Cloud
PL-300Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst
PL-300 earns the Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate credential. It validates that you can turn raw data into business insight with Power BI — connecting and cleaning data with Power Query, building semantic models and DAX calculations, and designing reports and dashboards. The April 2026 update added Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Fabric (DirectLake) content.
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Exam facts
Everything you need to know about the PL-300 exam.
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Format & length
- ~40–60 questions · 100 minutes
- Voucher cost
- ~$165 USD
- Prerequisites
- None required (Power Query, DAX, and Power BI service experience recommended)
- Validity
- 12 months (renew free via an online assessment on Microsoft Learn)
Exam facts sourced from the official Microsoft certification page. Last reviewed June 2026.
What’s tested
Key topics on the PL-300 exam.
The Cert Climb question bank is mapped to every domain on the official PL-300 exam blueprint, so what you study is what the test asks.
- Prepare the Data (Power Query)
- Model the Data (DAX)
- Visualize & Analyze the Data
- Manage & Secure Power BI
Who it’s for
Built for the people taking this exam.
Data, BI, and reporting analysts; finance, operations, and marketing analysts who build dashboards; and Excel power-users moving into Power BI.
Why it matters in 2026
The career signal.
Power BI is one of the most-requested US analytics skills, and PL-300 is the credential hiring managers name explicitly. As a role-based Associate cert, it signals hands-on, job-ready capability, not just theory.
Sample question
What a PL-300 question looks like.
A team loads a sales table into Power BI using Import storage mode. Which statement best describes what happens to the data?
See the answer & explanation
Correct: A. A snapshot of the data is copied into the model and compressed in memory, so a refresh is needed to see new source rows
Why: Import mode copies and compresses a point-in-time snapshot of the data into the model, so a dataset refresh is required for the report to reflect newer source rows.
What you get
Everything you need to actually pass.
Full question bank
70 questions covering every objective on the official PL-300 exam blueprint, with detailed explanations on every option — right and wrong.
Quiz modes
Timed exam simulation, missed-only review, topic drills, and a daily question of the day. Practice the way you study best.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition flashcards generated from each topic. Pull them up on a phone in the gap between meetings.
Progress tracking
See per-topic accuracy and answered counts. Find weak areas before they cost you on test day.
Per-category premium
Unlocking PL-300 unlocks every other Cloud exam in the Cert Climb catalog — pay once, stack credentials.
No-fluff explanations
Every wrong answer comes with a 2-3 sentence explanation of why it’s wrong, not just “the correct answer is X.” Pattern recognition is the whole game.
Read while you study
PL-300 articles & study guides
PL-300 Power BI Study Guide 2026: Pass the Data Analyst Exam
The PL-300 is Microsoft's Power BI Data Analyst Associate cert — the credential hiring managers name for BI roles. Here's the exam structure, the highest-yield DAX and modeling topics, and a 1-2 week plan to pass.
How Hard Is the PL-300 Exam? (2026 Power BI Reality Check)
Is the PL-300 hard? It's an Associate exam with no prerequisites, but the DAX, data modeling, and hands-on lab items trip up people who only studied theory. Here's an honest look and a practice-first plan to pass.
How to Study for an IT Certification (and Actually Pass): A Practical 2026 Playbook
Most certification advice is about books. The hard part is the schedule, the focus, and the test-day mental game. Here's the system that's worked across CompTIA, Cisco, ISC2, and AWS.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about PL-300
What is the PL-300 exam?
PL-300 earns the Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate credential. It validates that you can turn raw data into business insight with Power BI — connecting and cleaning data with Power Query, building semantic models and DAX calculations, and designing reports and dashboards.
How many questions are on the PL-300 exam, and how long is it?
~40–60 questions · 100 minutes
What is the passing score for the PL-300 exam?
700 / 1000
How much does the PL-300 exam cost?
~$165 USD
Are there prerequisites for the PL-300 exam?
None required (Power Query, DAX, and Power BI service experience recommended)
How long is the PL-300 certification valid?
12 months (renew free via an online assessment on Microsoft Learn)
How many questions does the PL-300 bank have?
70 questions, organized into 4 subject areas mapped to the official exam objectives.
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. 30 questions, no credit card, no email-trap, no “activate by Friday or pay” spam. You either upgrade because the bank’s good, or you don’t.
What does premium cost?
Premium is sold per category and unlocks every Cloud exam in the Cert Climb catalog. Plans are 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month — see the upgrade modal for current pricing.
How current is the PL-300 content?
We track exam version updates and refresh the bank within weeks of new objectives. Where the version of an exam matters (e.g. CompTIA SY0-701 vs. SY0-601), question explanations call it out.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Cancellation is one click from your profile. Your access continues through the end of the period you’ve already paid for.
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