LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 28, 2020, BY HARRY HALL
Do you have your PMP® certification, but you're thinking about obtaining another Project Management Institute (PMI) certification? PMI offers eight certifications. Let's compare the Project Management Professional (PMP®) and the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP®) certification.
What is the PMP® Certification?
The PMP® is a globally recognized Project Management Professional certification that gives proof of an individual's project management knowledge. If you are looking for a project management job, you will likely see the PMP® is a requirement or strongly preferred. CIO magazine ranked the PMP® as the top project management certification.
What is the PMI-RMP® Certification?
The PMI-RMP® is a globally recognized Project Risk Management Professional certification. Individual's possessing this certification have demonstrated their ability to identify, evaluate, and manage project risks.
The PMI-RMP® is a great complement to the PMP®. Why? All projects and programs have risks. The PMI-RMP® helps project managers do a better job of managing risks and can increase their performance. Furthermore, this certification sets project managers apart from other professionals as a true risk manager. Here are five reasons to get your PMI-RMP® certification.
Must you have the PMP® before taking the PMI-RMP® exam?
No. However, having the PMP® can certainly be helpful. Why? Individuals with a PMP® have already studied the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) including the Project Risk Management Knowledge Area. Additionally, these people have insights to preparing for the challenging Project Management Institute (PMI) exams.
PMP® vs. PMI-RMP® Eligibility Requirements
Certification | Educational Background Four- Yr. Degree Experience (Months) | Education/ Contact Hrs. |
|---|---|---|
PMP® | 36 | 35 |
PMI-RMP® | 24 | 30 |
Notes:
See the PMP® Handbook (August, 2020) and the PMI-RMP® Handbook (August, 2020) for other Educational Backgrounds and related requirements.
The PMP® experience must be non-overlapping project management experience in leading and directing projects within the last five years. The PMI-RMP® experience must be in a specialized area of project risk management within the last five years.
The PMI-RMP® contact hours must be formal education in a specialized area of project risk management.
PMP® vs. PMI-RMP® Exams
Certification | Number of Questions | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|
PMP® | 180 | 230 |
PMI-RMP® | 170 | 210 |
PMP® Domains
Domains are high-level knowledge areas needed for the practice of project management. The Exam Content Outlines specify the domains that will appear on the exams.
Domain | Percentage of Items on Test |
|---|---|
I. People | 42% |
II. Process | 50% |
III. Business Environment | 8% |
Total | 100% |
These domains are effective January 2, 2021. See the 2021 PMP Exam Content Outline (January, 2021) for additional information.
PMI-RMP® Domains
Domain | Percentage of Items on Test |
|---|---|
I. Risk Strategy and Planning | 19-20% |
II. Stakeholder Engagement | 19-20% |
III. Risk Process Facilitation | 25-28% |
IV. Risk Monitoring and Reporting | 19-20% |
V. Perform Specialized Risk Analyses | 14-16% |
Total | 100% |
See the PMI-RMP® Exam Content Outline (2012) for additional information.
Become a PMI Risk Management Professional
Have you been thinking about taking the PMI-RMP® exam? It's a challenging exam. But I'm here to help. Let's jumpstart your preparation.