Delve deep into the world of a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), the highly recommended entry-level professional certification for aspiring Project Managers. Learn about the costs of certification, the potential salary hikes post-certification, and the demand in the industry for this role.
Key Insights
- The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is an entry-level professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
- The application fee for the CAPM exam ranges from $225 to $300, depending on your PMI membership status. The cost of training varies according to the learning method chosen.
- The demand for Project Managers is expected to increase by 33% over the next five years, leading to the creation of 22 million new project management jobs by 2027.
- With an entry-level CAPM certification, Project Managers can earn about 25% more than their non-certified counterparts. The median annual salary for a Project Manager is around $116,000, which is more than double the average U.S. salary for all occupations.
- The cost of getting CAPM certified includes an exam application fee and the cost of project management training. However, the salary of a CAPM-certified Project Manager generally outweighs these costs.
- Noble Desktop offers the Project Management Bootcamp, a recommended course for aspiring Project Managers seeking to gain the necessary 23 "contact hours" of project management education to be eligible for the CAPM exam.
Looking to learn CAPM certification?The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is the entry-level professional certification for new and aspiring Project Managers. Becoming CAPM certified is the fastest way to launch a new career in project management. Beyond this, you’ll want to consider the cost of CAPM certification training.
To become CAPM certified, you will need to pay an application fee to take the CAPM exam, typically costing $225 to $300. You’ll also need to fulfill project management education requirements. The cost of training will depend on which learning method you choose. Read on to learn more about how much you can expect to spend on learning CAPM certification.
What is CAPM Certification?
CAPM stands for Certified Associate in Project Management. CAPM is a professional certification for Project Managers with little to no experience or for aspiring Project Managers interested in launching a new career in project management.
CAPM is the most entry-level professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). CAPM certification is highly recommended for new and aspiring Project Managers with less than three years of experience. Gaining CAPM certification will make you stand out on job applications, increase your salary and opportunities, and ensure you have the necessary training and credentials to launch a new career as a Project Manager.
Project management is a very hot career path. A Project Manager is responsible for managing a project, including planning, organizing, monitoring, directing, and completing various elements of that project. PMI estimates that project management jobs will see a 33% increase over the next five years, with 22 million new project management jobs created by 2027. The exploding demand for Project Managers will lead to around 90 million jobs in the U.S. that require project management skills.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a global education, networking, and professional association for Project Managers. They have been largely responsible for defining the field of project management for the past few decades through the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). PMI offers certification programs, has local chapters in more than 80 countries, organizes academic and market research programs, and offers professional development for project management professionals. PMI’s more advanced Project Management Professional (PMP) is the gold standard in project management certification.
Read more about CAPM Certification and why you should learn it.
What Can You Do with CAPM Certification?
CNBC calls project management “a great way for people with non-tech backgrounds to earn lucrative tech salaries.” The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is the world's leading entry-level project management certification. Earning a CAPM certification will make you stand out on the job market, open the door to more opportunities, and increase your salary.
We are in the golden age of project management: some of the industries with the largest growth in project management jobs include construction and manufacturing, information services, management and professional services, utilities, and oil and gas. Across industries, Project Managers make above-average salaries. According to PMI, the median annual salary for a Project Manager is around $116,000. The average U.S. salary for all occupations is around $50,000, which means that becoming a Project Manager would most likely nearly double your salary. For example, in an interview with CNBC, a Project Manager reports that switching from higher education to project management more than tripled her salary.
CAPM-certified Project Managers earn even more than their non-certified colleagues: PMI reports that CAPM certification results in around a 25% salary increase.
In-Depth Review of the Training Cost
There are costs associated with becoming CAPM certified, including an exam application fee and required project management training. However, it’s important to remember that CAPM-certified Project Managers earn around 25% more than non-certified Project Managers. This means that whatever costs you accrue to become certified will be earned back by your salary as a Project Manager.
The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the leading professional organization for Project Managers. To become certified, you will need to pass the CAPM-certification exam. To take the exam, you’ll need to pay an application fee. The standard cost to take the CAPM-certification exam is around $300. PMI members receive a reduced rate of around $225. Current college students can bundle the CAPM exam fee and PMI membership into a single discounted rate.
There are education requirements to become CAPM certified. Before taking the CAPM-certification exam, you’ll need to demonstrate that you’ve completed 23 “contact hours” of project management training. PMI does not allow “self-directed study,” such as watching online videos or reading books, to count toward the education requirement. This means you’ll need to take a course, whether live online or in person, before taking the exam.
This cost will vary based on which project management training method you choose. For example, Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp is a recommended way to acquire these education hours. In this bootcamp, a PMP-certified Project Manager guides students through managing real-world projects to learn the concepts tested in the certification exam. This bootcamp typically costs around $450, so your cost for becoming CAPM certified would be around $750 for non-PMI members and less than $700 for PMI members.
It’s worth noting that once you’re CAPM certified, you must maintain your certification by completing Professional Development Units (PDUs). If you decide to join PMI when you apply to take the CAPM-certification exam, you can participate in their professional development opportunities to maintain your certification.
Free Introductory CAPM Certification Course Online
If you’re still unsure if you’d like to pursue project management and CAPM more seriously, free introductory online courses can be a great way to explore your interest. You can learn the basics without the time and financial commitment of a bootcamp or more serious course.
The most highly-requested skill on entry-level Project Manager jobs is Microsoft Office proficiency. You’ll need to develop skills in using Microsoft Excel to become a Project Manager. Noble Desktop’s free introductory Microsoft Excel course is a great way to build project management skills.
There are also free introductory resources that describe the CAPM certification process, both the process of taking the certification exam and the content covered within it. For example, the Project Management Institute (PMI) offers free introductory project management courses through its YouTube channel.
Before taking the CAPM-certification exam, PMI requires you to complete “23 contact hours” of formal project management education. While free introductory courses and online videos can be excellent for learning the basics, PMI will not count toward the 23 hours of project management education required to take the CAPM-certification exam. If you’re serious about earning a certification, you’ll need to complete these 23 hours from a trusted source, such as a training school like Noble Desktop.
Read about more free resources available for those seeking CAPM Certification.
Learn CAPM Certification Skills with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is the top professional certification for new and aspiring Project Managers. Earning a CAPM certification is highly recommended for anyone serious about pursuing a new career in project management. Being CAPM-certified will create more job opportunities and lead to a higher salary: reports show that CAPM-certified Project Managers earn around $101,000, 25% more than non-certified entry-level Project Managers.
There are prerequisites to taking the CAPM exam. Before you can apply to take the CAPM-certification exam, you will need to have 0 to 3 years of project management job experience, a high school diploma, and 23 hours of project management education. Enrolling in a bootcamp like Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp is a great way to accrue the required education hours to take the exam.
Noble Desktop is a coding, business, and design school that offers project management courses live online and at its state-of-the-art campus in Midtown Manhattan. All of Noble Desktop’s project management courses are taught by PMP-certified Project Managers using Noble Desktop’s highly-rated, unique approach to learning: expert instructors teach a “micro-lecture” and then immediately guide students through applying what they just learned. This unique approach to training ensures that students learn the skills they need to get hired.
Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp is highly recommended for aspiring Project Managers and those seeking CAPM certification. Students are guided hands-on through managing real-world projects to develop skills in the five phases of project management, foundational project management concepts and terminology, project scope, resource management, project costs and budgeting, and risk management. Students also get an overview of several Agile Project Management Frameworks: Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), and Kansan. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion to demonstrate their credentials.