Google Professional Data Engineer Exam Questions 2025

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Our Google Professional Data Engineer Exam Questions provide authentic, up-to-date content for the Google Cloud Certified – Professional Data Engineer certification. Each question is reviewed by certified Google Cloud experts and includes verified answers with clear explanations to help you master data processing, pipeline design, and machine learning integration on Google Cloud. With access to our exam simulator, you can practice under real exam conditions and confidently prepare to pass on your first attempt.

 

About Professional Data Engineer Exam

What is the Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer exam, and what will you learn from it?

The Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer certification proves your ability to design, build, and maintain data processing systems on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

As a certified Data Engineer, you’ll learn how to collect, process, transform, and analyze data, enabling businesses to make better, data-driven decisions. You’ll also master how to design secure, scalable, and reliable data systems using Google’s tools such as BigQuery, Dataflow, Dataproc, Pub/Sub, and Looker.

This certification is ideal for professionals who want to specialize in data architecture, analytics, and machine learning within the Google Cloud ecosystem.

Get the best and latest Google Cloud Data Engineer exam questions at Cert Empire!

Exam Snapshot

Field

Details

Exam Code

Professional Data Engineer (PDE)

Exam Name

Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer

Vendor

Google Cloud

Version / Year

Current version includes ML and Generative AI updates

Average Salary

Around USD 130,000–160,000 annually

Cost

USD 200 plus tax

Exam Format

50–60 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions

Duration (minutes)

120 minutes (2 hours)

Delivery Method

Online proctored or test center

Languages

English, Japanese

Scoring Method

Pass/Fail (Google does not publish the exact passing score)

Passing Score

Not officially stated (estimated around 70%)

Prerequisites

None required; recommended 3+ years of industry experience and 1+ year designing/managing GCP solutions

Retake Policy

Wait period required before retaking; full payment required again

Target Audience

Data engineers, data analysts, and cloud architects working with GCP

Certification Validity

2 years

Release Date

Latest version includes 2024 updates

Prerequisites before taking the Professional Data Engineer exam

There are no mandatory prerequisites, but Google recommends you:

  • Have hands-on experience with Google Cloud data services such as BigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/Sub, and Dataproc.
  • Understand data modeling, ETL pipelines, and analytics workflows.
  • Be familiar with machine learning concepts and frameworks such as TensorFlow or Vertex AI.
  • Have at least 3 years of industry experience, including 1 year with GCP.

Practical experience with data solutions and analytics tools will give you a strong edge during the exam.

Main objectives and domains you will study for the PDE exam

The exam evaluates your ability to:

  • Design data processing systems
  • Build and operationalize data processing pipelines
  • Operationalize machine learning models
  • Ensure solution quality and reliability

Topics to cover in each PDE exam domain

  1. Designing data processing systems
  • Choosing the right storage systems (BigQuery, Cloud Storage, Firestore, Spanner)
  • Building data models and schemas for performance and scalability
  • Designing for reliability, fault tolerance, and low latency
  • Selecting data ingestion methods (batch vs streaming)
  1. Building and operationalizing data processing systems
  • Creating ETL/ELT pipelines using Dataflow, Dataproc, and Pub/Sub
  • Managing data movement and transformation between systems
  • Orchestrating workflows using Cloud Composer and Airflow
  • Designing for data security, privacy, and compliance
  1. Operationalizing machine learning models
  • Using Vertex AI for training, deploying, and managing models
  • Understanding feature engineering and model evaluation
  • Monitoring ML models for drift and performance
  • Managing models at scale in production environments
  1. Ensuring solution quality and reliability
  • Implementing data validation and quality checks
  • Monitoring data pipelines and troubleshooting issues
  • Optimizing cost, performance, and resource usage
  • Maintaining SLAs and automating recovery processes

Changes in the latest version of the PDE exam

  • Updated content to include Generative AI and Vertex AI topics.
  • More emphasis on data governance, security, and sustainability.
  • New focus on end-to-end pipeline design, from ingestion to insight delivery.
  • Shorter recertification exam (around 1 hour) available for renewing candidates

Register and schedule your PDE exam

  1. Visit the Google Cloud Certification page.
  2. Choose the Professional Data Engineer exam.
  3. Decide between online proctoring or in-person testing.
  4. Schedule your date and pay the USD 200 exam fee.
  5. Check exam-day policies and prepare your testing environment.
  6. After the exam, your result will appear as Pass or Fail.

PDE exam cost, and can you get any discounts?

  • Standard exam fee: USD 200 plus tax
  • Renewal exam fee: USD 100 plus tax
  • Discounts: Occasionally offered through Google Cloud training programs, events, or partner organizations

Keep an eye out for voucher programs or special promotions that reduce exam costs.

Exam policies you should know before taking PDE

  • You must present a valid government-issued photo ID.
  • For online exams, ensure a quiet space, stable internet, and a working webcam.
  • No books, notes, or phones are allowed during the exam.
  • Violations may result in exam invalidation or suspension.
  • Certification is valid for two years and must be renewed before expiry.

What can you expect on your PDE exam day?

  • The exam has around 50–60 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions.
  • Expect scenario-based questions that test your ability to solve data problems using GCP tools.
  • Questions often combine data engineering and machine learning use cases.
  • Some questions may present real business scenarios requiring architecture decisions.
  • You’ll get your Pass/Fail result shortly after completing the test.

Plan your PDE study schedule effectively with 10 Study Tips

Tip 1: Review the official exam guide and understand the exam domains.
Tip 2: Create a 4–6 week study plan with daily learning goals.
Tip 3: Spend time on key tools like BigQuery, Dataflow, and Vertex AI.
Tip 4: Use hands-on labs to build data pipelines and practice transformations.
Tip 5: Study data governance, IAM, and security best practices.
Tip 6: Take practice exams to assess your readiness and timing.
Tip 7: Review case studies and learn how to design complete data architectures.
Tip 8: Understand trade-offs between batch and streaming data processing.
Tip 9: Brush up on ML deployment using Vertex AI or TensorFlow.
Tip 10: Stay calm on exam day, read each question carefully and manage your time wisely.

Best study resources you can use to prepare for PDE

  • Google Cloud official Exam Guide and Sample Questions
  • Google Cloud Skills Boost hands-on labs for data engineering
  • Coursera’s Professional Data Engineer learning path
  • YouTube tutorials and data architecture walkthroughs
  • Google’s whitepapers on Dataflow, BigQuery, and Vertex AI
  • Practice questions and mock exams
  • Community study groups or online forums

Career opportunities you can explore after earning PDE

  • Data Engineer
  • Cloud Data Architect
  • Machine Learning Engineer
  • Big Data Engineer
  • Analytics Engineer
  • Data Platform Lead

This certification can help you land high-paying roles in industries like fintech, healthcare, e-commerce, and AI-focused startups.

Certifications to go for after completing PDE

  • Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer
  • Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect
  • Google Cloud Professional Cloud Security Engineer
  • AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty
  • Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate

These certifications can help you specialize further and expand your multi-cloud expertise.

How does PDE compare to other beginner-level cloud certifications?

The Google Professional Data Engineer exam is not an entry-level certification. It is more advanced than associate or fundamentals-level exams.

For beginners, start with Google Associate Cloud Engineer to learn the basics of cloud computing. Once you have hands-on experience, move on to the Professional Data Engineer exam.

Compared to other certifications:

  • PDE focuses specifically on data infrastructure, analytics, and ML
  • It’s one of the highest-paying Google Cloud certifications.
  • It validates both technical and analytical expertise.

Ready to earn your certification?

Accelerate your success with authentic and updated Google Cloud Data Engineer exam questions from Cert Empire, your trusted source for certification prep.

 

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