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The Best Project Management Certifications

Airess Rembert

An excellent way to increase your workforce value is to obtain one or more of the best project management certifications. If you’re looking for a way to break into project management or validate the experience you already have, having the additional training and certification is the way to go. You’re probably wondering which project management certification is the best - For me, the only option was PMP®. I had been working in project management for over 6 years at the time and knew that I needed to become certified to reach the next level. During my search for certifications, the PMP® certification by PMI appeared to be top tier; I read, “global standard” and the rest is history.

I’ve recently seen a lot of buzz about the Google project management certification and have heard good things about it. It prepares you for an entry-level project management role and gives you a great understanding of industry standards in project management. 

However, depending on the industry and/or functional department, there may be a different project management certification that fits your needs. Below are the best certifications based on the number of jobs available on LinkedIn and other popular job boards. 

Project Management Professional (PMP)®

As mentioned above, PMP is the global standard for project management certifications. I call it the “Big Daddy” of PM certifications because so many employers require or prefer PMP® candidates for project management roles. In most industries and within most functional departments, the PMP® certification prepares you to succeed. Consider it the cherry on top of what you have already accomplished in your PM career. Below are the requirements to sit for the exam.

  • 4-year degree

  • 36 months leading projects

  • 35 hours of project management training/education or CAPM® certification

If you don’t have a 4-year degree you will need the following:

  • High school diploma or associates degree

  • 60 months leading projects 

  • 35 hours of project management training/education or CAPM® certification

There are many online training courses and study material to prep you for the PMP® exam. Also, inside the Women of Project Management membership, we have several PM coaches available to prepare you to take and pass the exam. The PMP® exam has 200 questions and a time limit of 4 hours. According to PayScale, the average salary of a PMP-certified project manager is $111,000 annually.

A new version of the PMP exam was issued in August of 2019 and covers the predictive (waterfall), agile and hybrid approaches.

Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB)

Maybe you’re seeking a more specialized project management certificate that prepares you for a specific job type. The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt certification is another excellent senior-level certification to obtain. It’s offered by ASQ (American Society of Quality) and is commonly accepted in the manufacturing industry. 

Typical roles that require a Six Sigma Black Belt certification are Project Manager, Process Engineer, and Continuous Improvement Specialist to name a few. Below are the requirements to sit for the exam.

  • Work in a full-time paid role for at least 3 years with on-the-job experience in one or more of the CSSBB body of knowledge areas with one completed project with a signed affidavit.

OR

  • Completed two projects with a signed affidavit. 


    The average salary according to PayScale for Six Sigma Black Belt project managers is $105,000 annually.

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

CSM is one of the newer most sought-after project management certifications in the game. I first learned about the scrum framework in 2019 while studying project management. The certification is offered by the Scrum Alliance and promotes the Agile methodology. A ScrumMaster is not considered a project manager, but each role requires a similar skill set. 

The only requirement to take the CSM certification exam is completing a two-day CSM training course plus the cost of the exam. The average salary of a ScrumMaster is around $94,812 annually. If you plan to work in software development, this certification is an excellent option.

Prince2

Prince2, kind of like PMP® may be useful in all project types and industries. The exam is offered by Axelos and is one of the most widely used project management methodologies. The two Prince2 certification levels are Prince2 Foundation and Prince2 Practitioner. 

There are no requirements to sit for the Foundations exam; this certification prepares you to work on a team that uses Prince2 methodologies. The Practitioner certification prepares you to run projects in a Prince2 environment. Below are the requirements to take the Practitioner exam.

  • PRINCE2 Foundation (5th Edition or 6th Edition version)

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)®

  • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®

  • IPMA Level A (Certified Projects Director)

  • IPMA Level B® (Certified Senior Project Manager)

  • IPMA Level C® (Certified Project Manager)

  • IPMA Level D® (Certified Project Management Associate)

Prince2 follows a traditional approach with careful and controlled planning and implementation. Take this into consideration when thinking of the industry you want to be in. 

The average salary for a Prince2 certified project manager is $99,000. The methodology is based on 7 principals, 7 processes and 7 themes.

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®

If you’re looking to break into project management, the CAPM® certification offered by PMI is a great certification to have. CAPM certifies that you understand the foundation of project management methods and terminology. After completing the CAPM® exam, you will be well equipped with the knowledge to work on a project team.

Below are the qualifications to take the CAPM® certification exam.

Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent)

  • Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent)

  • 23 hours of project management education/training completed before sitting for the exam.

The average salary for a project team member with a CAPM® certification is $67,998

By, Airess Rembert, PMP, Member of Women Of Project Management & Blogger at The Nerd Bae

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