What is PMP Certification?

Project management is one of the fastest-growing and widely recognized professions, with over a million PMP Certification holders globally. An increasing number of businesses are seeking to hire project managers who certify as project management professionals offered through the Project Management Institute (PMI).

The project management professional (PMP) certification is a globally recognized certification given by the PMI (Project management Institute) to candidates who pass a comprehensive exam that tests the candidate’s ability to manage the people, processes, and business goals of a project.
The candidates who pass the PMP exam become globally recognized and certified associates in project management. The PMP Certification is applicable in virtually any industry, including business, health, information technology (IT), and construction.
Here’s everything you need to know to start your project management professional (PMP) journey.

Why the PMP?

According to a salary survey by PMI , project management professionals earn 23% more in comparison to those without a PMP Certification. Moreover, according to the listof top-paying IT certifications as of 2021, PMP ranks 7th with an average salary of $148,906 (USD). PMP is one of the most in-demand credentials for almost every organization and industry. Check out the reasons why PMP is worth your time and money.

CIO magazine ranks PMP as one of the top and most prestigious project management certifications in North America.
A PMP Certification demonstrates your ability to work at the highest levels and validates your knowledge and skills to drive successful business results in your organization.

Benefits Of PMP Certification

A PMP Certification opens doors to outstanding career opportunities for professionals in any industry or location. Moreover, it enriches the candidate’s project management skills and displays their ability to manage and lead challenging projects. Some of the benefits of acquiring a PMP Certification is as follows:

Globally Accepted and Recognized - As a PMP you can work globally in any industry or location as skills remain relevant across the globe.
Higher Salaries - A PMP Certification holder gets high salary benefits in comparison to a non-PMP Certification holder. You can check out the salary range varying across different regions and countries here.
Professional Growth - Acquiring a PMP Certification can add to your professional growth, leaving you to enhance your knowledge and skills in the project management domain. You can work in various roles as a project manager, program manager, operations manager, IT director, and so on.
Job Prospects - According to a report compiled by PMI, employers will ultimately require 87.7 million individuals to work in different project management-oriented roles by the year 2027. And ultimately about 200,000 new project management jobs will be introduced from the year 2017-2027 in the US.

PMP Eligibility Criteria

There are various educational and professional experience requirements that the candidates must meet to even apply for the PMP Certification exam.
You must fall under either of the following eligibility criteria:

Criteria 1	Criteria 2
Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate, or the global equivalent)	Four-year degree
7,500 hours of directing and leading projects.	4,500 hours of directing and leading projects.
4,500 hours of directing and leading	35 hours of project management education/training.
Minimum requirement of 60 months (5 years) of professional project management experience.	Minimum requirement of 36 months (3 years) of professional project management experience.

PMP exam cost

As of 2021, the PMP exam fee structure is as follows:

Exam administration type	PMI member status	US dollars	INR
Centre-based testing (CBT)	Member	$405	Rs30,048
Centre-based testing (CBT)	Non-Member	$555	Rs41,177
Online testing (OPT)	Member	$405	Rs30,048
Online testing (OPT)	Non-Member	$555	Rs41,177

You can opt for the PMI membership by paying Rs9,963 a year, with a one-time Rs772 application fee, making the exam a bit cheaper in comparison to non-membership.

What’s on the PMP exam?

The PMP exam is a multiple-choice examination.
The candidates need to answer 200 questions for 5 domains within the duration of 4 hours.
The PMP exam is available in 13 different languages.

The type of questions on the exam usually falls under 3 main domains. Here is the weightage for each domain.

Domain	Percentage of questions
People	42%
Process	50%
Business environment	8%

People: 42 % of exam

The people domain amounts to 42% of the entire PMP exam and it includes questions on different topics such as team leading, managing conflicts, team building, supporting team performance, and other related topics.

Process: 50% of exam

The process domain amounts to 50% of the entire PMp exam and it included questions to test your knowledge on topics such as project execution, assessing and managing risks, managing budgets and resources, and determining the best methodologies for the project, among others.

Business environment: 8% of exam

The business environment domain amounts to 8% of the PMP exam and it broadly deals with topics related to the business aspects that you might have to tackle as a project management professional down the line. It included topics such as evaluating and addressing business environment changes, supporting organizational changes, and other related topics.

Application Process & Renew Process

To guide you through the PMP exam application process, we have listed all the steps:

Create a PMI.ORG Account - The first step in the application process is registering yourself on the official PMI website by creating your account.
Now, it is optional but you can opt for the PMI membership at $129/year with a one-time $10 application fee.
PMI membership comes with its perks including free digital copies of the PMBOK guide, PMP exam fee for PMI members is cheaper and priced at $405 in comparison to $555 for non-members.
Check the Eligibility Criteria - This step involves confirming whether you are eligible for the PMP exam or not. Go through the eligibility criteria as mentioned above before you proceed to the next step.
Complete and Submit the Online Application- After checking your eligibility, you can start filling out the application form that is available on the PMI website. Here are the sections that you will come across in your application form.
- Education Section: In this section, you have to mention all your academic qualifications including your highest level of education, name of institution, the field of study, country of education, and so on.
- Professional Education: Under this section, you have to mention your 35 hours of project management education or training.
- Experience Section: As the name suggests, you have to mention all your project management experience.

After carefully filling out all the required details, you can submit your application form on the online portal itself.

PMP Application Completeness Review and Fee Payment - PMI will now take about 5 days to review your application form to ensure it is complete. After 5 days, you will receive a confirmation email for your application approval. After which you can move on to pay the exam fees.
PMP Audit - PMI conducts audit checks on a random basis and if PMI selects your application for an audit, you will receive an email.
After receiving the email, you will have to provide all the required supporting documents such as copies of the diploma, certificates, and so on.
You have 90 days to submit your audit material, and PMI will take up to 5-7 days to process your audit.
Pay the Exam Fee - The next step involves paying the PMP exam fee after receiving the email for the same. The PMP exam fee is $405 (PMP members) and $555 (Non-PMI members).
Schedule the PMP Exam Date - After completing all the above steps, you can schedule your exam date.

PMP Certification Renewal Process

Your PMP certificate is valid for 3 years, but you have the option of renewing or maintaining your certificate by earning 60 professional development units (PDUs). PDUs refer to hours that you have spent on accepted professional development activities during the 3 years of your certification.
Check out the requirements page on PMI to know more.

How to get PMP Certification?

Acquiring a PMP Certification is not difficult if you meet the eligibility criteria and follow the right study material. Here are some steps to keep in mind if you want to get a PMP Certification.

Meet the PMP Eligibility Criteria - Before applying for the PMP exam, you have to ensure whether you pass the eligibility criteria for the exam or not. To pass the PMP exam requirement, you need to meet either of the following:
- Secondary degree along with 35 hours of project management education, 7,500 hours of directing and leading projects, and a minimum of 60 months of professional project management experience.
- Four-year degree along with 35 hours of project management education, 4,500 hours of directing and leading projects, and a minimum of 36 months of professional project management experience.
Apply for the PMP exam - Register yourself on the PMI platform and start your PMP exam application process. The application requires you to fill out various details from educational qualifications to project management experience. And then you can pay the exam fees and schedule the exam date.
Prepare for the PMP exam - You can start preparing for your PMP exam by preparing a formal PMP study schedule. Most candidates take up to 8-12 weeks to prepare for the exam.
Take the PMP exam - You can give your PMP exam either from a testing center or from the comfort of your home.
Maintain Your Certification - The PMP exam is valid for up to 3 years, and to prevent giving the exam again after the validity expires, you have the option of maintaining the certificate by earning 60 PDUs. Check the PMP renewal process mentioned above.

Training for the PMP exam

The PMP exam requires training and intensive studying for at least a few months to ace it. You can opt for the PMBOK guide under the PMI publication to prepare for the PMP exam, among other books, guides, or resources available out there.
However, cracking the PMP exam is not a piece of cake and requires intensive training. And this is where we offer a comprehensive PMP Certification training course conducted by PMI authorized training instructors.
Moreover, you can also test and enhance your project management knowledge by giving a Free PMP Simulation Exam along with PMP Sample Questions and Answers offered by us.

Other PMP Certifications Available

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for the PMP Certification, or if the PMP credential is not the right fit for you, then you can also consider other project management certifications. Here are a few:

Agile Certification

Agile certifications demonstrate that you have the required knowledge and expertise in Agile concepts. We are listing down the most popular agile certifications that you can consider.

Agile credentials	Cost (USD)
PMI-ACP	$495 (Non-PMI members) $435 (PMI members)
ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP)	Depends on the course. Starting price- $600 for US offering. Courses include ICP certification and there is no need to give the exam.
AgilePM Foundation - APMG	$333
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)	Depends on the course. Starting price- $450. It includes exam costs.
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)	$150
SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (SAFe POPM)	Depends on the course. Starting price- $450. It includes exam costs.

Scrum Certifications

A Scrum certification validates your knowledge and competency in Scrum project management principles. Candidates with a Scrum certification can become Scrum masters who use Scrum to handle and execute projects. Here are some Scrum certifications that you can consider.

Scrum certifications	Cost (USD)
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)	Depends on the course. Fees range from $450-$1000. Courses include exam cost.
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)	Depends on the course. Fees range from $450-$1000. Courses include certification and there is no need to give the exam.
Professional Scrum Master (PSM I)	$150
Certified Scrum Professional (CSP)	Application fees- $100 Certification fees- $150
Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I)	Exam cost- $200
Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)	Depends on the course. Starting price- $1000
SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)	Depends on the course. Fees range from $600-$800. Courses include exam cost

Certified associate in project management (CAPM)

CAPM is a great credential for those candidates who do not have enough project management experience to apply for the PMP Certification or for candidates who wish to enter into entry-level project management roles. CAPM is offered by the PMI, and it does not require project experience, making it a good fit for candidates who want to start their careers in the project management domain.

Conclusion

The PMP Certification can potentially help you bag good career opportunities as a project management professional globally. If you meet the PMP eligibility criteria and are ready to get started, explore our our PMP Training Course.