Why every PMP Aspirants should join as PMI member?


Why every PMP should renew PMI membership?

One of the top questions I received from Aspirants is that “Is it required to join PMI membership in order to apply for PMP Certification?”. The answer is definitely NO. Aspirants can apply to take the exam once they have fulfilled the education and working experience requirements, irrespective of whether they are PMI members.

But I would add that:

No sensible guy will not join PMI as members for their PMP Certification!

Why? Read on to know my rationale.

Article Highlights

Why Joining PMI Membership?

It is a no-brainer to join PMI membership as what you get is far more than what you have to pay.

Cons

  • Joining PMI membership would cost Aspirants US$129 plus US$10 application fee. The PMI membership lasts for 1 year which would cost additional US$129 annually to renew.

Pros

  • PMP Exam Fee Savings
    • PMI provides a member-only fee for PMP Application. Members can enjoy the exam fee of US$405 (for the computer based examination; for non-members, the exam fee is US$555). The difference of US$150 is enough to offset the first year of the PMI membership fee + application fee (i.e. US$150 > US$139). 
    • This reason alone justifies the PMI Membership fee. You may stop reading now and apply for the PMI Membership 😛 — read on if you want to know what other benefits you can enjoy by being a PMI member.
  • Free Download of the latest PMBOK® Guide e-book
    • One of the top recommended study resource for Aspirants is the PMBOK® Guide.
    • Being a PMI member, you will be able to download a PDF version of the PMBOK® Guide from pmi.org for FREE. You are also allowed to print a hard copy of the PMBOK® Guide if needed.
  • Other PMI Certification Cost Savings
    • In addition to the savings for the PMP Exam, PMI has also set a lower member-only fee level for other PMI Certifications.
    • As an example, for the PMI-ACP® Certification, PMI Members will enjoy the member-only fee of US$435 (instead of the usual US$495).
  • Other Project Management Resources
    • PMI also publishes a number of professional guides and magazines for its members to stay abreast of the latest development in the field of project management.
    • There are also countless project management tools and document templates (e.g. risk register, PM plan, etc.) available for FREE download which are not only useful for exam prep but also daily work.
  • Earn All PDU For FREE
    • Being a PMI Member, you can enjoy the “Premium Membership” at projectmanagement.com (the current annual membership fee for Premium membership at projectmanagement.com is US$249!).
    • PMP Certification holders can gain access to (almost) countless recorded and live webinars for Certification Renewal. One can get enough PDUs for renewal even within the first year of the PMI membership. This alone will save certification holders endless troubles and hassles for re-certification.
    • PMI also holds several virtual conferences for members around the year for PDU opportunities, which are FREE for members only.
  • Join Local PMI Chapters 
    • At the time of joining PMI membership, Aspirants can also opt to join their local PMI chapters by paying the local chapter members’ fee. Though this is optional only (one can select to join PMI only by saving a few bucks), it is highly recommended to join local PMI Chapters as they will usually provide Exam Prep courses or study groups which are invaluable to Aspirants.
    • Aspirants may also be able to meet other Aspirants through local chapter meetings to tackle the Exam together.
  • Saving on PMI Publications
    • PMI members can save up to 20% on PMI Store purchases (e.g. books and multimedia, e-learning courses).

Below is a table comparing the cost of getting PMP Certified with and without PMI membership:

PMI MemberNon-PMI Member
PMI Membership Fee
w/w application fee
$129 + $10$0
PMP Exam Fee$405$555
PMI Resources1 year accessNo access
PMBOK® GuideFree PDF Download~$40
Total:$544$595

Why is it recommended to renew PMI membership after getting PMP Certified?

Even after getting certified, I do renew my PMI membership continuously for the following reasons:

  • Discounts in PMI Certification Fees — if you intend to get PMI-ACP® and other PMI Certification certified like me
  • Discounts in renewal of PMI Certifications
  • Access to FREE PDU opportunities — I get all my PDU for renewal by being a PMI member
  • Networking, volunteering and career development opportunities

Click here to learn my rationale for renewing PMI membership in more details.

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Edward Chung

Edward Chung aspires to become a full-stack web developer and project manager. In the quest to become a more competent professional, Edward studied for and passed the PMP Certification, ITIL v3 Foundation Certification, PMI-ACP Certification and Zend PHP Certification. Edward shares his certification experience and resources here in the hope of helping others who are pursuing these certification exams to achieve exam success.

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