How to Learn CAPM Certification Online

If you’re just starting to learn a new skill, you can find dozens of tips and resources online; learning CAPM certification is no different.You’ll need 23 hours of structured project management training to qualify for the CAPM certification exam. You can do this online, but your courses must meet the requirements.If you’ve always wanted to learn about project management, there are plenty of options at your fingertips. From free tutorials to live classes, your options are outlined here so you can decide how to learn in a way that works best for you. 

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.

Live Online CAPM Certification Skills Training

To sit for the CAPM certification exam, you must complete 23 hours of project management education. It is required on the CAPM-exam application that you receive live training, whether in-person or online. In-person courses may be limited in your area, and smaller schools may not be as easily recognizable as sources for education hours. Fortunately, live online classes are a great alternative since they work like in-person CAPM certification classes. 

Live online classes are an excellent way to train for CAPM certification since they have all of the features of in-person classes with a few advantages. Since the class is happening live, you’ll be able to interact with your instructor and classmates in real time: leading to the same networking and mentorship opportunities of an in-person class. You can get feedback on your work or collaborate with your classmates using screen-sharing software. 

Noble Desktop offers live online CAPM certification courses taught by expert instructors: every project management course offered by Noble Desktop is taught by a PMP-certified Project Manager. Noble Desktop uses a unique approach to live online training: your expert instructor will teach a “micro-lecture” and immediately guide students through applying the concept they just learned using hands-on, real-world projects. This method guarantees you’ll learn the skills. 

Other schools offering live online CAPM certification courses include NYIM Training, NYC Career Centers, and Project Management Academy.

On-Demand CAPM Certification Skills Classes

On-demand CAPM certification training includes free and paid online resources. Because the course is on-demand, you won’t interact with a live instructor. Instead, most on-demand courses are delivered through pre-recorded video lectures. Some on-demand email courses deliver written lessons directly into your inbox. 

On-demand courses are more flexible than live instruction because you can learn at your own pace. You can pause, rewind, and restart whenever you need. This makes on-demand courses more accessible for people who don’t have the time to commute to an in-person course. 

On-demand courses are often a more affordable option than live instruction. However, the cost is typically less because you’re not paying for a live instructor, have no access to computer labs or WiFi, and have free retake options. You’ll have to do all of the preparation for your new career on your own. 

It is important to note that PMI will not count “self-directed learning” toward your required project management education hours. This includes reading books and watching instructional videos. You’ll need to complete 23 hours of formal project management training before you can take the CAPM-certification exam.

Free Intro Courses & Tutorials

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.

Comparing Online Methods with In-Person Learning 

To become CAPM certified, you must meet the prerequisites for taking the CAPM-certification exam. You must have a high school diploma, an associate’s degree, or the global equivalent. You must also complete 23 hours of instructor-led project management education. On-demand training and free online resources will not count toward this requirement. You can use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me Tool to find project management courses in your area. 

If there are no in-person classes in your area, you should consider enrolling in a live online class. Because they’re happening live, they work exactly like an in-person course and count toward meeting PMI’s education prerequisites for taking the CAPM certification exam. You can ask questions, interact with your instructor and classmates in real-time, and even ask questions. For example, Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp is offered live online or at its state-of-the-art campus in Midtown Manhattan.

Tips to Succeed when Learning CAPM Certification Skills Online

Make Sure Your Course is Up-to-Date

The Project Management Institute (PMI) updated and changed the majority of the material on the CAPM certification exam in January 2024. You’ll want to ensure that any material you use to study to pass the exam is based on the updated version. 

Many online resources, such as pre-recorded video lectures and online courses without an instructor, may be outdated due to this overhaul. It is also worth noting that these learning methods are not counted toward the required 23 hours of project management education.

Study the “Four Domain Areas” on the Certification Exam

The Project Management Institute (PMI) updated the material on the CAPM certification exam in January 2024. The updated exam version is separated into “four domain areas” that you’ll need to master to pass the exam to become CAPM certified. PMI defines a domain as “a high-level knowledge area that is essential to the practice of project management.”

The four domains included are Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts, Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies, Agile Frameworks, and Business Analysis Frameworks. The percentage of questions varies for each domain. For example, the Project Management and Core Concepts domain makes up 36% of the certification exam, while Agile Frameworks make up 20%. You’ll want to consider this while studying for the CAPM certification exam since certain knowledge domains require deeper knowledge.

Each domain is divided into tasks, such as “demonstrating an understanding of the various project life cycles and processes” (Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts) or “determining how to plan project iterations” (Agile Frameworks). 

Choose an Approved Project Management Education

By the time you take the CAPM-certification exam, PMI requires that you be able to demonstrate that you’ve completed “23 contact hours of specific instruction” in project management. PMI does not allow self-directed learning, such as reading books or watching video lessons, to apply toward this requirement. You’ll need to take an approved, instructor-led course such as Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp, which is offered in-person and live online. All of Noble Desktop’s project management bootcamps are taught by a PMP-certified Project Manager and count toward the necessary education hours for becoming CAPM-certified. 

Key Insights

• The Project Management Institute (PMI) completely revised the CAPM certification exam in 2024. 
• If you want to pass the CAPM certification exam, you’ll want to make sure you master the four domain areas on the exam: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts, Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies, Agile Frameworks, and Business Analysis Frameworks.
• You can receive comprehensive CAPM certification training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.

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.