PMI-CP vs PMP. As a construction project manager, you’ve got the option to go with broad-brush industry certifications like the Project Management Professional (PMP)® from PMI, or a more niche, construction-specific certificate like PMI Construction Professional (PMI-CP)™.
Founded in 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) is a world-leading professional association for project managers. They offer globally recognized certifications. So, which one should you choose? We’ve worked with construction specialists for years, so here’s our take on how the PMI-CP vs PMP certificates stack up.
PMI-CP vs PMP head-to-head
Let’s look at what the certificates cover.
PMP covers broader project management principles, covering iterative and predicative project lifecycles and methodologies. The exam tests your knowledge of a range of project management topics including stakeholder management, scheduling, risk management, communication, team management, scope management and more.
The PMI-CP syllabus is much more structured around construction industry-specific project management practices. You’ll learn contract management, integration practices and specific tools and techniques relevant to multi-stakeholder, complex construction environments.
Time comparison
While we have heard of students who have taken the PMP exam in a short period of time, most students take at least 3 months to prepare. Generally, the training will take 35 hours – mainly because the eligibility requirements state that you have to have 35 hours of training to be eligible to apply.
There isn’t a lot of anecdotal data about how long most students take to study for and pass the PMI-CP exam. The training will take a lot less time – more like 20 hours and perhaps even shorter if you watch the videos at 1.5 speed! After that, you’ll need to dedicate some time to self-study to prepare for the exam.
Eligibility requirements
For the PMP exam, there are a range of eligibility requirements depending on the highest level of education that you have.
- If you have a high school or secondary school diploma, you’ll need to show 5 years of experience leading and managing projects within the past 8 years.
- If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher, you’ll only need to show 3 years of experience.
- If you have a degree from an accredited program (PMI has their own accreditation scheme so some universities have degree courses that are pre-approved), you’ll only need to show 2 years of experience.
In all cases, you need 35 hours of project management education. If you already hold the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certificate, that counts and you wont need to do additional training.
Got all that? PMI-CP is a lot simpler! To be eligible for that you need to:
- Take the 4 training modules
- Have 3 years’ experience in built environment projects.
| Feature | PMP® | PMI-CP™ |
| Focus | General project management | Construction-specific PM |
| Cost (Exam only) | US$655 (non-member) | US$499 (non-member) |
| Training hours required | 35 hours | 20 hours |
| Experience needed | 2–5 years (depends on education) | 3 years in built environment |
| PDUs for renewal | 60 over 3 years | 30 over 3 years |
Cost comparison
The PMP exam (at the time of writing) costs US$655. The PMI-CP exam is US$499, and both offer discounts for PMI members. On top of that cost, you have to pay for the training. For PMP training, you can use many different routes, including self-study if you prefer to go down that route. There are courses offered online, study books or you could do a classroom-based bootcamp-style course if you prefer to study with a ‘real’ human tutor.
The PMI-CP training is mandatory, so there is no other option but to take the online learning modules offered by PMI.
Maintaining your certificate
Many PMI certification schemes require holders to do ongoing professional development to show that their skills remain current in the industry. PMI calls these Professional Development Units (PDUs). The good news is that this process is not onerous. Most project management professionals will find it relatively straightforward to find enough evidence to show that you’ve done some learning over a 3-year period.
PMI-CP requires that you do 30 hours of professional learning across 3 years. Maintaining your PMP certification requires 60 hours of professional development over 3 years. With both of those, you can leave it all to the last minute or spread your learning evenly – whatever works best for you!
What’s best for you?
So, PMI-CP vs PMP? The question of what certificate is best for you is a personal one, and we certainly can’t advise on an individual basis – you’ll have to make that call for yourself based on your career goals and what you feel is the best fit for your employer.
As some general advice, if you work solely in construction, PMI-CP is a good fit. If you want broader opportunities across a range of industries in your career, PMP will take you further. If you don’t have the experience in construction but do have project management experience in other industries, PMP is your only choice.
Another consideration is that PMI-CP is a newer certification but it fills a huge need in construction. It might take a while before clients ask for PMI-CP certified project managers as standard on their build projects. PMP remains a global gold standard that employers will know and recognize.
Certification is not the only route
PMI-CP vs PMP, whichever you pick, certification is good to demonstrate to employers that you are serious about your role as a project professional, and it can give you confidence to do the job. But it isn’t the only way to build credibility – delivering projects and getting good customer feedback from clients is what your employer is consider when you have a performance review or need a reference for a new job.
Project management training, becoming a power user of your project management software, understanding scheduling and earned value management are also areas that you can develop to become proficient in your role.