PMP vs PMI-ACP: Overview
Choosing between the Project Management Professional (PMP) and PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certifications is one of the most important career decisions for project management professionals. The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers both, and while they are globally recognized, each serves a different purpose and can lead your career in a distinct direction. This PMP vs PMI-ACP guide will help you understand the key differences, eligibility requirements, career benefits, and which certification aligns with your professional goals.
Table of Contents
- Overview
- What is PMP Certification?
- What is PMI-ACP Certification?
- PMP vs PMI-ACP: Key Differences
- Eligibility Requirements Comparison
- Key Changes from Pre-November 2024
- Which Certification Should You Choose?
- Career Impact and Salary
- Your Next Steps
What is PMP Certification?
Project Management Professional is the world’s most prestigious certification in project management. Since 1984, over 1.3 million professionals have earned this credential, making it the industry gold standard. Suppose you are considering the PMP and want structured support throughout the entire process. In that case, comprehensive PMP certification training and support can greatly boost your chances of passing on your first attempt.
Who Should Pursue PMP?
PMP is designed for experienced project managers with 3-5 years of hands-on experience who lead projects across traditional (predictive), Agile, and hybrid environments. It is ideal for:
- Seasoned project managers seeking credibility and career advancement
- Team leads are ready to transition to formal PM roles
- Professionals working across multiple methodologies
- Mid-to-senior level managers validating their expertise
- Consultants managing diverse client projects
What Does PMP Cover?
PMP covers three main domains based on the PMBOK® Guide (7th Edition) and Agile Practice Guide:
- People (42%): Leading teams, managing stakeholders, building collaborative environments, and conflict resolution
- Process (50%): Planning, execution, monitoring, risk management, quality management, scope/schedule/cost management
- Business Environment (8%): Strategic alignment, benefits realization, compliance
Importantly, approximately 50% of the PMP exam content relates to Agile or hybrid approaches, making PMP holders versatile across any project environment.
Exam Format:
- 180 questions (175 scored + 5 pretest)
- 230 minutes (3 hours 50 minutes)
- Multiple choice, multiple response, matching, hotspot, fill-in-the-blank
- Pass rate: ~60-65%
What is PMI-ACP Certification?
The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner is a specialized certification launched in 2011 that validates expertise in Agile principles, practices, and methodologies. Unlike framework-specific certifications (like Certified ScrumMaster), PMI-ACP is vendor-neutral and covers multiple Agile approaches.
November 2024 Updates:
PMI made significant changes to PMI-ACP, including simplified eligibility requirements and a restructured exam content outline with four focused domains instead of seven.
Who Should Pursue PMI-ACP?
PMI-ACP targets professionals working primarily in Agile environments:
- Scrum Masters wanting broader Agile knowledge
- Agile coaches facilitating organizational transformations
- Product Owners in Agile product development
- Agile project managers and delivery managers
- Team members validating Agile expertise
- Professionals transitioning from traditional to Agile methodologies
What Does PMI-ACP Cover?
PMI-ACP covers multiple Agile frameworks, including Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Extreme Programming (XP), and Test-Driven Development (TDD). As of November 2024, PMI updated the exam content outline to focus on four key domains:
I: Mindset (28%)
- Agile Manifesto values and principles
- Servant leadership and Agile coaching
- Embracing change and continuous learning
- Self-organizing and empowered teams
- Stakeholder collaboration and engagement
II: Leadership (25%)
- Building high-performing Agile teams
- Facilitating team dynamics and psychological safety
- Removing impediments and blockers
- Coaching and mentoring team members
- Distributed and co-located team leadership
III: Product (19%)
- Product vision and roadmap development
- User stories and backlog management
- Value-driven prioritization
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approaches
- Customer feedback and validation
IV: Delivery (28%)
- Iterative and incremental delivery
- Sprint/iteration planning and execution
- Agile estimation techniques (story points, planning poker)
- Continuous integration and deployment
- Metrics, velocity, and burndown charts
- Retrospectives and continuous improvement
Exam Format:
- 120 questions (all scored)
- 180 minutes (3 hours)
- Multiple choice only
- Pass rate: ~65-70%
Important Note:
The November 2024 update consolidated the previous 7-domain structure into these four domains, making the exam more streamlined and focused on practical Agile application.
PMP vs PMI-ACP: Key Differences
Here is a quick comparison of the most important differences:
| Factor | PMP | PMI-ACP |
| Focus | Comprehensive PM (all methodologies) | Agile-specific |
| Experience Required | 36-60 months PM experience with 4,500-7,500 leadership hours | 2 years of Agile experience (1 year if you hold CSM/PSM/SAFe, no experience if PMP holder) |
| Education Required | 35 contact hours PM training | 21 contact hours of Agile training |
| Exam | 180 questions, 230 minutes | 120 questions, 180 minutes |
| Cost (Member/Non-Member) | $405 / $555 | $435 / $495 |
| Recertification | 60 PDUs every 3 years | 30 PDUs every 3 years |
| Best For | Traditional, Agile, hybrid environments | Primarily Agile environments |
| Typical Roles | Project Manager, Program Manager | Scrum Master, Agile Coach |
| Salary Range (US) | $95,000 – $140,000+ | $85,000 – $130,000+ |
| Latest Update | Ongoing | November 8, 2024 – Simplified requirements |
Eligibility Requirements Comparison
Here are the detailed criteria and recent updates to help you determine which certification you currently qualify for.
1. PMP Eligibility Requirements
You must meet ALL of the following:
Education: 35 contact hours of project management training
Choose Your Category:
- Secondary Degree (High School/Associate’s)
- 60 months of PM experience
- 7,500 hours leading and directing projects
- Within the last 8 consecutive years
- Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
- 36 months of PM experience
- 4,500 hours leading and directing projects
- Within the last 8 consecutive years
Key Points:
- Hours must demonstrate leadership (not just team participation)
- Months cannot overlap (if managing 2 projects simultaneously, count once)
- Any industry is applicable (e.g., IT, construction, healthcare, finance, etc.)
- Volunteer work in professional settings qualifies.
2. PMI-ACP Eligibility Requirements
You must meet ALL of the following:
Education: 21 contact hours of Agile training (within the last 3 years)
Experience Requirements (Choose Based on Your Situation):
- Standard Path
- 2 years (24 months) of Agile project management experience within the last 5 years
- No specific hour requirement—just demonstrate 2 years of Agile work
- PMP Holders
- If you already hold PMP certification, you can skip the experience requirement entirely
- Proceed directly to completing the 21 hours of Agile education
- Other Agile Certification Holders
- If you hold another Agile certification (CSM, PSM, SAFe, etc.) earned at least 1 year ago
- Only 1 year of Agile project experience required (instead of 2 years)
Important Update (November 8, 2024):
PMI recently simplified the PMI-ACP eligibility requirements, making it significantly easier to qualify. The changes include removing the general project experience requirement, eliminating the education-level categories, and introducing benefits for PMP holders and those with other Agile certifications.
Key Changes from Pre-November 2024 Requirements
| Requirement | Old (Before Nov 2024) | New (After Nov 2024) |
| General Project Experience | 1,500-2,000 hours required | Removed entirely |
| Agile Experience | 1,000-1,500 hours (tracked precisely) | 2 years (no hour tracking needed) |
| Education Categories | Category 1 (Secondary) vs Category 2 (Bachelor’s) | Simplified—no education level distinction |
| PMP Holder Benefit | None | Can skip the experience requirement |
| Other Agile Cert Holders | No benefit | Only 1 year of experience required |
What These Changes Mean:
- Simpler tracking: No more calculating specific hours; just demonstrate years of experience
- Faster qualification: PMP holders can now get PMI-ACP with just Agile training
- Recognition of existing certifications: CSM, PSM, and SAFe holders get credit
- Lower barrier to entry: Removed the general project experience requirement
- More accessible: No distinction between high school and bachelor’s degree holders
Important Notes:
- Any role on Agile teams counts (Scrum Master, Product Owner, developer, tester, business analyst, etc.)
- Must specifically use Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP, etc.)
- Experience must be within the last 5 years.
- You must complete 21 hours of Agile training within three years before submitting your application.
PMP vs PMI-ACP: Which Certification Should You Choose?
Choose PMP if you:
- Work across multiple project methodologies (traditional, Agile, hybrid)
- Want maximum versatility across all industries
- Seek senior leadership roles (Program Manager, PMO Director)
- Work in traditional industries (construction, manufacturing, government)
- Have 3-5 years of project management experience with a leadership focus
- Want the most prestigious and widely recognized PM credential globally
Choose PMI-ACP if you:
- Work primarily in Agile environments (Scrum, Kanban, Lean)
- Are in technology, software development, or digital product companies
- Want Agile specialization over broad PM knowledge
- Pursue roles like Scrum Master, Agile Coach, or Product Owner
- Have 2 years of Agile experience (or 1 year if you hold CSM/PSM/SAFe)
- Already hold PMP and want to add Agile specialization (no experience required!)
- Prefer vendor-neutral credentials covering multiple Agile frameworks
Can You Hold Both?
Many professionals earn both certifications. Common paths include:
PMP → PMI-ACP (Now Easier Than Ever!)
With the November 2024 changes, this path has become significantly simpler:
- Earn your PMP certification first
- Complete 21 hours of Agile training
- Apply for PMI-ACP without needing additional experience
- You now hold both prestigious certifications!
Why this path makes sense:
- PMP validates your broad project management expertise
- PMI-ACP adds specialized Agile credentials
- PMP holders can now skip the PMI-ACP experience requirement
- Fastest route to dual certification if you already have PMP
PMI-ACP → PMP (For Agile-First Professionals)
- Start with PMI-ACP if you’re in Agile environments (only 2 years of experience needed)
- Continue working and expand to broader PM responsibilities
- Accumulate the experience needed for PMP (36-60 months)
- Pursue PMP to add comprehensive PM credentials
Holding both positions, you are a versatile professional capable of leading projects in any environment—from traditional waterfall to pure Agile to hybrid approaches.
Career Impact and Salary
Here are the key points highlighting how each certification impacts salary, job roles, and long-term growth.
1. PMP Career Impact
Salary Premium:
PMP holders earn 25-41% more than non-certified project managers
U.S. Salary Ranges:
- Non-certified PM: $85,000 median
- PMP-certified PM: $120,000 median
- Senior PMP roles: $135,000-$175,000+
Career Opportunities:
- Project Manager, Senior PM, Program Manager
- PMO Director, Portfolio Manager
- Global opportunities across all industries
- Consulting and contract positions
2. PMI-ACP Career Impact
Salary Premium:
PMI-ACP holders earn 20-31% more than non-certified Agile practitioners
U.S. Salary Ranges:
- Non-certified Agile practitioner: $80,000 median
- PMI-ACP certified: $105,000 median
- Agile Coach roles: $115,000-$150,000+
Career Opportunities:
- Scrum Master, Agile Project Manager
- Agile Coach, Delivery Manager
- Product Owner, Release Train Engineer
- Digital transformation leadership
Both PMP and PMI-ACP offer high ROI through better job opportunities, global recognition, and faster career advancement.
Your Next Steps
If you are pursuing PMP:
- Verify your eligibility (calculate months and hours carefully)
- Complete 35 contact hours of PM training
- Document your projects clearly using leadership-focused language
- Prepare for 3-6 months of study
- Schedule your exam when consistently scoring 75%+ on practice tests
If you are pursuing PMI-ACP:
- Check if you qualify for simplified requirements:
- Already hold PMP? You only need 21 hours of Agile training!
- Hold CSM, PSM, or SAFe? You only need 1 year of Agile experience
- Otherwise, you need 2 years of Agile experience
- Complete 21 Agile contact hours (within the last 3 years)
- Document your Agile experience with specific framework details
- Study multiple Agile approaches (not just Scrum)
- Schedule your exam when ready (typically 2-4 months of prep)
Pro Tip for PMP Holders:
With the November 2024 changes, adding PMI-ACP to your credentials is now faster than ever. You can achieve dual certification with just the Agile training requirement!
Final Thoughts
Both PMP and PMI-ACP are exceptional certifications that can significantly accelerate your project management career. The choice between PMP vs PMI-ACP ultimately depends on your experience, professional goals, and preferred project management approach.
- PMP offers broad versatility, maximum industry recognition, and the highest prestige
- PMI-ACP provides Agile specialization, strong tech sector demand, and framework flexibility
Both together position you as a complete project management professional.
Author Bio: Ali Izhar
Ali Izhar specializes in guest blogging and premium link building, helping websites improve their search rankings and domain authority through strategic, high-quality backlinks. Combining his digital marketing expertise with a keen eye for style, he enjoys guiding readers toward smart, enduring fashion choices.
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