LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform that offers a wide variety of courses for professionals looking to develop new skills and advance their careers. With over 16,000 courses taught by industry experts, LinkedIn Learning has become one of the go-to platforms for e-learning. But with so many courses to choose from, which ones are most popular among LinkedIn Learning users? Here we look at the top 10 most popular courses on LinkedIn Learning based on learner enrollment numbers.
1. Learning Python
The number one most popular course on LinkedIn Learning is Learning Python. This comprehensive course taught by data scientist Joe Marini provides a beginner-friendly introduction to Python programming. Over 1 million learners have enrolled in this course to learn basic Python syntax, data types, variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and classes. Python’s versatility across many fields including data science, web development, and automation makes it a highly in-demand skill.
2. Excel Essential Training: The Basics
Coming in second with over 700,000 enrollments is Excel Essential Training: The Basics. Instructor Curt Frye starts from the very beginning and covers core Excel skills like navigating worksheets, entering data, basic formulas and functions, formatting, printing, and data analysis. As the world’s most ubiquitous spreadsheet software, Excel skills are a must-have for office professionals, analysts, and many more roles. This comprehensive entry-level Excel course sets a strong foundation for more advanced Excel training.
3. HTML Essential Training
With over 500,000 enrollments, HTML Essential Training takes the #3 spot. Instructor James Williamson provides a thorough introduction to HTML, the fundamental building block of websites and web applications. Learners gain practical experience with core HTML syntax, links, images, tables, forms, responsive design, and more. As the universal language of the web, HTML knowledge is essential for careers in web development and design.
4. Time Management: Working from Home
Coming in at #4 with over 400,000 enrollments is Time Management: Working from Home. Time management skills are crucial for productivity and work-life balance, especially for remote workers. Instructor Dave Crenshaw teaches best practices for overcoming distractions, prioritizing tasks, scheduling your time, improving focus, avoiding procrastination, and optimizing both work and personal time. These are essential soft skills for the many professionals now working from home.
5. Leadership: Practical Skills
With over 350,000 learners enrolled, Leadership: Practical Skills takes the #5 spot. Instructor Chris Croft delivers actionable leadership training on topics like building trust, understanding leadership styles, setting visions, empowering your team, managing change, and leading remote teams. Developing leadership capabilities can help managers and individual contributors alike advance their careers and make a greater impact.
6. Communicating with Confidence
Effective communication skills are always in high demand, reflected in the over 300,000 enrollments in Communicating with Confidence. Instructor Jeff Ansell provides simple and practical guidance to improve verbal communication and public speaking. Learners gain strategies to conquer fear, engage audiences, structure narratives, deliver polished presentations, handle tough questions, and more. Strong communication is invaluable for roles across all industries.
7. Excel for Office 365
Expanding on the previous Excel basics course, Excel for Office 365 goes deeper into more advanced Excel features. Over 250,000 learners have enrolled in this course taught by instructor Dennis Taylor. It covers tools like PowerPivot, Power Query, and Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) to help transform Excel from a spreadsheet tool into a robust data modeling and analytics platform. These skills open up new possibilities with Excel-based business intelligence, financial modeling, and data visualization.
8. CSS Essential Training
With over 200,000 enrollments, CSS Essential Training provides a comprehensive introduction to Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Instructor Christina Truong demonstrates how to style and layout web pages using CSS – a key skillset for front-end web development. The course covers topics like CSS syntax, selectors, the box model, responsive design, Flexbox layout, Grid layout, and more. A solid grasp of CSS empowers web developers to create visually appealing and user-friendly websites.
9. JavaScript Essential Training
JavaScript Essential Training has attracted over 150,000 learners looking to learn this core web development programming language. Instructor Morten Rand-Hendriksen starts with JavaScript basics like syntax, variables, operators, conditionals, loops, functions, and arrays. He then goes into more advanced topics like DOM scripting, events, AJAX, and object-oriented programming with classes. JavaScript powers the interactivity and dynamic behavior on most websites.
10. Project Management Foundations
Rounding out the top 10 most popular courses on LinkedIn Learning is Project Management Foundations with over 100,000 enrollments. Project manager Cynthia Snyder covers managing project scope, creating work breakdown structures, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, team leadership, and more. Strong project management helps professionals deliver work on time and on budget. These skills are useful across a wide range of industries and fields.
The Most Popular Course Categories
Beyond the 10 most popular individual courses, we can also look at the most popular topics and categories overall. The major course categories with the highest enrollment on LinkedIn Learning include:
- Business – Broad professional skills related to business operations, management, communications, productivity, and more.
- Technology – Technical hard skills for software, web, and app development, IT administration, data, analytics, and more.
- Creative – Creative skills for graphic design, photography, video, audio, illustration, and animation.
- Education – Teaching and instructional skills for educators and corporate trainers.
Within the Business category, popular subcategories include Leadership & Management, Entrepreneurship, Business Strategy, Operations, Project Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Real Estate, and Accounting & Finance. For Technology, common subcategories are Software Development, IT Administration, Data Science, IT Certifications, and User Experience Design. The Creative category includes many pathways for Graphics & Illustration, Photography & Video, Audio & Music, 3D & Animation, and Design.
Top Course Providers on LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning delivers courses in partnership with over 350 top course providers. These experts in their field produce high-quality, in-depth training. Some of the most prolific and popular instructors and course authors on LinkedIn Learning include:
- Chris Croft – Business and leadership skills
- Morten Rand-Hendriksen – Web and app development
- Curt Frye – Microsoft Office productivity tools
- Joe Marini – Programming languages and frameworks
- James Williamson – Web design, HTML, and JavaScript
- Christina Truong – Front-end web development
- Ray Villalobos – Coding, game development, VR and more
- Chris Downer – IT certification prep courses
- Erin McGill – Time management and productivity
- Miguel Lozano – Video production and post-production
Course Popularity by Country
While the most popular courses on LinkedIn Learning are fairly consistent globally, we can spot some interesting regional differences. For example:
- Germany: Project management, leadership, manufacturing, and engineering courses rank highly.
- India: Software development, IT certification, project management, and data science lead in popularity.
- Brazil and Mexico: Business strategy, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and creative courses see strong enrollment.
- Southeast Asia: Digital marketing, design, communications, and personal development courses are most popular.
The regional variation reflects local economic conditions, skills gaps, and talent demands. It shows how LinkedIn Learning is delivering training that aligns with real-world workforce needs.
Most Popular Courses by Job Function
Within organizations, the most popular LinkedIn Learning courses also correlate strongly with job function. Here are the top courses for some key roles:
Sales Professionals
- Effective Sales Enablement
- Sales Prospecting Fundamentals
- Strategic Selling
- Consultative Selling Approach
- Value-Based Selling
Marketing Professionals
- Social Media Marketing Fundamentals
- Content Marketing Essential Training
- Brand Management Fundamentals
- SEO Foundations
- Google Analytics Essential Training
Project Managers
- Project Management Foundations
- Agile Project Management for Beginners
- Project Risk Management
- Project Quality Management
- Strategic PMO: Aligning Projects to Business Goals
Software Developers
- Python Essential Training
- Programming Foundations: Full-Stack
- React.js Essential Training
- Docker Essential Training
- AWS Cloud Concepts
Customer Service Reps
- Customer Service Foundations
- Handling Difficult Customers
- Customer Service Communications Skills
- Exceptional Customer Experience
- Contact Center Management
This sampling indicates how professionals leverage LinkedIn Learning to develop the specific skills needed to excel in their roles. The hands-on, practical training helps them deliver results and advance their careers.
Conclusion
With tens of thousands of courses, LinkedIn Learning has established itself as a premier online learning platform for professionals. While course popularity varies by region and job function, core topics like business management, technology skills, creative tools, and data analysis lead across the board. Python, Excel, HTML, leadership, project management, and communications rank among the consistently top courses. LinkedIn Learning’s expert-led practical training continues to help millions of learners around the world gain in-demand skills.
