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The current SAS Certified Data Scientist path is a combination of two professional credentials—not one standalone exam: SAS Certified Professional: Advanced Programming Using SAS 9.4 and SAS Certified Professional: AI and Machine Learning. SAS restructured the route effective June 30, 2025, so many older exam road maps are out of date. Your exact number of exams and total cost depend on credentials you already hold and whether an exemption applies.
The current SAS Certified Data Scientist pathway
SAS describes the Data Scientist credential as a path built from two professional credentials. The practical route is:
Current Base Programming credential
+
A00-232 Advanced Programming exam
↓
Advanced Programming Professional
Machine Learning Using SAS Viya
+ Forecasting and Optimization Using SAS Viya
+ Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision
↓
AI and Machine Learning Professional
Advanced Programming Professional
+
AI and Machine Learning Professional
↓
SAS Certified Data Scientist pathway
The Advanced Programming credential requires a current Base Programmer credential. The AI and Machine Learning pathway lists three exams, but SAS identifies an exception for some candidates who already hold the SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner credential. Check the live pathway requirements against your own credentials before booking. SAS Data Scientist pathway · AI and Machine Learning pathway.
What changed on June 30, 2025?
SAS retired the former Data Scientist pathway exams effective June 30, 2025. Older guides may direct you to:
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- Advanced Predictive Modeling, A00-225
- Text Analytics, Time Series, Experimentation and Optimization, A00-226
- Data Curation for SAS Data Scientists, A00-223
Those are not the current route to the Data Scientist pathway. SAS says certifications earned before the retirement remain valid; retirement from the pathway does not itself make an already-earned certification expire. See the SAS retirement notice before relying on an older training plan.
Credential 1: Advanced Programming Professional
The official credential name is SAS Certified Professional: Advanced Programming Using SAS 9.4. It validates advanced SAS programming, including SQL, macro processing and advanced coding techniques. You must already hold a current SAS Base Programmer for SAS 9 or SAS Certified Specialist: Base Programming Using SAS 9.4 credential.
A00-232 exam at a glance
- Exam: SAS 9.4 Advanced Programming Performance-Based Exam
- Exam ID: A00-232
- Format: 10–15 programming projects plus 10–15 standard questions
- Time: 2 hours 5 minutes for the exam; allow 2 hours 30 minutes for the Pearson VUE appointment
- Passing score: 725 on a scaled range of 200–1,000
- Price: SAS lists $180 in the U.S. and most countries; confirm the amount at registration
The credential’s exam content weighting is 35% accessing data using SQL, 35% macro processing and 30% advanced techniques. Programming projects are assessed with a SAS scoring macro, so being able to write, run and debug code matters more than memorizing syntax. Official Advanced Programming credential details.
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Credential 2: AI and Machine Learning Professional
This professional pathway covers SAS and open-source tools across machine learning, forecasting, optimization, natural language processing and computer vision. SAS lists three exams as its standard route:
- SAS Certified Specialist: Machine Learning Using SAS Viya
- SAS Certified Specialist: Forecasting and Optimization Using SAS Viya
- SAS Viya Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision
The pathway page does not provide enough current detail to safely state question counts, time limits, passing scores or prices for the Forecasting and Optimization and NLP/Computer Vision exams here. Check each live credential page and its exam content guide before registering rather than relying on old third-party figures.
Machine Learning Using SAS Viya
- Exam ID: A00-406
- Format: 50–55 multiple-choice and short-answer questions
- Time: 90 minutes
- Passing score: 62%
- Platform basis: SAS Viya 4.0
- Price: SAS lists $180 in the U.S. and most countries; verify at checkout
Its content weighting is 30–36% data sources, 40–46% building models, and 24–30% model assessment and deployment. Expect to work through data sources, supervised model building, assessment and deployment in the Viya environment. See the official A00-406 page.
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How many exams will you need?
Someone starting without a relevant credential will generally need a Base Programming credential, A00-232, and the three AI/ML pathway exams. That is one prerequisite credential plus four additional exams if the Base credential requires its own exam and no exemption applies. It is not a universal five-exam rule: existing credentials, their current status and SAS-recognized exceptions can change the route.
- New to SAS programming: Learn Base SAS and earn a current Base Programming credential first, then pursue A00-232 and the AI/ML exams.
- Already a SAS programmer: Check whether your Base credential is current and accepted. If so, focus on A00-232 and build Viya experience for the AI/ML pathway.
- Have an Enterprise Miner credential: Check SAS’s stated exemption from the Machine Learning Using SAS Viya exam and confirm how it applies to your account.
- Have older Data Scientist credentials: The retired exams do not automatically invalidate certifications already earned. Confirm directly with SAS what additional requirements apply to your goal.
What does it cost?
As of August 2026, SAS lists $180 for individual exams such as A00-232 and A00-406 in the U.S. and most other countries. That is an individual exam price, not the cost of the full pathway. The total depends on the exams you still need, regional taxes and currency, discounts, retakes, training and access to practice software. Prices and registration rules can change, so verify each exam at checkout.
For a realistic budget, list the components rather than assuming a single package price:
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- Any Base Programming exam you still need
- A00-232 and the AI/ML exams required for your route
- Optional SAS Learn subscriptions, classes, books or practice materials
- Software or cloud-lab access if an employer or school does not provide it
- Possible retake fees, taxes or regional charges
SAS advertises academic discounts for eligible students and educators, so check the academic programs page before paying full price. Official learning subscriptions and live classes may suit candidates who want guided instruction, but their prices and availability should be checked in the current SAS Learn catalog. A listed live-web session for SAS Programming 3: Advanced Techniques has been priced at $1,600 for certain 2026 U.S. sessions; that is a course price, not a certification fee or a required purchase.
Skills and software to build before the exams
The pathway deliberately spans two platform generations. Advanced Programming is based on SAS 9.4; Machine Learning Using SAS Viya is based on SAS Viya 4.0. Being experienced in one does not guarantee readiness for the other.
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|---|---|
| SAS programming | DATA step processing, data input/output, transformations, BY-group work, arrays, hash objects, PROC SQL joins and subqueries, macro variables and programs, functions, debugging and efficient data access. |
| Statistics | Probability, descriptive and inferential statistics, regression, classification, validation, model metrics and overfitting. |
| Applied machine learning | Data preparation, feature engineering, supervised learning, model comparison, leakage prevention, assessment and deployment. |
| Broader analytics | Forecasting, optimization, text and language data, image data, and the analytical life cycle. |
| Communication | Explain model results, limits and business implications clearly; a credential does not replace this skill. |
SAS’s Advanced Programming preparation material highlights SQL, macro processing, advanced DATA step techniques, arrays, hash objects and PROC FCMP. A Python-first data scientist may already know statistics and modeling, but still needs to assess SAS-specific programming skills and the Base credential requirement.
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A practical preparation sequence
- Audit your starting point. Record the SAS credentials you hold, their status, your SAS 9.4 and Viya experience, SQL and macro skills, statistics background, software access and any employer or academic support.
- Close the Base Programming gap. If you do not have a current accepted Base credential, handle that prerequisite before booking A00-232.
- Practice advanced programming by writing code. Work through DATA steps, SQL, macros, arrays, hash objects and debugging tasks. Use the official content guide to prioritize time.
- Simulate the performance-based exam. Under time pressure, read each project closely, identify required inputs and outputs, write the simplest correct program, inspect logs and results, and test edge cases. Practice multiple independent tasks in one sitting.
- Learn the Viya workflow end to end. Connect to or import data, inspect quality and distributions, prepare features, validate data appropriately, train and compare models, assess overfitting and leakage, and understand deployment.
- Prepare for all three AI/ML domains. Do not assume tabular modeling alone covers forecasting, optimization, NLP or computer vision.
- Use official materials and verify details. SAS’s exam preparation hub offers training, practice exams, exam content guides, sample questions, webinars and tutorials. Match any book or course to the exact current exam ID and objectives.
SAS advertises a free Viya trial as one potential way to practice, but availability, duration and feature access can vary; check the live Viya page. Do not use unauthorized exam dumps: official practice material and hands-on work are a safer way to prepare and align with the current objectives.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Following retired exam lists. A00-225, A00-226 and A00-223 are not the current pathway. Start from SAS’s current pathway and retirement notice.
- Assuming there is one Data Scientist exam. Budget and study for the component credentials and exams you actually need.
- Skipping the Base prerequisite. Confirm your Base Programming credential is current and accepted before scheduling A00-232.
- Reading without coding. The advanced exam includes projects; passive study alone does not develop timed problem-solving fluency.
- Practicing only in SAS 9.4. The AI/ML component uses Viya, so arrange practical access where possible.
- Equating a pass with job readiness. Build project evidence of preparation, modeling, validation, deployment, documentation and business communication alongside credentials.
If you are also using older statistics certification material, note that SAS lists the Statistical Business Analyst A00-240 exam for retirement on November 30, 2026, and identifies A00-480 Applied Statistics for Machine Learning as a possible alternative. This is separate from the Data Scientist pathway; confirm the latest status on the relevant SAS Learn page.
Is the SAS Data Scientist path worth it?
It is most useful when your target employers use SAS, SAS 9.4 or Viya; your role calls for SAS-specific skills; you can practice in the software; or your employer will fund training and exams. It can add structured evidence alongside a degree or applied experience.
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