If you’re looking to further your career in project management or make an exciting career shift into one of the most up-and-coming industries in today’s market, exploring project management certification options can be a great option for you. Yet, with so many certifications available from hundreds of vendors, it can be tricky to narrow down your options. Read on to learn more about the best project management certification options for you.
The Best Project Management Certifications of 2023
| Certification Type | Best For | Average Exam Cost | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) | Preparing for the PMP Exam and Accreditation | $300 ($225 for PMI members) | $101,103 |
| Associate in Project Management (APM) | Best for Entry Level Project Management Preparation | $200 | $74,963 |
| Master Project Manager (MPM) | Best for Experienced Senior Project Managers | $300 | $81,646 |
| Google Project Management: Professional Certificate | Best Budget Friendly Entry Level Certification | NA | $80,567 |
| Project Management Professional (PMP) | Best Overall Certification for Project Management | $555 ($405 for PMI members) | $123,000 |
| PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) | Best for Agile Project Management | $495 ($435 for PMI members) | $117,000 |
| Certified Project Director (CPD) | Best for Project Directors | $210 | $125,302 |
| PRINCE2 Foundation | PRINCE-Focused Entry Level Project Managers | $1500* | $98,422 |
| PRINCE2 Practioner | PRINCE-Focused Experienced Project Managers | $1500* | $104,000 |
| PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) | Best for Risk Management Specializing Project Managers | $670 ($520 for PMI members) | $118,000 |
| Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) | Best for Executives Managing Project Portfolios | $1000 ($800 for PMI members) | $128,000 |
| PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) | Best for Project Scheduling | $670 ($520 for PMI members) | $110,000 |
| Professional Scrum Master I | Best for New Scrum Masters | $150 | $98,622 |
| Professional Scrum Master II | Best for Intermediate Scrum Masters | $250 | $103,455 |
| Professional Scrum Master III | Best for Advanced Scrum Masters | $500 | $124,078 |
*Pricing may vary based on individual package options offered through the vendor
Top 5 Project Management Certifications
1. Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
Description: The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification is an entry-level certification administered by the Project Management Institute that’s appropriate for new graduates, new project management professionals, and those making a transition into project management for the first time. The CAPM exam satisfies a majority of the requirements required to sit for the PMP exam and consists of 150 questions administered over a 3-hour time frame.
Price: PMI Member: $225.00 Non-Member: $300.00
Prerequisites and Requirements:
- Have a secondary degree, such as a high school diploma, GED (general educational development), or global equivalent
- Have at least 23 hours of project management education completed before the exam (PMI’s online Project Management Basics course can help fulfill this requirement)
2. Project Management Professional (PMP)
Description: The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, administered by the Project Management Institute, is widely recognized as the premier certification for project managers worldwide. The exam consists of a 180-question exam administered across a time frame of 230 minutes. The PMP certification is best for any project management professional looking to gain credibility and experience while advancing their career.
Price: PMI Member: $405.00 Non-Member: $575.00
Prerequisites and Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- 36 months of experience leading projects within the past eight years
- 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification
OR
- High School or Secondary School Diploma
- 60 months of experience leading projects within the past eight years
- 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification
3. PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
Description: The Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) certification, administered by the Project Management Institute, acknowledges superior experience and education surrounding Agile project management specifically. The exam covers a broad range of Agile frameworks, from Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming (XP), and test-driven development (TDD). The ACP certification is best for project managers who frequently work on Agile projects or want to expand their knowledge of Agile methodology.
Price: PMI Member: $435.00 Non-member: $495.00
Prerequisites and Requirements:
- Secondary degree
- 21 contact hours of training in agile practices
- 12 months of general project experience within the last 5 years (a current PMP or PgMP will satisfy this requirement but is not required to apply for the ACP exam)
- 8 months of agile project experience within the last 3 years
4. Google Project Management: Professional Certificate
Description: The Google Project Management Professional Certificate is a self-paced, entry-level certification that teaches the basics of entry-level project management, Agile methodology, and real-world project scenarios. One of the major perks of this certification is that it does not require any prerequisites and can be obtained for an affordable price. This certification is best for those who are looking to dip their toes into the field of project management before exploring more committed certification options.
Price: $49 per month (subscription-based model)
Prerequisites and Requirements: N/A
5. Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
Description: The Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) certification, administered by the Project Management Institute, is a certification for executives and senior project managers who are looking to expand their experience in multi-project portfolio management. Compared to other certifications, the PfMP certification is best for seasoned project management professionals, and, accordingly, requires the most extensive prerequisites of any project management certification.
Price: PMI Member: $800.00 Non-member: $1,000.00
Prerequisites and Requirements:
- All applicants must possess a minimum of 96 months of professional business experience within the last 15 years AND
- Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent)
- 84 months of portfolio management experience
OR
- All applicants must possess a minimum of 96 months of professional business experience within the last 15 years AND
- Four-year degree (bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent)
- 48 months of portfolio management experience
Read more: Scrum Master vs. Project Manager: What’s the Difference?
What Are The Benefits of Project Management Certifications?
While exploring continued education in the form of professional certifications takes some upfront investment and dedicated commitment, it can benefit you greatly in the long run. Here are just a few of the top benefits of investing in project management certifications:
- Certifications Help You Stand Out: In today’s competitive market, obtaining a recognized project management certification can help you stand out from the competition.
- Increased Earning Potential: Obtaining project management certifications is one of the fastest ways to increase your earning potential, with certain credentials improving earning potential by 20% or more, on average.
- Gain Valuable Credibility: Acquiring and maintaining a project management certification proves your mastery over key concepts and helps you stay fresh on new industry trends, improving your credibility as a professional.
- Make A Career Shift Into Project Management: If you’re looking to make the shift into project management from another industry, obtaining a project management certification to add to your resume can help you make a career pivot without going back to school.
- Help Bring New Frameworks and Ideas to Your Team: For existing project management professionals, exploring new certification options is a great way to master new project management methodologies and expand your professional toolbox while bringing new ideas to your team.
Best Project Management Certification Prep Course Providers
Master of Project Academy
Founded in 2012 by Resit Gulec, MBA, PMP, ITIL, Master of Project Academy is a top provider of online Project Management courses and training. Today, Master of Project Academy has helped over 300,000 professionals in more than 180 countries grow professionally through virtual project management courses, with an average first-attempt pass rate of 99.6% in the certification exams.
Read more: Master of Project Academy Review 2023
Project Management Institute (PMI) eLearning Courses
The Project Management Institute is the world’s largest and most trusted administrator of project management certifications. Naturally, it also offers project management professionals a wide variety of educational resources, including online courses to prepare for certification exams. PMI offers paid and free educational courses on all things project management, including courses tailored to support students in their path to obtaining specific certifications, from CAPM to PMP and more.
Read more: Project Management Institute (PMI) – Advancing the PM Profession
PMTraining
PMTraining was founded in 2004 by Christopher Scordo (PMP, ITIL), an author of over half a dozen best-selling project management guides. Today, PMTraining has over 100,000 international students and comprehensive on-demand training courses for numerous top project management certifications. Each course includes a variety of training materials, downloadables, one-on-one instructor access, and free re-enrollment if you don’t pass your certification exam.
Read more: Best PMP Exam Prep Books
