{"id":1165,"date":"2026-06-20T02:43:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T06:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/boostelearning.com\/resources\/blog\/pmp-exam-cost\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T02:43:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T06:43:34","slug":"pmp-exam-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/boostelearning.com\/es\/resources\/blog\/pmp-exam-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"PMP Exam Cost in 2026: The Complete Fee Breakdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The PMP exam fee is <strong>$405 for PMI members<\/strong> and <strong>$575 for non-members<\/strong> (USD, set by the Project Management Institute). But the exam fee alone isn&#8217;t what the PMP certification actually costs \u2014 PMI membership, the required 35 contact hours of training, and re-take fees all change the math. Here&#8217;s the complete 2026 breakdown, plus how to keep the total down.<\/p>\n<h2>PMP exam cost at a glance (2026)<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Item<\/th>\n<th>PMI member<\/th>\n<th>Non-member<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>PMP exam fee (first attempt)<\/td>\n<td>$405<\/td>\n<td>$575<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Re-examination fee (per retake)<\/td>\n<td>$275<\/td>\n<td>$375<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>PMI annual membership<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\">~$139\/year (+ $10 one-time application fee)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Required 35 contact hours of training<\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\">Varies by provider (included with a PMP prep course)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Certification renewal (every 3 years)<\/td>\n<td>$60<\/td>\n<td>$150<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p class=\"muted\" style=\"font-size:.9rem\">Fees are set by PMI and can change or vary by region. Always confirm current pricing on PMI.org before you book.<\/p>\n<h2>Is it cheaper to join PMI before booking the exam?<\/h2>\n<p>Almost always \u2014 yes. Non-members pay $575 for the exam; members pay $405, a $170 saving. PMI membership costs about $149 the first year ($139 + a $10 application fee). So joining PMI <em>first<\/em> nets you roughly $20 even before counting the member discounts on re-takes ($100 cheaper), renewal ($90 cheaper), and free access to the PMBOK&reg; Guide. If there&#8217;s any chance you&#8217;ll re-take or renew, membership pays for itself.<\/p>\n<h2>The &#8220;hidden&#8221; costs of getting PMP-certified<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>35 contact hours of project-management education<\/strong> \u2014 this is a PMI <em>eligibility requirement<\/em>, not optional. You must complete it before you can apply. A structured PMP prep course is the usual way to satisfy it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Study materials<\/strong> \u2014 practice exams, simulators, and the PMBOK&reg; Guide (free for PMI members).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Re-takes<\/strong> \u2014 at $275\u2013$375 each, a single failed attempt can cost more than membership. First-time-pass preparation is the cheapest path.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Renewal<\/strong> \u2014 PMP requires 60 PDUs every three years plus the renewal fee to stay active.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to keep your PMP cost down<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Join PMI first<\/strong> to unlock the $170 exam discount and cheaper re-takes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pass on the first attempt<\/strong> \u2014 every retake is $275+. Quality prep is the real money-saver.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bundle your 35 contact hours with exam prep<\/strong> so you&#8217;re not paying twice for training.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"callout-box\" style=\"margin:28px 0\">\n<h3>Get your 35 contact hours <em>and<\/em> pass the first time<\/h3>\n<p class=\"muted\">Boost eLearning&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/boostelearning.com\/courses\/project-management\/pmp-project-management-professional\/\"><strong>PMP Certification Training<\/strong><\/a> delivers the full <strong>35 contact hours<\/strong> PMI requires for eligibility, hands-on Live Labs, and a <strong>money-back Pass Guarantee<\/strong> \u2014 so you satisfy the requirement and avoid the $275 re-take fee. <a href=\"https:\/\/boostelearning.com\/courses\/project-management\/pmp-project-management-professional\/\">Explore the PMP course &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>PMP exam cost \u2014 frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>How much does the PMP exam cost in 2026?<\/h3>\n<p>$405 for PMI members and $575 for non-members (USD). PMI sets these fees and they can vary by region.<\/p>\n<h3>Is the PMP exam cheaper if I join PMI?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Members pay $405 versus $575 for non-members \u2014 a $170 saving that more than covers the ~$149 first-year membership.<\/p>\n<h3>How much does it cost to retake the PMP exam?<\/h3>\n<p>$275 per retake for members and $375 for non-members, within your one-year eligibility period (up to three attempts).<\/p>\n<h3>Are the 35 contact hours included in the exam fee?<\/h3>\n<p>No. The 35 contact hours of project-management education are a separate eligibility requirement you complete <em>before<\/em> applying \u2014 usually through a PMP prep course.<\/p>\n<h3>What does it cost to keep PMP active?<\/h3>\n<p>You renew every three years by earning 60 PDUs and paying the renewal fee ($60 for members, $150 for non-members).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How much does the PMP exam cost in 2026? $405 for PMI members and $575 for non-members \u2014 plus membership, the required 35 contact hours, and re-take fees. The complete breakdown.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bel_standfirst":"How much does the PMP exam cost in 2026? $405 for PMI members and $575 for non-members \u2014 plus membership, the required 35 contact hours, and re-take fees. 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