If you want to become a CAPM, you might wonder about the CAPM certification cost.
The answer to this question is complex.
The cost requirements for the CAPM certification process vary from person to person. It is not a fixed cost because it depends on your requirements and circumstances. However, I can give you an idea of the approximate cost of earning this certification.
CAPM Certification Cost
Let’s start with the training cost.
CAPM Training Cost
You must attend a 23 contact hours training program in project management to become eligible to apply for the CAPM exam.
You won’t find many results if you search for a 23 CAPM contact hours training program. Among those, even fewer are known for their quality.
If you are looking for a reputable online CAPM training program, visit the course provided below. This program is offered by a renowned training provider and has the lowest cost.
Cornelius Fichtner’s CAPM Program
The cost of the CAPM training can vary from 9.95-199 USD.
If money is not an issue, you can join any 35 contact hours training program for the PMP certification exam and then apply for the CAPM exam. These training programs will give you more in-depth knowledge.
Also, if your CAPM certification is expired, you can apply for the PMP exam without attending any training.
The cost of a 35-contact-hour training program varies from 150 USD to 4,000 USD. Online PMP training programs are the cheapest, and classroom training is the costliest.
PMI Membership Fee
This is an optional investment.
I recommend joining the PMI before applying for the exam because membership offers immense benefits.
CAPM Exam Fee
The CAPM exam costs 225 USD if you are a PMI member and 300 USD for non-members.
CAPM Exam Retake Fee
If you fail the exam initially, you have two more attempts. The CAPM re-examination fee is 150 USD for PMI members and 200 USD for non-members.
Cost of CAPM Reference Book
This includes the cost of the CAPM reference books you will use for the CAPM exam preparation.
The first book is the PMBOK Guide. You must study this book to understand the flow of the project management process. The CAPM exam is based on this guide, so read the PMBOK Guide until you understand the processes.
This guide is free for PMI members; otherwise, you must buy it. The PMBOK Guide on Amazon costs 58.99 USD.
Many aspirants fall into the trap of ignoring the PMBOK Guide. They find it boring and limit their preparation to other reference books and training materials.
Don’t do this. You will face problems on the exam if you ignore the PMBOK Guide since the test is mostly derived from the Guide.
It may bore you on the first read, but you will enjoy it once you understand it.
There are many CAPM exam reference books available for your exam preparation. One of the most famous books is Rita Mulcahy’s CAPM exam preparation book, which costs 89.00 USD.
I recommend you purchase at least two good CAPM exam reference books, which will cost you around 150 USD.
Cost of CAPM Practice Questions
There are only a handful of training providers that offer CAPM simulators. The most well-known is Cornelius Fichtner.
You can buy this simulator for 69 USD and practice the sample questions:
Other CAPM Exam Certification Costs
The other CAPM costs are for optional materials like flashcards, apps, formula guides, etc.
Since these optional costs vary so much, I cannot give you an estimate for this section since you may or may not spend money on these.
Additional CAPM costs may include traveling, lodging, and food. I am also not including these expenses as they depend on your location and other choices. You will pay these expenses if you join a classroom training program that is unavailable at your location. You can avoid this cost by joining an online training program.
If the test center is unavailable at your location, you can go for a proctored test, attempt the CAPM exam from home, and avoid the test travel cost.
Total CAPM Cost
Now, let’s look at the total cost of the CAPM certification process:
So, the CAPM exam certification cost may vary from 441.99 USD to 577.99 USD.
The cost may vary from 451.94 USD to 776.99 USD if you don’t have experience in project management.
You may notice a small difference between the minimum and maximum cost. This is because I have not included live classroom training programs.
I do not recommend that you choose costly training for the CAPM certification.
* If you are a PMI member, you can download the PMBOK Guide for free. You can subtract the cost from the calculation.
** The exam fee is 225 USD if you are a PMI member. Otherwise, it is 300 USD.
Please adjust the cost if you are a PMI member. The PMI membership fee is 139.00 USD, and the renewal fee is 129.00 USD.
Summary
The cost of the CAPM varies between 441.99 USD and 776.99 USD. This may drastically increase the cost if you choose a classroom training program. Since this certification is an entry-level qualification, I do not recommend you spend too much on it. Pass the CAPM exam, get experience, and then apply for the PMP exam, which is more valued, highly regarded, and offers many more benefits.
Please note that the cost of the CAPM certification may go up or down depending on your preferences. The estimation given here is just a rough idea.
Further Readings:
I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.
