Why get certification?

• Forbes ranked PMP® certification as number 2 in their list of 16+ High Paying Certifications for Remote Jobs in 2024
• PMP® certification is listed first in LinkedIn’s Top 10 Certification Programs to Get High Salary Jobs (2023).
• PMP® certification holders earn 33% more  than those without certification, according to Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey – Thirteenth Edition (2023).
• Note: If you don’t have enough experience, the CAPM can be a good stepping stone, but the PMP is much more valuable.
• You can also earn various agile certifications, as described in this article summarizing three different ones.
• Good article on the real value of certifications: The Certification Trap: Collecting Badges Won’t Make You a Better PM

Sample PMP Exam Questions

• PM PrepCast 120 free sample questions updated for the 2021 exam
• PM Challenge Questions
• PMI prototype questions (note the new types of questions like drag and drop, hot spot, and multiple answer multiple choice)
• Andrew Ramdayal’s 5 Practice Questions in 13 Minutes – great video with great advice on the new exam
• Sample PMP questions created by Kathy Schwalbe
• Other free quizzes based on Kathy Schwalbe’s An Introduction to Project Management, Seventh Edition under the 7e Resources tab

Links with info on earning certifications:

• CAPM^® certification information directly from PMI
• PMP® certification information directly from PMI
• Note about PMP® exam changes as of January 2, 2021: The new exam is based on the Exam Content Outline. Here’s a link to PMI’s site for info on exam changes. The exam content crossover map found from this link summarizes changes. Most of the new topics are in my current books (servant leadership, knowledge transfer, emotional intelligence, project methodologies, agile, etc.). Here’s another link to check for updates as well and a podcast from PMI on the new exam. Also note that PMI has created standard PMP exam materials and train the trainer courses for Authorized Training Partners.
• The new exam includes 180 questions, and you have 230 minutes to complete it. There are two 10-minute breaks for computer-based tests. Questions include multiple-choice, multiple response, matching, host spot, and fill-in-the-blank.
• My two books published in 2021 (Intro PM 7th edition and Healthcare PM 3rd edition) include a separate chapter on certification. Also note that an older edition of one of my books is on PMI’s exam reference list. I suggest you use my newest books published in 2021 for current content.
• PMI Talent Triangle Update

Micro Credentials

PMI also offers several micro credentials you can earn. As of May 2023, there were eleven of them. Examples include agile hybrid project pro, citizen development practitioner, and organizational transformation foundation.

How to get 35 PM education hours

• College courses, continuing education, PMP exam preparation, and similar courses related to project management definitely count. Remember there is no time limit on when the courses were taken.
• A general course in leadership or management probably would not count. If there is a section of the course on project leadership or stakeholder management, for example, those hours should count.
• Grow with Google project management certification is an inexpensive online program to help you learn more about the field. You can earn up to 100 education hours that apply toward PMI’s certifications as well.