If you want to break into data analytics and business intelligence, the Microsoft PL-300 (Power BI Data Analyst) certification is a great addition to your resume.
I took the PL-300 exam a few months ago, and while it wasn’t a walk in the park, I passed it on my first attempt.
In this post, I’ll answer key questions about the PL-300, share my tips and tricks, and my own exam experience, hoping to help you pass it as well. Plus, I’ll give you a tip on how to get 50% off the exam fee.
Why I Took the PL-300 Exam
Shortly after I was hired as a Data Analyst at a bank, I was required to pass this exam to be allowed to do my job: publishing dashboards and analyzing data.
This exam is becoming increasingly important, especially if you want to work at a big company.
It is recognized globally, trusted by big organizations, and gets recruiters’ attention.
Is the PL-300 Worth it in 2025?
Yes, the PL-300 is certainly worth taking because more and more companies that work with Microsoft products (e.g., Power BI) require their employees to have this certification before they are allowed to publish dashboards.
Is it an easy exam? No, but it will set you apart from other candidates applying to the same role, and it will add credibility to your resume.
How Much Does the PL-300 Cost?
The PL-300 exam isn’t the cheapest certification out there, costing around $165 USD or €165 EUR, depending on location.
A tip I wish I knew is that if you study through the Datacamp platform, you can get 50% OFF on the exam fee.
How to Get a 50% Discount on the Exam Fee
With the 50% off using the Datacamp platform, you get a great deal: you get to learn for the exam with pre-prepped study material + once you complete the DataCamp Data Analyst in Power BI career track, you receive a 50% discount code for taking your exam.
Datacamp created its course in collaboration with Microsoft, so you can trust you will get the right material aligned with the exam’s requirements.
They’ll send you a code via email.
Here’s how it works:
- Complete the DataCamp Data Analyst in Power BI career track.
- Receive a 50% discount code upon completion (you’ll get it in your email).
Best Way to Study for the Exam
I would recommend that you first study through Datacamp, and two days before taking your exam, also practice the questions you find on Examtopics.com.
Examtopics.com offers realistic practice questions similar to what you’ll see on the test, and I highly recommend practicing there a few days before the exam. It’s honestly like a cheat sheet because the questions are very similar to what you get on the exam.
Any earlier than 2 days, and you may forget everything you learned.
With Examtopics, I feel it’s all about memorizing the questions and answers (tip: if you’re unsure about the correct answer, go check the comments section where people share their own opinions).
For those not using Datacamp, the Microsoft Learn platform also offers an official study path; however, I find this option overwhelming as it is a lot of information to process and the practice questions are not similar to what you get in the actual exam.
Exam Format and Key Challenges
What I didn’t expect was to be tested on how well I know the Power BI interface and how good I am with VERY specific Microsoft terminology.
For example, some questions sounded like: “What three actions (aka what do you need to click on) do you need to take to import a SharePoint list as a data source?”
So the answer can be: You first click on this tab, then select “X”, and finally click on this specific button.
This can be a bit frustrating if you’re a practical, hands-on learner like me; in the real world, I’d simply Google these things, find the answer in two seconds, and learn while doing.
However, in the PL-300 exam, your ability to navigate Power BI