PMP Certification Cost: What Cost Items Should You Consider for 2019

The cost of PMP certification does not just include the PMP exam fee. What other aspects should you take into account for 2019, besides PMP training and study materials?

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and it is one of the most prestigious project management certification for project management professionals, recognized internationally.

The PMP certification cost has four main elements. Three of them are straightforward: the PMP certification exam fee, the cost of PMP certification training, and the price you pay for the official textbook. But there are also other not so obvious elements that you must take into account. I am going to pass these different elements of the PMP certification cost through a magnifying glass in the following headings.

PMP certification cost #1: Exam Fee

Source: Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certification Handbook. Last updated 30 October 2017, p. 11.

Center-based Testing (CBT) Vs. Paper-based Testing (PBT)

• Center-based Testing (CBT). Computer-based examination at a Prometric test center—a provider of technology-enabled testing and assessment solutions, PMI’s examination administration partner
• Paper-based Testing (PBT). Available as of 1 July 2017 if distance to a Prometric CBT site is more than 240 km (150 miles) or a Prometric CBT site is not available within the country of residence and traveling across country borders is prohibited/unduly burdensome.

Member Vs. Nonmember

PMP exam fees are determined by the PMI membership status of the PMP candidate for the geographic location, at the time of payment submission for the certification. Meaning that you can choose whether to take the PMP exam as a member of PMI or as a non-member.

• PMI membership holders.
  • PMI membership fee. US$139 (annual membership fee plus the 1st time registration fee).
    Joining PMI is not a requirement for the PMP exam, however as a member you have several advantages:
    • One year duration of the PMI membership
    • Free access for downloading important documents about project management, including a free copy of the latest edition PMBOK Guide
    • once gloriously PMP certified, you will also be able to gain the required PMP PDU (in education) for FREE through watching the webinars and joining the annual online conferences for members only.
  • PMP exam fee. US$405.
  • PMI membership fee plus PMP exam fee. US$544. If you choose to become a PMI member at the time of your application, you will just have to pay US$544 for the exam fee and the membership fee combined.
• Non-members of PMI
  • PMP exam fee. US$555.

Reexamination CBT/PBT

Candidates do not always pass the examination on their first attempt. PMI allows a one-year eligibility period in which to pass the examination. During the eligibility period, you may take the examination up to three times. Each exam retake costs an additional PMP exam fee of:

• PMI member. US$275
• PMI nonmember. US$375.

PMP Certification Cost #2: Project Management Training Course for the 35 Contact Hours

Before being able to take the PMP certification exam, you need to meet certain criteria. One of the most important prerequisites is to attend a project management course at least for 35 hours. 

You can gain the required 35 Contact Hours Certificate for your PMP application in the following ways:

• PMP Certification classroom training. No fixed price. It varies from one country to another, ranging from US$500 (China, India) to US$2000 (Arabian Countries). If you take the project management education in South America, you might spend around US$600. US$1200 in Europe. American, Canadian, and Australian PMP boot camps might charge you US$1500 for a PMP certification workshop
• PMP certification online training.  Prices vary between US$200 and US$500
• Former education. e.g. university courses.

PMP Certification Cost #3: PMBOK Guide 6th edition

As officially stated on the PMI website, “Although the PMP is not a test of the PMBOK Guide®, it is one of the primary references for the exam”—and the one you can’t absolutely miss, if I may. In September 2017 PMI has released the latest version of the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide—PMBOK Guide – Sixth Edition. To ensure the exam content is consistent with the PMBOK Guide, the PMP exam changes as of 26 March 2019. 

PMBOK Guide 6th edition price varies depending on your PMI membership status:

• PMI member. PMBOK Guide — Sixth Edition and Agile Practice Guide, US$49.50 sold on marketplace.pmi.org
• PMI nonmember. PMBOK Guide — Sixth Edition only, US$67.61/€69.29 (paperback version) and US$66.69/€48.38 (e-book version) sold on Amazon.com.

PMP Certification Cost #4: “Hidden Costs”

Here are a few hidden PMP certification costs:

• Preparation time. A realistic study plan for the PMP Certification exam may consist of 3 or 4 months of 5 or 6 hours study a week. What is the cost of it? Well, if you don’t care for your precious leisure time, none.
• PMP exam prep reference book. Free to about US$100
• PMP practice exams/mock exam questions. Free to about US$130
• PMP exam travel expenses. Such as hotel bill.

How Much Does the PMP Certification Cost?

To sum up, PMP certification cost depends mostly on which type of project management training course you decide to take.

If you take the exam in the US, the PMP certification exam may cost you at its lowest:

• PMP certification classroom training course. PMI membership fee (US$139) plus project management classroom training course (US$1500) plus PMP exam fee (US$405). Totaling to US$2044
• PMP certification online training course. PMI membership fee (US$139) plus project management online training course (US$200) plus PMP exam fee (US$405). Totaling to US$744.

Remember: for better financial planning of your PMP exam expenses don’t forget the extra items I’ve mentioned above, other than the fees for the training or the fee for the exam.

And now, enough with Dollars and Euros, it’s time for starting to prepare for your PMP certification exam.

What about some tips to pass it at your first try?

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Good luck with your exam!