Is CAPM Worth It?

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam fee is $225 for Project Management Institute members and $300 for non-members. With the training material costs, renewal fees, and time investment, it’s a serious commitment.

So, is the CAPM worth it?

Yes, the CAPM is worth it. Despite being an entry-level certification, it prepares you for higher certification like the PMP. When you earn the CAPM early in your career, you’ll be on a smooth path to a managerial position when the time comes. Plus, it’s an industry-wide recognized certification.

Why is project management an exciting career? Project managers can work in engineering, real estate, construction, architecture, IT, and more. Whether you have the experience or not, the CAPM certification can help.

10 Ways The CAPM Certification Is Worth It

According to O*NET Center, project management is a bright outlook occupation, expected to get bigger. Here are ten ways CAPM will be worth it for you.

1. It’s A Requirement For PMP

If you’re a mid-career project manager, the next stop for you would be becoming a managerial-level project manager.

Expert project managers earn more, take more complex projects, and get more recognition.

The PMP is the certification you need for this quantum leap to occur.

But to earn the PMP, you’ll need to pass the CAPM exam and earn your certification first.

At that stage, you can earn the CAPM certification quickly because you already possess the experience.

2. It’ll Prepare You For A Project Management Career

As for beginner project managers, the CAPM can help them get an entry-level job. After you build your experience, you can apply for the PMP.

That way, you can move up the ladder comfortably.

Even when you change your mind later and decide to switch careers, your project management certification will help you be a better candidate for your new path.

3. It’s Valid For Five Years

If you’re not serious about your project management career, CAPM won’t be worth it.

However, considering that it’s valid for five years, you can advance your career within that time frame.

The five years validity means that you’ll need to re-test to renew your certification after five years.

Five years is the requirement to take the PMP exam when you have a high school diploma. And it can drop to three years when you have a college degree.

So, you can plan your career accordingly and get promoted to a higher level within three years from earning your CAPM. And if you already meet the requirements, it can take you about a year to get promoted to the next level.

4. It’ll Let You Build A Solid Foundation

Quality project management courses are rare to find.

Most people learn on the job, and that tends to create gaps in their knowledge. But with a project management certification, you get the complete view.

And you validate your knowledge through experience, not the other way around.

So, when you start on a good foot, your skills will be consistent with standardized procedures. And your problem-solving skills will improve.

5. It’s The Equivalent Of Two Years Of Experience

Let’s say you’re applying for an entry-level project management position as a fresh graduate. You’ll also be competing with your peers for this position.

Employers that require years of experience will choose you over your peers when you are CAPM-certified.

It’s because being certified is the equivalent of having two years of work experience.

Many upcoming project managers wonder how they get a job when they have no experience. CAPM is the way.

Senior project managers with five or more years of experience and 35 hours of project management education don’t need the CAPM certification to apply for the PMP.

It might be worth it when you have the experience but not the education.

6. It Shows You’re Serious About Your Project Management Career

When you’re CAPM-certified, it signals to employers that you’re serious about your career. Thus, they’re more likely to hire you instead of your unauthorized peers.

Furthermore, you can never learn enough about project management. So, it’s a sound way to keep up to date.

7. It’ll Help You Get A Project Management Job

If you’re working in another position within your organization and want to switch to project management, you’ll need the CAPM.

The CAPM will help you make that move and climb the project management ladder later.

When your job involves a lot of project management by nature, it may be worth learning the basics of project management to do things better.

8. It’ll Improve Your Chance To Land Your Dream Job

For example, IT requires a lot of project management.

When project management isn’t your dream career, and you prefer to work as an IT professional, the CAPM will help.

It’ll be a credible voucher for your well-rounded skills to your employers. An IT engineer with project management knowledge is better than one without it.

9. It’s Not That Hard

You can earn the CAPM certification while you’re doing your job.

If you study six hours a week, it’ll take you around 3-4 months to complete the certification. The CAPM isn’t easy, but it isn’t that hard either.

Plus, it’ll give you an instant career boost once you’re certified. If you want to advance as quickly as possible, CAPM will be worth it.

10. It’s A Universal Certification

CAPM is more than a fine and dandy badge to add to your LinkedIn account.

If you feel undecided about your career, learning project management skills can transfer to any technical job you choose.

So, don’t hesitate to earn CAPM when you can. It’ll be worth it, whether you want to become a project manager or work in another field.

Conclusion

According to Monster, the median salary of an IT project manager is $98,844. It can get higher depending on your location.

CAPM is worth it because it puts you on that path of career advancement. If all else fails, you can always use it to reset your career.