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Master Data Governance: Your 2025 Guide to Effective Training & Programs

Updated March 03rd, 2025

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Data governance certifications are critical for building expertise in managing and securing organizational data. They offer measurable benefits, including better governance, risk mitigation, and career growth.

Top 5 data governance certifications for 2025:

  • ICCP Certified Data Governance Professional
  • DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP)
  • SAP Certified Application Associate – SAP Master Data Governance
  • Dataversity Data Governance Online Training
  • Indiana University Enterprise Data Management

These programs cover compliance, security, and governance frameworks, helping professionals align data practices with business goals.

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These programs cover critical areas like compliance, security, data stewardship, and governance frameworks, equipping individuals with the skills to align data practices with business goals.

Certified data governance professionals can drive better governance, mitigate risks, and improve trust in data systems, while also enhancing their career prospects in an increasingly data-driven world.

So you’ve made the decision to initiate effective data governance at your organization. Fantastic! Now, it’s time to ask yourself: Does it make sense for my team members to obtain data governance training and certification? Is this a necessary next step in data governance maturity, and does it have measurable benefits?

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Well, let’s talk about it. In this article, we’ll identify popular data governance certification programs, describe the benefits of obtaining certification, and provide information you can use to determine which program (if any) is right for you or your team.

5 of the popular data governance certification programs include:

  1. ICCP Certified Data Governance Professional
  2. DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP)
  3. SAP Certified Application Associate – SAP Master Data Governance
  4. Dataversity Data Governance Online Training
  5. Indiana University Enterprise Data Management

Gartner’s Inaugural Magic Quadrant for D&A Governance is Here #


In a post-ChatGPT world where AI is reshaping businesses, data governance has become a cornerstone of success. The inaugural report provides a detailed evaluation of top platforms and the key trends shaping data and AI governance.
Read the Magic Quadrant for D&A Governance

Table of contents #

  1. 5 Popular data governance certifications in 2025
  2. 1. Certified Data Governance Professional
  3. 2. DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP)
  4. 3. SAP Certified Application Associate – SAP Master Data Governance
  5. 4. Data Governance Online Training
  6. 5. Enterprise Data Management
  7. Benefits of data governance certification
  8. How to choose the best data governance certification?
  9. Atlan: Effortless data governance for the modern data stack
  10. FAQs about Data Governance Certifications
  11. Data governance certification: Related reads

1. Certified Data Governance Professional #

Training provider: Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP)

Eligibility: 900 hours of direct data governance and / data stewardship experience. Or 1400 hours of direct data governance and data stewardship experience to be completed after passing the course examination.

Duration: 4-day workshop on data governance and stewardship and written assessment passed at 70% or higher to receive Executive Management level certification.

Fees: $35 to $125 annual membership fee

Additional notes: The Principal, Mastery, Associate/Practitioner, and Foundation level certifications require only a 90-minute exam, no workshop.

Know more about DGSP data governance certification here →

2. DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) #

Training provider: Data Management Association International (DAMA)

Eligibility: At least six months of industry experience. The master level requires at least ten years of industry experience and participants must submit a CV for consideration.

Duration: 90-minute exam

Fees: Master evidence assessments incur a $50 administration cost

Additional notes: The program has four levels (Associate, Practitioner, Master, and Fellow). Individuals may remain at any level without pressure to advance.

Know more about DAMA CDMP data governance certification here →

3. SAP Certified Application Associate – SAP Master Data Governance #

Training provider: SAP Training

Eligibility: No requirements

Duration: 3 hours

Fees: $224 - $550

Additional notes: SAP recommends combining education courses and hands-on experience to prepare for your certification exam.

4. Data Governance Online Training #

Training provider: Dataversity

Eligibility: No requirements

Duration: self-paced

Fees: $99 - $3,900

Additional notes: Dataversity offers a range of courses in data governance. A Certificate of Completion is provided at the end of courses and learning plans.

Know more about Dataversity data governance certification here →

5. Enterprise Data Management #

Training provider: Indiana University

Eligibility: No requirements

Duration: 12 weeks

Fees: free - $499 (optional upgrade available)

Additional notes: One session is available. Begins on August 23, 2022.

Know more about EDM data governance certification here →

Of course, there are many additional certification options you should look into, but this list should give you a good start. But why should a data professional invest the time and money for certification in the first place?

Benefits of data governance certification #

Individuals and teams that obtain their data governance certification can reap a number of professional benefits. Among these are wider career opportunities, higher salaries, the chance for promotions, and greater job authority. But the benefits go beyond these career advantages.

Certification validates that an individual understands the fundamentals and intricacies of data governance. They are capable of implementing the best practices of data governance at their organization, allowing them to perform better stewardship, meet regulatory compliance, and effectuate the type of collaboration among data teams that leads to innovation.

Furthermore, certified team members, just by adding the certification to their CV or LinkedIn profile, will evangelize the concept of data governance for everyone. This creates a positive feedback loop where more people learn about data governance, pursue their own certifications, and implement their own programs at their organization. This leads to greater data governance adoption in general.

Data governance In action - A Demo of Atlan

How to choose the best data governance certification? #

Now that you understand which data governance certifications are available, you may be having trouble choosing which to pursue. Here’s a framework you can use to help narrow down your options.

  • Identify your primary objectives and rank them in order of importance.
  • Determine whether a particular program will help you meet these objectives.
  • Calculate how much you’re willing to spend on a program. Remove any that fall out of your budget. Fortunately, some certifications are free.
  • Consider how much time you’re willing to devote to a certification. Remove any that require you to spend more time.
  • If you’re selecting a program for your team, run through this mental exercise with your organization and team members in mind.

Once you complete this assessment, you’ll have clarity into which program (if any) is best to help you achieve your professional and organizational goals. Refer back to our data governance post to delve further into topics around data governance.

Atlan: Effortless data governance for the modern data stack #

The data management space is undergoing a major transformation. As the data world converges around the best tools for processing vast amounts of information—known as the “Modern Data Stack”—data governance must be reimagined to meet these new challenges.

Atlan provides the perfect solution for this shift, offering a data catalog and governance platform built for agility, trust, and collaboration.

platform built for agility, trust, and collaboration.

Austin Capital Bank needed to modernize its data stack while maintaining compliance and enabling self-service data access. By implementing Atlan, the bank could offer self-service without sacrificing governance. “Atlan became a necessity. That’s how we control access in an easily repeatable fashion,” says Ian Bass, Head of Data & Analytics. With Atlan, teams could quickly generate reports and streamline data access.

Contentsquare struggled with disconnected data assets and unclear ownership of KPIs across teams. After adopting Atlan, they created a central source of truth for all critical metrics. “Atlan is the home for every KPI and dashboard that we have at the company,” explains Otavio, Data Lead. This clarity helped align teams and facilitated seamless collaboration through integrations like Slack.

Kiwi.com aimed to enhance data access and management efficiency. By implementing Atlan, they consolidated thousands of data assets into structured data products. “With Atlan, we reduced the workload on our engineering team by 53% and increased data user satisfaction by 20%,” reports the Data Engineering Lead. The platform provided everything analysts needed in one interface, from ownership to related assets and data quality insights.

Atlan supports organizations like these by enabling effortless data governance tailored to the modern data stack.

Book a demo with Atlan ✨

FAQs about Data Governance Certifications #

1. What are data governance certifications? #


Data governance certifications are formal programs that validate an individual’s expertise in managing data assets effectively within an organization. These certifications cover key areas such as data quality, security, compliance, and stewardship, ensuring that professionals can implement robust governance frameworks.

2. Which data governance certifications are most recognized? #


Highly recognized certifications include the ICCP Certified Data Governance Professional, DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), SAP Certified Application Associate – SAP Master Data Governance, Dataversity Data Governance Online Training, and Indiana University Enterprise Data Management. These programs are valued across industries for their comprehensive curricula.

3. How do I get certified in data governance? #


To get certified, select a certification program, complete the required training modules, and pass the associated exams. Many programs offer online and in-person training, followed by a proctored certification exam.

4. What are the benefits of obtaining a data governance certification? #


Obtaining a data governance certification demonstrates your expertise in data governance best practices, enhances your credibility, and can lead to career advancement opportunities. It also helps organizations meet compliance and regulatory requirements more effectively.

5. Are there online data governance certification programs? #


Yes, many institutions offer online data governance certification programs, providing flexible learning options. These include self-paced courses, live virtual sessions, and interactive online exams.

6. How do data governance certifications help with compliance? #


Certifications equip professionals with the knowledge to ensure that organizational data practices comply with legal and regulatory standards, such as GDPR or HIPAA. They provide the frameworks and tools necessary to establish compliant data governance policies.

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