The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification is an entry-level credential for candidates who want to enter the project management domain. If you are wondering about the cost investment for CAPM certification, then we are going to list down all the costs that you will have to incur for the exam fee, training fee, reference material for the exam, and so on.
However, the cost investment will ultimately vary from person to person as CAPM course costs may differ among various training providers or the cost of reference books selected for exam preparation will also differ. Let’s take a look at these costs.
CAPM Examination Cost
The exam cost for the CAPM certification is as follows:
- PMI member- $225
- Non-PMI member- $300
CAPM Membership Cost
PMI offers CAPM aspirants a membership plan to enjoy various perks of being a PMI member such as the free download of the PMBOK guide, access to PM job boards, and so on. Moreover, the exam cost is relatively cheaper for PMI members than for non-members.
You can opt for the membership at $129 and a $10 one-time application fee for the entire year.
CAPM Re-Examination Fees
Every CAPM exam taker gets 3 attempts in a year to clear the CAPM exam. If you are unable to clear the exam on the first attempt, you will have to pay the following reexamination fees:
- PMI members- $150
- Non-PMI member- $200
CAPM Training Cost
One of the CAPM certification requirements is 23 hours of project management training/education. To earn 23 hours of training, you have the option to either go for the Project management basics course offered by PMI itself or you can select PMI authorized training providers.
The cost of the Project management basics course by PMI is as follows:
- PMI member- $350
- Non-PMI member- $400
On the other hand, any good CAPM training from a reputed education provider can range between 6000-15000 INR.
CAPM Reference Books Cost
This section includes the cost that you are going to incur for CAPM exam books for preparation. The first and foremost guide that you will have to get is the PMBOK guide. If you are a PMI member, you will be able to download the PMBOK guide for free. However, if you are not a PMI member, you have to purchase the guide from Amazon at $59.82 USD.
Now, there are various other CAPM reference books that you can buy for better exam preparation. The cost of other good reference material for the CAPM examination can range between $90-$100 USD.
Practice Test Cost
After your preparation, you can go for full-length CAPM practice tests to evaluate your knowledge and skills on various topics of the CAPM exam. The cost for Practice tests may range between $50-$60.
Certification Renewal Fees
The CAPM certification is valid for 3 years, and after 3 years you can renew your certification by earning 15 PDUs (Professional development units) and paying the renewal fees. The renewal fees are as follows:
- PMI members- $60
- Non-PMI members- $150
Conclusion
So, these are the costs involved in the CAPM certification process. You can think of the CAPM certification as an investment for the future as the scope of a CAPM is very wide with high salary perks. Therefore, the total cost of CAPM certification that can be expected is somewhere between $500-700$.
