certification
Project Management Professional
Project Management Institute
$555
exam fee · checked 2026-08
200 hrs
200 hours — about 20 weeks at 10 hrs/wk
3 yr
renewal cycle — this is a recurring cost
Project Management Institute — official page →
Where it is actually asked for
- Project Management Specialist in Detroit35%7 of 20 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Grand Rapids35%7 of 20 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Austin23%5 of 22 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Houston23%5 of 22 postings
- Project Management Specialist in San Antonio23%5 of 22 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Dallas–Fort Worth21%5 of 24 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Chicago19%3 of 16 postings
- Project Management Specialist in San Jose15%23 of 149 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Washington, DC15%5 of 34 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Fresno15%21 of 144 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Sacramento15%21 of 144 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Los Angeles14%21 of 145 postings
- Project Management Specialist in San Diego14%21 of 148 postings
- Computer Network Architect in Fresno14%3 of 22 postings
- Computer Network Architect in Los Angeles14%3 of 22 postings
- Computer Network Architect in Sacramento14%3 of 22 postings
- Computer Network Architect in San Diego14%3 of 22 postings
- Project Management Specialist (national)13%53 of 400 postings
- Computer Network Architect in San Jose13%3 of 24 postings
- Project Management Specialist in San Francisco11%25 of 230 postings
- Computer Network Architect in San Francisco8%3 of 36 postings
- Administrative Services Manager (national)8%4 of 51 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Pittsburgh6%1 of 16 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Philadelphia6%1 of 17 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Boston6%1 of 18 postings
Where it barely came up
It appeared in these samples, but rarely. If one of these is the job you want, this credential is probably not the thing standing between you and it.
- Project Management Specialist in New York5%4 of 82 postings
- Construction Manager (national)5%3 of 66 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager in Washington, DC5%1 of 22 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Albany5%2 of 44 postings
- Project Management Specialist in Buffalo5%2 of 44 postings
- General and Operations Manager in San Antonio4%1 of 24 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Houston4%1 of 25 postings
- Human Resources Manager (national)4%1 of 26 postings
- Plumber, Pipefitter, or Steamfitter (national)4%1 of 26 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Dallas–Fort Worth4%1 of 28 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Austin3%1 of 29 postings
- Software Developer in Denver3%1 of 32 postings
- Logistician (national)3%2 of 65 postings
- General and Operations Manager (national)3%11 of 400 postings
- Computer and Information Systems Manager (national)2%9 of 400 postings
- General and Operations Manager in New York2%2 of 96 postings
- Computer Systems Analyst (national)2%2 of 105 postings
- Computer Network Architect (national)2%3 of 161 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Albany2%1 of 58 postings
- General and Operations Manager in Buffalo2%1 of 58 postings
- General and Operations Manager in San Francisco2%2 of 124 postings
- Financial Manager (national)1%2 of 136 postings
- General and Operations Manager in San Jose1%1 of 81 postings
- Management Analyst (national)1%3 of 322 postings
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator (national)1%3 of 363 postings
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator in San Francisco1%1 of 129 postings
- Information Security Analyst (national)1%3 of 400 postings
- Software Developer in Fresno1%3 of 400 postings
- Software Developer in Los Angeles1%3 of 400 postings
- Software Developer in Sacramento1%3 of 400 postings
- Software Developer in San Diego1%3 of 400 postings
- Software Developer in San Jose1%3 of 400 postings
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers (national)1%1 of 139 postings
- Marketing Manager in San Francisco1%1 of 151 postings
- Marketing Manager (national)1%2 of 400 postings
- Software Developer in San Francisco0%1 of 400 postings
These percentages describe the samples we read, listed above with their sizes and dates. They are not a statement about the whole labour market, and absence from this page means we have no evidence either way — not that the credential is worthless. How we know →