pmionline

Featured guide

PMP eligibility: what PMI actually asks for, route by route

PMI sets four experience routes for the Project Management Professional exam, tied to your education: five years with a high school diploma, four with an associate degree, three with a bachelor's, and two with a degree from a PMI-accredited program.

Every route also needs 35 hours of training, and from 1 December 2026 a live class only counts when an authorized provider delivers it. The exam is 180 questions in 240 minutes.

Read the guide Source: pmi.org · checked 6 Oct 2026

Covering 23 project management certifications. Every requirement links to the provider's own page; sources last checked on 6 October 2026. How we check

Certifications by area

See all 23 certifications with entry requirements

PMP or PRINCE2 Practitioner?

They are weighed against each other more than any other pair, but they certify different things: PMP recognises experience leading projects in any way of working; PRINCE2 Practitioner recognises applying one specific method. Holding a PMP or CAPM even counts as an entry route to PRINCE2 Practitioner.

DetailPMPPRINCE2 Practitioner
Awarding bodyPMIPeopleCert
CertifiesLeading projects, predictive, agile or hybridApplying and tailoring the PRINCE2 method
Entry requirement2 to 5 years managing projects, depending on education, plus 35 hours of trainingNo experience rule; you must already hold an accepted certification, such as PRINCE2 Foundation, CAPM or PMP
Exam180 questions in 240 minutes56 questions worth 70 marks in 150 minutes, open book, 60% to pass
Keeping it current60 PDUs every three years60 CPD points through PeopleCert Plus, or pass another exam from the same suite before renewal

Sources: pmi.org PMP page and peoplecert.org PRINCE2 Practitioner (Version 7) page, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Full comparison · Also compared: PgMP and MSP · PfMP and MoP · PMI-ACP and PRINCE2 Agile · PMI-RMP and M_o_R 4 · PMI-PMOCP and P3O

How much experience each certification asks for

Years of project experience PMI lists before you can apply, from none to eight or more

  1. CAPMNone required
  2. CSPPNone required
  3. PMI-CPMAINone required
  4. PMI-ACP2+ years
  5. PMI-SP2–3 years
  6. PMP3+ years leading projects
  7. PMI-PMOCP3+ years
  8. PMI-CP3+ years
  9. PMI-RMP3–5 years
  10. PMI-PBA3–5 years
  11. PgMP4–7 years
  12. PfMP8+ years

PRINCE2 Practitioner has no experience rule. Instead you need a certification first, such as PRINCE2 Foundation, CAPM or PMP.

Sources: pmi.org/certifications, checked 6 Oct 2026; peoplecert.org PRINCE2 Practitioner (Version 7) page, checked 10 Oct 2026. PMP's exact requirement depends on education: 2 to 5 years.

Career pathway

Where each certification usually fits as a career grows. Pick the stage you are in now, or the one you are moving to.

  1. Stage 1

    Project coordinator

    CAPM · PRINCE2 Foundation

  2. Stage 2

    Project manager

    PMP · PRINCE2 Practitioner · PMI-ACP

  3. Stage 3

    Program manager

    PgMP · MSP Practitioner

  4. Stage 4

    Portfolio manager

    PfMP · MoP Practitioner

Alongside any stage: PMO: PMI-PMOCP, P3O Risk: PMI-RMP, M_o_R 4 Scheduling: PMI-SP Business analysis: PMI-PBA