- What ITS-DA Actually Is
- Who Issues It and How the Exam Is Delivered
- The Five Official Exam Objectives
- Tools and Languages the Outline Touches
- Exam Format, Timing, and Scoring
- Fees, Vouchers, and Registration Mechanics
- Readiness: What the 150-Hour Profile Means
- How Long the Credential Lasts
- Who Benefits From This Credential
- Sequencing Your Preparation Around the Objectives
- Frequently Asked Questions
- ITS-DA here means Information Technology Specialist - Data Analytics, a Pearson credential delivered through Certiport.
- The outline lists five official domains, from Data Basics through Responsible Analytics Practices, with no published percentage weights.
- Passing requires a scaled score of 700 on a 1-1000 scale, not a raw 70 percent.
- Expect roughly 35-45 questions in a 50-minute timed window, with the question count varying by form.
What ITS-DA Actually Is
ITS-DA is the shorthand this site uses for the Information Technology Specialist - Data Analytics certification, a knowledge-based credential for people who need to prove they can work with data from collection through communication. It sits inside Pearson's IT Specialist family of exams, and its public name is simply "IT Specialist - Data Analytics." Pearson's catalogue identifier for the exam is INF-202.
The credential is aimed at early-career and career-changing learners rather than senior analysts. It does not ask you to build production pipelines or tune statistical models. Instead, it checks that you understand core vocabulary, can reason about data structures, can read and write basic queries and scripts, can choose sensible visualizations, and can recognize ethical and statistical pitfalls. If you want the same topic framed from a different angle, our companion piece on what ITS-DA certification is covers the naming and scope questions candidates ask most.
One point deserves emphasis early: Data Analytics is a separate exam from Databases in the IT Specialist lineup. Candidates sometimes assume that passing one covers the other, or that studying for one is enough for both. It is not. The two exams overlap on SQL fundamentals, but their objective lists, emphasis, and purposes differ.
Who Issues It and How the Exam Is Delivered
The issuer is Pearson, and the program is administered by Certiport, a Pearson VUE business. That structure explains why you will see Pearson, Certiport, MindhubPro, and Pearson VUE all mentioned in different places as you research the exam. They are parts of the same ecosystem: Pearson owns the credential, Certiport runs the program, and Pearson VUE provides much of the testing infrastructure.
The exam is a computer-based, proctored knowledge assessment. You can take it through two broad channels:
- Pearson VUE test centers or OnVUE online proctoring. OnVUE requires a system check beforehand and a live webcam proctor during the session.
- Certiport Authorized Testing Centers (CATCs). This is a separate channel, often used in schools and training programs. CATC sessions have their own rules: photo and signature ID, a non-disclosure agreement, parental consent for candidates under 18, and no personal paper or communication devices in the room.
The channel you choose matters later, because vouchers are not interchangeable between them. We return to that in the fees section.
The Five Official Exam Objectives
Pearson publishes the scope in a two-page document titled IT Specialist Exam Objectives - Data Analytics. It lists five domains. These are official exam objectives, not a preparation curriculum, so they tell you what can be tested rather than how to learn it. Pearson does not publish percentage weights for the domains, and no numbered exam revision is listed, so be skeptical of any site claiming exact domain percentages. For a deeper walkthrough, see our complete guide to all five ITS-DA content areas.
Domain 1: Data Basics
The foundation layer. Candidates need to understand what data is, how it is structured, and the vocabulary used throughout analytics work.
- Data types, including date/time values and how they behave
- Tuples and other basic structures that appear in the outline's coverage
- The basic roles AI and machine learning play in analysis, at a conceptual level only
Domain 2: Data Manipulation
Where candidates show they can reshape and retrieve data rather than just describe it.
- SQL for retrieving and filtering data
- Python and R for scripted data handling
- Excel and Power Query for cleaning and transforming tabular data
Domain 3: Data Analysis
Turning prepared data into findings using recognized techniques.
- Principal component analysis, used to reduce and summarize dimensions
- Cluster analysis, used to group similar records
- Association analysis, used to find items that occur together
Domain 4: Data Visualization and Communication
Choosing and critiquing visuals so that the audience reaches correct conclusions.
- Chart selection, including Sankey diagrams and box plots
- Recognizing misleading charts and distorted axes
- Communicating findings clearly to a non-technical audience
Domain 5: Responsible Analytics Practices
The judgment layer, which many candidates underestimate because it feels softer than SQL.
- Privacy considerations when handling personal data
- Anonymity problems that arise with small samples
- Bias in data and in analysis choices
- Limits on how far results can be generalized
Tools and Languages the Outline Touches
One distinctive feature of ITS-DA is that it is tool-spanning rather than tool-specific. The current coverage includes date/time handling, tuples, SQL, R, Python, Excel and Power Query, and the three analysis techniques listed above. These match the additions Pearson announced in its May 14, 2025 article about upcoming IT Specialist exam updates. That article still uses future-tense wording about a fall rollout, and no exact release date or exam version can be reliably inferred from it, so treat claims about a precise cutover date with caution.
Practically, this means you should be able to recognize and reason about the same operation in several environments. For example, filtering rows might appear as a SQL WHERE clause in one question, a Python idiom in another, and a Power Query step in a third. You are generally being tested on whether you understand the operation, not whether you have memorized one product's menu path.
| Skill Area | Where It Appears | What to Be Able to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Querying | SQL | Read and reason about queries that select, filter, and combine data |
| Scripting | Python and R | Interpret short code that handles tuples, dates, and tabular data |
| Spreadsheet transformation | Excel and Power Query | Identify the cleaning step that fixes a described data problem |
| Statistical technique | Principal component, cluster, association analysis | Match a business question to the right technique |
| Visual design | Sankey diagrams, box plots, chart critique | Choose the right chart and spot a misleading one |
Exam Format, Timing, and Scoring
Pearson's MindhubPro listing estimates 35 to 45 questions with a 50-minute maximum. That is a variable range, not a fixed form count, so do not plan around a specific number. The 50 minutes is timed exam time and excludes administrative steps and the on-screen tutorial. An older generic IT Specialist tutorial document mentions a 36-40 question estimate, but it predates the exam-specific listing, so the exam-specific figures are the better planning reference. The same tutorial is useful mainly for understanding how answer-option navigation works on screen.
Scoring uses a scaled score from 1 to 1000, with 700 required to pass. This is not the same as needing 70 percent of questions correct. Scaled scoring adjusts for form difficulty, so two candidates who answer different numbers of questions correctly on different forms can both land at the same scaled result. Our dedicated breakdown of the ITS-DA passing score explains how to think about this without over-reading the number.
Fees, Vouchers, and Registration Mechanics
Costs depend on which purchasing path you use, and the two main paths are not interchangeable.
| Option | Price | Key Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson MindhubPro exam voucher | USD 127 (web/member pricing) | Country-restricted; unavailable in listed markets; expires 12 months after purchase |
| Certiport store voucher with retake | USD 133 | US-only; CATC channel; proctoring may cost extra; cannot be used at Pearson VUE centers or through OnVUE |
Two details trip people up. First, the voucher expiry (12 months from purchase on the MindhubPro voucher) is entirely separate from credential validity. A voucher that expires unused simply wastes the money; it has nothing to do with how long a passed credential lasts. Second, the CATC voucher with retake looks attractive because of the included second attempt, but it only works in the CATC channel. If you plan to test at home through OnVUE, that voucher will not work for you.
For a fuller treatment, including what extra costs to budget for, see the ITS-DA certification cost breakdown, and check ITS-DA exam dates and scheduling for how to book a slot once you hold a voucher.
Readiness: What the 150-Hour Profile Means
There is no degree requirement beyond knowledge of the objective domains. The program suggests approximately 150 hours of preparation, and the objective profiles describe candidates with at least 150 hours of experience or study. It is important to read this correctly: these are readiness profiles that describe a typical prepared candidate, not a verified requirement that you submit logged hours before registering. Nobody checks your timesheet.
That said, the 150-hour figure is a useful reality check. If you are new to both SQL and Python, a few evenings of review will not cover five domains and several languages. If you already work daily with Excel, Power Query, and basic SQL, you may need far less. Our guide on ITS-DA requirements and eligibility goes deeper on who can sit the exam, and how hard the ITS-DA exam is helps you calibrate against your own background.
How Long the Credential Lasts
Credentials awarded on or after June 18, 2025 are valid for five years. Awards earned before that date remain nonexpiring. To recertify, you buy a new voucher and pass the current version of the exam; there is no separate continuing-education route described in the program rules. Because the exam content evolves (the recent additions of Python, R, and multivariate techniques are an example), recertifying is genuinely a re-test against current objectives rather than a paperwork renewal.
Key Takeaway
Treat the five-year clock as a planning tool. If you pass in 2026, schedule a reminder well before the end of the window to review the current objectives, since the topic list may have changed by then.
Who Benefits From This Credential
ITS-DA is best understood as an entry-level signal. It fits several kinds of candidates:
- Students and recent graduates who want a third-party credential showing they can apply data skills, not just describe them.
- Career changers moving from operations, finance, marketing, or administration into analyst-adjacent roles.
- Educators and training programs that use the CATC channel to certify cohorts.
- Existing office professionals who already live in Excel and want formal recognition for Power Query, SQL, and visualization judgment.
The kinds of roles where this credential is most relevant include junior data analyst, reporting analyst, business analyst, and data-support positions. Whether it moves the needle for a given employer varies, and we do not quote salary figures here because none are published by the issuer. Our ITS-DA jobs overview and salary guide discuss the market in qualitative terms, and whether ITS-DA is worth it walks through the cost-versus-benefit reasoning.
Sequencing Your Preparation Around the Objectives
Rather than a generic study calendar, it helps to order your effort by how the five domains build on each other and where candidates typically need the most repetition. The details of study technique are covered in our ITS-DA study guide; here is a short, domain-driven outline.
Data Basics and Data Manipulation
- Lock down data types, date/time behavior, and tuples first, since later domains assume them
- Practice SQL retrieval daily; it appears across questions
- Rebuild the same cleaning task in Excel/Power Query, Python, and R to see the equivalence
Data Analysis
- Learn what principal component, cluster, and association analysis are for, matching each to a business question
- Skip algorithm internals, since the outline excludes specific machine-learning algorithms
Visualization and Responsible Analytics
- Practice choosing Sankey diagrams versus box plots and spotting misleading charts
- Work through privacy, small-sample anonymity, bias, and generalization scenarios
Timed Practice
- Simulate the 50-minute window with a mixed question set
- Review misses by domain, not just by score
When you are ready to test yourself under realistic conditions, our ITS-DA practice tests are built around these five domains. For a compact last-minute reference, the ITS-DA cheat sheet condenses the must-know facts onto a single page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It stands for Information Technology Specialist - Data Analytics, a Pearson credential administered by Certiport. It is not any other certification that happens to share the acronym. For more on naming, see what ITS-DA stands for.
The listing estimates 35 to 45 questions with a 50-minute maximum. The count varies, so it is a range rather than a fixed number, and the 50 minutes covers timed exam time only, not tutorials or check-in.
No. The passing score is 700 on a scaled 1-1000 range. Scaled scores are not a simple percentage of correct answers, so avoid converting the 700 into a raw 70 percent target.
No. Data Analytics and Databases are separate IT Specialist exams with different objective lists. SQL appears in the Data Analytics outline, but the exams are not interchangeable, and passing one does not award the other.
Awards earned on or after June 18, 2025 are valid for five years, and earlier awards remain nonexpiring. Recertifying means purchasing a new voucher and passing the current exam, which is separate from the 12-month voucher expiry window.