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.

Southern New Hampshire University

"Drive success and bring ideas to life with a comprehensive and innovative project management program from Southern New Hampshire University

Learn More

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.

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 (PDF Download): One of the most important parts while preparing for the Civil Services exam is that IAS aspirants must get themselves familiar with the UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 to avoid any confusion at any stage of the recruitment process. This will help them to study the topics/chapters that are mainly asked in the exam and avoid unimportant Topics that can waste their time. The UPSC IAS Syllabus is divided into three parts, i.e., Preliminary, Mains exam, and the Interview/ Personality round. All the aspirants must go through the syllabus of all the stages and then get started with their preparation.

Know About UPSC CSE IAS 2023 Civil Services Exam

Also, the candidates are advised to create their study schedule based on the latest UPSC CSE syllabus to perform well in the exam. In this blog, we have shared the detailed syllabus of the Preliminary & Mains exams of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.

Importance of consistency: IAS officer shares a powerful life lesson

UPSC IAS Syllabus for Preliminary Exam-Overview

Here is the complete overview of the UPSC CSE syllabus for the Preliminary exam shared below.

UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus Overview
Paper Name	Two Compulsory Papers: General Studies Paper I General Studies Paper II (CSAT)
Type	Multiple choice, Objective type
Maximum Marks	400
Medium	English & Hindi
Duration	2 hours for each paper
Prelims exam Date	28th May 2023 (Sunday)

UPSC IAS Topper AIR 7 Samyak Jain’s Success Story: Know How Visually Impaired Aced Civil Services Exam

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 for Preliminary Examination

Check out the UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus shared below for the reference of the candidates.

Paper Name

UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus

General Studies Paper I

History of India and Indian National Movement.

Current events of national and international importance.

Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.

Economic and Social

General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity, and Climate Change - that do not require General Science subject specialization.

Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

General Studies Paper II

Comprehension;

Interpersonal skills including communication skills;

Decision-making and problem-solving;

General mental ability;

Logical reasoning and analytical ability;

Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level)

Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.-Class X level)

UPSC IAS Syllabus for Mains Exam-Overview

Here is the complete overview of the UPSC CSE syllabus for the Mains exam shared below.

The question papers for the IAS Mains examination will be of conventional (essay) type.
Each paper will be three hours in duration.

UPSC IAS Mains Syllabus Overview - 15th September 2023 onwards (exams for five days)
Paper	Subject	Maximum Marks
Paper-A	One of the Indian languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.	300 Marks
Paper-B	English	300 Marks
Paper-I	Essay	250 Marks
Paper-II	General Studies-I	250 Marks
Paper-III	General Studies -II	250 Marks
Paper-IV	General Studies -III	250 Marks
Paper-V	General Studies -IV	250 Marks
Paper-VI	Optional Subject - Paper 1	250 Marks
Paper-VII	Optional Subject - Paper 2	250 Marks
Sub Total (Written test)		1750 Marks

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 for Qualifying Papers on English and Indian language

The objective of the qualifying paper is to assess the memorizing and understanding ability of the candidates regarding serious discursive prose and expressing ideas clearly and correctly in the concerned English and Indian languages.

UPSC CSE Topper 2021 Ankita Agarwal (AIR 2) Success Story

English

Comprehension of given passages.
Precis Writing.
Usage and Vocabulary.
Short Essays.

Indian Languages

Comprehension of given passages.
Precis Writing.
Usage and Vocabulary.
Short Essays.
Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 for General Studies-I:

Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, and issues.
The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
Role of women and women’s organizations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems, and their remedies.
History of the world will include events from the 18th century such as the industrial revolution, world wars, redrawing of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, etc.— their forms and effect on society.
Effects of globalization on Indian society.
Salient features of the world’s physical geography.
Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, Volcanic activity, cyclones, etc., geographical features and their location changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

UPPCS 2022 Topper Success Story: Nishant Upadhyay from 'IAS Village' bags 4th Rank

UPSC CSE Syllabus 2023 for General Studies- II

Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure.
Separation of powers between various organs disputes redressal mechanisms and institutions.
Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions, and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, the conduct of business, powers & privileges, and issues arising out of these.
Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Statutory, regulatory, and various quasi-judicial bodies.
Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues, and challenges about the federal structure, devolution of powers, and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
Important aspects of governance, transparency, and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability, and institutional and other measures.
Role of civil services in a democracy.
Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions, and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, and Human Resources.
India and its neighborhood- relations.
Important International institutions, and agencies, and for their structure, and mandate.

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 for General Studies-III

Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development, and employment.
Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
Government Budgeting.
Major crop-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, - different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
Land reforms in India.
Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy, and their effects on industrial growth.
Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, and supply chain management.
Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
Investment models.
Disaster and disaster management.
Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and development of new technology.
Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology, and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Conservation, environmental pollution, and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Challenges to internal security through communication networks, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money laundering, and its prevention.
Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

UPSC CSE Syllabus 2023 for General Studies- IV

Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants, and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators; the role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.
Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations, and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behavior; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Emotional intelligence concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, and compassion towards the weaker sections.
Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
Case Studies on the above issues

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 for Optional Subjects Paper-VI & Paper VII

The list of optional subjects for the UPSC CSE main examination is as follows:

Agriculture
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce and Accountancy
Economics
Public Administration
Sociology
Medical Science
Philosophy
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
Physics
Political Science and International Relations
History
Law
Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Psychology
Statistics
Zoology
Literature

UPSC IAS Syllabus 2023 for Interview

The board conducts an interview/Personality Test to judge the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service.
Some of the major qualities to be assessed are mental alertness, clear and logical exposition, the balance of judgment, critical powers of assimilation, variety, and depth of interest, the ability for social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity.
The interview/personality Test will be conducted for a total of 275 Marks.

We hope this article was insightful for all the aspirants. It is important for the candidates to be well-versed with the UPSC IAS Syllabus and exam pattern before starting their preparation because it will help them to understand Topics important & unimportant for the CSE exam.

Q1. What is the UPSC IAS selection process 2023?

The UPSC IAS selection process comprises three stages i.e Preliminary, Mains exam, and the Interview/Personality round.

Q2 How many subjects are included in the UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus 2023?

There are two compulsory subjects i.e General Studies Paper I & General Studies Paper II (CSAT) included in the UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus.

Q3. What is the exam duration for UPSC IAS Mains Exam?

Each paper of the UPSC CSE Mains exam will be of three hours duration.

The ISA Certified Automation Professional^® (CAP^®) certification is a mark of career excellence that affirms your commitment to quality and demonstrates your expertise and knowledge of automation and controls. ISA CAP certification provides you with a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of your skills and expertise as an automation professional.

Who Are CAPs?

CAPs are individuals who have proven they possess an extensive knowledge of automation and controls and that they have the expertise and qualifications to excel in their fields. As automation professionals who work in process automation and manufacturing automation industries around the globe, CAPs are responsible for direction, definition, design, development/application, deployment, documentation and support of software and equipment systems used in control systems, manufacturing information systems, systems integration, and operational consulting.

CAP Certification Requirements

To become an ISA CAP, you must meet certain education and work experience requirements, pass an exam, and commit to the ISA Code of Conduct. Learn more about CAP requirements.

CAP Body of Knowledge

The CAP Body of Knowledge (BOK) encompasses the full scope of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for competent job performance. It defines automation project domains, the tasks within the domains, and the knowledge and skills required to complete the tasks. View the CAP Body of Knowledge.

How to Apply

There is no application form for CAP certification. The process involves confirming that you meet the following requirements and then taking an exam.

Requirements

Note: by paying the exam fee, you are confirming that you are aware of, have met, and can document that you meet the requirements for the CAP certification.

Click the button below to add the exam fee to your cart. After you complete your purchase and your payment has successfully processed, you will receive a payment confirmation email. Then, one month before your exam window, you will receive an email with the exam invitation and instructions for scheduling your exam.

Pay Cap exam Fee

About the Exam

You can take the CAP exam online from your office or home if the testing environment meets the requirements and your computer meets specifications. You can also take the exam at a Scantron test center. The CAP exam has 150 multiple-choice questions and is four hours long. Learn more about Certification Exams and Testing.

How to Prepare

We highly recommend taking the Certified Automation Professional (CAP) exam Review Course (EC00). ISA has also developed an extensive library of training courses, study guides and publications that are built around the technologies and Topics covered on the CAP exam. These resources have been developed and reviewed by subject matter experts. Learn more about the review course and the additional resources here.

Reference to Standards and Codes

The aspects of automation covered on the CAP exam reflect the tasks performed in the range of practice settings throughout the United States. Familiarity with the following standards and codes is recommended. download the Reference to Standards and Codes (PDF).

ISA Standards
IEEE Standards
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Codes and Standards
National Electrical Code (NEC)
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Standards
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standards
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Standards
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Codes and Federal Regulations
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Standards
US Food and Drug Administration Regulations
American Petroleum Institute (API) Standards

For International applicants, note that the validation study for the exams was done in the United States, so there may be questions on the exam that reference US standards and codes.

Certification name	IBM Certified Database Administrator — Db2 12 (z/OS)
Prerequisites and required courses	None required; recommended courses are available.
Number of exams	One: C1000-122: Db2 12 for z/OS DBA Fundamentals (63 questions, 90 minutes)
Cost per exam	$200 (or local currency equivalent) per exam. Sign up for exams at Pearson VUE.
URL	https://www.ibm.com/training/certification/C8003803
Self-study materials	The certification page includes self-study materials, including a study guide and a learning path.

Certification name	Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals
Prerequisites and required courses	This certification does not have any prerequisites. However, for absolute beginners, Microsoft offers an Azure Fundamentals certification.
Number of exams	One exam, DP-900, which is administered via Pearson VUE or Certiport.
Cost per exam	The exam costs $99 in the United States, though the cost changes based on where it is proctored.
URL	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/certifications/exams/dp-900
Self-study materials	Microsoft offers one of the world’s largest and best-known IT certification programs, so the exam is well supported with books, study guides, study groups, practice tests and other materials. Microsoft also offers a free online learning path.

Certification name	SAP Certified Technology Associate — SAP HANA 2.0 SPS05
Prerequisites and required courses	None required. Recommended: Hands-on experience and the following courses: SAP HANA Installation & Operations SPS12 (HA200) High Availability and Disaster Tolerance Administration SPS05 (HA201) Monitoring and Performance Tools SPS05 (HA215) Database Migration using DMO SPS05 (HA250)
Number of exams	One exam: SAP Certified Technology Associate — SAP HANA 2.0 SPS05, exam code C_HANATEC_17 (80 questions, 180 minutes)
Cost per exam	$500
URL	https://training.sap.com/certification/c_hanatec_17-sap-certified-technology-associate—sap-hana-20-sps05-g/
Self-study materials	The certification web page includes a link to trial questions. SAP HANA trade books and certification guides are available on Amazon. The SAP Help Center offers product documentation and a training and certification FAQs page. The SAP Learning Hub (available on a subscription basis) provides access to online learning content.

Certification	SimplyHired	Indeed	LinkedIn Jobs	LinkUp	Total
IBM Certified Database Administrator — DB2	867	1,337	1,911	753	4,868
Azure Data Fundamentals	2,052	4,154	283	2,322	8,811
Oracle Certified Professional, MySQL Database Administrator	339	473	143	23	978
Oracle Database SQL Certified Associate Certification	138	177	10	273	598
SAP HANA	32	37	57	466	592

What to know about database roles and certifications

Best database certifications

1. IBM Certified Database Administrator — DB2 12

IBM Certified Database Administrator — DB2 facts and figures

2. Microsoft Azure

Azure Data Fundamentals certification facts and figures

3. Oracle Certified Professional, MySQL 5.7 Database Administrator

Oracle Certified Professional, MySQL 5.7 Database Administrator facts and figures

4. Oracle Database SQL Certified Associate Certification

Oracle Database SQL Certified Associate Certification facts and figures

5. SAP HANA: SAP Certified Technology Associate — SAP HANA 2.0 SPS05

SAP Certified Technology Associate facts and figures

Beyond the top 5 database certifications

Job board search results

Choosing the right certification