PMP Certification Exam: Frequently Asked Questions [2024]

PMP is an acronym for Project Management Professional. It is the world’s most recognized certification for project managers. It is awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI). There are over 1 million certification holders globally.

The PMP certification is ideal for anyone who is in project management field. It demonstrates and validates your project management experience, knowledge, skills, and competency. It is useful for anyone who is required to lead and direct projects e.g. Project & Program Managers, Delivery Managers, Project/Team Leaders, Consultants, Senior Executives, IT Managers, Project Team Members, and PMO staff.

The major benefit of PMP certification is that it can give you a bump in your salry. PMP holders earn 16% more on average than non-certified project managers. (Source: PMI’s Earning Power Salary Survey, 12th Edition). Getting certified showcases core skills in project management that can be used in any country and in any industry. You can read our detailed article on PMP benefits for more details.

Generally, it takes 8-12 weeks to prepare and pass the exam but some people do it in less than a week.

This post is written to give you complete details about the PMP certification. You can also check out the PMI official site for more information. If you still have a doubt, you can contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.

You can follow the below-mentioned steps to become a certified PMP.

1. Enroll into our PMP certification training course.
2. Study hard and complete the course.
   
3. Register and submit your PMP application.
4. Become a member of the PMI.
   
5. Schedule your exam.
6. Pass the PMP exam and get certified.

Yes, you can apply for reevaluation. You can submit a written request to the PMI® Certification Department for reviewing their decision. Requests can be sent by postal mail to PMI, or by email to [email protected].

You can download soft copy of your PMP certificate from from your dashboard on pmi.org. You will also receive a formal certificate package 6 to 8 weeks after you pass the exam. Additionally, you will receive your digital badge through Credly that can be shared on social media platforms to mark your achievement.

You can be a project manager, portfolio manager or program manager after obtaining PMP certification. Your journey to any job role is made easier and more comfortable with PMP training.

Project management can be applied to various industries. For example civil, finance, healthcare and IT are the top industries that hire project managers. Our PMP course will help you become a PMP certified project manager.

To become a PMI Member, you can register on pmi.org. For $129, an individual membership fee covers one year. A $10 application fee will be required. There are other types of PMI membership which you can join according to your preference to know read our article about Membership of PMI.

The PMP exam is conducted online and offline both. There are 180 multiple-choice questions and the total time allotted for exam is 230 minutes. Learn more about the format of PMP certification exam.

Project Management Institute (PMI) recommends that you refer to the PMBOK guide 6th Edition for PMP exam preparation.

Check complete PMP exam reference list. 

You can also read our article to understand the difference between PMBOK Guide 6th and 7th editions.

The PMP certification exam can be difficult to crack. You can follow these steps to pass the exam.

• To prepare for the exam, create your own study schedule.
• For your PMP preparation, take a good e-learning course.
• Score at least 80% marks in the practice test simulator. You can try our exam simulator.

The passing score of PMP is not disclosed by the PMI (Project Management Institute). Here is a quote from PMP Handbook:

"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 help determine how many questions you must answer correctly to pass the exam. Each scored question on the exam is worth one point; and your final score is calculated by totaling the points you have earned on the exam."

Know more about PMP passing score.

A candidate can take the PMI exam up to three times within a calendar year. 

After you have completed your training, you can schedule your exam using Pearson VUE Instructions.

This comprehensive training program will help you prepare for and pass the PMP certification exam.

For professionals who want to learn project management basics, the PMP course is a step by step program developed by industry experts. Short video modules are used to explain the cutting-edge curriculum. This allows learners to quickly grasp the concepts. The PMP course will help you gain an understanding of all important concepts.

New domains have been added to the PMP Certification exam. They include a wider range of skills and approaches. The new PMP certification exam will be focused on three domains.

• People - This will be focusing on the skills and activities required to effectively lead a project team.
• Process - Strengthening the technical aspects of project management.
  
• Business Environment - Focusing on the link between projects and organizational strategies.

Learn about the different types of PMP exam questions.

According to indeed.com the average salary of a PM certified project manager is $135,798.

One contact hour is equal to one hour of classroom instruction. Only the hours you spent on project management in a PMP course can count towards the total.

PDUs are used to measure approved professional services and learning activities.

PMP certification can be a worthwhile investment of your time. This certification greatly increases your earning potential and organization's value. The certification allows you to be a leader in your organization because of the exceptional skills and best practice gained during PMP training.

You are eligible to take the exam three times for one calendar year. You must wait one year after the date of your last examination to reapply for certification if you fail three times during the one-year eligibility period.

You will be notified via email if your application is chosen for the audit process. PMI will require you to submit certain documents. These documents include:

• Copies of your education certificate.
• Signature of your supervisor or manager from the project you worked on.
  
• Required for PMP: Copy of 35 contact hours certificate

All required documents must be submitted within the time limit of 90 days. After you have submitted all documents, the audit process will take between 5-6 business days.

The documents can be signed by a manager, supervisor or other senior verified signatory.

By regular postal mail or express courier service you can send your complete documents. You must send all your documents in one envelope to expedite the processing time.

The certification fee will be refunded in the event of a failed audit. The Certification Department will review each case individually. PMI will deduct $100 from your application fee and the remaining fees will be refunded to you in the case of failure of the application audit.

To record your experience in leading or directing a project, use the experience verification section on the online application. No matter how many projects you have, record each project individually.

You can apply if you're eligible to take the PMP exam. To do this, you will need to create an account on the PMI site. The application will be found under the "my PMP” section.

It remains open for the next 90 days after you have submitted your application. It is not possible to cancel the application, but you can save it for later editing.

Within five business days of your submission, you will receive an acceptance confirmation.

The main fields of PMP application are:

• Personal information
• Educational information
• Contact hours
• Project Management experience
  

Read our article on PMP application process to get detailed information.

The requirements for PMP Certification are:

• Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or global equivalent) and minimum 5 years (60 months) of PM experience. Mandatory 35 contact hours of education.

OR

• 4-year degree (bachelor’s degree or global equivalent) and minimum 3 years (36 months) of PM experience. Mandatory 35 contact hours of education.

To get more information read our article on PMP requirements.

Renew your PMP certification by completing 60 Professional Development Units in the three-year cycle.

No. contact hours do not have any expiry date as long as you retain the proof (certificate). For example, if you earn the contact hours in 2019, there's nothing stopping you from taking the exam in 2020.

Yes. After three years, the PMP certification expires. To renew your PMP certification, you will need to earn 60 PDUs during these three years. It is easy to do this and you don't need to take the exam again.

PMI members pay $405 for certification, while non-members pay $555. You will need to pay $139 for membership in order to become a PMI Member.

No matter which option you choose, the PMP exam fee will cost you approximately $550. 

You have to request PMI at least 30 days prior to the expiry of the exam eligibility, in order to receive a refund. If you have not taken or scheduled the exam, PMI will charge a US$100 processing fee.

Joining the PMI membership can cost $130 ($129 annual membership fee, $10 application fee).

No. PMP Exam fees are not included in the PMP course.

The fee must be paid when you submit the application form. This is prior to the audit.