What skills can I learn from Data Engineering courses on Coursera?

Coursera’s Data Engineering courses offer learners a deep dive into the technical skills required to design, build, and manage data infrastructure: Techniques for designing data models and databases . Skills in data warehousing and data lake construction and management. Proficiency in big data technologies such as Hadoop , Spark , and Apache Kafka. Best practices for data integration, ETL (extract, transform, load) processes , and pipeline construction. Understanding of data quality management and data governance . Application of automation and monitoring tools to maintain data systems.

Do I need prior experience in data management or programming to start learning Data Engineering on Coursera?

Data Engineering courses on Coursera cater to learners of all backgrounds: Beginners can start with introductory courses that teach the basics of data infrastructure and SQL . Those with some technical experience can focus on advanced topics like big data processing or cloud data services. Advanced learners can explore specialized areas such as machine learning data pipelines or real-time data processing.

What certifications and credentials can I earn through Data Engineering courses on Coursera?

Learners who complete Data Engineering courses on Coursera can earn credentials that may enhance their professional profiles: Professional certificates that demonstrate a foundational understanding and practical skills in data engineering. Specializations that focus on detailed aspects of data engineering, such as performance tuning, scalability, or security. Certificates that can potentially be recognized by technology companies and other employers as evidence of expertise in data engineering.

What career opportunities can be pursued with skills in Data Engineering?

Skills in data engineering can lead to a variety of roles within the technology and analytics sectors: Data Engineer , responsible for designing and managing scalable data systems. Database Administrator , maintaining and optimizing database performance. Cloud Solutions Architect, focusing on cloud storage and data services. Data Architect , shaping strategic data practices and architectures. Machine Learning Engineer , preparing data infrastructure for predictive models.

Are there free data engineering courses or certifications available on Coursera?

Yes, Coursera offers a variety of free courses across many topics, including data engineering. While you can access most course materials for free by auditing the courses, this does not include graded assignments or a completion certificate. For those looking to obtain a certificate to showcase their learning or enhance their professional profile, Coursera provides the option to purchase the course. Additionally, Coursera offers free trials or financial aid to learners who qualify, making certifications more accessible to everyone.

Best Data Engineering Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Data Engineering Course Catalog

Status: AI skills
IBM
IBM Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Web Scraping, Linux Commands, Database Design, SQL, IBM Cognos Analytics, MySQL, Apache Spark, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Data Store, Jupyter, Generative AI, Professional Networking
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
58K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Multiple educators
DeepLearning.AI Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Apache Airflow, Data Modeling, Data Pipelines, Data Storage, Data Storage Technologies, Data Architecture, Data Transformation, Requirements Analysis, Data Processing, Data Warehousing, Query Languages, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Lakes, Amazon Web Services, Apache Spark, Database Systems, Data Integration, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Terraform
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
432 reviews
Intermediate · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Data Engineering Foundations
Skills you'll gain: Web Scraping, Database Design, SQL, MySQL, Data Transformation, Data Store, Extract, Transform, Load, IBM DB2, Relational Databases, Data Architecture, Jupyter, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Governance, Data Manipulation, Stored Procedure, Databases, Automation, Python Programming
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
56K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
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IBM
Introduction to Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Data Store, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Architecture, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Governance, Apache Hadoop, Relational Databases, Apache Spark, Data Lakes, Databases, SQL, NoSQL, Data Security
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
DeepLearning.AI
Introduction to Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Data Architecture, Requirements Analysis, Amazon Web Services, Data Warehousing, Data Processing, System Requirements, Extract, Transform, Load, Performance Tuning, Security Controls, Cloud Computing, Data Transformation, Scalability
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
359 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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Google Cloud
Data Engineering, Big Data, and Machine Learning on GCP
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Dataflow, Google Cloud Platform, Real Time Data, Data Lakes, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Dashboard, Data Warehousing, Extract, Transform, Load, Cloud Engineering, Data Infrastructure, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Storage, Big Data, Tensorflow, Unstructured Data, Data Integration, Data Migration, Data Processing, Data Visualization Software
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
18K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Duke University
Python, Bash and SQL Essentials for Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Pandas (Python Package), Bash (Scripting Language), Version Control, Jupyter, Linux Commands, Git (Version Control System), Shell Script, Linux, Web Scraping, Linux Administration, Data Manipulation, MySQL, Microservices, AWS SageMaker, SQL, JSON, Scripting, Cloud Engineering, Command-Line Interface, Software Development Tools
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
429 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Duke University
Applied Python Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization Software, PySpark, Data Visualization, Snowflake Schema, Data Storytelling, Site Reliability Engineering, Docker (Software), Databricks, Containerization, Interactive Data Visualization, Plotly, Data Pipelines, Kubernetes, Matplotlib, Apache Spark, Dashboard, Virtualization, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Devops Tools, Apache Hadoop
3.8
Rating, 3.8 out of 5 stars
94 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Amazon Web Services
Data Engineering on AWS - Foundations
Skills you'll gain: Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Cloud Engineering, Serverless Computing, CI/CD, Data Infrastructure, Amazon Web Services, Data Architecture, AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), AWS CloudFormation, Infrastructure Architecture, Security Controls, Cloud Applications, Amazon CloudWatch, Terraform
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
85 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Snowflake
Introduction to Modern Data Engineering with Snowflake
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Data Transformation, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Integration, Data Warehousing, Real Time Data, Data Import/Export, Stored Procedure, Data Sharing, SQL, Automation, Command-Line Interface
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
97 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
IBM
Python Project for Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: Web Scraping, Data Transformation, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Manipulation, SQL, Integrated Development Environments, Data Processing, Databases, Application Programming Interface (API), Code Review, Restful API, Python Programming, Unit Testing, Style Guides
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
760 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Meta
Meta Database Engineer
Skills you'll gain: MySQL, Database Design, Version Control, Database Management Systems, Database Management, MySQL Workbench, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Modeling, Data Structures, SQL, Unix Commands, Relational Databases, Databases, Git (Version Control System), Database Systems, Stored Procedure, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Unit Testing, Algorithms, Django (Web Framework)
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
7K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months