The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers a certification exam in project management which is in high demand by employers and individual project managers around the world. Today, there are over 100,000 PMP-certified project managers worldwide.
To obtain PMP® certification, an individual must satisfy educational and experiential requirements, agree to and adhere to a Code of Professional Conduct and pass the PMP® Certification Examination. The remainder of this page is divided into the following sections:
- Benefits of PMP® Certification
- PMP® Certification Criteria
- Applying for the Exam Online
- The Examination
- How to Prepare
Benefits of PMP® Certification
Enrolling in PMI's Project Management Professional Certification Program offers project managers a wide range of important benefits. The PMP® designation following your name demonstrates to current and potential employers that you possess a solid foundation of experience and education in project management that can have a positive impact on bottom-line results. In fact, the certification exam is so important that many project managers are required by their companies to become certified in order to retain their positions. Many who acheive the certification have received raises, bonuses or promotions as a result.
Candidates applying for certification as Project Management Professionals must satisfy the educational and experiential requirements for one of the following categories listed below and agree to abide by the Project Management Professional Code of Professional Conduct.
| Category | General Education | PM Education | PM Experience | Number of Questions | Sign Code of Conduct |
| One | Bachelors degree |
35 contact hours | 4500 hours | 200 | Yes |
| Two | High School graduate | 35 contact hours | 7500 hours | 200 | Yes |
Below is a more detailed breakdown of the differences between a Category 1 candidate and a Category 2 candidate.
Category 1 At the time of application, the candidate holds a baccalaureate or equivalent university degree and has a minimum of 4,500 hours of project management experience within the five (5) process groups. Note: The number of hours on the Experience Verification Form(s) must total at least 4,500 hours and the project dates must indicate that the candidate has at least three (3) years of project management experience within the eight-year (8) period prior to the application. Candidates must indicate at least thirty-six (36) unique (non-overlapping) months of project management experience on the Experience Verification Form(s) to satisfy the three-year (3) requirement. |
Category 2 At the time of application, the candidate does not hold a baccalaureate or equivalent university degree but holds a high school diploma or equivalent secondary school credential, and has a minimum of 7,500 hours of project management experience within the five (5) process groups. Note: The number of hours on the Experience Verification Form(s) must total at least 7,500 hours and the project dates must indicate that the candidate has at least five (5) years of project management experience within the eight-year (8) period prior to the application. Candidates must indicate at least sixty (60) unique (non-overlapping) months of project management experience on the Experience Verification Form(s) to satisfy the five-year (5) requirement. |
Note: These application criteria will change for any application submitted after August 29, 2005. Please review these two recent PMI announcements if you plan on taking the PMP® Exam on or after September 30, 2005:
- How Will the New PMBOK® Guide Affect My PMP® Exam?
- PMI® Announces New PMP® Exam Scoring, Eligibility Criteria and Credentialing Process
More information regarding applying for the exam online is available at PMI's website. The PMP® Handbook is also available in PDF format on the PMI® website (www.pmi.org). To access it, click the "Learn more about becoming a PMP" link on the PMI® home page and select the "PMP® Handbook" link in the left side navigation.
PMI also has an online application for certification. To access it, go to the PMI® website and select the appropriate link under the "Membership" banner.
The examination is computer-based and is comprised of 200 multiple-choice questions. The allotted time to complete the examination is four (4) hours. The examination is offered around the world at PMI-approved testing centers. To find a testing center in your area please visit the PMI website. The current fees for the examination are as follows:
| Applicant Status | Examination Fees (US Dollars) |
| PMI® Member | $405.00 |
| PMI® Non-Member | $555.00 |
Whether or not you have had basic project management training, RMC can prepare you to sit for and pass the PMP® exam in the minimum amount of time, using its market-leading blended learning approach. If passing the PMP® exam is on your list of priorities for the year, please follow this link to review training options for self-study, classroom training and Internet-based learning.