How long does a PMP certification take?

A PMP certification takes one to three years, depending on your experience, availability to study and complete the PMP certification exam, and other factors. Ultimately the time it takes varies from person to person, depending on the individual's experience and education.

To be eligible for the PMP exam, you must have 4,500 hours of project management experience if you have a bachelor's degree or 7,500 hours of project management experience if you have a high school diploma or associate's degree.

The average time it takes to complete the 4500 hours needed to take the PMP exam is anywhere from 6-18 months of working full time to complete the 4500 hours of project management experience.

If you haven't earned a four-year degree, you need to have 60 months of experience leading projects before you qualify for PMP certification. The PMP exam requires at least 7,500 hours of project management experience.

This work should include experience in the five project management process groups (planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing).

In addition, the average PMP candidates spend at least 35 hours studying for the PMP exam, which does not include the time spent reading the PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge) or other reference material.

However, everyone learns at a different pace and in different ways. Only you can determine how much time you should spend studying and preparing for the PMP certification exam.