Why Learn CAPM Certification?

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is the top professional certification for new and aspiring Project Managers. Have you ever explored all of the things CAPM certification can do for you? Project management is a very hot career path. CAPM-certified Project Managers can take advantage of this job explosion as their certification will lead to more job opportunities, a higher salary, and increased chances of being hired. Here, you’ll learn more about the careers that benefit from CAPM certification and how it can enhance your professional life. Regardless of your goals, learning CAPM certification is a valuable and impressive skill to add to your resume. 

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.

Common Professional Uses for CAPM Certification Skills

CAPM certification is used for aspiring and entry-level Project Managers in every industry. Traditionally, project management jobs have been clustered in construction and engineering. However, every industry now recognizes the need for Project Managers. 

Some industries hiring the most Project Managers include manufacturing and construction, information services, finance, management and professional services, utilities, and oil and gas. The healthcare industry, which is experiencing less growth in project management jobs than other industries, is still seeing a 6% increase in hiring Project Managers. That’s around the same rate for all occupations in the United States.

CAPM Certification Helps You Get Hired

CAPM certification was designed with new and aspiring Project Managers in mind: getting CAPM certified is an excellent way to launch a new career in project management. 

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a globally-recognized guiding force in the field of project management. Because PMI is a respected organization, its certifications are considered the gold standard in project management. Project Managers with certifications from PMI, such as the CAPM certification, are more sought-after on the job market. All major companies recognize and value CAPM certification.

CAPM certification is also a great stepping stone to PMI’s more advanced Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. PMP certification is the premiere professional certification in the project management industry. CAPM-certified Project Managers have fewer prerequisites for taking the PMP-certification exam than others.

CAPM-certified Project Managers Earn More

PMI reports that CAPM-certified Project Managers earn around 25% more than non-certified Project Managers. The average annual salary for a CAPM-certified Project Manager is around $101,000. CAPM certification can lead to an entry-level, six-figure salary. 

Project management is a very hot career path; project management skills are in high demand. PMI estimates that more than 22 million new project management jobs will be created by 2027. CAPM certification can help prepare you for one of these lucrative new positions.

CAPM Certification Makes You a Better Project Manager

PMI has defined the field of project management through the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). PMBOK provides best practices for managing projects across industries. Preparing for CAPM certification will familiarize you with PMBOK and increase your ability to lead projects successfully. It will also add credibility to your Project Manager resume or portfolio.

The CAPM exam is updated regularly, most recently in 2024. This most recent update is the biggest change to the exam's content. The primary domains covered in the CAPM exam as of 2024 are project management fundamentals and core concepts, predictive plan-based methodologies, agile frameworks and methodologies, and business analysis frameworks.

How to Start Learning CAPM Certification Skills

If you’re interested in pursuing a new project manager career, you’ll want to consider earning the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification. Offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI), CAPM is the top entry-level professional certification. 

Earning a CAPM certification will lead to more project management job opportunities, a higher chance of getting hired, and an increased salary: CAPM-certified Project Managers earn around 25% more than non-certified, entry-level Project Managers. 

Live classes, either in-person or online, are the most recommended way to train to pass the CAPM-certification exam. One huge advantage of live classes includes real-time interaction with an expert instructor, leading to greater networking and mentorship opportunities. Some schools, such as Noble Desktop, ensure that all of the instructors in their project management courses are PMP-certified Project Managers. 

If your CAPM certification class is happening live, you’ll be able to ask questions and collaborate with your classmates and instructor in real time. You may think of live classes as only happening in person, but live online classes work exactly like in-person classes. CAPM certification courses can be difficult to find if you don’t live in a major city or tech hub. You can gain access to an expert instructor and world-class instruction methods no matter where you live. You can use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me Tool to find live online CAPM certification courses. 

On-demand courses are a popular online training option. Typically, these courses are delivered through a series of pre-recorded video lectures. Some on-demand courses may be delivered through email lessons directly into your inbox if you’re using on-demand courses to study for the CAPM certification exam. On-demand courses are easy to access and usually affordable. They can also be great for people with very little free time since on-demand courses can be accessed anytime from anywhere. They’re also great for those who might be interrupted since they can be paused and restarted anytime. Some potential drawbacks of on-demand CAPM certification classes include the need for more expert instruction, mentorship, and networking opportunities. On-demand courses may also be out-of-date, which can be especially negative if you’re using it to pass the CAPM certification exam, which is updated often, most recently in 2024.

You can find free introductory CAPM certification courses online. YouTube can be a great resource for free introductory CAPM certification and other project management resources. For example, Noble Desktop offers free online videos for several topics relevant to project management, including Microsoft Excel and using Python for Data. 

Read more about how to learn skills required to pass the CAPM Certification exam.

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.

Key Insights

• Becoming CAPM certified is the fastest way to launch a new career in project management.
• CAPM certified Project Managers earn more than non-certified Project Managers.
• You can receive comprehensive CAPM certification training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.