PMP certification is worthwhile if you want to advance your career as a project manager, but many applicants find themselves surprised when it comes to the entire PMP cost. Most applicants only consider the PMP exam fee, but there are more cost components that come into play. There are costs that lead up to the exam, as well as the time that the exam prep will take, which could be a cost in itself.
Three Elements of PMP Certification Cost:
- Certification Training
- PMP Exam Fee
- Exam Prep Time
In today’s blog, we’ll break down each of these costs so you can make an informed decision.
PMP Exam Fee With PMI Membership and Without PMI Membership
When it comes to your PMP exam fee, PMI members have a discount. PMI members taking the PMP certification exam pay $405 USD, while the PMP exam fee for non-members is $555. That’s a $150 dollar difference. However, if you decide to become a PMI member on the day you take the exam, you will still have to pay $555 — the cost of your membership as well as your PMP exam fee. On the plus side, membership will mean that you have access to PMI resources, such as the latest PMBOK Guide, which is why we recommend making use of the PMI membership.
You’ll also enjoy more discounts as a PMI member going forward, as shown in the table below.
|
PMP Exam – First Time |
$405 |
$555 |
|
PMP Re-attempt Examination |
$275 |
$375 |
It’s certainly a boon to take on PMI membership when considering the overall PMP certification cost. However, as we stated above, the PMP exam fee only covers one element of your overall PMP certification cost. So let’s get into training and time.
PMP Certification Cost as a Whole: What To Consider
The project management field is one that is currently enjoying a high demand, and it can be easy to find an exciting career with plenty of room for success in this industry. If you’re passionate about a career in project management, you likely already know the importance of a PMP certification. The Project Management Professional certification is given by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It’s the most widely recognized, established certification for project management professionals.
A PMP certification will open doors to more fulfilling careers and networking, more than any other project management professional certification. Simply put, a PMP certification is a smart investment, and one that will pay off. However, it is not a cheap investment.
What are other costs of PMP certification? First, beyond the PMP exam fee, there are also training costs. Some of that training is necessary to be eligible for your PMP certification — for example, the 35 hours, minimum of project management education. Other training costs will help you develop a study plan that ensures your success in taking the PMP certification. Without this, your PMP certification cost will be higher as you will have to retake the 180-question test multiple times before you pass.
There is also time to consider. Time is just as much of an investment, and for working professionals, time is money.
So just how much do you have to actually invest into PMP certification cost? Let’s break them down in further detail through these headings.
PMP Certification Cost #1: 35 Hours of Project Management Education
As stated above, to even be eligible for PMP certification, you need to complete 35 hours of project management education. This training can be done in a physical classroom or online. These are your contact hours. The best way to earn these hours AND prepare for the exam at the same time is to take a PMP exam prep course. Choose a company that will provide a pass guarantee and that has a high “first-time pass rate” for their students. Brain Sensei is one such exam prep company. They offer PMP exam preparation courses in either a self-paced format or with a live virtual instructor as well as a solid pass guarantee and money-back guarantee. They boast an impressive 99.6% first time pass rate for their students..
The real question is how much those 35 mandatory contact hours will cost, and it really depends on a few factors: first, is your training online or in-person? Online classes tend to be more affordable than in-person classes, especially if it’s self-paced, without a live instructor. It can also depend on the country where the training is received. For instance, training done in North America, Australia, Europe, or Arabian countries tend to cost more than training done in South America. Here are some of the averages:
- North America, Australia: $1,500-3,500
- South America: $600
- China, India: $500
- European Countries: $1,200-2900
- Saudi Arabia : $2,500
PMP certification costs can vary widely when it comes to training, even within the same country. However, if you’re working on a lighter budget, one option that might serve you well is online self-paced PMP exam prep courses. These courses allow you to work on a flexible schedule and typically cost far less, usually around the $500 mark.
One other benefit of our self-paced PMP training is that you can access it at any time, meaning months before your PMP exam as well as the day before. In a classroom, you receive the necessary training and then go home. Self-paced PMP training allows you to keep the information at the forefront of your mind so you can test with confidence.
Brain Sensei’s self-paced PMP training course allows you to prep for the PMP exam at your own rate, however fast or slow that might be. For just $499.99, you receive access to all of the information you need for an entire year, including an unlimited exam simulator with realistic and up-to-date exam questions. Check it out here.
What Will You Receive With the Self-Paced PMP Exam Prep Course From Brain Sensei?
The goal of the self-paced PMP exam prep course from Brain Sensei is to help you meet the requirements of the exam, as well as give you all the tools and information you need to pass your PMP certification exam, using a unique and interactive story-based approach. For the cost you will pay for the exam, you will receive:
- 9 story-based, interactive eLearning modules
- UNLIMITED exam simulator – dynamically generated from their bank of 1,500 realistic exam questions so that you get a different test each time you take it
- Base knowledge assessments with discoverability questions to reveal the blind spots holding you back
- Spaced Repetition System for retaining key project management terminologies and concepts
- 13 exciting story challenges
- Summary of key Knowledge Points for each process to recap what you’ve learned
- Access to a Facebook group to get support and ask any questions in case you get stuck
- Follow up emails filled with tips, tricks, and reminders
- Offline video walkthrough of learning modules (Apple Podcast users only). Available to stream for Android and Apple users via Spotify and Apple Podcast apps (data charges may apply).
- Speedy student support
PMP Certification Cost #2: Exam Prep Time
Time is precious to all of us. If you are a full-time project management professional trying to establish your career, you probably have precious little leisure time as it is. You want to spend that time with family or friends or simply doing things you enjoy. Time is an investment, just like money. It also counts as a PMP certification cost because the sooner you’re able to get your certification, the sooner you can move up in your career, including moving up in pay.
However, time is a necessary investment to do well in your PMP exam. How much time? It depends on the individual, especially with our self-paced course. Anywhere between 4,500-7,500 hours of experience in the industry are required to be eligible for the PMP certification, as well as the aforementioned 35 contact hours. The PMP exam has 180 questions, making it quite the behemoth of a test. It might take you 3 months, it might take 6 months, or it might take 5 weeks.
It’s worth noting that for full-time professionals, your PMP exam prep is most likely to take you months, not weeks. There are plenty of ads out there for 30-day PMP exam prep programs. For some, cramming in all of that information in that time can work. However, if you have a full-time work schedule and want to have any semblance of a social life, your studying hours may be limited. Come up with a study plan that works best for you and stick to it.
PMP Certification Cost #3: PMP Exam Fee
Finally, there’s the PMP exam fee. After you’ve invested the money into training and the time into studying for the exam, the next step is to fill out a PMP application. This application will determine your eligibility for the PMP certification. Once it’s approved, schedule a date to sit for the test at a Pearson VUE Test Center. You can do so through the PMI website portal.
As we discussed above, the upfront cost should be the same — $555 — but there is a difference in long-term PMP cost for PMI members and non-members. Let’s review the cost table again.
|
|
|
|
|
PMP Exam – First Time |
$405 |
$555 |
|
PMP Re-attempt Examination |
$275 |
$375 |
It’s also worth noting that the re-attempt PMP exams also cost money, so the fewer times you have to take the test, the more you’ll save on your overall PMP certification cost.
PMI membership, while beneficial and recommended, comes with its own costs. It’s for this reason that if you decide to apply for membership on the day you take your PMP certification exam, your overall cost will still be the same as the cost non-members pay. PMI membership fees include a one-time application fee for $10 and a yearly membership fee for $129.
However, for the cost, PMI membership lasts for an entire year and gives you access to invaluable downloadable content, as well as the most recent PMBOK. Want to learn more about PMI membership? Check out their website.
In Conclusion
As you can see, there’s no simple answer to the PMP certification cost. It’s a question that goes much deeper than PMP exam fees and depends on the options you choose for training, your location, and your time. If you take an online, self-paced PMP exam prep course, you might find yourself paying about $1,000 USD overall and working with a flexible schedule. On the other hand, if you choose classroom training, you could be paying more than $1,000 for training alone, leaving your total costs closer to $2,000 USD or more.
Online, self-paced courses also help to save you on that third cost: time. Rather than having to twist your schedule around to attend a set classroom time regularly until you finish your certification, you will be able to study when you have the time to do so. If you’re a fast learner, you will be able to take your PMP exam sooner. If you need more time, you will be able to take it. Choose a course that includes a pass guarantee (like Brain Sensei’s Self-Paced Exam Prep course) and you won’t have to pay to take a prep course again if you don’t pass on your first try.
Check Out Our Other Articles For More Information On PMP Exam Prep!
- PMP Course: 35 Hours of Online Education. We’ll break down everything you need to know about those 35 contact hours of training to help you ultimately succeed when it comes to your PMP exam.
- CAPM vs. PMP: Which Credential is Right For You? We offer CAPM training as well as PMP training. This article helps you to determine which certification is the best option for your career.
- MBA vs. PMP: Is it better to get an MBA degree or a PMP credential? Which looks better on a resume? An MBA degree or a PMP certification? We’ll break down the pros and cons of each in this article.
- PMP Exam Prep: Self-Paced Online Learning Course. This article explains everything you need to know about our self-paced online learning course so you can decide what the best call is for you.
Sign-up for a 7-day free trial! Try the first two modules of Brain Sensei’s story-based PMP and CAPM Exam Prep courses and a mini practice exam and see how it all works
Still prefer a more hands-on learning approach with a live virtual instructor? Brain Sensei offers that too. Their live virtual instructor course is very reasonably priced and even comes with the self-paced exam prep course and exam simulator included. Try their limited free trial today to see what works for you!
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