Interested in pursuing a career in project management? Acquiring a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification can give you a competitive edge, boosting your job prospects and increasing your potential salary.
Key Insights
- CAPM certification is a highly-recommended qualification for aspiring project managers with less than three years of experience, offering an ideal entry point into project management careers.
- The demand for project management jobs is expected to rise by 33% over the next five years, with an estimated 22 million new positions by 2027.
- The median salary for a project manager is around $116,000, more than double the average U.S. salary for all occupations, and CAPM certification can result in approximately a 25% salary increase.
- To become CAPM certified, you need to pass an exam covering four domain areas and complete 23 hours of project management education from an approved source, such as Noble Desktop's Project Management Bootcamp.
- PMI’s professional certifications, including the entry-level CAPM and the more advanced Project Management Professional (PMP), are considered the industry gold standard, providing evidence of credibility to potential employers.
- Despite the initial challenges, becoming CAPM certified is worth it due to increased job opportunities, higher salaries, and the fast track it provides for launching a career as a Project Manager.
Are you curious about learning CAPM certification but worried it might be too hard? Of course, the difficulty that comes with learning a new skill is somewhat subjective. The challenges of earning a CAPM certification include factors like your current familiarity with project management and your test-taking aptitude.
No matter your current schedule or comfort level with becoming CAPM certified, there are plenty of tools available to help make learning easier than you might think.
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.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning CAPM Certification Skills?
To become CAPM certified, you will have to pass the CAPM-certification exam. You will have 3 hours to answer 150 questions about project management. The test covers four domain areas: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts, Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies, Agile Frameworks, and Business Analysis Frameworks.
Not only will you need to master these knowledge areas to pass the exam to become certified, but you’ll also need to choose an approved source for your education. It is required that you complete 23 hours of project management education before you take the CAPM-certification exam. These education hours must come from an approved source, such as the Project Management Bootcamp offered by Noble Desktop. Self-directed study, such as watching online videos or reading books, will not be counted toward the required education hours.
How Does Learning CAPM Certification Skills Compare to Other Applications/Languages/Fields?
The Project Management Institute (PMI) has created the terminology, practices, and methodologies that define the field of project management. PMI’s professional certifications are considered the gold standard for Project Managers. Their two most popular certifications are the entry-level Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and the more advanced Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
CAPM Certification is the top certification for aspiring and entry-level Project Managers. If you’re new to project management, you’ll want to consider CAPM certification. Doing so will provide potential employers with evidence of your credentials as a Project Manager.
PMP certification is PMI’s more advanced professional certification for Project Managers. Unlike CAPM certification, you must have on-the-job experience as a Project Manager to earn PMP certification. Before applying for the PMP certification exam, you must accrue at least 60 months of professionally leading projects.
The American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (IPMA) also offers professional certificates in project management. For example, their Certified Project Management Associate certification, like the CAPM certification, is intended for aspiring and entry-level Project Managers. However, IPMA’s certifications are not as universally recognized and sought-after as PMI’s certifications, especially CAPM and PMP.
Why It’s Worth it to Get CAPM Certified
Earning a professional certification in a new career can seem intimidating: especially if you’re totally new to project management. While the steps and requirements to become CAPM certified might seem overwhelming initially, it is worth it. Here are a few reasons why becoming CAPM certified is worth it, even if it might be challenging.
Why It’s Worth it to Get CAPM Certified: It’s the Fastest Way to Launch a Career as a Project Manager
Between 22 million new jobs being created and an average salary of six figures, it’s a fantastic time to launch a new career as a Project Manager. Becoming CAPM certified is the fastest way to launch a new career as a Project Manager.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the leading professional organization for Project Managers. They offer the advanced Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, considered the industry's gold standard. According to PMI, earning one of their certifications typically increases your salary by around 25%.
Earning a professional certification from PMI also increases your credibility. If you’re new to project management, having certifications will demonstrate that you’ve gained the knowledge to manage projects successfully.
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.