PMI-ACP vs PMP: which should you take, and in what order?
PMI-ACP vs PMP: if you plan to hold both, take the PMP first when you can document its 24 to 60 months leading projects, because an active PMP meets the PMI-ACP experience rule. Without those months, qualify for the PMI-ACP with agile experience. Of 59,273 US project-manager ads in October 2026 (Adzuna), 14,183 named the PMP and 673 the PMI-ACP.
The Project Management Professional (PMP) is the Project Management Institute (PMI) certification for people who lead projects. PMI says it shows you can lead projects "without being tied to any specific methodology." The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) is PMI's agile certification, covering Scrum, Lean, Kanban and other methods. Both come from PMI. The PMI-ACP's experience rule names the PMP; the PMP's published rules do not name the PMI-ACP.
Who should take which · Job-ad counts · Cost and rules side by side · Difficulty · Salary · Order · Reddit
Show the numbers
| Country | PMI-ACP | PMP |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 9% | 35% |
| India | 1.9% | 24% |
| United States | 1.1% | 24% |
| Italy | 2 of 976 | 12% |
| Mexico | 0 of 60 | 12% |
| United Kingdom | 12 of 6,205 | 6.9% |
| Spain | 0 of 127 | 7% |
| Poland | 1 of 310 | 6% |
| Germany | 1 of 3,738 | 2.8% |
| France | 1 of 10,557 | 1.1% |
PMI-ACP or PMP: which do employers name more?
Instant answer from October 2026 job ads. No email needed.
PMP is named in more job ads in the United States.
Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.
On this page
Which should you take, by situation?
- An active PMP: PMI lists it as meeting the PMI-ACP experience rule. Add 21 hours of agile training (and a secondary-school diploma, if you lack one) and apply if the ads for the jobs you want name the PMI-ACP.
- Led projects for 24 to 60 months (the PMP minimum for your education level) but hold neither credential: the PMP is open to you once you add 35 hours of training. The PMI-ACP needs agile experience in particular, so check which of your months were on agile teams.
- Two years on agile teams in the past five, but not enough months leading projects for the PMP: the PMI-ACP is the one you can apply for now.
- Qualified for both and taking one: PMI describes the PMP as project leadership across predictive, hybrid or agile work, and the PMI-ACP as agile expertise across Scrum, Lean, Kanban and more. Choose by the work you do and by the credentials project-manager ads name. To hold both, take the PMP first, for the reasons in the order section.
- An active agile certification from another body, such as a Scrum certificate, held for more than a year: PMI counts it as 12 months toward the two years, so one more year of agile experience is enough for the PMI-ACP.
- Neither the project-lead months nor agile experience: you cannot apply for either yet. Our comparisons of the entry-level Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) with the PMI-ACP and with the PMP cover that route.
PMP vs PMI-ACP: what do job ads name?
In October 2026, 14,183 of the 59,273 US project-manager ads we counted named the PMP and 673 named the PMI-ACP (Adzuna). The table gives the same two counts for each country, so you can compare them in yours. We counted ads with "project manager" in the job title (gerente de projetos in Brazil, chef de projet in France) that contain the phrase pmp or pmi-acp anywhere in the text, whether as a requirement or a preference.
| Country | Project-manager ads | Naming the PMP | Naming the PMI-ACP |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 59,273 | 14,183 (24%) | 673 (1.1%) |
| United Kingdom | 6,205 | 430 (6.9%) | 12 (12 of 6,205) |
| India | 2,413 | 579 (24%) | 46 (1.9%) |
| Brazil | 281 | 98 (35%) | 25 (9%) |
| France | 10,557 | 113 (1.1%) | 1 (1 of 10,557) |
Source: Adzuna API, project-manager job ads collected in October 2026, matched by the exact phrases pmp and pmi-acp (Brazil: gerente de projetos; France: chef de projet). "No count" means our data for that month holds no PMI-ACP figure for the country. Analysis: CertWorthIt. How we count.
We search for the abbreviations, so an ad that writes only "Project Management Professional" or "Agile Certified Practitioner" is missed, so both counts are minimums. One ad can name both credentials and then counts in each column. We have no PMI-ACP count for Germany, Italy or Poland, so those countries are left out of the table.
Brazil's sample is small. With 281 gerente de projetos ads in October 2026, a few ads can move either Brazilian share noticeably, so read the Brazil row as a rough guide.
Both counts use project-manager titles only. Scrum-master and product ads can also name either credential, and neither count includes them; our Scrum-master job page shows which credentials those ads name. For every credential in US project-manager ads, see what project-manager ads ask for.
Show the numbers
| Item | Ads | Share of ads |
|---|---|---|
| PMP | 14,183 | 24% |
| Agile | 7,219 | 12% |
| Jira | 3,072 | 5.2% |
| CAPM | 982 | 1.7% |
| ITIL | 702 | 1.2% |
| PMI-ACP | 673 | 1.1% |
| Six Sigma Green Belt | 364 | 364 of 59,273 |
| PRINCE2 | 304 | 304 of 59,273 |
How do cost, exam and renewal compare?
The PMI-ACP costs less for non-members and has the shorter exam; the PMP has the longer experience rule and the larger renewal load. Both are PMI exams with the same retake limit and the same test-center or online delivery through Pearson VUE.
| PMP | PMI-ACP | |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | 24 to 60 months leading projects in the past 10 years: 36 with a bachelor's degree, 48 with an associate's degree or vocational diploma, 60 with a secondary-school diploma, 24 with a degree from a program accredited by PMI's Global Accreditation Center (GAC) | One of four: 2 years of agile experience in the past 5 years; 1 year plus a GAC-accredited degree; 1 year plus an active agile certification held for more than a year; an active PMP |
| Training | 35 hours of project management training, or an active CAPM | 21 hours of agile training, finished before you apply |
| Exam | 180 questions (170 scored), 240 minutes, two 10-minute breaks | 120 questions (100 scored), 180 minutes, one 10-minute break |
| Content | People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26% (since July 2026) | Mindset 28%, Leadership 25%, Product 19%, Delivery 28% (outline dated March 2026) |
| Passing score | Not published | Not published in the PMI documents we read |
| Exam fee | $405 for PMI members, $655 for others | $435 for PMI members, $495 for others |
| Retake fee | $275 for members, $375 for others | $335 for members, $395 for others |
| Attempts | Up to three in a one-year eligibility period | Up to three in a one-year eligibility period |
| Renewal | 60 professional development units (PDUs) every three years (at least 35 in education, at most 25 giving back) | 30 PDUs every three years (at least 18 in education, at most 12 giving back) |
| Renewal fee | Set by membership and region, shown in myPMI | Set by membership and region, shown in myPMI |
Source: PMI PMP page and PMP exam content outline (July 2026), checked October 3 and 5, 2026. PMI-ACP page and PMI-ACP exam content outline (March 2026), checked October 5, 2026. PMI CCR Handbook (April 2026), checked October 5, 2026. PMI's online store, US-dollar prices read October 3, 2026.
The PMI-ACP outline names no date on which exams switch to it, so check the PMI-ACP page before you buy prep material. The PMP change is dated: PMI moved the exam to the new weights in July 2026, and people who already hold the PMP keep it without a new test.
Older PMI documents still online show earlier rules. PMI's 2022 PMI-ACP handbook lists 12 months on project teams plus 8 months on agile teams, and PMI's 2023 PMP handbook put an associate's degree in the 60-month tier with a secondary-school diploma. The table follows PMI's current pages and outlines.
Show the numbers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| PMI-ACP: Join PMI first: Membership, 1 year | $139 |
| PMI-ACP: Join PMI first: Exam, member price | $435 |
| PMI-ACP: Join PMI first: One retake (optional) | $335 |
| PMI-ACP: Without membership: Exam | $495 |
| PMI-ACP: Without membership: One retake (optional) | $395 |
| PMP: Join PMI first: Membership, 1 year | $139 |
| PMP: Join PMI first: Application fee, new members | $10 |
| PMP: Join PMI first: Exam, member price | $405 |
| PMP: Join PMI first: Official prep course (optional) | $699 |
| PMP: Join PMI first: One retake (optional) | $275 |
| PMP: Without membership: Exam | $655 |
| PMP: Without membership: Official prep course (optional) | $799 |
| PMP: Without membership: One retake (optional) | $375 |
Exam fees in total
These totals cover exam fees and PMI membership only; training comes on top. On a first attempt, the PMP costs $655 without membership, or $544 with a year of PMI membership ($139 plus the $405 member fee), so joining saves $111 at the listed fee. The PMI-ACP works the other way: $495 without membership and $574 with it, so joining costs $79 more for that exam alone.
With one retake, the PMP comes to $1,030 for a non-member and $819 for a member. The PMI-ACP comes to $890 for a non-member and $909 for a member. For a non-member, the first attempts at the two exams differ by $160, less than either retake fee, so exam fees alone are a weak reason to pick one.
For one attempt at each exam within one membership year, members pay $979 ($139 plus $405 plus $435) and non-members $1,150, so membership saves $171 across the two. A PMP holder whose membership is still active pays $435 for the PMI-ACP, $60 below the non-member fee.
Training is the other cost, and we did not collect course prices for either. The PMP needs 35 hours unless you hold an active CAPM; from December 1, 2026, live PMP classes count only when they come from a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China Registered Education Provider or an accredited higher-education program. Self-paced courses from any provider still count, and training finished before that date stays eligible. The PMI-ACP needs 21 hours from a PMI course, an Authorized Training Partner or a third-party course.
PMI runs a US-dollar store plus separate stores in Brazilian reais and Indian rupees; buyers in other countries pay the US-dollar price. We read only the US-dollar prices for this comparison. If you pay in rupees or reais, check the price in PMI's India or Brazil store before you budget.
Is the PMI-ACP harder than the PMP?
On the published rules, the PMI-ACP has the shorter exam and asks for fewer months of experience at each education level, though they must be agile months. The PMI documents we read give no passing score or pass rate for either exam, so we cannot say which is harder to pass.
PMI may select a PMP application for audit, and its 2022 PMI-ACP handbook says PMI-ACP applications are subject to random audit. For the PMP, you describe the projects you led, and an audit asks for proof of your education and training (PMP exam content outline). PMI's 2022 PMI-ACP handbook says an audit there asks for supervisor signatures for the experience you listed and certificates for your agile training. In either case, you have 90 days to send documents, and PMI says the audit takes about 5 to 7 business days (PMI certification handbook).
The PMI-ACP application asks for agile experience instead of project leadership. For the PMI-ACP, PMI charges the exam fee only after it accepts the application. PMI's page lists an active PMP as meeting the PMI-ACP experience rule. The outline adds that PMP holders' agile and hybrid experience from the past five years is carried into the PMI-ACP application, so they do not have to type it in again.
The exams differ in length. The PMP has 60 more questions and runs 60 minutes longer: 180 questions in 240 minutes, against 120 questions in 180 minutes for the PMI-ACP. The PMI-ACP break comes after item 60, and once you take it, you cannot go back to the first 60 items.
The PMP and PMI-ACP exams overlap in content. PMI says about 40% of PMP exam items reflect predictive approaches and 60% agile or hybrid ones. The PMI-ACP is agile throughout, with a Product domain (19%) that the PMP outline does not have under that name. PMI publishes no PMP pass rate, so pass rates quoted by course sellers are their own estimates.
Show the numbers
| Item | PMI-ACP | PMP |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 120 questions | 180 questions |
| Exam time | 180 minutes (3 h) | 240 minutes (4 h) |
| Format | Multiple choice, drag-and-drop | Multiple choice, drag-and-drop, case studies, hands-on practical |
| Languages | 10 languages | 15 languages |
| Where you take it | test center · online, proctored | test center · online, proctored |
PMI-ACP vs PMP salary: what can the sources tell you?
No source we could verify compares PMI-ACP and PMP pay, and none publishes a salary for PMI-ACP holders.
PMI's 2025 salary survey covered 14,628 project professionals in 21 countries, fielded March 9 to April 19, 2025. It reports a median of $135,000 for PMP-certified respondents in the US, against $109,157 for those without it, a gap PMI puts at nearly 24% (PMI). For the PMI-ACP, PMI's page says 86% of holders qualified for new opportunities and 84% gained recognition for career advancement, with no year, sample or method.
The $135,000 median and the 86% figure are both PMI's own numbers. Both credentials require years of experience before you can apply, and experience can raise pay on its own, so neither figure isolates what the certificate adds. Pay follows the job title, the employer and the country; our project-manager role page covers what employers ask for in that job.
Pay is therefore a weak basis for this choice. Choose by which one you can qualify for and which one the ads for your target job name.
Should you get both, and which first?
If you plan to hold both, take the PMP first. An active PMP meets the PMI-ACP experience rule, so the PMI-ACP then needs only the 21 hours of agile training, a secondary-school diploma and the exam. PMI's published PMP rules give the PMI-ACP no credit: the training rule lists 35 hours of training or an active CAPM, and the PMI-ACP is not on that list. Nor do they list a reduction for a PMI-ACP taken first.
Taking the PMP first is an option only if you already meet its 24 to 60 months of project leadership. With agile experience but not those months, the PMI-ACP is the one you can take now. You would still need the 35 hours of training and the 24 to 60 months of project leadership later.
Holding both means two renewals: 60 PDUs for the PMP and 30 for the PMI-ACP every three years, each with its own fee. PMI's renewal handbook says some PDUs serve both. Power Skills, Business Acumen and giving-back PDUs apply across all certifications, and Ways of Working PDUs can be claimed for every certification the activity covers. In PMI's own example, a 10-hour course with one hour of agile content gave 10 Ways of Working PDUs toward the PMP and 1 toward the PMI-ACP. Shared PDUs count toward both totals, so the 60 and the 30 can overlap, while each credential keeps its own education minimum. Working as an agile practitioner counts for no more than 4 PDUs per cycle toward the PMI-ACP.
Miss a PMP renewal and PMI suspends the credential for one year; after that it expires, and getting it back means a new application, new fees and the exam again (PMI CCR Handbook).
For security project leads, CISM vs PMP compares a different senior route.
PMI-ACP vs PMP on Reddit: what do candidates ask?
The Reddit posts we collected about the PMI-ACP are questions, each a single post, so read them as real doubts and not as a measure of opinion. The PMP threads hold more replies.
- The next step after the PMP. One r/pmp post weighed the PMI-ACP against the PSM and the CSM (r/pmp, July 2026). An active PMP covers the PMI-ACP experience rule, so the choice turns on which credential the ads for your next job name.
- Whether the PMP is needed first. Someone in r/pmp asked whether anyone had taken the PMI-ACP without the PMP (r/pmp, August 2026). PMI's answer is yes: the PMP is one of four experience routes.
- Whether agile certifications help at all. An r/scrum post asked whether certifications such as the CSPO or the PMI-ACP "meaningfully help, or is experience what really matters?" (r/scrum, February 2026). The PMI-ACP asks for agile experience, or an active PMP, before you can apply.
- What the PMP does for a job search. "It got me the interview," one commenter wrote in a December 2025 thread, and another called it a checkbox for recruiters (r/pmp). A July 2026 reply said the PMP puts you on the shortlist, with no promise of a role (r/PMCareers).
For every project management credential we track, start at our hub for project management certifications.
Questions people ask
Is the PMI-ACP harder than the PMP?
The PMI-ACP has the shorter exam and asks for fewer months of experience at each education level, though they must be agile months. The PMI documents we read give no passing score or pass rate for either exam, so we cannot rank them by difficulty (checked October 5, 2026). The PMP asks for 24 to 60 months spent leading projects in the past 10 years, depending on your education. The PMI-ACP asks for two years of agile experience in the past five. One year is enough with a degree from a program accredited by PMI's Global Accreditation Center (GAC) or with an active agile certification, and an active PMP also qualifies. PMI may select a PMP application for audit, and its 2022 PMI-ACP handbook says PMI-ACP applications are subject to random audit. The PMP exam has 180 questions in 240 minutes; the PMI-ACP exam has 120 questions in 180 minutes.
Can you take the PMI-ACP without the PMP?
Yes. PMI lists an active PMP as one of four ways to meet the PMI-ACP experience rule, not as a prerequisite. Without a PMP, you qualify with two years of agile experience in the past five years. One year is enough with a degree from a GAC-accredited program or with an active third-party agile certification held for more than a year. Every route also needs 21 hours of agile training and a secondary-school diploma (PMI-ACP page, checked October 5, 2026).
Does the PMI-ACP count toward the PMP?
No, not on PMI's published lists. The PMP's training rule asks for 35 hours of project management training or an active Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and the PMI-ACP is not named there (PMI PMP page, checked October 5, 2026). The PMP also needs 24 to 60 months spent leading projects, depending on your education. An active PMP works the other way: it meets the PMI-ACP experience rule on its own.
PMI-ACP vs PMP salary: which pays more?
No source we could verify compares the pay of PMI-ACP holders with PMP holders. PMI's 2025 salary survey reports a median of $135,000 for PMP-certified respondents in the US, against $109,157 for those without the PMP. For the PMI-ACP, we found no salary figure on PMI's certification page; the page says 86% of holders qualified for new opportunities, with no year or method. The $135,000 and 86% figures are both PMI's own, so treat them as vendor claims. Both credentials require experience, and experience can raise pay on its own.
Should you take the PMI-ACP after the PMP?
Yes, if you work on agile teams and the ads for the project-manager jobs you want name it. An active PMP meets the PMI-ACP experience rule, so a PMP holder needs only the 21 hours of agile training and a secondary-school diploma before applying. In October 2026, 673 of 59,273 US project-manager ads named the PMI-ACP and 14,183 named the PMP (Adzuna).
How much do the PMP and the PMI-ACP cost?
At the US-dollar prices in PMI's store on October 3, 2026, the PMP exam costs $655, or $405 for PMI members, and the PMI-ACP exam costs $495, or $435 for members. Membership is listed at $139 a year. Taking both exams once each within one membership year comes to $979 as a member, against $1,150 without membership. A PMP holder whose membership is still active pays the $435 member fee for the PMI-ACP, $60 below the non-member fee. Training is extra: 35 hours for the PMP (or an active CAPM) and 21 hours of agile training for the PMI-ACP.
Do PDUs count toward both the PMP and the PMI-ACP?
Some professional development units (PDUs) do. PMI's renewal handbook (April 2026) says Power Skills, Business Acumen and giving-back PDUs apply across all certifications, and Ways of Working PDUs can be claimed for every certification the activity covers. In PMI's example, a 10-hour course with one hour of agile content gave 10 Ways of Working PDUs toward the PMP and 1 toward the PMI-ACP. The PMP needs 60 PDUs every three years and the PMI-ACP 30, at least 18 of them in education. Each credential also has its own renewal fee, which PMI sets by membership and region.