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Databricks · Data & Analytics · Associate

Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate exam guide

Exam Data Engineer Associate

The Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate validates the ability to build data pipelines on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform: ingestion, transformation, Lakeflow Jobs, CI/CD and Unity Catalog governance. Databricks is a top lakehouse platform, making this a sought-after data engineering credential.

Questions45 scored (may include unscored items)
Time limit90 minutes
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam fee$200 USD
Valid for2 years
DeliveryOnline proctored or test center

Format: Multiple choice. Fee note: Registration fee.

Who it's for

Data engineers and analysts building pipelines in Databricks with SQL and PySpark.

What the exam covers

Databricks Intelligence Platform6%
Data Ingestion and Loading21%
Data Transformation and Modeling22%
Working with Lakeflow Jobs16%
Implementing CI/CD10%
Troubleshooting, Monitoring, and Optimization10%
Governance and Security15%

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None

Recommended: Related Databricks training and hands-on experience with the exam tasks.

Keeping it active

Valid 2 years. Recertify by passing the current version of the exam.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Auto Loader and COPY INTO ingestion
  • Spark SQL and PySpark transformations
  • Delta Lake tables
  • Lakeflow Jobs orchestration
  • CI/CD with Databricks Asset Bundles
  • Unity Catalog permissions

Job roles

Data EngineerAnalytics EngineerETL DeveloperBig Data EngineerData Platform Engineer

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Databricks Academy Data Engineer learning path.
  2. Week 2: Ingestion with Auto Loader; Delta tables.
  3. Week 3: Transformations and Lakeflow pipelines/jobs.
  4. Week 4: CI/CD and Unity Catalog.
  5. Week 5: Practice exam.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Know Auto Loader vs COPY INTO use cases.
  • Understand Delta Lake features (time travel, OPTIMIZE).
  • Know Unity Catalog hierarchy and grants.
  • Expect Lakeflow Jobs questions.

Key terms for this exam

All 104 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost?

$200.

How many questions?

45 scored in 90 minutes.

How long is it valid?

2 years.

Prerequisites?

None.

What next?

Data Engineer Professional or ML/GenAI associates.

Official page: www.databricks.com. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.