The gold standard project management certification — globally recognised, significantly boosts salary, and validates both predictive and agile PM approaches.
Exam cost
$405 USD (members) / $555 (non-members)
Duration
230 minutes
Questions
180 questions
Valid for
3 years
PMP practice questions — live on Courseiva
900+ scenario-based PMP questions covering all three ECO domains: People, Process, and Business Environment.
Key facts for the PMP Certification exam.
Exam cost
$405 USD (members) / $555 (non-members) / ~£320 / £440
Duration
230 minutes
Question count
180 questions
Passing score
Above the target score (pass/fail, no numeric threshold published)
Validity
3 years
Delivered by
Pearson VUE
Online proctored
Yes — available
Retake policy
3 attempts within 1-year eligibility window
Question formats
The Project Management Professional (PMP) is issued by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is the most widely recognised project management credential in the world. It validates skills across both predictive (waterfall) and agile/hybrid project methodologies, stakeholder engagement, team leadership, risk management, and project governance. Unlike vendor certifications that test technical knowledge, PMP tests the ability to make sound project management decisions under realistic, complex conditions. Approximately 50% of exam questions are scenario-based agile/hybrid situations.
Official prerequisite
4-year degree + 36 months PM experience + 35 hours PM education, OR high school diploma + 60 months PM experience + 35 hours PM education
Recommended experience
3–5 years of active project management experience; familiarity with both waterfall and agile methodologies
36–60 months of documented project leadership experience (not just participation). Requires experience directing and leading projects.
Should you skip this exam?
If you cannot yet document the required project management experience, start with the CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management), which has no experience prerequisite. If your PM role is secondary to a technical role, CompTIA Project+ (PK0-005) is more proportionate.
Courseiva study tip
Approximately 50% of PMP questions are agile/hybrid scenarios — do not study only waterfall/PMBOK. PMI's preferred answers are always: follow the process, communicate proactively, engage stakeholders, submit a change request before acting. Memorise this decision framework and it unlocks most situational questions.
UK salary range
£55,000–£90,000
US salary range
$85,000–$140,000
Job roles that cite PMP
What certification to take next
PMP (Project Management Professional) is a certification from PMI (Project Management Institute). It is the most widely recognised project management credential globally, validating skills in both waterfall and agile project management, stakeholder engagement, team leadership, and risk management.
The PMP exam costs $405 USD for PMI members and $555 USD for non-members. PMI membership costs $139/year and is worth purchasing before registering — it saves $150 on the exam fee and includes free access to the PMBOK Guide.
To sit PMP you need: (a) a four-year degree plus 36 months of project leadership experience and 35 hours of PM education, OR (b) a high school diploma plus 60 months of PM experience and 35 hours of education. All experience must be in a role where you led and directed projects.
PMP is one of the harder professional certifications. It has 180 questions in 230 minutes, with approximately 50% agile/hybrid scenario questions. The first-attempt pass rate is estimated at 60–65%. Most candidates need 150–250 hours of study. The challenge is applying PMI's preferred decision-making approach to ambiguous scenarios, not memorising definitions.
Yes — for project management professionals. PMP holders earn a median of 20–33% more than non-certified peers. In the UK, PMP project managers earn £55,000–£90,000; in the US, $85,000–$140,000. It is most valuable when project management is your primary role, not a secondary responsibility.
CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) is PMI's entry-level credential with no experience requirement. PMP requires 36–60 months of documented project leadership. CAPM is a stepping stone; PMP is the career credential that opens senior roles and higher salaries.
Yes — PMP is valid for 3 years and requires 60 PDUs (Professional Development Units) to renew. PDUs come from professional development activities: courses, conferences, volunteering, and self-directed learning.
See how PMP stacks up against related certifications.
Courseiva provides free PMP Certification (PMP) practice questions with original exam-style questions, detailed explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics. Courseiva is an independent platform and is not affiliated with Project Management Institute.