The Importance of PMP Certification

Updated 07/14/2025

At some point in their career, almost every project manager wonders whether to get some sort of project management certification. The Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification, administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI)®, is by far the most widely recognized project management certification worldwide.

Based on the amount of time and money it takes to accomplish, it may seem daunting to get PMP certified. However, statistical data and anecdotal evidence support the conclusion that obtaining PMP certification has enormous value for project managers and their employers. That’s why, if you’re considering getting your master’s in project management, you should look for a program that prepares you to take the PMP exam.

What Is PMI?

In 1969, PMI was founded “to provide a means for project managers to associate, share information, and discuss common problems.”¹ PMI is now a leading nonprofit membership association for the profession of project management and has grown to become a resource for professionals worldwide.

PMI has more than 300 member chapters in countries around the globe.² The organization offers four flagship and six specialized certifications, and more than 1.7 million people hold a PMI certification.³ PMI also produces academic research and thought leadership reports, including the annual Pulse of the Profession^®,⁴ and the organization hosts a wide range of live and virtual professional development and networking events all over the world.⁵ In addition, the PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) monitors and recognizes degree programs that provide academic training for the project management profession worldwide.⁶

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is accredited by the PMI GAC — a prestigious designation indicating the high quality of our project management program. This accreditation is granted to programs that provide the most comprehensive education that integrates the best practices for managing projects as outlined by PMI. As of May 2025, Saint Mary’s is one of 95 universities in North America and about 190 universities worldwide accredited by the PMI GAC.⁷ Therefore, at Saint Mary’s, you are getting the best of the best for education in project management.

Are you ready to take your career to the next level?

Make a significant impact on your organization and lead projects to success with a Master of Science in Project Management from Saint Mary’s University.

What Is PMP Certification?

PMI describes the PMP certification as “the gold standard in project management” that “validates your competence to perform in the role of a project manager, leading and directing projects and teams.”⁸ To apply to become a PMP, you must document the completion of 35 hours of project management education. Additionally, there are varying work experience requirements depending on your educational background.⁹ PMI randomly selects applications for audit to ensure that the experience and education you reported can be verified.

The key resource for exam prep is the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide, but you can also use study guides and take exam preparation courses. Some project management degree programs include exam preparation within the coursework.

“Not only did my experience help me pass the PMP^® exam, but the knowledge I gained from the Master’s in Project Management from Saint Mary’s prepared me for those hard questions as well.”
– Veronica Hiza, MScPM, PMP

Your employer may cover the cost of course preparation in addition to the exam fee. The PMP exam consists of 180 multiple-choice questions and must be completed within 230 minutes. To maintain your PMP certification, you must earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) every three years.⁹

Why It Pays to Be PMP Certified

While becoming PMP certified can be costly, complicated, and time-consuming, it shows a high level of commitment to project management as a profession. One value of PMP certification is it provides a certain level of prestige and greater access to jobs with higher salaries. According to the 13th edition of PMI’s Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey, “Respondents with a PMP^® certification report higher median salaries than those without PMP certification — 33 percent higher on average across the 21 countries surveyed.”¹⁰

What’s more, some employers require their project managers to be PMP certified or prefer hiring PMPs. According to PMI, earning PMP certification enables you to “work in virtually any industry, anywhere in the world, and with any project management methodology.”¹¹

Additional studies provide supporting evidence that high performance and success may be directly linked to employing PMP-certified project managers. For instance, one estimate shows that project objectives are not met on 55 to 75 percent of enterprise resource projects.¹² Overcoming those shortcomings can depend on project managers attaining the right qualifications and experience. PMP certification is seen as an indication of potential success and remains the most recognized project management certification worldwide.

If you’re thinking about getting a master’s in project management, you should consider enrolling in the Online M.S. in Project Management program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. The curriculum at Saint Mary’s is not only aligned with the PMBOK and accredited by the GAC, but it also prepares you to take the PMP exam.

For more information about Saint Mary’s online Master of Science in Project Management, contact us today at 877-308-9954 or request information.

Sources

1. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Lighting the way for the project profession since 1969.” n.d. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/about/our-legacy.
2. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Tap into a local chapter.” n.d. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/membership/chapters.
3. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Become a certified success.” n.d. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/certifications.
4. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Pulse of the Profession®.” n.d. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/boosting-business-acumen.
5. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Join us at PMI events around the world.” n.d. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/events.
6. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).” n.d. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/global-accreditation-center/.
7. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Directory.” n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/global-accreditation-center/directory.
8. Project Management Institute, Inc. “PMI® Certifications.” n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/leadership-central/sitecore/content/home/certifications.
9. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Project Management Professional (PMP)®.” n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp.
10. Project Management Institute, Inc. “Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Thirteenth Edition.” n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/learning/careers/project-management-salary-survey.
11. Project Management Institute, Inc. “It’s Never Too Late to Future-Proof Your Career by Earning a Project Management Certification.” February 24, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2025, from https://www.pmi.org/blog/why-earn-a-project-management-certification.
12. Wu, T., and Misra, R. B. Harvard Business Review. “Why Big Projects Fail — and How to Give Yours a Better Chance of Success.” November 3, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2025. https://hbr.org/2023/11/why-big-projects-fail-and-how-to-give-yours-a-better-chance-of-success.