The PMP exam is among the most difficult in project management. It is one of the most valuable and lucrative certifications that IT professionals can earn to advance their career. PMP was ranked as one of Robert Half’s Top 10 Highest Paying IT Certifications For Tech Pros, with a salary of $115.500, according to their 2019 Technology Salary Guide.
PMP certification can also benefit businesses through increased productivity. According to the Project Management Institute, when at least a third of project managers are PMP certified, more projects will be completed on time, with budget and the original goals met.
The exam is not easy, but it can be achieved if you are willing to put in the effort. We’ll look at just how difficult is the PMP test and how you can prepare for it.
PMP Certification Basics
Let’s first review the PMP certification basics. The Project Management Institute offers a professional certification called the PMP. The PMP certification is not just for IT professionals, but also applies to all project managers. PMP certification is considered to be the gold standard in project management certifications. PMP certified project managers can work in virtually any industry.
The PMP exam is divided into five domains. (More on these in a moment) It heavily relies on the PMBOK Guide (Product Management Body of Knowledge). The PMBOK sixth edition, published in 2017 is the reference used for the PMP exam.
The cost of the PMP is currently $405 USD to PMI members, and $555 to non-members. The PMP exam is not an entry level exam. There are several prerequisites that a candidate needs to meet before they can sit for the PMP.
The 7,500 hours (or 4,500, if you hold a bachelor’s) of project management is one of the most difficult requirements for PMP candidates. This piece explains that accumulating those hours may be easier than you think.
PMP Exam Questions and Topics
We can now move on to the subject of PMP exam difficulties. What better place to begin than with the domains of the exam and the questions? The difficulty of the PMP test will depend on how well you understand these concepts before taking it.
The PMP test is multiple-choice (no labs or essays — breathe a big sigh! The PMP exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. Only 175 questions are scored. To allow PMI to test test questions, the remaining 25 are scattered throughout the test. You have four hour to answer all 200 questions.
The PMP exam includes the following five areas. You can see that certain domains get more attention on the PMP exam than others.
- Initiating — 13 %
- Planning — 24%
- Execution — 31%
- Monitoring and Controlling – 25%
- Closing — 7 %
These domains cover many project management basics. You will need to be familiar with concepts like change management, process analysis, and continuous improvement. Check out the PMP content outline for a detailed breakdown of each domain. While the PMP exam is not too math-intensive, you will need to know how to calculate present value, perform a PERT analysis and understand schedule variance.
You will not only need to be able to understand concepts and terms. You will also need to know how to apply this knowledge to real-world scenarios.
How is the PMP Scored?
There is no specific PMP passing score. You will receive a report with the following information: a pass/fail score, a performance grade for the entire exam, and a rating for each domain covered by the PMP.
There are many common misconceptions regarding the passing score for the PMP test. These misconceptions are a result of the fact that PMI published passing scores for the PMP test. This information is not accurate if you see PMP passing scores of 60.6% or 61%, 68.5% or 80.6%. Since the mid-2000s, PMI no longer publishes specific passing scores.
How is a passing grade determined? PMI uses “sound psychometric analyses” instead of a percentage to determine a passing grade. PMI determines the passing score by using SMEs to assess the number of questions that a candidate needs to answer correctly to pass the PMP test.
Although it is difficult to determine what a “good” score is on practice tests due to the lack of specific scores, there are a number of empirical studies that can help. PMP has a fairly large and active community of certification-holders and hopefuls across various forums. They say that if you consistently score between 70 and 80% on the most recent practice tests, then you’re ready to take your test.
It’s important not to fall into the trap that you only memorize practice test questions and their answers. You should have many practice questions, preferably coming from different sources.
Exam failure rates: What you can learn
The exam failure rate is a good indicator of the difficulty of an examination. PMI does not publish the official pass/fail rate of exams, so this number isn’t known for sure. The general consensus is that first-time test takers fail at a rate of 40-50%.
You can retake an exam three times in a year if you fail it. PMI members pay $275 USD and non-members $375 USD as a reexamination charge. Note that these fees are for each retake of the exam.
Can you pass the PMP exam with “below target” performance in one domain?
Performance ratings are listed on the PMP result report (from worst-to-best) as “Needs Improvement”, ‘Below Target’, ‘Target” and Above Target. PMP candidates often wonder if they will fail if their rating is “Below target” in a particular domain. It’s good to know that this is not true.
Multiple reports have indicated that candidates passed the PMP test despite scoring “Below target” in one or more of the five domains. The sample PMP report actually shows a “Pass” overall score, despite the fact that the “Monitoring and Controlling” domain scored “Below Target”.
How PMP Difficulty Compares
You can get a better understanding of by comparing the PMP with other exams. Let’s compare the PMP with three other projects management exams: CAPM (Certified Associates in Project Management), Project+ and ITIL Foundation.
PMI offers another project management certificate, the CAPM. The CAPM exam is slightly easier than the PMP because it is at an associate level. In other words, the CAPM exam is similar to the PMP exam in that it is a little easier.
CompTIA’s Project+ certification is a basic project management certification. It focuses on the fundamental concepts of project management. The Project+ certificate is aimed at people who manage small to medium sized projects. The Project+ exam, given its scope, is easier than the CAPM or PMP exams. Check out the article for a more in-depth look at PMP.
The ITIL Foundation is a certification that focuses on IT project management. It differs from CAPM, Project+ and PMP in that it focuses exclusively on IT project. This certification is an introduction into the ITIL framework, and it focuses on creating value for customers and stakeholders. The ITIL foundation exam has a narrower focus and is more fundamental. It is therefore not as challenging as the PMP.
PMP seems to be more difficult than many other popular project-management certificates. What about IT certifications as a whole?
The PMP exam has a steep curve in terms of difficulty. The PMP was ranked No. The PMP exam was ranked No. 2 in our list of the 10 most difficult IT certifications. It is only behind the notoriously hard CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert), exams.
How to increase your chances of passing
Let’s examine how to increase your chances of passing the PMP exam on your first attempt.
The PMBOK is a valuable resource. The PMBOK contains authoritative information about PMI project management. Understanding and reviewing the PMBOK thoroughly will help you understand the concepts and principals that will be covered in the exam.
Take a class. Enrolling in PMP courses from a reputable company is a great way to make sure that you are prepared for the exam. Online courses allow you to study on your own schedule.
Study for the PMP exam. PMI estimates that PMP candidates spend an average of 35+ hours studying. This is a good starting point, but what you find works best for you will vary. You should allow enough time for you to fully understand the concepts, given your learning curve and experience.
The conclusion of the article is:
The PMP is a challenging and in-depth exam. The PMP exam covers a wide range of project management subjects and goes beyond what is covered in entry-level exams. It is a difficult exam, but it’s not impossible. You can easily pass the PMP with the right study methods and resources.