PrepCertified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
The CAPM is PMI's entry-level project management certification. It needs no project experience, only a secondary diploma and 23 hours of project management education. The exam covers project management fundamentals, predictive and agile approaches, and business analysis, and it is a common first step before the PMP.
Who it is for
- Students and recent graduates who want a recognised project management credential before they have project experience
- Project coordinators, team members and junior analysts who want to show they understand how projects are run
- Business analysts and specialists who work on project teams and want a common vocabulary with project managers
- People planning to take the PMP later (an active CAPM waives the PMP's 35-hour education requirement)
The exam at a glance
| CAPM | |
|---|---|
| Exam | Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Exam (Exam Content Outline, 2023 Exam Update) |
| Questions | 150 (135 scored, 15 unscored pretest) |
| Time | 180 min |
| Format | Multiple choice, drag-and-drop (enhanced matching), animation and comic-strip items, and possibly hot spot questions. One optional 10-minute break after questions 1-75; once you start the break you cannot return to the first section. Online proctored candidates see comic strips instead of animations. Delivered at Pearson VUE test centers or online proctored; paper-based in some locations (only paper-based in Mainland China). Available in English and several translated languages. |
| Passing | PMI does not publish a fixed passing score. PMI exams are criteria-based: the passing standard is set by psychometric analysis, only scored items count, and the score report shows overall pass/fail with diagnostic performance for each domain. |
| Price | USD 225 (PMI member) / USD 300 (non-member), per secondary sources. PMI states fees depend on membership status and regional pricing, and the member rate applies only if your membership is active when you pay. |
| Prerequisites | Secondary diploma (high school diploma, GED or global equivalent) and 23 hours of project management education completed before the exam. No project experience required. |
| Validity | 3-year certification cycle. Renew by earning 15 PDUs every 3 years (at least 9 in Education, at most 6 in Giving Back to the Profession) and paying the renewal fee. Exam eligibility lasts 1 year from approval, with up to 3 attempts; after 3 failed attempts you must wait 1 year before reapplying. |
Checked against the official PMI pages on 2026-11-07: www.pmi.org, www.pmi.org, www.pmi.org. Exam details change; confirm on the issuer's site before you book. Some details could only be confirmed from secondary sources and are marked for re-checking.
Exam domains
CAPM
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts | 36% |
| Predictive, Plan-Based Methodologies | 17% |
| Agile Frameworks/Methodologies | 20% |
| Business Analysis Frameworks | 27% |
How to prepare
- Read the official CAPM Exam Content Outline and use its domains and tasks as your study checklist
- Complete 23 hours of project management education and keep the certificate in case your application is audited
- Give the most time to Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts (36%) and Business Analysis Frameworks (27%)
- Practise the calculations the outline names, such as critical path, schedule variance and cost variance
- Learn when predictive and adaptive approaches fit, and the basics of Scrum, Kanban, XP and SAFe
- Take full practice exams of 150 questions in 3 hours and review why each wrong option is wrong
CAPM guides
FAQ
How hard is the CAPM exam?
It is an entry-level exam, but it covers a wide range: fundamentals, predictive and agile approaches, and business analysis. Many questions are short scenarios where you apply a concept rather than recall a definition. PMI does not publish a passing score.
Do I need project experience for the CAPM?
No. You need a secondary diploma (or global equivalent) and 23 hours of project management education completed before you sit the exam.
How do I keep the CAPM active?
The CAPM runs on a 3-year cycle. Earn 15 PDUs in each cycle, at least 9 of them from education, and pay the renewal fee.
How much does the CAPM cost?
Secondary sources report USD 225 for PMI members and USD 300 for non-members. PMI says prices depend on membership status and region, so check pmi.org before you pay.