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Updated: 1 June, 2023

Are you an expert at your job?

Here’s a different question – Are you an expert in your industry?

While being good at your work and spending years in your present role can definitely make you an expert at your job, that is no guarantee of becoming an expert in your industry. This is where professional certifications come in. These certifications help you understand the industry best practices so that you can work towards achieving industry-level expertise.

Not just that, a certification like PMI’s PMP can help you enhance your project management skills and open doors for better job opportunities.

PMP is recognized globally and can help you showcase your project management skills in IT, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, infrastructure and other exciting industries. PMI studies and surveys have shown that PMP certification holders report earning higher salaries than their peers that do not have PMP.

Check out the PMP Salaries here

What is PMCLounge.com?

First of all, PMC in PMC Lounge stands for Project Management Certifications.

PMC Lounge is the #1 *free* resource for PMP and Project Management certifications.

Here you will find Project Management topics explained in the simplest way possible, answers to your FAQs related to PMP and other certifications as well as project management related topics, the latest updates on what’s happening in the Global Project Management industry, PMP tutorials and much more.

Don’t forget to grab our free 7-week PMP study plan here

So what is PMP again? Tell me more…

Project Management Professional (PMP) is a Certification provided by the Project Management Institute (PMI) based in Pennsylvania, USA.

Here’s what PMI says about PMP,

PMI created PMP Certification to recognize project managers who have proven they have the skills to successfully manage projects. Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification represents an elite group of project managers. It proves project leadership experience and expertise in any way of working.

PMP certification validates that you are highly skilled in:

  • People: Recognizing you have the skills to effectively lead and motivate a project team throughout a project.
  • Process: Using predictive, agile and hybrid approaches to determine which way of working is best for each project.
  • Business Environment: Highlighting the success of a project and its impact on overall strategic organizational goals.
PMI.org

Am I eligible for PMP?

You are eligible if you meet either of the two set of requirements mentioned below,

  • Four-Year Degree
  • 36 months of experience leading projects within the past eight years
  • 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM certification

OR

  • High School Diploma or Associates Degree
  • 60 months of experience leading projects within the past eight years
  • 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM certification

Not eligible for PMP? Is PMP even right for you? Check out other certifications that PMI offers here

What’s on the PMP exam?

Here’s what to expect in the PMP exam,

  • 180 questions
  • 230 minutes (3 hours 50 minutes) to complete
  • Two 10-minute breaks
  • A combination of multiple-choice, multiple responses, matching, hotspot and fill-in-the-blank questions
  • Expect questions from the following areas,
    • People: 42% of questions on the exam
    • Process: 50% of questions on the exam
    • Business: 8% of questions on the exam

How much should I score to pass the PMP exam?

This is one of those questions that do not have a straight answer. The reason for that is the fact that PMI does not disclose how much you need to score or how many questions (out of 180) you need to correctly answer to pass the exam. However, the general consensus among experts is that if you are scoring above 75% consistently in your practice tests you are all set to comfortably clear the PMP exam.

Here’s what the PMP handbook says about the passing score,

The passing score for all PMI exams is determined by sound psychometric analysis. PMI uses subject matter experts – project professionals from around the world and many different disciplines – to determine how many questions you must answer correctly to pass the exam. The PMI exams covered in this handbook are considered “criteria-based exams.” That means that the exams determine who should pass or fail by whether they met the criteria for a qualified person in the job role being tested, for example an experienced project manager for the PMP and an agile practitioner for the ACP. That criteria becomes the standard we expect and uphold in scoring. The PMI exams covered in this handbook include scored and unscored items. Certification candidates are evaluated on the scored items. Each item (question) answered on a test is a sample of a candidate’s proficiency (in the criteria being assessed). We gather information from each question to make a determination of their overall proficiency and compare that proficiency to the standard.

PMP Handbook

What is the cost of PMP?

There are two components that you should consider to calculate the cost of PMP,

  1. PMP Exam Cost – The PMP exam fee is $555 for non-PMI members and $405 for PMI members (By the way the PMI annual membership costs US $129. So if you take up the membership and then pay the fee i.e. 405+129 = 534, you save $21)
  2. PMP Preparation Cost –
    • If you do not have the CAPM certification, you need to take up the 35 hours of project management education by attending a PMP bootcamp online or offline. The cost for this bootcamp could range from $100 to $2000
    • As a PMI member, you can download all PMI books in PDF format for free but if you want to buy physical copies, you should account for additional cost because these books are not cheap! Additionally, if you want to buy a reference book or any other book with practice questions or some other preparation material like flash cards, you should account for that too
    • Finally, there are paid mock exams out there that can help you prepare for the actual PMP exam which is another cost component to consider

Confused about what resources you would need? Check out the most up-to-date list of study materials that we recommend for your PMP Preparation here

How do I begin studying for Project Management?

Glad you asked! We have put together a 1.5 hours training session just for that purpose. Check it out below,

Are there other Project Management Certifications out there?

Of course! PRINCE2, Certified Scrum Master (CSM), CompTIA Project+ certification, Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Professional in Project Management (PPM) to name a few. Check out the Certifications page for a comprehensive list

PMP happens to be just one of them but it is widely recognized, accepted and followed. Thus, the Gold Standard!

Wait, I have more questions!

Good! Would you like to connect with many other PMP aspirants and Certified Professionals ready to help you out? Join the PMC Lounge community on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Additionally, check out the YouTube playlist below,

Ready to begin your PMP journey? Don’t forget to grab our free 7-week PMP study plan here