google Cloud certification free or paid? ›The Google Cloud Skills Boost website offers free cloud training where you complete a role-based Google Cloud learning path at no cost. You can choose a learning path that best aligns with your preferred career path and complete a series of hands-on labs and courses to earn Google Cloud badges.
Which is the easiest Google Cloud certification? ›Google Cloud certifications are grouped into two: associate and professional certification. Associate certification is for beginners seeking to gain basic skills such as cloud services deployment, while professional certification is for professionals seeking to enhance their design and management skills.
How much does Google Skillshop cost? ›Q: How much does Skillshop cost? A: Skillshop is available at no cost.
Is it hard to get Google Ads certified? ›Taking the Google Ads certification exam is free, and passing it isn't very difficult (I'll show you how to pass later in the article).
Can you make money from becoming Google Ads specialist? ›It's called Google AdSense, and it's a program that tries to make everyone a financial winner: advertisers get new clients or sales through the AdWords program, Google gets money to serve those ads, and you get money when people click on them.