PMP Exam Fees
When you apply for the PMP exam there are exam fees paid to directly to PMI. The initial certification fee for non-members of PMI is $555. However, if you join PMI then the certification fee for members it’s only $405. As you can see this is a $150 difference. So, then the question is, well, what does it cost to join PMI? The cost to join PMI is $139. No surprise, it’s less if you join first and then pay for your exam fees. PMI will give you the option for both when you’re are filling out your application.
My advice is to join at least for your first year. It will save you a little bit of money on the exam and then you can decide whether you want to stay a member at the end of your first year. To hold your PMP certification there’s no requirement to stay a member, but if you do want to stay a member after the first year, it’s $129 to renew it.
One big advantage to becoming a PMI member is you can download the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) for free. If you join that would be one thing that you can do immediately. This will provide you with an electronic version of the PMBOK so that you can take it with you on your laptop or tablet in PDF format. The book itself is heavy and difficult carry around so having an electronic format is nice and light. Additionally, you can use the search function in Adobe Reader to look things up quickly, and that is something you cannot do with a paper version.
The second advantage to joining PMI is getting help maintaining your certification. Once you get your PMP certification, you’re going to want access to easy PDU’s (Professional Development Units). It may be worth it to keep your membership for that purpose. PMI provides access to many resources to obtain PDU’s such as online training and monthly local chapter meetings. (See my separate post on how to maintain your certification)
CAPM Exam Fees
If you are applying for the CAPM the initial certification fee is $300 for non-members and exam and $255 if you are a member. So, a little bit different equation here as the savings is only $45. But you can decide whether you want to get that super convenient electronic version of the PMBOK.
Exam Re-Take Fees
What happens if you don’t pass the exam on your first try, can you retake it? The answer is yes, you can retake it. In fact, last time I checked PMI allowed you to take the exam up to three times within any given year without having to re-do your application. However, you will have to pay to take the exam again. There is a PMP reexamination fee for members which is $275 and $375 for non-members. The CAPM reexamination fee is $150 for members and $200 for non-members.
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t pass on your first try. You don’t have to go through the application process again if you take the exam again within one year. And I have had people in my classes that have taken it twice or even three times and then passed. So, if you don’t pass it the first try, you should certainly retake it. Some people just either have a bad day or they really don’t study adequately and they don’t take it seriously. Then they realize, I need to buckle down and really study for this thing. They go back and usually pass it.
Start your free trial
If you are ready to start studying for the either the PMP or CAPM and would like to start your free trial of PMP made easy. Go to www.myprojectsource.com/easy. That includes unlimited access to the first four modules of the course.
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