PMP vs PMI-ACP
Project Management Professional and PMI Agile Certified Practitioner compared with live job-market data: demand, salary, difficulty, and cost — updated weekly.
The short answer
PMP leads on market demand (39,346 vs 89 US job postings) and PMPalso leads on average salary ($125,000). PMI-ACP is the more accessible starting point at 3/5 difficulty versus 4/5 for PMP.
Side-by-Side Data
| PMP | PMI-ACP | |
|---|---|---|
| Job Postings | 39,346leads | 89 |
| Market Share | 0.69% | 0.00% |
| Demand Trend | Rising | Stable |
| Avg Salary | $125,000leads | $115,000 |
| Difficulty (1-5) | 4 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| Exam Cost | $405 (Member) / $555-675 (Non-Member) | $435-$495 |
| Study Time | 100-200 hours | 40-80 hours |
Job counts and market share from live US job postings, updated weekly. Want a different matchup? Use theinteractive comparison tool.
PMP
Project Management Professional
PMI's flagship certification validating project leadership across predictive, agile, and hybrid methodologies. The 230-minute exam has 180 questions covering People (42%), Process (50%), and Business Environment (8%). Requires 35 contact hours and 36-60 months leading projects.
PMI-ACP
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner
PMI's agile methodology certification covering Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and XP. The 3-hour exam has 120 questions across mindset, leadership, product, and delivery domains. Requires 2,000 hours of project experience plus 1,500 hours in agile, and 21 hours of agile training.
PMP vs PMI-ACP: FAQ
Which pays more, PMP or PMI-ACP?+
PMP is associated with the higher average salary: about $125,000 vs $115,000 for PMI-ACP, based on current US job market data.
Which is more in demand, PMP or PMI-ACP?+
PMP currently appears in 39,346 US job postings versus 89 for PMI-ACP — roughly 442.1× the demand. Data updates weekly from live job listings.
Is PMP harder than PMI-ACP?+
Generally yes: we rate PMP 4/5 difficulty versus 3/5 for PMI-ACP, reflecting exam depth and experience requirements.
Should I get both PMP and PMI-ACP?+
Many professionals eventually hold both, but sequencing matters. A common path is starting with PMI-ACP (3/5 difficulty) and progressing to PMP. Compare requirements on each certification's detail page before committing.