PMP exam guide: format, domains, cost, eligibility, and a free practice quiz covering People, Process, and Business Environment across predictive, agile, and hybrid approaches.
The Project Management Professional (PMP) from PMI is the world's most recognized project management certification. It validates your ability to lead teams and projects across predictive (waterfall), agile, and hybrid approaches.
The current exam is built around three domains — People, Process, and Business Environment — and is heavily scenario-based, testing judgment rather than memorized definitions.
▶ Start the free PMP practice quiz| Certification | Project Management Professional (PMP) |
|---|---|
| Exam code | PMP |
| Level | Professional |
| Format | Multiple choice, multiple response, matching, hotspot, and limited fill-in-the-blank |
| Questions | 180 questions |
| Duration | 230 minutes |
| Passing score | Not publicly published (a panel-set standard) |
| Cost (USD) | $405 (PMI member) / $555 (non-member) |
| Validity | 3 years (renew with 60 PDUs) |
| Prerequisites | Secondary degree + 60 months experience + 35 contact hours (or CAPM), OR four-year degree + 36 months experience + 35 contact hours |
Exam details change over time — always confirm the current specifics on the official exam page before you book.
The official exam is organized into these domains. Our practice bank mirrors them so you can drill each area:
| Domain | Exam weight | Practice questions |
|---|---|---|
| People | 42% | 12 |
| Process | 50% | 28 |
| Business Environment | 8% | 4 |
Master the People domain: team building (Tuckman), servant leadership, motivation, conflict resolution, and stakeholder engagement.
Drill the Process domain: scope/WBS, critical path and schedule compression, earned value (CPI, SPI, EAC, TCPI), risk responses, quality tools, procurement, and change control.
Understand agile and hybrid delivery (backlogs, sprints, burndown, MVP) and the Business Environment (value, compliance, benefits). The free quiz below spans all three domains.
Our free PMP practice quiz has 44 scenario-based questions covering every exam domain. Each question includes the correct answer, a plain-English explanation of why it is right (and why the alternatives are wrong), and a reference to the relevant topic — so you learn as you go, not just test yourself.
▶ Practice PMP now — 44 questions, freeIt's challenging and scenario-heavy. Most candidates study 2–3 months and benefit from real project experience plus a prep course.
A lot — roughly half the exam reflects agile and hybrid approaches, not just predictive/waterfall.
You need documented project experience and 35 contact hours of project management education (or the CAPM). The exact months depend on your degree level.
180 questions in 230 minutes. PMI does not publish a fixed passing percentage.