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TL;DR: The PMP® exam costs $425 for PMI members and $675 for non-members (pmi.org, US pricing, checked November 2, 2026). PMI membership is $164 a year, so joining before you pay saves $250 on the exam and leaves you $86 ahead after the membership cost. PMI's own charges to sit the exam therefore come to $589 for a member or $675 without membership. The rest depends on how you meet the 35-hour training requirement: with PMI's own course and Study Hall, a member's total is $1,367 on pmi.org prices, while third-party courses and live classes are priced by each provider.
What Does the PMP® Exam Cost in 2026?
The PMP® exam fee on pmi.org is $425 for PMI members and $675 for everyone else (PMI labels it the "full price"). Here is every cost a first-time candidate is likely to meet. PMI figures come from pmi.org (US pricing) and were checked on November 2, 2026. Where PMI does not publish a number, the table says so.
| Cost item | PMI member | Non-member | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMP® exam fee | $425 | $675 | pmi.org PMP page |
| Re-exam fee (2nd or 3rd attempt) | Not published on pmi.org | Not published on pmi.org | PMI Certification FAQ says fees apply; check myPMI |
| PMI membership | $164 per year, auto-renews | n/a | pmi.org membership store |
| 35 hours: PMI's own self-paced course | $699 | $799 | pmi.org course page |
| 35 hours: other self-paced courses or live ATP classes | Set by each provider | Same | Not a PMI price |
| PMBOK® Guide | Free digital copy | Sold separately | pmi.org PMP page |
| PMI® Study Hall | $59 (Essentials) or $79 (Plus) per 3 months, auto-renews | Same | pmi.org store |
| Reschedule or cancel inside 30 days | US$70 plus taxes | US$70 plus taxes | PMI Certification Handbook |
| PMI's charges to sit the exam | $589 ($164 membership + $425 exam) | $675 | Membership + exam fee |
| All-PMI path (adds PMI course + 3 months of Study Hall Plus) | $1,367 | $1,553 | Scenarios below |
Two things in PMI's own fine print affect what you pay. The Certification Handbook says prices "may vary based on a candidate's membership status and regional location," so candidates outside the US can see a different number in their myPMI account. And the exam fee is due only after your application is accepted and you are ready to schedule, so you do not pay anything to PMI just to apply.
Does PMI Membership Pay for Itself?
For almost every candidate, yes. The math on pmi.org prices:
- Non-member exam fee minus member exam fee: $675 - $425 = $250 saved
- Saving minus one year of membership: $250 - $164 = $86 ahead
The $86 is before you count anything else membership includes. Members get a free digital copy of the PMBOK® Guide, a core reference for the 2026 exam, and PMI's membership page lists up to 30% off certification renewal.
Three details catch people out:
- Join first, then pay. The handbook is explicit: "Membership rates will only be applied to candidates who have obtained membership prior to paying for the certification." If you pay the $675 and join afterwards, you do not get the $250 back.
- Membership auto-renews. The membership store page says it renews every year. If you only joined for the exam discount, decide before the renewal date whether the second year is worth it to you.
- The discount covers renewal too. PMI's membership page lists up to 30% off certification and certification renewal, which matters three years from now.
The only case where skipping membership makes sense is if an employer is paying the full exam fee and you would rather not carry a personal membership. Even then, the exam fee is lower for members, so it is worth asking the employer to cover the membership as well.
What Do the 35 Contact Hours Cost?
You cannot apply for the PMP® without 35 hours of project management training (or an active CAPM® certification, which PMI accepts in its place). This is where the total cost varies most, and the rules change on December 1, 2026.
According to PMI's PMP page, the 35 hours can come from:
- An online, on-demand class. PMI's own PMP® Exam Prep Course qualifies, and so do self-paced courses from any organization. This option is not affected by the December change.
- A live, instructor-led class (in person or online). Starting December 1, 2026, a live class counts only if it is delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP), a China Registered Education Provider, or an eligible accredited higher education program (including PMI GAC programs).
- An active CAPM® certification, which also fulfills the training requirement.
What that means for cost:
| Option | Cost | Counts after Dec 1, 2026? |
|---|---|---|
| PMI's own self-paced PMP® Exam Prep Course (35 hours, 35 PDUs) | $699 member / $799 non-member (pmi.org) | Yes |
| Self-paced course from another provider | Set by the provider | Yes |
| Live class from a PMI Authorized Training Partner | Set by each ATP | Yes |
| Live class from a provider outside PMI's three categories | Set by the provider | No |
If you are planning a live bootcamp, search PMI's Authorized Training Partner directory before you pay. PMI tells candidates to confirm the provider qualifies before enrolling. From December 1, a live class from a provider outside those three categories will not count toward your application, which means paying for training twice.
Self-paced courses are not affected by the December rule, so they keep the widest choice of providers. Compare providers' current prices before you buy. Training covers the application requirement; most candidates add practice questions separately.
How Much Should You Budget for Study Materials?
Once the 35 hours are covered, most of your remaining spend goes on practice: question banks and full-length mock exams. Here are the options with prices we could verify.
- The PMBOK® Guide. Free for PMI members as a digital edition. You do not need to read it cover to cover, but it is a core reference for the exam. See what changed between the 7th and 8th editions.
- PMI® Study Hall. $59 (Essentials) or $79 (Plus) for three months, on a subscription that auto-renews quarterly. Cancel once you have tested if you do not want it to renew. Our review of PMI's official prep covers what each tier includes.
- PrepPilot. Disclosure: this is our product. There is a free plan, and the paid Pass Ready plan is a one-time payment of $29 for 30 days or $59 for 90 days in the US (prices are set by region). Nothing auto-renews. It covers a 10,000+ question bank, full-length mock exams, an AI study partner and a readiness score.
To compare question banks on price, question count and edition, see our PMP® exam prep comparison.
What Is the Realistic Total Cost of PMP® Certification?
These scenarios use only prices we verified: pmi.org for PMI items (checked November 2, 2026) and our own published prices for PrepPilot. Where a cost is set by a third-party provider, the table says so rather than guessing.
| Path | PMI fees | 35 hours | Practice | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-PMI, member | $589 | $699 | $79 (Study Hall Plus) | $1,367 |
| All-PMI, non-member | $675 | $799 | $79 (Study Hall Plus) | $1,553 |
| Other self-paced course, member | $589 | Provider's price | $29 (PrepPilot) | $618 + course |
| Live ATP class, member | $589 | ATP's price | Optional | $589 + class |
PMI fees are the $164 membership plus the $425 exam fee for members, or the $675 exam fee alone for non-members. The 35-hour figures for the all-PMI rows are PMI's own self-paced course, and the PrepPilot figure is the 30-day Pass Ready price.
Study Hall Plus buys three months and then renews at $79 a quarter, so a longer study plan adds another $79 per extra quarter. Whichever path you choose, the PMI portion is fixed: $589 as a member or $675 as a non-member.
Two costs are not in the table because not everyone pays them:
- A retake. If you need a second attempt, you pay a re-exam fee (see below). Leave room for it in your worst-case budget.
- Renewal. The PMP® is valid for three years. To renew you earn 60 PDUs and pay a renewal fee. That falls outside the cost of passing, but it is a real recurring cost. Our guide to what happens after you pass covers renewal in detail.
For the return side of the equation, our article on whether the PMP® is worth it in 2026 sets these costs against PMI's salary survey data.
Which PMP® Fees Do People Forget?
These are the costs that do not appear on the main PMP page but show up in PMI's handbook and FAQs.
Re-exam fees. You can take the exam up to three times in your one-year eligibility period, and the handbook says: "Repayment of fees applies to the second and third attempts to pass the exam." PMI's public pages do not list the re-exam amount, and we could not verify one on pmi.org, so we do not quote a figure. Check the price in your myPMI account. If it comes to that, our guide to what to do after failing the PMP® covers the retake plan.
Rescheduling and cancelling. Per the handbook, moving or cancelling more than 30 days before your appointment is free. Within 30 days it costs US$70 plus taxes. Within 48 hours you cannot reschedule or cancel at all, and a no-show forfeits the entire exam fee. Our article on whether to reschedule your PMP® exam explains how to decide.
Refunds. You can request a refund within 30 days of purchase as long as you have not scheduled and taken the exam in that time. If your eligibility year runs out before you test, the fee is forfeited. For online testing, a refund requested after you fail PMI's pre-scheduling identity verification carries a $100 administrative fee.
Renewal. PMI's maintenance page says you pay a certification renewal fee every three years and that it is separate from membership dues, but it does not show the amount. PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements Handbook says renewal fees are subject to membership and regional pricing and points you to your myPMI dashboard for the current price, so we do not quote a figure.
Membership renewal. Membership auto-renews every year. The store page lists only the $164 rate, not a renewal price, so check the amount in your myPMI account before the renewal date.
Why Do Other Sites Show Different PMP® Exam Fees?
Fee figures copied between sites go stale, and some pages still quote older prices or describe a fee change as upcoming. The figures in this article come from pmi.org itself, not from other prep sites.
The other source of differences is regional pricing. PMI's handbook says prices vary by membership status and location, so a candidate in another country may see a different amount. The only number that matters for you is the one PMI shows in your myPMI account when you pay. For the full application process, our PMP® application guide walks through each step.
How Can You Lower the Cost of the PMP®?
- Join PMI before you pay for the exam. It is the single biggest saving on this list.
- Ask your employer. Many organizations reimburse certification and training costs. Ask before you buy, because some reimburse only specific providers.
- Check whether a 529 plan applies. In the US, PMI's FAQ says prep courses, books, materials and exam fees are all qualified 529 expenses.
- Compare self-paced courses for the 35 hours. Self-paced courses from any provider still count after December 1, 2026, so you can shop on price.
- Avoid auto-renewing products you will forget to cancel. Membership and Study Hall both renew automatically.
- Pass the first time. A retake is the most expensive mistake on this list. Book the exam when your mock scores support it, not before. Our guide to how long to study for the PMP® helps you set a realistic date.
What Are the Key Takeaways?
- The PMP® exam fee is $425 for PMI members and $675 for non-members on pmi.org (US pricing, checked November 2, 2026).
- PMI membership costs $164 a year. Joining before you pay saves $250 on the exam and leaves you $86 ahead, plus a free digital PMBOK® Guide. The member price only applies if you join first.
- PMI does not publish re-exam or renewal amounts on its public pages, and we could not verify them, so check myPMI before you budget for either.
- From December 1, 2026, live classes count toward the 35 hours only from a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China Registered Education Provider or an eligible accredited higher education program. Self-paced courses from any provider still count.
- PMI's charges to sit the exam are $589 for a member (including a year of membership) or $675 without. With PMI's own course and Study Hall Plus, a member's total is $1,367. Third-party training is priced by each provider.