What are the better certification than PMP nowadays?
The Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification is widely regarded as the most prestigious professional credential in the field of project management. This essay starts with a daring assertion, but I hope it's interesting enough for you to stay reading nevertheless. The difficulty of the examination, the extensive body of information, and the limited number of people who can have this credential are not the only factors that contribute to its exceptional status. After all, there are more than one million people throughout the world who possess the PMP® certification. In light of this, why should you give serious consideration to being a member of this community and gaining your PMP certification? To begin, you need to be aware of the many options that are available to you.
Which Categories of Project Management Certifications Are There to Choose From?
The administration of projects is an intricate topic that is present in every industry and every vertical. It is an important organizational function that is responsible for directing projects from the point when they are initiated and planned through the point where they are executed and completed. Project managers need to be proficient in a wide range of areas, including time management and organization, scheduling and budgeting, communication, and teamwork, flexibility and adaptation, and many more. Those abilities may, thankfully, be picked up and refined via a combination of experience and education. Certifications in project management may be useful in this regard since they allow you to acquire and hone the necessary abilities while also allowing you to highlight your acquired credentials on your CV.
However, not every certification in project management is built on the same foundation. A couple of them concentrate on developing certain skill sets, such as being able to effectively manage a budget, efficiently schedule project work, and improve cooperation and communication with various stakeholders. Some of them concentrate on different approaches to project management, such as the agile methodology. Others place their emphasis on frameworks and standards to deliver to project managers a collection of tools that can be applied to their projects. Last but not least, just a chosen handful offers all of them in one convenient package.
These certificates are distinct from one another not only by the expertise that is imparted but also by the particular areas of study that are emphasized throughout training. There is a wide selection of organizations, regulatory agencies, and vendors from which to pick and choose. Let's look at a few of them right now, shall we?
CompTIA
Since the 1980s, CompTIA has been providing training for people working in information technology. They provide many certifications in a range of areas, including software, cloud infrastructure, networking and security, and computer hardware. In 2017, they launched Project+, the most recent iteration of their collection of products and services aimed specifically at IT workers.
Project+
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
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Exam: |
Maximum of 95 questions (90 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$338 (plus training costs) |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
Grow with Google is an effort that was announced by Google in 2017 and relies on the company's history of developing products, platforms, and services during the previous 20 years. It has been purposely developed to put professionals on the fast track to a job that pays competitively even though neither experience nor a degree is required for participation. They introduced a new path for project managers in the year 2021.
Project Management Professional Certificate
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Experience: |
Entry-level |
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Exam: |
None (6 courses) |
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Cost: |
$234 ($39 per month - 6 months @ 10 hours per week) |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
Global Association for Quality Management (GAQM®)
Training and certification in the areas of management science and information technology may be obtained from the Global Association for Quality Management, which is a well-known and respected brand on a global scale. Their training and certification programs are also globally approved. They hold a variety of certificates, one of which is in project management, making their total number of credentials rather impressive.
Associate in Project Management (APM)
Professional in Project Management (PPM)
Certified Project Director (CPD)
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Associate in Project Management (APM) |
Professional in Project Management (PPM) |
Certified Project Director (CPD) |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Intermediate (2 years or more) |
Advanced (4 years or more) |
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Exam: |
50 questions (60 minutes) |
150 questions (120 minutes) |
100 questions (80 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$128 (plus training costs) |
$210 ($320 with e-course) |
$210 ($280 with e-course) |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
5 years (50 CEUs) |
5 years (25 CEUs) |
Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC)
In 1999, the Global Information Assurance Certification, sometimes known as GIAC, was established to certify the information security expertise of working professionals. Even though cybersecurity is the primary emphasis of the bulk of their credentials, they do provide one that is recognized all across the world: the Certified Project Manager credential.
GIAC Certified Project Manager (GCPM)
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Experience: |
Intermediate (2 years or more) |
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Exam: |
150 questions (240 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$999 (Includes training costs) |
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Renewal: |
4 years (Must earn CMUs) |
Association for Project Management (APM)
There is just one chartered body for the project profession, and that organization is the Association for Project Management. It is a charitable educational organization whose mission is to cultivate and spread awareness of the value of project management to facilitate the delivery of superior project results. They provide a chartered standard in addition to three different certifications. The certifications involve a combination of tools, techniques, procedures, skills, and qualifications, whereas the chartered standard certifies the achievement of a predetermined level of technical knowledge, professional practice, and ethical behavior.
APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ)
APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)
APM Project Professional Qualification (PPQ)
Chartered Project Professional (ChPP)
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APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) |
APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) |
APM Project Professional Qualification (PPQ) |
Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Intermediate (2 years or more) |
Advanced (3 years or more) |
Advanced (5 years or more) |
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Exam: |
60 questions (60 minutes) |
2 or 3-hour exam (Between 6 and 16 questions) |
3-part Exam |
Written assessments based on Route |
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Cost: |
$212 (plus training costs) |
$458 (plus training costs) |
$900 (plus training costs) |
$1,250 |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
PRINCE2
PRINCE2, which stands for "Projects IN Controlled Environments," is a structured method for managing projects that emphasizes breaking down each project into a series of more controlled stages or phases. It was first designed in 1989 (under a previous name) as a standard for information technology projects that were utilized by the government of the United Kingdom. The ownership of the PRINCE2 trademark was transferred from HM Cabinet Office to AXELOS Ltd in July of 2013, and the latter company now provides four different PRINCE2 certifications.
PRINCE2 Foundation
PRINCE2 Agile Foundation
PRINCE2 Practitioner
PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner
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PRINCE2 Foundation |
PRINCE2 Agile Foundation |
PRINCE2 Practitioner |
PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Advanced (3 years or more) |
Intermediate (2 years or more) |
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Exam: |
60 questions (60 minutes) |
50 questions (60 minutes) |
68 questions (150 minutes) |
50 questions (150 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$363 (plus training costs) |
$363 (plus training costs) |
$488 (plus training costs) |
$494 (plus training costs) |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
3 years (60 CPDs) |
3 years (60 CPDs) |
International Project Management Association (IPMA)
The International Project Management Association is a federation that contains roughly 70 Member Associations that enhance project management capabilities in their respective geographic regions of influence. These Member Associations are a part of the IPMA. Individuals who are interested in improving their skills as a project, program, or portfolio manager can choose from one of four distinct certification programs that they offer.
Certified Project Management Associate (Level D)
Certified Project Manager (Level C)
Certified Senior Project Manager (Level B)
Certified Projects Director (Level A)
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Certified Project Management Associate (Level D) |
Certified Project Manager (Level C) |
Certified Senior Project Manager (Level B) |
Certified Projects Director (Level A) |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Intermediate (3 years or more) |
Advanced (5 years or more) |
Advanced (5 years or more) |
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Exam: |
60 multiple-choice questions (50 minutes) and 10 short-essay questions (120 minutes) |
12 short-essay questions (170 minutes with a 20-minute break) plus several rounds of interviews |
8 situational essay questions (90 minutes) plus several rounds of interviews |
Application with several rounds of interviews and simulation or role-based scenarios. |
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Cost: |
$445 for IPMA members $595 for non-members |
$1,495 for IPMA members $1,695 for non-members |
$1,795 for IPMA members $1,995 for non-members |
$1,995 for IPMA members $2,195 for non-members |
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Renewal: |
5 years (175 CPDs) |
5 years (175 CPDs) |
5 years (175 CPDs) |
5 years (175 CPDs) |
International Association of Project Managers (IAPM)
The International Association of Project Managers (IAPM) is an organization that serves as a certification body as well as an international association for project managers. The goals of the International Association for Project Management (IAPM) include, among other things, the promotion of project management competence via research; the improvement of quality in the field of project management; and the evaluation and improvement of project management competence through the use of knowledge and competency assessments. They provide a total of seven distinct certificates.
Certified Junior Project Manager/Certified Junior Agile
Project Manager
Certified Project Manager/Certified Agile Project Manager
Certified Senior Project Manager/Certified Senior Agile
Project Manager
Certified International Project Manager
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Certified Junior Project Manager/Certified Junior Agile Project Manager |
Certified Project Manager/Certified Agile Project Manager |
Certified Senior Project Manager/Certified Senior Agile Project Manager |
Certified International Project Manager |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Advanced (5 years or more) |
Intermediate (2 years or more) |
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Exam: |
40 questions (35 minutes) |
120 questions (80 minutes) |
120 questions (80 minutes) |
80 questions (60 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$150 (plus training costs) |
$700 (plus training costs) |
$950 (plus training costs) |
$700 (plus training costs) |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Since its founding in 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) has grown to become the most influential association in the world for those who regard project, program, or portfolio management to be their full-time job. They provide services to a worldwide community via means such as internationally recognized standards, certifications, communities, resources, tools, academic research, publications, professional development courses, and chances for networking. They have several credentials available in the field of program and portfolio management; however, we are going to concentrate on three qualifications that are particularly relevant to project management.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
Project Management Professional (PMP)
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®
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Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) |
Project Management Professional (PMP) |
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Advanced (3 years or more) |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
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Exam: |
150 questions (180 minutes) |
180 questions (230 minutes) |
120 questions (180 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$225 for PMI members $300 for non-members |
$405 for PMI members $555 for non-members |
$435 for PMI members $495 for non-members |
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Renewal: |
3 years (15 PDUs) |
3 years (60 PDUs) |
3 years (30 PDUs) |
Scrum Alliance
In 2001, Ken Schwaber was one of the people who signed the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. Later that same year, he went on to form the Scrum Alliance, which is an organization that promotes agile software development. It is the only trade association and certification organization in the agile field that is member-driven, non-profit, and focused on agile. Their primary mission is to foster the growth of the agile movement by facilitating education, advocacy, research, community, and connections. They provide a range of certifications that have a strong emphasis on the agile methodology for managing projects, with a particular emphasis on Scrum.
I will emphasize the three certifications they provide for this profession since the function of Scrum Master most closely correlates with that of a project manager (although there are components of Product Manager that apply as well)
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)
Certified Scrum Professional® - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM)
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Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) |
Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) |
Certified Scrum Professional® - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM) |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Intermediate (1 year or more) |
Advanced (2 years or more) |
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Exam: |
50 questions (60 minutes) |
Varies by provider |
Varies by provider |
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Cost: |
Starting at $495 |
Starting at $805 |
Starting at $1,295 |
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Renewal: |
2 years (20 SEUs) |
2 years (30 SEUs) |
2 years (40 SEUs) |
Scrum.org
People and teams may receive extensive training, tools, exams, and certifications from Scrum.org, which can assist them in resolving complicated issues. They provide a range of certifications, much like the Scrum Alliance does, intending to assist Scrum practitioners in developing their skills further. The following are the three certifications that are available for Scrum Masters:
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)
Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II)
Professional Scrum Master III (PSM III)
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Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) |
Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) |
Professional Scrum Master III (PSM III) |
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Experience: |
Entry-level (1 year or less) |
Intermediate (2 years or more) |
Advanced (3 years or more) |
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Exam: |
80 questions (60 minutes) |
30 questions (90 minutes) |
30 multiple-choice and essay (150 minutes) |
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Cost: |
$150 (plus training costs) |
$250 (plus training costs) |
$500 (plus training costs) |
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Renewal: |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
None (Good for life) |
Other Possibilities
This list doesn't cover every vendor, organization, or certification body in the world, but it does include some of the biggest and most reputable ones. Other organizations dedicated to project management exist in other nations. Additionally, virtually every university, college, and vocational school in the globe offers project management courses. How do you pick the best project management certification for you when there are so many options?
How can I determine the best project management certification for me?
The choice of which certification is best for you ultimately comes down to a number of criteria, as with most decisions in life.
What level of experience do you presently possess?
How much time can you devote to practicing and taking exams?
How much money are you willing to part with?
Are you more interested in a broad project management approach or a particular project management methodology?
Would you want something that is valid for life, or are you willing to obtain continuing education units (or something similar) to keep the certification?
Are you aiming for a better career, greater knowledge, or perhaps both?
Let's assess a few of these standards.
Is Project Management Better Than Scrum Mastery?
Over the course of the last plus ten years, the agile transformation has revolutionized project management. However, not all industries have fully embraced it, and those that have varied in the agile methodologies they use. For instance, agile has been widely adopted by IT and software firms, with the 14th Annual State of Agile study showing 95% acceptance in several instances. 75% of them make use of Scrum. In contrast, the adoption rate of agile is now at 32% across marketing and sales businesses. Only 21% of them employ Scrum, while 54% use a hybrid strategy.
When deciding whether to pursue a career as a project manager or a scrum master, you should weigh your long-term objectives against the sector you work in. Scrum has been warmly welcomed by the IT and software industries, and this acceptance is quite likely to persist. The Scrum Master certifications offered by Scrum Alliance and Scrum.org are a great choice if you now work in this field or intend to do so in the future. Both companies provide entry-level credentials that may be earned quickly (often in a two-day course) and quite cheaply ($500 or less).
One method of agile project management is scrum. Others include test-driven development (TDD), extreme programming (XP), and others. Knowing more about these strategies will help you plan how your project teams will effectively finish their task. A hybrid strategy may frequently be modified to fit each circumstance. But if you've limited your understanding of project management to Scrum, you could be missing out on some of the major advantages of alternative techniques and approaches.
Are you interested in a career in project management or just a certification?
Are you prepared to dedicate yourself to years of study, growth, and development? The PRINCE2 Foundation and PRINCE2 Agile Foundation certifications, the CompTIA Project+, the Google Project Management Professional Certificate, the International Association of Project Managers (IAPM), and the Professional Scrum Master certification from Scrum.org are all valid for life and do not require renewal. They have no extra requirements once earned, despite the fact that earning them might be difficult.
All International Project Management Association (IPMA) certifications, the Global Association for Quality Management (GAQM®) certifications, the GIAC Certified Project Manager, the PRINCE2 Practitioner and PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner, the PMP, CAPM, and PMI Agile Certified Practitioner from Project Management Institute, and the ScrumMaster certifications from Scrum Alliance call for some kind of renewal and continuing education units. If those who receive these qualifications want to keep their credentials, they must stay educated and flexible as project management evolves. That kind of devotion is valuable, and employers can tell the difference.
Conclusion: Consider the PMP Benefits
I like having the opportunity to instruct the PMP Exam Prep course for the Corporate Training and Professional Education division of the University of South Florida. Students frequently raise questions regarding the content during the course that sound something like, "When faced with X, what's the best way to solve it?" or "How do I deal with Y in the best way?" Naturally, the response is "It depends."
In the realm of project management, particularly across various sectors, situations vary substantially. Solutions need to be customized for the current situation and frequently can't be used as a general template from project to project. One of the key benefits of being a PMP is having access to a vast body of information.
The PMP test is only available to those with three years of documented project leadership experience, which alone places it at the pinnacle of project management expertise. The test emphasizes the three major areas of people, processes, and the business environment to make sure you possess the technical expertise, leadership qualities, and business and strategic management abilities necessary for success. Additionally, it covers a wide range of topics in addition to approach, offering you a wide range of tools to utilize on the job. With over 1 million certificate holders globally, it is also one of the biggest and most recognizable companies in the world. The discipline of project management is always evolving as project management professionals push the boundaries of their profession.
There are several options available to you, but as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the PMP is the top professional certification for project managers. I've found it to be successful, and I have no doubt you will as well!