Getting CAPM certification is a good decision if you are interested in growing your career in project management. This entry-level certification is for professionals who do not have project management experience or who want to switch their careers to one in project management.
CAPM stands for “Certified Associate in Project Management,” and it is awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI, USA). This certification has more lenient eligibility requirements than PMP certification, which is a popular project-management credential and is the ultimate goal for many project professionals.
To get CAPM certification, you must first determine whether you meet the exam’s prerequisites.
CAPM Certification Requirements
CAPM certification has two requirements:
- Education
- Training
Education: You must hold a secondary diploma (often a high school diploma) or any global equivalent to qualify for the CAPM exam.
Training: You must attend a 23 contact hours program in project management.
Before April 2019, I used to recommend that CAPM aspirants attend PMP training instead of CAPM training because if they apply for the PMP exam in the future, they won’t have to attend another training for the PMP exam.
However, after April 2019, the PMI changed the rule. An active CAPM certification holder is not required to attend any training to apply for the PMP exam. The PMI has waived this condition for active CAPM certification holders.
You can join Cornelius Fichtner’s CAPM PrepCast online training program if you are searching for a CAPM training program. This is an affordable CAPM training program.
You can satisfy the training requirements by attending courses, workshops, and training sessions offered by the following types of education providers:
- PMI Registered Education Providers (REPs)
- PMI Approved Training Partners (ATPs)
- PMI Chapters*
- Employer or Company Sponsored Programs
- Training Companies or Consultants (e.g., training schools)
- Distance Learning Companies that Include an End-of-Course Assessment
- University/College Academic or Continuing Education programs
Neither PMI Chapter Meetings nor Self-Directed Learning [e.g., reading books, watching instructional videos, or sessions with coaches or mentors] will satisfy the 23-contact-hours requirement.
The educational activity is conducted for at least one hour during each chapter meeting, and the hour(s) spent on that activity can be used to fulfill the educational eligibility criteria.
One contact hour is equal to one hour of classroom participation. You will list 45 contact hours on the application if you have finished a 15-week, three-hour-per-week project management course at a university or college. If the project-management hours only comprise a fraction of the course, then only the hours spent on project management can be counted toward the total.
The degree program cannot be recorded since not all of the program’s classes apply to the requirement, even if you can record applicable classes that count toward a degree.
CAPM Certification Costs
The first cost is the CAPM training cost.
Very few training providers provide CAPM training programs. You can find them on this page.
If you are in a hurry, you can visit the following program directly to complete your CAPM training.
Cornelius Fichtner’s CAPM Program
CAPM training costs can vary from 0-199 USD.
The second optional investment is the PMI Membership.
I recommend you join the PMI before applying for the exam because membership offers you immense benefits, and your CAPM exam fee will be lower.
The third cost is the CAPM Exam Fee.
For a PMI member, the CAPM exam costs 225 USD; otherwise, it is 300 USD for non-members.
Although I hope you succeed on your first try, there is a retake fee for the CAPM exam if you don’t.
You have two more chances if you don’t pass the exam on your first try. For PMI members and non-members, the CAPM re-examination price is 150 USD and 200 USD, respectively.
The next cost is the CAPM study material, which includes reference books, mock tests, and simulators.
You must read the PMBOK Guide to understand the project management processes, which is the basis for the CAPM exam.
The PMBOK Guide on Amazon costs 58.99 USD for non-members and is free for PMI members.
Many aspirants find the PMBOK Guide tedious, so they read reference books and training materials and avoid studying the PMBOK Guide.
Remember that the PMBOK Guide is the basis for the CAPM exam, and you will see many direct questions from this guide. You may not like it initially, but you will enjoy reading the Guide once you understand it.
You will find many CAPM exam reference books; Rita Mulcahy’s CAPM exam preparation book is the most popular and costs around 89.00 USD.
I suggest reading two good CAPM exam reference books. You may spend around 150 USD here.
Now, we come to the cost of CAPM practice questions.
Very few training providers offer CAPM exam simulators. The most popular is Cornelius Fichtner’s CAPM exam simulator.
You can buy this simulator for 69 USD and practice the sample questions:
Other costs might be involved in preparing for the CAPM exam. These expenses may include the price of formula books, apps, flashcards, etc.
I won’t give you an estimate because the price may change in this area. You may or may not spend money on these resources.
Now that I’ve covered every expense associated with taking the CAPM exam, I hope you understand the cost of obtaining CAPM certification.
CAPM Exam Preparation
I’ll now provide you with a thorough CAPM exam preparation.
You should not start your CAPM exam preparation with the PMBOK Guide. It is a dry book, and reading it directly will demotivate you.
Start with Rita. Repeat it after giving it a full reading.
As soon as you feel at ease, you can begin reading the PMBOK Guide. Read it from beginning to end.
Repeat the process until you are comfortable with it. Then, you can start the second CAPM exam reference book.
You can now enroll in CAPM training.
Many CAPM hopefuls enroll in the training without consulting the PMBOK Guide or other reference material. Avoid doing that. By doing this, you will not benefit from the training and will have trouble understanding the concepts in the PMBOK Guide.
Start answering practice questions after you finish the training. Subscribe to any reputed CAPM exam simulator (such as this one) to practice sample questions.
Attempting around 1,000 questions is enough.
The CAPM Exam
Once you have finished your training, you should schedule your CAPM certification exam date. Give yourself three months.
You can take the CAPM exam at a Pearson VUE center or home.
If the exam center is available in your city, I recommend only attempting the exam from the center. You will be relaxed and free from the environment.
If you are attempting the exam from home, your exam is canceled even if the system hangs.
The CAPM exam has 150 multiple-choice questions, 15 of which are pretest questions. The marks of these pretest questions are not added to the exam score but are used as an effective, legitimate way to test the validity of future exam questions. All questions are placed randomly throughout the exam.
Although the exam has a three-hour time limit, you can finish it sooner.
There are no scheduled breaks for the CAPM certification. If you take the test in a testing facility, you can take a break, but the exam clock will keep running.
You are not permitted to leave your desk while taking the proctored exam. If you get up from your desk for any reason, the exam will be over. Eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum is forbidden during the exam.
Do not leave questions unanswered on the CAPM certification exam because there are no negative marks. Leaving a question unanswered will result in a score of zero while trying a question increases your chances of getting it right by 25%.
After you submit your answers, you have to fill out a survey, and then you can see your results. If you pass the test, you can immediately use the CAPM title.
CAPM Certification Renewal
Your CAPM certification is valid for three years. To renew your CAPM certification, you must earn 15 PDUs every three years to complete the CCR cycle and report PDUs to the PMI.
The PMI will renew your credentials for three more years.
What Are the Benefits of Getting CAPM Certification?
CAPM Certification is the most popular entry-level certification for project professionals, and earning the credential will certainly help you grow your career.
A few benefits of this credential are:
- Improves Your Skills: Earning CAPM certification will improve your project management skills, fill your knowledge gaps, and teach you the best project management tools and techniques. Your peers will respect you, and you will be known as an expert. Clients and management will trust you to fulfill your responsibilities effectively.
- Leads to More Interview Calls: I have seen recruiters looking for certified professionals on many job portals. Many organizations have mandated that applicants have active CAPM certification. So, if you have active CAPM credentials, you will receive more interview calls than someone who doesn’t.
- Helps You Become a PMP: If you are a CAPM, then becoming a PMP will be easier for you. PMP certification is the gold standard for project professionals. The PMP and CAPM exam content overlaps and your knowledge will be aligned with PMI methodologies and the PMBOK Guide. This certification will greatly help you prepare for the PMP exam.
CAPM Vs PMP
PMP certification is the most popular certification for project professionals. This certification does not compete with the CAPM but complements it.
A few key differences between these certifications are:
- Audience: Both certifications have different target audiences. CAPM certification is for professionals with little or no project-management experience, while PMP certification is for experienced project professionals.
- Requirement: CAPM and PMP requirements are different. For example, CAPM certification requires you to attend 23 hours of CAPM training, while PMP certification requires 35 hours. Click here for CAPM requirements, and here for PMP requirements.
- Career Impact: Both certifications can improve your career prospects, but I have witnessed better prospects with PMP certification. PMP certification is more valued, and recruiters give it more respect. You will be considered an expert. Clients and management will trust your ability to manage large and complex projects. CAPM certification can help you get an entry-level job.
Summary
Entry-level professionals or professionals from other fields who wish to change their careers to project management should pursue CAPM certification. Attending CAPM training and passing a computer-based exam are requirements for earning CAPM certification. After passing the exam, you will receive CAPM certification.
A few links in the post are affiliate links, and I earn a commission if you purchase after clicking. I recommend these resources because they are useful and effective, not because of my commissions. Please do not purchase unless you feel you need the materials or that they will help you achieve your goals. Read the disclaimer.
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.
