The Best Data Engineering Courses in 2025

A breakdown of the best options, their pros & cons, and my personal recommendations.

Hey friends, Happy Tuesday!

Let’s be real. Becoming a data engineer in 2025 isn’t easy. AI has pushed the demand for data engineers through the roof, but the learning market is messy. Expensive bootcamps, outdated courses, confusing roadmaps… no wonder beginners feel stuck.

I keep getting the same question from YouTube, LinkedIn, and even colleagues at work: “Baraa, what are the best courses to actually learn data engineering?”

So I went deep. I researched, tested, and compared. And today I’m breaking it down into 4 clear paths you can follow depending on your goals, time, and budget.

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Option 1: Free YouTube Learning

Cost: $0
Structure: Self-designed
Best for: Students, beginners testing the waters, anyone who can’t invest money yet.

This path is completely free. You cherry-pick courses, tutorials, and projects on YouTube, following your favorite creators.

Where to start:

• SQL → My free 30-hour SQL course (1M views in 4 months!)

• Python → My Python course

• Data Warehouse Project using SQL

• PySpark → FreeCodeCamp’s PySpark course

• Cloud → Adam’s Azure course on YouTube

Pros:

• Free

• Flexible, you design your own journey

• Many creators with different teaching styles

Cons:

• Not structured

• Quality is mixed (some courses are outdated)

• No certifications

My take: If you can’t afford paid courses, this is your path. Also great if you just want to explore data engineering. But if you want a career-ready roadmap, it’s easy to get lost.

👉 To avoid getting lost, use my free Notion Data Engineering Roadmap:
Data Engineering Roadmap (Notion)

👉 And watch my full roadmap breakdown on YouTube:

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Option 2: Hybrid (YouTube + Udemy)

Cost: $50–100 one-time
Structure: Self-directed, with structured add-ons
Best for: Students, budget learners, people who want the balance of free + structured.

This path takes you as far as possible with YouTube, then uses Udemy to fill in the gaps for advanced topics like Databricks, PySpark, AWS, or Azure.

The funny thing is, sometimes I actually find YouTube courses better than Udemy ones. But when it comes to advanced topics, YouTube often lacks depth, and that’s where Udemy can help.

Top pick: Big Data Engineering Bootcamp on Udemy. Covers many modern skills for a low cost.

Pros:

• Cheap but structured

• Lifetime access to courses

• Certification at the end

• Udemy Courses are better structured than Youtube

Cons:

• Easy to buy too many Udemy courses and never finish them

• Quality varies by instructor

My take: If I were a student again, this is the path I’d choose. You get the freedom of YouTube with the structure of Udemy for advanced topics.

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Option 3: All-in-One Platforms (DataCamp, Coursera, etc.)

Cost: Monthly subscription
Structure: Fully structured roadmap
Best for: Total beginners who want an end-to-end guided path.

Here you don’t design your roadmap. Everything is pre-built, from intro to advanced.

Top picks:

• DataCamp’s Data Engineering in SQL

• DataCamp’s Data Engineering in Python

• Coursera IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate

Pros:

• Very structured

• Includes theory, hands-on projects, and certification

• Recognized partnerships (like Microsoft with DataCamp)

Cons:

• Subscription-based, can get expensive if you stay too long

• Some courses go broad, not deep

My take: Perfect if you want zero stress about planning your roadmap and you can afford a subscription. Finish in 6–12 months, unsubscribe, and you’re good.

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Option 4: Premium Vendor Certifications

Cost: High (hundreds to thousands)
Structure: Deep and advanced
Best for: People with basics who want to go deep and add serious weight to their resume.

Examples:

• Databricks Advanced Data Engineering Certification

• Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate

Pros:

• High recognition with employers

• Covers advanced, modern topics

• Looks strong on a CV

Cons:

• Expensive

• Not beginner-friendly

My take: Only do this once you’ve built a solid foundation. If you’re serious and want to stand out, these certs can be a career-changer.

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My Recommendation

• No budget? Start with YouTube.

• Small budget? Go hybrid with Udemy.

• Beginner who wants structure? Pick DataCamp or Coursera.

• Already skilled and want to level up? Go for a vendor certification like Databricks.

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Closing Thoughts

The course market is overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Pick the path that fits your situation, budget, and goals. Don’t pay for overpriced hype.

And yes! I get asked all the time, “Baraa, when will you release your own full Data Engineering course?” The answer: I will, but great things take time 😎. Until then, these are the paths I recommend.

👉 Watch the full YouTube video here for all the details.

Thanks for reading ❤️
Baraa

Baraa

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Also, here are 3 complete roadmap videos if you're figuring out where to start:

📌 Data Engineering Roadmap
📌 Data Science Roadmap
📌 Data Analyst Roadmap

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Hey friends —

I’m Baraa. I’m an IT professional and YouTuber.

My mission is to share the knowledge I’ve gained over the years and to make working with data easier, fun, and accessible to everyone through courses that are free, simple, and easy!