For aspiring professionals, it is always a dilemma to decide which project management certification to pursue at which juncture of their career. Then there are two streams to choose from, the predictive and agile. As of now, the most popular certifications are;
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Projects in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2)
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner)
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
IPMA Certifications (Levels A-D)
1. PMP (Project Management Professional) – PMI Aspect Details Issuing Body Project Management Institute (PMI), USA Focus Predictive, Hybrid, and Agile project management Best For Mid to senior-level project managers Eligibility 36–60 months experience (based on education) + 35 PDUs Exam 180 questions, 230 minutes Cost *~$405 (members), ~$555 (non-members) Recognition Global gold standard Pros Widely respected, high ROI, cross-industry relevance Cons Challenging exam, time-intensive prep
2. PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) – AXELOS Aspect Details Issuing Body AXELOS (UK Government initiative) Focus Process-driven methodology (predictive) Best For Project managers in UK, Europe, public sector Levels Foundation (no exp.) & Practitioner (some project experience recommended) Exam Foundation: 60 min, Practitioner: 150 min Cost *~$900 (varies by provider) Recognition UK, Europe, Commonwealth countries Pros Structured, scalable, easy entry via Foundation level Cons Less Agile/hybrid oriented, not as common in the US
3. CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) – PMI Aspect Details Issuing Body PMI Focus Foundational knowledge, PMBOK-based Best For Entry-level project practitioners, students Eligibility Secondary degree + 23 hours project management education Exam 150 questions, 3 hours Cost *~$225 (members), ~$300 (non-members) Recognition Global Pros Entry-level, great for getting started Cons Limited value for experienced professionals
4. PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) – PMI Aspect Details Issuing Body PMI Focus Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, XP, etc.) Best For Agile team members, PMs in Agile/hybrid environments Eligibility 2,000 hours general PM experience + 1,500 hours Agile + 21 contact hours Exam 120 questions, 3 hours Cost *~$435 (members), ~$495 (non-members) Recognition Global (agile-specific roles) Pros Broad agile coverage, recognized globally Cons May be less recognized than Scrum-specific certs in Agile-dominant teams
5. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) – Scrum Alliance Aspect Details Issuing Body Scrum Alliance Focus Scrum framework and servant leadership Best For Scrum Masters, Agile team facilitators Eligibility 2-day training mandatory Exam 50 MCQs, 60 minutes Cost *~$1000–$1500 (including training) Recognition Highly recognized in Agile/Scrum world Pros Practical, fast to attain, high Agile adoption Cons Narrow focus, basic entry-level certification
6. IPMA Certifications (Levels A–D) – IPMA Aspect Details Issuing Body International Project Management Association Focus Competency-based (technical, behavioral, contextual) Best For Managers in Europe, Asia, and Middle East Levels D (entry) to A (top executives) Exam Varies by level and country Cost *Varies significantly (~$500–$2500) Recognition Europe, Asia, Latin America Pros Holistic, levels match experience Cons Less known in North America
Cost will vary from country to country and from time to time
Recommendations by Career Stage:
Students/Starters : Start with CAPM or PRINCE2 Foundation Growing Professionals : PMP (for mainstream PM) or PMI-ACP (for Agile teams)Agile Enthusiasts : CSM → PMI-ACP Europe-focused careers : Consider PRINCE2 or IPMA Senior Leaders : PMP or IPMA Level B/A
