Certification

Project Management Professional (PMP)®

3+ years of experience leading projects

Demonstrate your ability to lead projects in any industry with this globally recognized certification and open the door to a world of opportunities. The Project Management Professional® certification acknowledges candidates who are skilled at managing the people, processes and business priorities of professional projects.

Certification

Project Management Professional (PMP)®

3+ years of experience leading projects

Demonstrate your ability to lead projects in any industry with this globally recognized certification and open the door to a world of opportunities. The Project Management Professional® certification acknowledges candidates who are skilled at managing the people, processes and business priorities of professional projects.

Exam Content Outline (ECO)
The PMP Exam Content Outline details eligibility and application steps. Review the exam domains—people, processes, and business environment—and the project management tasks the test covers in each.

About the Exam

Exam length

180 questions

Exam time

240 minutes

Languages

  • English
  • Arabic
  • Brazilian Portuguese
  • Chinese (Simplified)
  • Chinese (Traditional)
  • French
  • German
  • Indonesian
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Polish
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Turkish

Your Path to PMP Certification

Check your eligibility

Part of the reason PMP is the gold standard is because professionals need to meet strict criteria before they can take the certification exam.

Before you apply, make sure you meet one of the following sets of PMP certification requirements, beginning with the type of education and experience you have, then training:

Education and Experience Requirements

You’ll need ONE of the following:

  • High School Diploma

    (or GED, Secondary/Upper School Certificate)

    Plus: 5 years of experience leading projects

  • Associate’s Degree or Vocational Trade School Diploma

    Plus: 4 years of experience leading projects

  • Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

    Plus: 3 years of experience leading projects

  • PMI GAC Program

    Bachelor’s or Post-Graduate Degree from a PMI Global Accreditation Center Program

    Plus: 2 years of experience leading projects

What counts as project leadership experience?

Add up time that you led projects in a professional setting—taking responsibility for planning, decisions, delivery and outcomes—within the last 10 years.

Don’t double-count time for projects that overlapped.

Project Professional Training Requirements
You’ll need 35 hours of Project Professional training via ONE of the following:

General FAQs

Get Project Professional training
Don’t have 35 hours of Project Professional training? Don’t worry.

Our self-paced exam prep fulfills the application’s training requirements. Or, explore instructor-led training, online or in-person, with a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP).

Search the directory before enrolling to confirm your training provider qualifies.

Find an Authorized Training Partner

eLearning

Instructor-Led PMP® Exam Prep Courses

Get exam-ready with a PMI Authorized Training Partner. Choose from online or in-person courses, gain expert instruction, and stay on track.

Learn More
Study your way
Preparing for your PMP exam is key to passing.

From a gamified PMI Study Hall® to an online practice exam, explore all the ways to get ready for the big day.

Learn more about PMP Exam Prep

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      Get ready for exam day

      What to Expect on Exam Day

      First, congratulations!

      You’re one step closer to advancing your career. Once your application is accepted, you’ll pay your exam fee and schedule your exam.

      Here’s what to expect on exam day:

      • Format: 180 questions
      • Time: You’ll have 4 hours to complete the exam
      • Associated exam content: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%
      • Breaks: Includes two 10-minute breaks
      • Delivery Options: You can take your exam in person at a Pearson Vue Testing Center (recommended) or securely online
        • If testing online, be sure to run a system test, choose a private space and have a valid photo ID ready. Learn how to prepare.
      • Exam Retake: You may take the exam up to three times in one year.

      Need exam accommodations?

      PMI offers free modifications to your exam experience for disabilities, medical conditions or other needs.

      View Exam Accommodations

      Sample Exam Questions

      (Correct answers are bolded)

      1. A Project Manager is leading a project that is approaching a major release. During a review meeting, a key stakeholder requests a significant change that could improve customer satisfaction but may delay the release date.

      What should the Project Manager do first?

      A. Immediately reject the change request as it will affect the approved schedule.

      B. Implement the change to maximize customer satisfaction as a key success measure.

      C. Evaluate the impact of the change and follow the established change control process.

      D. Discuss with the project team to determine if they are comfortable with the delayed release date.

      2. A project stakeholder repeatedly gives directions to project team members that conflict with the approved project plan. Team members are confused about priorities, and work is starting to slip. The stakeholder is influential and says the changes are minor.

      What should the Project Manager do next?

      A. Update and reprioritize the project plan to reflect the latest direction

      B. Document the issue and continue work without addressing the stakeholder

      C. Advise the team to follow the directions since changes are minor

      D. Meet with the stakeholder and review roles, authority and impacts

      3. During testing, a key supplier reports a possible two-week delay in delivering a required component. The project is on a tight deadline, and no schedule reserve remains. The sponsor is asking whether the launch date is still safe.

      What should the Project Manager do first?

      A. Tell the sponsor the deadline is still achievable for now

      B. Instruct the team to compress the schedule immediately

      C. Assess the impact and evaluate response options with the team

      D. Escalate the issue to the sponsor and request direction on next steps

      Get ready for the big day with our full, online practice exam.

      Project Management Professional (PMP)® Practice Exam

      A realistic, full-length simulation exam designed to help you assess readiness and prepare for the PMP® certification.

      Learn More

      What to Expect on Exam Day

      First, congratulations!

      You’re one step closer to advancing your career. Once your application is accepted, you’ll pay your exam fee and schedule your exam.

      Here’s what to expect on exam day:

      • Format: 180 questions
      • Time: You’ll have 4 hours to complete the exam
      • Associated exam content: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%
      • Breaks: Includes two 10-minute breaks
      • Delivery Options: You can take your exam in person at a Pearson Vue Testing Center (recommended) or securely online
        • If testing online, be sure to run a system test, choose a private space and have a valid photo ID ready. Learn how to prepare.
      • Exam Retake: You may take the exam up to three times in one year.

      Need exam accommodations?

      PMI offers free modifications to your exam experience for disabilities, medical conditions or other needs.

      View Exam Accommodations

      Exam FAQs

      How the PMP certification pays off

      Hear how investing in themselves by earning the PMP has opened doors and created new opportunities for these project leaders.

      Maintaining your PMP certification

      Earning your certification is a big step.
      Maintaining it shouldn’t be.

      Continuing education is core to PMI certification. PMP holders need to earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) in each three-year renewal cycle to maintain certification.

      Each PDU represents one hour spent:

      • Learning
      • Teaching others
      • Presenting
      • Reading
      • Volunteering
      • Content creating
      Learn More About Maintaining

      Maintaining & PDU FAQs

      Looking to certify your whole team?

      Build a stronger organization with PMP® certified teams that deliver results.

      Explore different enterprise options for learning and certification that fit your team when you connect with a specialist.

      Learn More