How to Earn a Microsoft Excel Certification

Key takeaways

• Excel certification is an official Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) credential that validates your Excel skills to employers.
• The current credentials are Excel Associate (exam MO-210) and Excel Expert (exam MO-211) for Microsoft 365 Apps.
• The exam costs around $100 USD, runs 50 minutes, and Microsoft recommends about 150 hours of practice beforehand.
• You register through Certiport, can retake after 24 hours if you do not pass, and renew every 60 months.

Data analysis has moved well beyond a nice-to-have for businesses of all sizes. Organizations now lean on data-backed decisions, so people who can organize and manage data play a key role at work.

Excel is also one of the most in-demand workplace skills. A 2025 Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland analysis found Excel appears in roughly 8% of national job postings.¹

Earning a Microsoft Excel certification demonstrates your expertise in advanced spreadsheet techniques. Many people can click and type into cells, but not everyone can build pivot tables or use functions to dig into the truth behind the data.

Learn more about the benefits of a Microsoft Excel certification and how to prepare for one below.

What is a Microsoft Excel certification?

Microsoft offers an official Excel certification that helps you demonstrate your proficiency to potential employers. The certification is valuable because anyone can list Excel on a resume, and employers often cannot tell if that means basic familiarity or advanced expertise.

Earning a certification removes the guesswork by clearly validating your proficiency.

Before earning the certification, you must pass a comprehensive exam that tests your ability to apply Excel skills in real-world scenarios. If you’re looking to prepare, Udemy offers Excel courses and certification prep to build the skills needed to get certified.

Microsoft’s Excel certification is recognized by employers across industries and around the globe. It’s a credential you can carry with you no matter where your career takes you.

Types of Microsoft Excel certifications

Microsoft offers several Excel certification exams. Take time to review each certification and choose an option that aligns with your personal and career goals.

Choosing your Microsoft Excel certification²

Certification	Exam	Level	Best for	Approx. exam cost*
Excel Associate (Microsoft 365 Apps)	MO-210	Intermediate	Business users proving everyday Excel skills	$100 USD
Excel Expert (Microsoft 365 Apps)	MO-211	Expert	Advanced users working with macros, complex formulas, and data tools	$100 USD
Excel Associate (Office 2019, legacy)	MO-200	Intermediate (legacy)	People still working in Office 2019	$100 USD
Excel Expert (Office 2019, legacy)	MO-201	Expert (legacy)	People still working in Office 2019	$100 USD

Pricing varies by country or region, so confirm the current fee before registering.

Microsoft also offers the following Excel certifications:²

• Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Accounting Associate.
• Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Business Finance Associate.
• Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Operational Management Associate.

However, most people start with the two current Microsoft 365 Apps credentials.

The Excel Associate exam covers managing assets, data cells and ranges, tables, basic to intermediate formulas, functions, and charts.

To prepare for the exam, try the following course on Udemy:

The Excel Expert exam goes further into advanced formulas, macros, charts, and tables. You can take the Expert exam without passing the Associate exam first.

If you want to take this exam, the following course will help you:

The Office 2019 exams (MO-200 for Associate and MO-201 for Expert) are legacy options for older Office versions. If you work in Microsoft 365, choose the current MO-210 or MO-211 instead.

Excel also counts toward the stacked Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate and Microsoft Office Specialist: Expert certifications. These combine exams across several Office apps, so they suit people who want to prove broad Office skills rather than Excel alone.

Prerequisites for Microsoft Excel certification

Some things you should know before going into the Microsoft Excel certification process include:

• Basic Excel skills. Get comfortable with basic Excel skills, such as understanding how worksheets are organized, how to manage rows and columns, and basic formulas. For example, you should be able to create a visually pleasing table with many rows and columns and set up math formulas to automatically sum, average, or otherwise calculate critical data values.
• Intermediate Excel skills. You should also know how to convert raw data into visual elements like charts and graphs and summarize and explore data via pivot tables.
• Advanced Excel skills. When preparing for an advanced Excel certification, you should practice functions such as VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, and other Excel-based data analysis tools.

The certification exam typically involves multiple-choice questions and practical applications. Take time to practice relevant skills to be efficient during the exam. Pay attention to the technical names for formulas and functions, so you’re more likely to recognize them in written questions.

Preparing for Microsoft Excel certification

Preparation looks different for everyone, so build a plan that fits your schedule. Microsoft recommends about 150 hours of instruction and hands-on experience before taking the exams.

Every person is unique, so you should consider your learning style, comfort with Excel, and test-taking ability when approaching the exam. However, some ways you might prepare for this certification include:

• A Microsoft Excel certification course. Enroll in a comprehensive Excel course for structured learning and guided lessons on Excel’s features, formulas, and advanced tools. Organized courses may be a good choice if you’re just starting with Excel, learn better when guided by an expert, or want more accountability on your journey to Excel certification. Also, structured Excel courses cover exam topics step by step.
• Practice exams. As you build confidence in your Excel knowledge, take practice tests that simulate exam conditions. Practice exams help you identify areas where you need improvement. To shore up that knowledge, you can explore additional courses, practice, or study guides.
• Hands-on experience. Put your newly learned knowledge to work on real-world Excel projects. If you’re working in a job where Excel might be helpful, let your boss know you’re interested in taking on some of that responsibility. Consider how your Excel skills might be useful in a volunteer capacity, such as organizing youth rec team information or managing the contact list for an animal rescue. You can also practice Excel skills by creating worksheets relevant to your hobbies or household — use them to manage your budget or keep track of your book collection.

Microsoft Excel certification exam format

• Associate and expert-role exams: 100 to 120 minutes to take the exam, depending on whether labs are involved. However, you should expect it to take 120 to 140 minutes to complete the entire process, including reading the instructions and accepting the exam agreement.
• Microsoft Office Specialist exams: You’re allotted 50 minutes for each exam. Microsoft notes that you should expect the entire process to take about an hour.

Exams include multiple-choice questions and a section that requires you to complete hands-on tasks within Excel. The goal of the hands-on section is to test your ability to solve problems in Excel, which simple knowledge questions can’t adequately measure.

Where to take the Microsoft Excel certification exam

You register for and take the exam through Certiport, a Pearson VUE business. You can test at an authorized testing center or sit a proctored exam from home. Students and educators can schedule their exam directly through Certiport.

Benefits of earning a Microsoft Excel certification

A certification can support your growth in several ways. Here are a few benefits worth keeping in mind:

• More confidence in your skills. Knowing you’ve met a recognized standard helps you work with less second-guessing. After an exam, you know you have a strong grasp of Excel and how to use it in real-world situations. That confidence can shine through when you discuss your skills in interviews.
• Increased employability. A credential gives hiring managers a clear signal that your skills are the real deal. As data becomes increasingly critical to all business processes, professionals who can accurately and efficiently manage data analysis and reporting are more likely to find job opportunities.
• Higher salary potential. Research cited by Certiport found that Microsoft Office Specialists earned 12% more than their non-certified counterparts.³
• Improved job performance. The practice you put in translates into faster, cleaner work.
• Career advancement. Your advanced knowledge of Excel could unlock new roles in your own company or help you seek a more attractive position elsewhere.

Industries and roles that value Excel certification

Excel can be an important tool in almost any industry, but some sectors and job roles rely on it more than others. Some areas where your Excel skills might shine brightest include:

• Finance and accounting. Excel is an essential tool for financial analysis and tasks such as budgeting and forecasting cash flow.
• Marketing. Marketing teams use Excel to track KPIs, manage campaigns, and analyze data.
• Data analysis and research. Excel’s advanced data management tools make it a core tool for organizing, analyzing, and presenting data.
• Project management. Teams use Excel to track project timelines and manage resources.
• Operations. Ops managers and teams use Excel for various tasks, including tracking performance metrics.

Career opportunities with Microsoft Excel certification

Some jobs where Microsoft Excel certification may be valued include:

• Administrative assistant. You keep records, schedules, and reports organized.
• Data analyst. Data analysts and researchers leverage advanced Excel skills to analyze large sets of raw data and turn them into visual presentation assets.
• Financial analyst. Excel offers tools for building financial models and creating a wide range of accounting and finance reports.
• Project manager. You can use Excel to build project schedules, track milestones, create and manage project budgets, and align resources within your project plan.

Next steps toward your certification

Earning a Microsoft Excel certification can help you open doors for future possibilities. A Microsoft Excel course is a good way to step toward that certification. Start building your skills today and open up new career opportunities.

FAQ

Is a Microsoft Excel certification worth it?

Yes. For many data, finance, and administrative roles, it gives employers independent proof of your skills and can strengthen your resume.

How much does the Microsoft Excel certification cost, and is it free?

It is not free. The exam costs around $100 USD, though the price varies by region.²

How long does the Microsoft Excel certification exam take?

Microsoft Office Specialist Excel exams are 50 minutes long.² Plan for extra time to check in and complete the full process.

Can I retake the exam if I fail?

Yes. You can retake it 24 hours after your first attempt, so a first miss is not the end of the road.

How often do I need to renew my Microsoft Excel certification?

The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Associate credential renews every 60 months. Keep the date in mind so your credential stays current.