Written by the AgileFever editorial team. Facts checked on November 4, 2026 against the official pages of the organizations named in this post. AgileFever sells training for some of the topics covered here, and we say so wherever it applies. Prices are US dollars from PMI’s US store on that date. They change, so confirm before you pay.
Below, the total is built line by line. Every PMI number has a source and a date, and we say where a number in circulation does not match PMI’s own pages. We do not price other providers’ courses here, because their quotes change and depend on format, so you get a worksheet to fill in from your own quotes.
Two other AgileFever posts cover neighbouring ground. PMP exam fee: member, non-member and retake covers the fee schedule only. PMP certification cost: things to know before you invest is the general guide. This post adds what neither does: the US budget in one table, a worksheet for your own course quote, and the full three-year total including renewal.
PMP certification cost USA: the budget in one table
Every column joins PMI before paying the exam fee and adds one practice tool. The first two columns use only PMI’s own price list. The third shows how to add any other course.
| Line item | PMI course, member | PMI course, non-member | Any other 35-hour course, member |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-hour course | $699 (PMI on-demand course) | $799 | Your written quote |
| Prep tool | $99 (PMI PMP Practice Exam) | $99 | $59 to $99 (PMI Study Hall Essentials or Practice Exam), or what your course includes |
| PMI membership, first year | $174 ($164 + $10 application fee) | not joined | $174 |
| PMP exam fee | $425 | $675 | $425 |
| Day-one total | $1,397 | $1,573 | $599 + your course quote + prep tool |
| If you need one retake | $1,672 ($275 retake) | $1,948 ($375 retake) | add $275 |
| Certification renewal at year 3 | $60 (member rate in PMI’s 2022 handbook) | $150 (non-member rate) | $60 |
Sources: PMI US store (exam, retake, membership, Study Hall, Practice Exam, on-demand course), read on November 4, 2026. Joining first saves $176 in the PMI course columns: $250 on the exam and $100 on the course, minus $174 for membership.
Training is the line that moves. Everything else is nearly fixed.
Source: same figures as the table above, checked November 4, 2026. Bars scale to the largest total.
PMI’s own charges ($174 membership and $425 exam) come to $599 in every member column. Whatever course you choose, your total is $599 plus that course plus a prep tool.
What PMI charges: exam, retake and membership
PMI sets only part of the PMP certification cost USA candidates pay.
These are the only fees PMI sets for getting certified. We read them from PMI’s US store on November 4, 2026.
| PMI fee | Member | Non-member | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMP exam | $425 | $675 | PMI store, PMP Exam |
| PMP exam retake | $275 | $375 | PMI store, PMP Exam Retake |
| PMI professional membership | $164 (store also lists a $154 option) | not applicable | PMI store, membership |
| Membership application fee | $10 one time | not applicable | PMI store, application fee option |
The membership break-even. Join PMI and the exam costs $425 instead of $675, a saving of $250. Membership costs $174 in year one with the application fee. You come out $76 ahead before counting anything else. Membership also gives you the PMBOK Guide for free and discounts on PMI’s own products, such as $100 off the $799 PMI prep course (PMI lists it at $699 for members). If you plan to buy that course, joining first saves $176 in total.
The exam has 180 questions in 240 minutes, at a Pearson VUE test center or online, with up to three attempts in one year. We cover pass strategy in how hard the PMP exam is and how to crack it.
The 35 contact hours: how to price a course
PMI requires 35 hours of project management training before you apply, unless you hold an active CAPM. You also need experience: three years with a bachelor’s degree, four with an associate degree, five with a high school diploma. Training is the line with the widest price range, and it is the one only you can fill in.
| Course | Price (USD) | What PMI lists |
|---|---|---|
| PMI on-demand PMP Exam Prep Course | $799 ($699 members) | 35 hours, 35 PDUs, aligned to the exam outline |
Source: PMI US store, PMP Exam Prep Course, read on November 4, 2026. We list only PMI’s own course. For anyone else, get a written quote.
What to ask for in any quote
- The total price in US dollars, with tax and any platform fee included.
- The exact number of contact hours and whether you receive a certificate for the full 35.
- Live or self-paced, and for a live class, the dates and time zone.
- ATP status, if the class is live and you apply after December 1, 2026.
- Whether the content follows the July 2026 exam outline.
- How many full-length mock exams and practice questions are included, and for how long you keep access.
- The refund and transfer terms in writing.
The cheapest valid route is an on-demand course. A live class buys structure and an instructor, and needs one extra check.
Study materials and practice exams
Most people pay twice for practice questions without noticing. Check what the course already includes before buying anything else.
| Tool | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PMBOK Guide | Free with PMI membership | PMI states members get digital editions free |
| PMI Study Hall Essentials | $59 | PMI’s study companion with practice exams and learning refreshers |
| PMI Study Hall Plus | $79 | Higher PMI tier of the same product |
| PMI PMP Practice Exam | $99 | One full-length simulation, worth 4 PDUs |
| Question banks inside courses | Included in some quotes | Count the questions and full mock exams in each quote before buying anything extra |
If your course already includes full mock exams, skip the $99 practice exam or buy it once near exam day as an independent check. If it has none, buy one. Book prices are not listed because retailers change them daily.
Two worked budgets for the PMP certification cost USA
Budget 1: PMI’s own course, $1,397
You pay for PMI’s on-demand course at the member price ($699), the PMI Practice Exam ($99), membership ($174) and the member exam fee ($425). This fits someone who studies alone, has steady weekday time and wants every line priced by PMI. A retake takes it to $1,672.
PMI course route, $1,397 in total. Illustrative split of the table above.
- PMI on-demand course (member price): 699
- PMI Practice Exam: 99
- PMI membership and application fee: 174
- Exam fee (member): 425
Budget 2: another course, $599 plus your quote
You pay PMI $599 as a member and add the course you choose and one prep tool. Write your quote in the line below and the total is the sum: $599 + course quote + $59 to $99 for a prep tool, or nothing extra if the course includes full mock exams. This fits someone who wants a live instructor, a fixed calendar or an employer-paid class. If the class is live, confirm it meets PMI’s December 1 rule first.
| Line | Your number |
|---|---|
| PMI membership and application fee | $174 |
| PMP exam fee (member) | $425 |
| 35-hour course (your written quote) | $ ______ |
| Prep tool (PMI Practice Exam $99, or included in your course) | $ ______ |
| Day-one total | $599 + the two lines above |
A failed attempt costs $275 in either budget. The retake fee does not scale with the course.
Renewal: what the next three years cost
A fair PMP certification cost USA figure includes the renewal cycle, not only day one.
Your three-year renewal cycle starts the day you pass the exam. PMI’s CCR handbook (last updated April 2026) requires 60 professional development units per cycle: at least 35 in education (8 each in Ways of Working, Power Skills and Business Acumen, 11 in any area) and up to 25 from giving back, such as volunteering. Miss the requirement and the certification is suspended for a year, then expires, which means a new application, new fees and a retake.
The renewal fee is not printed in PMI’s April 2026 handbook, which says the fee depends on membership and region, and points to your mypmi dashboard. The 2022 handbook listed $60 for members and $150 for non-members. We use those as planning figures only.
| Path over the 3-year cycle | Arithmetic | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|
| Stay a member all three years | $60 renewal + two more years of membership at the store’s $154 option ($308) | $368 |
| Drop membership after the exam | $150 non-member renewal | $150 |
Estimates built from PMI’s 2022 handbook renewal fees and the $154 membership option in PMI’s US store on November 4, 2026. Neither is a confirmed 2029 price.
On those numbers, dropping membership after you pass costs $218 less over the cycle. Membership still earns its place if you will use its free eLearning courses and webinars to collect your 60 PDUs. Count your likely PDU spend first. Topics such as AI in project management are the kind PDU courses now cover.
Costs people forget
These items sit outside the PMP certification cost USA totals above, so add the ones that apply to you.
- A retake. $275 for members, $375 for non-members. Budget for one if you have never taken a PMI exam.
- Audit paperwork. PMI audits a share of certification holders at renewal. Its handbook says to keep documentation for every PDU claim for at least 18 months after the cycle ends.
- Out-of-date material. PMI changed the exam in July 2026. Used books and older courses may follow the previous outline.
- Membership renewal. It is a separate charge from the certification renewal fee, as PMI’s handbook says.
- Exam-day logistics. A four-hour exam at a test center means travel, a day off work and possibly parking. Online testing needs a private room and a system check.
- Rescheduling terms. Read the cancellation and rescheduling terms when you book. PMI sets the charges at booking, so read them there.
Ask HR before you pay anything
Employers fund PMP costs in different ways, and some only reimburse spending they approved first. Ask these questions before you buy:
- Does the company pay the course, the exam fee, PMI membership and a retake, or only some of them?
- Do I need written approval before I pay, and does the company pay the provider directly or reimburse me afterwards?
- Is there a repayment clause if I leave within a set time after certification?
- Do I get paid study time, or time off for the class and the exam?
- Will the company pay for PMI membership renewal and the renewal fee after three years?
A sensible way to decide
Decide the cheap parts first and the expensive part last. The PMP certification cost USA candidates control most is the course.
Check your education and project experience against PMI’s table first. Course money is wasted if you cannot apply.
Ask HR the questions above. If the company covers a premium course, the choice is about fit, not price.
Self-paced is cheapest and needs discipline. A live class costs more and gives fixed dates and an instructor.
For any live class applied for after December 1, 2026, confirm ATP status in PMI’s directory. Self-paced courses from any organization still count.
Membership first saves $76 on the exam and more if you buy PMI’s own course. Keep a $275 retake in reserve.
If you want a second view of the career side before you spend, our project manager to AI-augmented program lead roadmap covers where PMP sits among other options, and SAFe versus PMI-ACP compares it with agile credentials.
Where AgileFever fits
We run a PMP course. It is listed as a four-day live online course covering the 35 hours of training, and it is on the AgileFever PMP training page. We are not quoting a price or dates here because the page does not show current priced batches, so check the page for current batches. Because of PMI’s December 1, 2026 rule, ask any live provider, us included, whether the class qualifies for your application date before you pay.
Questions people ask
How much does PMP certification cost in the USA in total?
On the figures we checked on November 4, 2026, PMI’s own charges are $599 for a member (membership $174 plus the $425 exam fee). With PMI’s on-demand course and Practice Exam the day-one total is $1,397. Any other course adds its own quote to the $599. A retake adds $275 for members.
Is PMI membership worth it for the PMP?
For the exam alone, narrowly yes. Membership costs $174 with the application fee and cuts the exam fee from $675 to $425, a $76 saving. You also get the PMBOK Guide free. Check your checkout price, because fees vary by region.
Do I need to pay for a 35-hour course?
You need 35 hours of PMP training or an active CAPM certification. PMI’s own on-demand course costs $799, or $699 for members. Other providers set their own prices, so ask for a written quote. From December 1, 2026, live classes must come from an ATP or another approved source.
What does the PMP cost to renew?
You need 60 PDUs every three years and a renewal fee. PMI’s April 2026 handbook gives no dollar amount and points to your mypmi dashboard. The 2022 handbook listed $60 for members and $150 for non-members. Treat those as estimates and read your own dashboard.
What if I fail the PMP exam?
PMI allows up to three attempts in one year. A retake costs $275 for members and $375 for non-members in PMI’s US store, whichever course you took, so budget for it separately.
Will my employer pay for the PMP?
Many employers cover some or all of it, but policies differ. Ask HR what they pay, whether you need approval before paying, and whether you must repay if you leave. Ask HR or a tax professional about tax treatment.
