Earning the PMP certification is a challenging process, but it is also an important step in your career as a project manager and can even increase your earning potential.
It requires you to learn and understand many complex subjects that may be outside your core area of expertise.
To make earning the world’s most recognized project management certification less stressful and more accessible, here is detailed information about the PMP certification process, PMP certification training courses, and PMP certification requirements.
Project Management Academy has everything you need to understand the PMP certification requirements and process so you can start your studies today.
What is PMP?
Research shows that by 2027, employers will need to fill nearly 2.2 million new project-based positions each year. This means that qualified project managers are in high demand.
The Project Management Professional (PMP)® is the world’s leading project management certification. The PMP® now includes forward-looking, agile and hybrid approaches and demonstrates project management experience and expertise in every way of working.
It enhances the careers of project leaders across industries and helps organizations find the people they need to work smarter and perform better.
Developed by project professionals for project professionals, the PMP certification confirms that you are among the best – highly qualified in:
- People: Highlighting the soft skills you need to effectively lead a project team in today’s changing environment.
- Process: Strengthening the technical aspects of successfully managing projects.
- Business Environment: Emphasizing the link between projects and business strategy.
The PMP certification validates that you have the project management skills that employers are looking for. The new PMP comprises three central approaches:
- Foresighted (Waterfall)
- Agile
- Hybrid
Get a competitive edge. Prove you work smarter. Realize your goals. Earn the PMP today.
How to get your PMP certification
Getting your PMP certification is a commitment and therefore valuable. Do you have practical project management experience that has led to success? Great – you finished the hardest part. Before applying, make sure you meet the following PMP certification requirements:
- A four-year degree
- 36 months project management
- 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification
– OR –
- High school diploma or associate degree (or global equivalent)
- 60 months project management
- 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification
Why is the PMP certification important to me?
Whether a PMP certification is technically and financially worthwhile for you ultimately depends on your individual circumstances. Here are some benefits you might see packing a PMP to help you with your decision.
Industry Recognition: PMP certification can show employers or clients that you know the ins and outs of project management and have the experience and training needed to be a professional.
Learn New Skills: You’ll also likely learn a lot about project management while preparing for the exam. Taking hours of your life to master project management fundamentals like conflict resolution and budgeting can strengthen your skills to make you a better project manager.
Higher Salaries: PMI found that in a recent survey, US respondents reported an average salary of $123,000 if they were certified and $93,000 if they weren’t.
An average salary also tended to increase the longer one was PMP certified. Global Knowledge reported that the PMP certification ranks seventh among IT certifications associated with the highest salaries in the IT sector.
Job prospects: By 2027, employers will need 87.7 million people working in project management roles, according to a report prepared by PMI and the Anderson Economic Group.
The biggest growth is expected in the healthcare sector, although big gains are also forecast in construction, information services, and finance and insurance sectors.
PMP certifications courses
You can take online PMP courses to get the skills you need to advance your career; and you can take them at your own pace with a wide range of online classes and training courses.
Introduction to Project Management
This course teaches you the basics of project management. You’ll learn the basic principles of project management by leading a fundraiser for your local farmers market.
You will designate responsible team members to help you create a schedule and see the different ways you can manage the project.
You will learn how to take a large project and break it down into manageable parts, and then create an action plan to help your team meet your deadlines.
By the end of the course, you will have created a project scope document, a stakeholder accountability matrix, sequenced a task list, added task assignees, and explored several popular project views using project management software.
You are ready to tackle a project independently or are prepared for an advanced course in project management.
Coursera: Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management
This course is supported by the University Of Virginia Darden School Of Business. Unlike many other online project management courses, you must submit your work each week and it will be graded.
You will also receive up-to-date reading on project management trends. The course is divided into 4 phases. Introduction -> Development of a project -> Risk management -> Project implementation. This is one of the best project management courses available.
edX: Introduction to Project Management
This course is operated by the University of Adelaide. It is about the basic understanding of what a project is and all the factors that could affect the outcome of a project.
With a step-by-step approach, it goes through the core of what project management is.
It is a 6 week course with 3 hours of work per week. Instead of watching the video, you can download the transcripts and study while you commute to work.
Kellogg Project Management Course
This is a project management certification program that requires 15-20 hours of work per week over 6 months. In this project management course you will learn how to use best practices, frameworks and PM soft skills.
The Kellogg course is one of our best project management courses if you want a comprehensive, long-term course.
Cost: $5,500
Risk Management for Projects
In the Risk Management for Projects course, you will learn the basics of risk management and how to apply a risk management process in a project-based environment.
Risk management is an iterative process, and you’ll learn how putting key practices in place can maximize opportunities and minimize the negative impact on your project goals.
In this course, you will continue to improve your skills through the application of the risk management canvas, a framework that enables you to manage risk in your own environment.
It will immerse you in risk management concepts and help you apply the key processes. Hands-on activities throughout the course allow you to apply the knowledge you have learned as each week focuses on a key phase of the risk management process.
The theories and practices taught in the course can be easily applied to any project, organization or business environment.
Master of Project Academy
This is a great combination of several different project management courses that will help you reach your full potential as a PM.
This program gives you access to six courses, over 400 lectures and over 70 hours of content. The courses are self-paced so you can really get the most of it in your own time.
Cost: $677 for an annual subscription
Shaw Academy: Professional Diploma in Project Management
The 16-week course dives right into the practical skills you need to be an effective project manager. It’s packed with real-life examples to help you apply your skills and gives you hands-on experience with a range of project management tools.
After completing the course you will have the skills to plan, initiate and successfully execute any type of project and you will be ready to take on new challenges at work.
Cost: $69.99 annual subscription; first four weeks free of charge
Grow With Google on Coursera
This course is a great option if you are familiar with many Google Suite products. You will learn about traditional PM and Agile methods and the course is available through Coursera.
You will also learn about Scrum, creating Scrum artifacts, and how to create effective project documentation.
Cost: Enroll for free
GreyCampus: PMP Certification Training
This PMP certification course is certified by Project Management Institute which is great. In this project management course you will learn the role of a project manager, project integration management and much more.
It also includes 6 months of unlimited access to live boot camps, which is why it made our list of the best project management courses.
Cost: $900
BrainBok Exam Prep Simiplified
This is a complete self-study kit based on the 6th edition of the PMBOK. It’s one of our best project management courses because this prep course also comes bundled with a study guide and an exam simulator with over 1,000 questions. In addition, they have interactive index cards and an ITTO explorer.
Cost: You can join BrainBok for $149.99 for 90 days of access.
Alison: Diploma in Project Management
This online course includes case studies to help you learn about project management in the real world. There are also practice questions at the end of each module to test your understanding, which is very useful when studying.
Although the diploma is not aimed at preparing you for PMP certification, it is still worth pursuing with the quality and quality of the materials involved.
Cost: Free
How much does the PMP exam cost?
The PMP exam costs $405 for those with a PMI (Project Management Institute) membership and $555 for those without a membership. While the cost may seem high, this is a doorway to a new phase in your career.
In addition to the monetary costs, you also have to consider the time required. To sit this exam, you must have either 36 months or 60 months of project management experience, depending on whether you have a secondary degree or not.
This is a big investment of time. Although these hours are usually earned through day-to-day work such as project management, it is still a great investment in your career.
How much does the PMP exam training cost?
PMP exam training also requires an investment, both in terms of PMP certification requirements and time commitment. First, let’s look at what the training requirements entail.
To qualify for the exam, you must earn 35 hours of project management training OR a CAPM certification. These training courses typically cost around $2,000.
While there is some work to be done to maintain your PMP certification, this initial training cost is probably the highest PMP-related cost you will have to pay.
From a time point of view, you can count on about one hour for project management training acquired (about 35 hours in total).
While 35 hours may seem like a lot of training, you will leave these sessions after you have met your training requirements and also feeling ready to sit your PMP exam.
How much does it cost to maintain your PMP certification?
Earning your PMP certification isn’t something you do once and never think about again. PMI wants to ensure that all PMP certification holders are up to date on their project management tactics and approaches.
Therefore, you must renew your certification every three years to maintain your PMP certification status. To maintain your certification, you must purchase 60 PDUs every three years.
So this might require an investment in other project management training courses. There is also a renewal fee with PMI of $150 if you are not a member and $60 if you are.
While training is the easiest way to earn your certification again, it’s not the only way. You can speak publicly, become an author of project management topics or attend industry events, among other things.
Although there is no base cost to renew certification, like the exam fee you pay for initial certification, you may need to spend some money to get quality PDUs.
Is PMP certification worth it?
After an in-depth look at the costs associated with earning your PMP certification, it’s time to ask the big question: is earning your PMP certification worth the cost?
Overall, you could expect to spend around $2,400 to $2,500. Of course, this cost can vary based on your training choices, but overall, this is the amount you can expect.
However, to put it in perspective, PMI estimates that certified project managers earn about 20 percent more than their non-certified counterparts.
So a minimal investment now will pay off in the future as you unlock your earning potential.
One option to consider is to speak to your employer about the cost of the certification exam. Many companies can cover part or all of your PMP certification costs.
It’s in your employer’s best interest to have trained project management professionals on their team so they have the incentive to help.
Who is the PMP® eligibility for?
The PMP® certification is for practicing project managers (or team leaders) with at least three years of experience in a leadership role who meet the following requirements:
- Perform their duties under general supervision and be responsible for all aspects of the project throughout the project lifecycle.
- Lead and direct cross-functional teams to deliver projects within schedule, budget and resource constraints.
- Demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience to apply a methodology appropriately to projects that have reasonably well-defined project requirements and deliverables.
How to get your PMP certification
Here is a step-by-step guide to get your PMP certification.
- Meet the PMP certification requirements.
Before you can take the PMP exam, you need to make sure you are eligible. You either need:
- 35 hours of project management training and at least 36 months of project management experience if you have a four-year degree, OR
- 35 hours of project management training with 60 months of experience if you have an associate degree or high school diploma
You should keep track of your projects and training and record information such as your specific role, responsibilities, and duration of the projects or training so that you have it on hand when you apply.
The PMP certification is valid for three years. You must devote 60 hours to professional development activities during this period to maintain it. Otherwise, you can re-register for the exam.
- Apply.
Create an account with PMI and start applying for the PMP exam. This includes sharing basic personal information such as your educational background as well as details of the projects you have worked on.
Once approved, you pay the exam fee and schedule a test.
- Prepare.
This is when you train for the exam, either through coursework or on your own. Several exam prep providers recommend spending 60 to 120 hours studying. Depending on the frequency of learning, this can take several months.
- Take the PMP exam.
The exam can be taken at an exam location near you or online. The exam lasts a little less than four hours.
- Maintain your certification.
The PMP certification is valid for three years. You must devote 60 hours to professional development activities during this period to maintain it. Otherwise, you can re-register for the exam.
Training for the PMP Exam: Courses and Other Resources
There are several ways to prepare for the PMP exam. A survey by PM Exam Lessons Learned found that successful exam takers spend two to six months practicing.
The PMI reports that the average successful PMP candidate spends at least 35 hours preparing for the exam.
Online Courses: There are many exam prep courses to help you get your certification. PMI and other private institutions offer preparatory courses, as do many community colleges across the country, online or otherwise.
The University of California, Irvine on Coursera Project Management Professional Certificate prepares you for the PMP exam and meets the educational requirement of 35 hours of instruction.
The Google Project Management: Professional Certificate also meets educational requirements.
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide): This guide provides a complete foundation for the various elements of project management. While not an exam prep course per se, the guide is fundamental to understanding project management as it relates to certification.
Exam Prep Books: There are several exam prep books that will familiarize you with the questions and format of the test. It’s a good idea to complete a few practice exams before taking the actual exam.
Conclusion
Ultimately, earning your PMP certification is a smart decision and a wise move for your career. If you see the high return on this investment as your future as a project management professional, this is a path worth taking.
The PMP certification has the potential to advance your career as a project management professional.
References
- https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp
- https://www.coursera.org/articles/the-pmp-certification-a-guide-to-getting-started
- https://projectmanagementacademy.net/pmp-certification-requirements
- https://www.project-management-prepcast.com/how-to-get-pmp-certification-in-10-easy-steps
