To earn the PMP®, candidates must meet education and experience requirements detailed below, agree to a professional code of conduct, and pass the PMP® Exam. It is advised that you download the PMP® Handbook to review the complete PMP® eligibility requirements and the Exam Content Outline for PMP® Exam details. If you have specific questions, contact PMI directly.

Education and Experience Prerequisites

To apply for the PMP®, you must meet all education and experience prerequisites in one of the following two categories:

General Education:
4-year degree

Project Management Experience:
36 months leading projects

Project Management Education:
35 hours of project management education/training* or CAPM® Certification

General Education:
A high school diploma or an associate’s degree (or global equivalent)

Project Management Experience:
60 months leading projects

Project Management Education:
35 hours of project management education/training* or CAPM® Certification

*This requirement may be met by successfully completing a CertWise Global Partner course. Contact the individual course provider for more information.

PMP Exam Details:

  • 180 multiple choice questions (175 scored questions + 5 unscored/pre-test questions).
  • 230-minute time limit.
  • You have a choice of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) administered by Pearson VUE testing centers (paper-based testing is available under limited circumstances), or an Online Proctored Test (OPT) in the comfort of your home or office while being monitored via webcam and microphone.
  • Two 10-minute breaks for computer-based tests. No scheduled breaks for paper-based exams.
  • Exam is administered in English.
  • Exam content weighted by the three domains from the PMP® Examination Content Outline, updated June 2019:
    I. People (42%)
    II. Process (50%)
    III. Business Environment (8%)
  • Exam eligibility period is one year from your exam application approval date. You may test three times in one year.
  • You will receive a printed copy of your exam results immediately after completing your CBT exam. This will include pass/fail status and a proficiency level by domain (Proficient, Moderately Proficient, Below Proficient).

For complete details regarding the PMP® eligibility requirements and the PMP<sup>®</sup> Exam, please review the PMP® Handbook.