PMP or CAPM?

Determining which credential to apply for is not as straightforward as you may think. It is very tempting to want to jump straight into the PMP. However, there are two hurdles that any budding PMP must jump: actual project management experience and project management education. It may also not be necessary to have the PMP. If you are a project team member or stakeholder, the CAPM may well be sufficient for your needs. Use the flowchart in Figure C.1 to determine the exam for which you are eligible, and see also Table C.1 which lists further details.

Figure C.1. PMP or CAPM decision tree

Table C.1. PMP or CAPM?

Credential	Educational background	Project management experience	Project management education
PMP	High school diploma or equivalent	7,500 hours in a position of responsibility leading and directing specific tasks and 60 months of project management experience	35 contact hours
PMP	Degree or equivalent	4,500 hours leading and directing specific tasks and 36 months of project management experience	35 contact hours
CAPM	High school diploma or equivalent	1500 hours of work on a project	None
CAPM	High school diploma or equivalent	None	23 contact hours
Adapted from PMI website, http://www.pmi.org/

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