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Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification can make you stand out against the competition in the field of project management. If you’ve wondered how to get PMP certification, know that you must first complete work experience, training courses and an exam.
But is PMP certification worth it? In this article, we’ll explore what it takes to get certified, how much you might have to pay and how PMP certification can help you level up your project management career.
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What Is PMP Certification?
Professional certifications verify your career skills and allow you to learn more about important concepts and industry best practices that can help in your day-to-day operations.
PMP certification is the most widely recognized in the world of project management. It’s available through the Project Management Institute (PMI), which publishes the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK). The PMBOK is the holy grail of knowledge when it comes to project management concepts.
PMP certification demonstrates a strong understanding of the concepts set forth in the PMBOK and other reference materials. This designation can help you distinguish yourself from your peers and gain respected credentials in your field. Along the way, you’ll learn about concepts like Agile, waterfall project scheduling, leadership and business management.
How to Sign Up for PMP Certification
The first step to earning PMP certification is to begin work in the field of project management. PMP certification requires months of work experience. Precise requirements vary depending on your level of education. If you have a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need 36 months of relevant project experience to qualify for the PMP credential. Without a degree, you must complete 60 months of experience.
If you have this work experience or are working toward it, the next step is to complete at least 35 hours of formal PMP training, also called “contact hours,” or hold a current CAPM certification. You can complete contact hours through a PMP certification course, which you may take online or in person. These courses take a few weeks to a few months to complete, and they teach the concepts you should understand before taking the PMP certification exam.
Below, we’ll discuss how to get a PMP certification in more detail, including prerequisites and PMP exam costs.
PMP Certification Requirements
You must accomplish a certain amount of professional experience and formal training before you qualify for PMP certification.
If you have completed high school or an associate degree but not a bachelor’s, PMP certification requirements are as follows.
- 60 months leading projects
- 35 contact hours
If you have a bachelor’s degree, you must complete the following before pursuing PMP certification.
- 36 months leading projects
- 35 contact hours
PMP Cost
Most PMP certification training programs (through which you can earn your contact hours) range in cost from around $300 to around $3,000. Courses offered through well-known colleges and universities tend to cost more, but many also offer for-credit programs that result in undergraduate or graduate certificates. Consider a program that holds GAC accreditation when searching for courses. Free PMP certification training is available through some resources, but usually only for short trial periods.
To sit for the exam, the cost is $405 for PMI members or $555 for nonmembers.
PMP Time Commitment
How long does it take to get PMP certification? The most time-consuming part of the PMP certification process is completing the required work experience. Consider documenting your work experience as soon as you consider applying for PMP certification. Once you get that experience under your belt, the rest of the certification process involves studying and scheduling your test. The time spent on this step can be different for each individual, as well as dependent on location and testing center availability.
Most PMP certification training courses take only a few weeks to a few months to complete. After that, it’s up to you how much time you spend studying for the certification exam. Retakes cost $275 for PMI members and $375 for nonmembers, so it’s best to go into the exam as prepared as possible.
PMP Renewal Costs
Once you’ve passed the PMP exam, you must complete a certain level of continuing education to keep your certification active. The renewal fee, due every three years, is $60 for PMI members or $150 for nonmembers.
Is PMP Certification Worth It?
To determine whether PMP certification is worth it to you, weigh the costs of certification against the potential benefits. Since we’ve listed the costs of PMP certification above, you likely have a good idea of the investment you’d need to make to get certified. Now, it’s time to consider your potential return on that investment.
Benefits of PMP certification
- Salary increase. PMPs in the U.S. earn about 32% more than their non-certified peers in project management.
- Greater respect in the industry. The Project Management Institute is the leading organization for project management knowledge and the publisher of the PMBOK. Earning PMP certification through PMI carries lots of weight in the project management industry.
- Greater career opportunities. Holding PMP certification should make you more marketable when it comes to looking for better or different positions in project management.
Consider Your Career
Are you looking to make a career change? Move into a higher role in your current team? In either case, PMP certification could be just what you need to level up your career. As part of the certification process, you’ll learn industry best practices that you can start incorporating into your day-to-day work life immediately.
Look at Earning Potential vs. Certification Cost
According to PMI, PMP-certified professionals in the U.S. earn a median annual salary of $123,000, compared to a median of $93,000 for their non-certified colleagues. This translates to a 32% salary increase for certified PMPs.
Multiply your current salary by 1.32 to estimate your potential PMP certification salary. You can then weigh that salary increase against the cost of PMP certification training and the PMP exam. This cost vs. benefit analysis can help you understand whether PMP certification would be worth it for you.
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