Learn about the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification and its benefits for career growth in Project Management. Understand the costs involved, how it increases the earning potential, and how training institutes like Noble Desktop can guide you towards achieving this certification.
Key Insights
- CAPM certification is an entry-level professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) that is recommended for aspiring Project Managers with less than three years of experience.
- The cost of the CAPM certification exam is around $300, with additional costs for acquiring the required project management education hours and maintaining your certification.
- Project management jobs are expected to see a 33% increase over the next five years, with 22 million new project management jobs created by 2027.
- According to PMI, the median annual salary for a Project Manager is around $116,000, and CAPM-certified Project Managers earn around a 25% salary increase.
- Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp provides necessary instruction hours to apply for CAPM certification and costs around $450.
- PMI requires 23 hours of formal project management education to take the CAPM-certification exam, which can be achieved through training schools like Noble Desktop.
The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is the entry-level professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It is highly recommended that new and aspiring Project Managers become CAPM-certified.
The cost to take the CAPM-certification exam is around $300. The primary costs associated with becoming CAPM certified are the certification fee, acquiring the required project management education hours, and maintaining your certification. The primary factor affecting the cost of becoming CAPM certified is the training method you choose.
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.
In-Depth Review of the Cost
If you’re planning to become CAPM certified, you’re probably wondering how much it costs. Becoming CAPM certified will lead to better job opportunities and a higher salary. PMI reports that certified Project Managers earn around 25% more than uncertified Project Managers.
If you’re a member of PMI, the cost to take the CAPM-certification exam is around $225. Non-members can take the CAPM-certification exam for around $300. You can bundle your exam and membership fees for a reduced rate if you're a college student. It is worth noting that PMI offers professional development opportunities that are required to maintain your certification, so it’s a good idea to go ahead and join when you apply for certification.
Additionally, you will need to complete 23 hours of project management education before you can take the CAPM-certification exam. This will cost an additional amount depending on which training method you choose. For example, if you choose to take Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp, it costs around $450. You’ll acquire project management education and the necessary instruction hours to apply for certification.
If you choose an option like Noble Desktop for training, you can become CAPM certified for less than $700.
Why Earn CAPM Certification?
Project management is a very hot career path. The Project Management Institute (PMI) estimates that project management jobs will increase by 33% over the next five years, with 22 million new project management jobs created by 2027.
Project management is a skill-based field, meaning your skills are more important than formal education. It is also a relatively new field that is still establishing its career paths and expectations. PMI’s CAPM certification is the top professional certification for aspiring and entry-level Project Managers. Project Managers who are CAPM certified have more job opportunities, are more likely to get hired, and earn higher salaries. PMI estimates that CAPM-certified Project Managers earn 25% more than non-certified Project Managers.
If you’re serious about becoming a Project Manager, then it is recommended that you seek Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification. CAPM certification benefits include a higher salary, demonstrating your capabilities, more job opportunities, better understanding of project management practices, and industry-recognized credentials.
CAPM-certified Project Managers earn around 25% more than non-certified professionals. The average annual salary for a CAPM-certified Project Manager is around $101,000. More senior Project Managers earn a lot more, with a median annual salary of around $125,000. Earning a CAPM certification can help you get hired: it allows you to demonstrate that you have training in project management practices, theories, and methodologies.
Read more about CAPM Certification.
Free Introductory CAPM Certification Course Online
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.
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.