How Much is an Excel Course?

Cost is an important consideration most learners must keep in mind when they’re deciding whether to enroll in an Excel class. Even though Excel skills are essential to many career paths regardless of industry of employment and can improve your long-term earning potential, some students may not be willing or able to pay for some training options, especially those with the highest price tag. The cost of Excel courses varies depending on several factors, including the program’s duration, its depth of focus, and the provider who is offering training. 

Learning Excel as part of college or university study is the most expensive training option and also requires completing many unrelated courses. College degrees in which Excel is taught usually cost tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, to complete. Generally speaking, more immersive classes like certificate programs that focus on Excel training alongside other tools and software are a more expensive type of training than bootcamps or short skills classes, which teach Excel exclusively. Certificates in data analytics or business intelligence typically cost several thousand dollars, whereas Excel bootcamps are usually available for under $1,000. Excel skills classes provide a short study window and generally cost less than $500. Additionally, less expensive Excel training options like on-demand study are also available, but the less you pay, the more supplementary training you most likely will need to master Excel’s full capabilities.

College Excel Training: The Most Expensive Option

Four-year college training is the most costly and time-consuming way to learn Microsoft Excel. It takes most students four or more years to earn an undergraduate degree. Since Excel isn’t offered as a stand-alone major (because most jobs require Excel training alongside other skills), students who are interested in learning Excel in college must complete a range of other general education and degree-specific courses, many of which will not be related to Excel. In majors like business analytics, finance, accounting, statistics, computer science, economics, or management information systems, students take Excel along with other courses to earn their degree. This learning option requires tens of thousands of dollars, or even more, to earn a degree. For those interested in pursuing a career in the major they’ve selected, college Excel study is a good option. However, if you’re interested in learning Excel for a current job, more affordable (and shorter) training is available.

Professional Development Programs: Immersive, Career-Focused Classes

If you’re interested in learning Excel alongside other job-relevant job skills and don’t want to invest tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in your study, certificate programs are an excellent alternative. Certificates, such as the Data Analysts Certificate available from Noble Desktop, can be completed in several weeks of part-time study and cost only a fraction of university tuition. Most certificate programs in which Excel is taught combine this training with other skills, including SQL, Python, Tableau, or Microsoft Power BI. Certificates are usually available for between $5,000 and $10,000. Part-time and full-time study options are available to accommodate learners who have to balance their training alongside work or family commitments.

Certificate study is an excellent way for those who are new to Excel to acquire hands-on training either in person or live online and apply this knowledge professionally immediately upon graduation. These career-focused programs ensure that students leave with a well-rounded skill set that will make them competitive in the job market. In addition to in-class training, certificates also often include professional development incentives, such as 1-on-1 personalized mentoring sessions, career counseling, access to networking events, or resume critiques.

Live Training Classes: Ideal for Beginners

Live Excel training classes are the most engaging and interactive way to learn this industry-standard spreadsheet application. Both bootcamps and shorter skills classes are available with a focus on Excel. These courses are taught in person at designated training facilities in major cities around the country, as well as in the live online environment using Zoom or a similar teleconferencing platform. Students benefit not only from personalized instruction from a teacher with real-world spreadsheet knowledge, but also the sense of community and camaraderie that comes with studying alongside others. Live Excel skills classes typically take just one day to complete and are a cost-effective way to learn this application. Coursework generally costs less than $500 and is available for those at all learning levels.

Bootcamps are another excellent option for those interested in live Excel instruction. These courses typically begin with introductory-level Excel instruction, including an overview of the app’s basic features and functions, as well as how to navigate its cells, rows, and columns. Students then devote several days (or longer) to building on this basic foundation and accumulating intermediate and advanced-level spreadsheet knowledge, including how to split and join text, create dynamic data visualizations, and automate repetitive spreadsheet tasks with macros. Bootcamps are typically a more affordable study option than enrolling in beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level skills classes independently; some providers offer a discount for those who take all three. 

On-Demand Classes: Excellent Supplements at Reasonable Prices

On-demand Excel training is a flexible way some learners select to learn this spreadsheet application. These asynchronous courses are pre-recorded and placed online, and students can complete their training at their own pace from their own location. On-demand Excel coursework can be a great way to get started learning to work with spreadsheets. Students who are just getting started with Excel can pause lessons, rewind them, and even watch them over again as needed. On-demand content is available from many top providers, such as Udemy, Exceljet, and Coursera. It ranges in length from just a few hours to much more involved classes that can take weeks to complete. 

Cost-wise, on-demand training is a largely affordable option and tends to be much less expensive than live training. Some programs are available for $100 or less, whereas others cost more and take much longer to complete. Some providers offer self-paced Excel training as part of a platform subscription. Since no instructor is available for asynchronous study, this type of training can present challenges for some students, especially when advanced spreadsheet skills are being taught. For those who are learning Excel for their current job or to pursue a new career path, live coursework may ultimately be a better option, since it provides real-time support and guidance that is worth the additional cost and time commitment.

Free Resources: Are They for You?

Before investing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in Excel study, you may wonder if free resources are available and if they’re worth your time. The good news is that there are many free Excel resources posted online from educators around the globe. Because of how widely used this spreadsheet application is, there is no shortage of resources for those interested in learning how to work with spreadsheets. Microsoft Support offers free video training options for learners at all levels, such as how to get started working with this app, work with tables and charts, share and co-author documents, and use Power Query. Tech training companies like Noble Desktop also have free online Excel resources, such as 10 Beginner Excel Tricks You Need to Know. This hour-long video provides instruction on core topics like navigation shortcuts, autofill, and absolute cell reference. 

Other top providers worldwide upload short videos on platforms like YouTube, where they provide instruction on specific Excel tasks. You can select short video clips that take just a few minutes to watch or opt for more involved video training that takes an hour or longer to view. Some popular YouTube Excel channels are available from Excel Campus, ExcelisFun, TeachExcel, and Excel Dude. There are also various free books, blog posts, and other training content that cover Excel skills, which are a great place to start for those who want to explore spreadsheet basics before enrolling in a structured, live class. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that free online content can quickly become dated. While it can help Excel users find answers to specific questions or provide a basic overview of this application, the cost associated with live study is a sound investment for most learners, particularly those hoping to acquire advanced-level Excel knowledge.

Learn Excel with Noble Desktop

If you’re interested in learning the basics of spreadsheets or acquiring more advanced Excel knowledge, Noble Desktop provides in-person and live online Excel courses. These classes are intended for those who are just getting started using spreadsheets, as well as professionals looking to acquire advanced-level Excel training. All Noble courses provide hands-on training in the small class environment and include a free course retake for one year. Coursework is available at different price points.

If you want to become familiar with spreadsheet basics, Excel Level I: Fundamentals is an excellent choice. This one-day skills class covers the essential spreadsheet skills you’ll need to get started working with this industry-standard application. Participants explore basic functions, calculations, formatting, charts, graphs, and printing. This program is intended for those who have little to no experience with Excel and want to become more proficient.

If you are already familiar with Excel and wish to take your skills even further, you can enroll in Noble’s Excel Level 2: Intermediate. This short class provides instruction on topics like how to work with SUMIFs and VLOOKUP. Participants become familiar with how to use PivotTables to summarize data, split and join text, and sort and filter databases. As a prerequisite to enrollment, students should have completed Excel Level 1 or have a similar skill set, including basic knowledge of formulas, functions, formatting, and printing.

Additionally, Noble has Excel Level 3: Advanced for those who already have a working knowledge of Excel and are seeking to master its complicated features. This skills class prepares learners to work with advanced analytics tools, write macros to increase efficiency, and use complex functions like INDEX-Double MATCH and VLOOKUP-MATCH. Prospective students should have a proficiency level with spreadsheets equivalent to Noble’s Intermediate Excel course. This includes familiarity with IF statements, VLOOKUP, and PivotTables.

If you’re seeking more robust and comprehensive training, Noble also has a bootcamp program that offers more comprehensive spreadsheet instruction. In Excel Bootcamp, participants progress from Excel beginners to pros over the course of just a few days. This hands-on course combines beginner, intermediate, and advanced course training. Students graduate with the skills needed to work with functions and formulas, create macros, and use PivotTables. Those who opt to take this bootcamp rather than enroll in the three skills classes separately will save 15% on tuition.