5 Project Management Certifications to Get in the US

Be it the lack of communication, poor leadership, group differences, disagreements, or a glaring difference in opinions, several factors can lead to a failed project. As a solution, every individual/team behind any company would rather entrust the individual project teams to capable hands. How are they able to identify the right individuals for this job? Most times, they search for holders of a Project Management Certificate.

Seeing how there are several available certificates that interested individuals can obtain, narrowing down a certificate to obtain might become less straightforward. For starters, various countries have project management certificates that are mainly recognized in the office space. Following this, the top five most recognized Project Management Certifications in the US will form the core around which this article centers. In addition to providing their names, we will shed light on how you can go about acquiring these certificates among other details.

5 Best Project Management Certifications to Acquire in the US

Of the several known project management certificates available around the world, if you seek recognition for a project management slot in the US, the following certifications will be discussed in this article:

1. PMP
2. CAPM
3. CSM
4. CompTIA Project+
5. PRINCE2 Foundation

PMP

Among other PMI (Project Management Institute) certificates, the PMP (Project Management Professional) certificate garners the top position as the most renowned and highly recognized. This certificate is a good option for individuals who have garnered some work experience in project management and would like an extra accreditation to go up the hierarchical ladder. For members of the Project Management Institute, this certificate would cost $405. For non-members, however, it would amount to $555.

Requirements

1. The exam – Among the requirements to acquire this certificate, individuals must take a rigorous exam. This exam tests various strengths of individuals that are key to a good project manager. Some of these tests are related to your people management skills, process-completing skills, stakeholder engagement, and ability to make business-minded decisions in critical situations among others. This exam consists of 175 questions.
2. A 36-month working experience in project management for bachelor-degree holders.
3. A 60-month working experience in the project management field for high-school diploma holders or associate degree holders.
4. A CAPM certificate should be presented in the absence of results from the required thirty-five hours of project management training/coursework.

CAPM

The CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) certificate is a good option for individuals who seek to state on their resumes that they can efficiently manage projects. Unlike the PMP certificate, CAPM is open to professionals in the field and beginners alike. Holding a CAPM certificate tells of an individual’s understanding of the necessary terminologies, effective project management processes, and fundamental knowledge in the field.

For members of the Project Management Institute, the cost of acquiring this certificate is $225. However, the cost for non-members amounts to $300. Although, this certificate has 5 years of validity. In addition, its renewal does not require PDUs (Professional Development Units).

Requirements

1. The exam – The exams conducted for individuals who seek to acquire this certificate are nearly as backbreaking as that of the above-reviewed certificate. Among the objectives of the exam are risk and communication management concerning project management.
2. While no prior project management degree is required, it is necessary for individuals interested in acquiring this certificate to render at least a high school diploma. An associate degree or an equivalent to either of the aforementioned would suffice.
3. Report of having completed the compulsory 23-hour training on project management education.

CSM

At the mention of Scrum, without a doubt, one would instinctively think of software-developing organizations. If you desire to manage a project team as a scrum master, the CSM would be a great option to apply for. While the Scrum framework was initially tailored only to the IT industry, more sectors now adopt this methodology.

Holding a scrum master certificate like CSM accredits your understanding of terminologies related to scrum and your ability to adopt these methodologies in critical situations as necessary. Acquiring this certificate would approximately cost 995 to 1395 USD.

Requirements

1. Attendance of a mandatory 14-16 hours course (live or online) anchored by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST). Alternatively, a CAC (Certified Agile Coach) would handle the training.
2. The exam – After completing the training, you will be required to take the exam that consists of fifty questions under a 1-hour duration. For a pass mark, you should get a minimum of 37 of these 50 questions correctly.
3. If you pass this test, the next step would be to accept your license, the CSM License Agreement. This license is only valid for two years, hence, must be renewed accordingly.

CompTIA Project+

The CompTIA Project+ certificate is especially good if you would be working specifically with small to medium-sized project teams. While the CompTIA Project+ is a form of entry-level certification, it covers more grounds compared to some other certifications that do not go beyond project management with one methodology in scope. Among the aspects covered by the certification are knowledge of project basics, change management, documentation, and constraints. The cost of acquiring this project management certificate amounts to $285.

Requirements

1. At least, a year’s worth of experience or knowledge of project management.
2. The exam – The CompTIA Project+ exam comprises 100 questions with a set duration of 1hr 30mins.
3. Excellent communication skills.
4. Resource management and stakeholder management skills.
5. Ability to properly document project reports.

PRINCE2 Certificate

The PRINCE2 (PRojects INControlled Environment) project management certification is available in two types. One could either acquire the PRINCE2 Foundation certificate or opt for the PRINCE2 Practitioner certificate. As a holder of either of these certificates, your focus would be on effective project initiation and delivery in your workspace.

The training to acquire either of these two project management certifications enables individuals to strengthen their skills in several business disciplines that are key to project management. While the PRINCE2 Foundation certificate costs $200, the PRINCE2 Practitioner certificate costs $340.

Requirements

1. The exam – The Foundation exam comprises 60 questions that are to be attempted in an hour. For a pass mark, you must get at least 33 of these questions correctly. Individuals are encouraged to complete a 32-hour training. The practitioner exam, on the other hand, has a 2hr 30 min duration.
2. To qualify for the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, you must first hold a PRINCE2 Foundation certificate. A PMP, CAPM, or IPMA certificate can be presented as an alternative.
3. Although the PRINCE2 Foundation certificate does not have a period of validity, the PRINCE2 Practitioner certificate would require renewal at 3-year intervals.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of the sector you will be managing projects under, your current experience in the project management cycle, or how much you budget, there is an appropriate certificate for you. Although there are several other project management certificates you can choose from, online or offline, in various regions around the globe, the five reviewed in this article are accepted in the US and are well-recognized.

While one could call the PMP certificate the golden plaque certificate, the other above-mentioned project management certifications are equally effective. If you are just starting and looking forward to growing your project management expertise, CAPM may be the thing for you. If your field of work is rather IT-focused, the CSM and CompTIA Project+ certificates would be good options. And if you are technically inclined, you may choose to opt for any of the PRINCE2 project management certificates as some refer to the exams as “appealing to the technical-minded”.