Agile Certification Guide: Compare CSM, PMI-ACP & SAFe (2025)

Agile certification: your guide to qualifications, comparisons, and career value





			PMI PMI reviews your submission, typically within 5 business days. training providers, online & in-person Schedule Your Exam:	£350–£500 (exam), training extra Once approved, pay the PMP exam fee and schedule at an authorised test centre or online.
SAFe Prepare for the Exam:	Some Agile experience recommended Utilise exam preparation resources, such as PMI-authorised training partners (ATP),	Attend course, pass SAFe exam online courses	Scaled Agile partners, online & in-person , study groups, and the	£800–£1,200 (includes training & exam) PMBOK Guide

How to obtain Agile certification: step by step .

Choose your Sit the PMP Exam:

Take online mock exams and practice questionsJoin study groups with other PMP candidates

Use PMI’s official digital learning resourcesReview agile methodologies

and hybrid concepts

PMP Certification Renewal and MaintenancePMP certification requires renewal every three years. You must earn 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in line with PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) to demonstrate ongoing professional development. Activities to earn PDUs include training, volunteering, and work in project management.Comparison: PMP vs Other Project Management CertificationsCertificationIssued ByTarget Audience

Requirements

Focus

Global RecognitionPMPPMI

Experienced project managers
Degree + experience + PM educationPredictive, Agile, and Hybrid methods
HighCAPM
PMIEntry-level project professionals
Secondary degree + PM educationProject management fundamentals
MediumPRINCE2
AXELOSProject managers (global, with UK focus)
None for Foundation; experience for PractitionerProcess-based methodology
High in UK, EuropeRecognised Value of PMP Certification
The PMP credential is widely regarded as the gold standard in project management

. It demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence, adherence to PMI’s Code of Ethics, and proficiency in running complex

projects. PMP holders typically earn higher salaries and have better career prospects, according to various salary surveys and employment data.FAQsCan anyone do a PMP?To obtain a

PMP® certification, you must meet specific eligibility requirements set by the Project Management Institute (PMI)®. Candidates with a four-year degree need at least 36 months of project management experience and 35 hours of project management education or a CAPM certification. Those with a secondary degree require 60 months of experience plus the same 35 contact hours.

Practitioner

Includes Foundation & Practitioner combined option. Scrum Scrum Essentials Self-paced training course to learn the essentials of Scrum. Scrum Master Choose Scrum Alliance or Scrum.org Scrum Master training courses. Scrum Product Owner Choose Scrum Alliance or Scrum.org Product Owner training courses. AgileBA

® – Agile Business Analysis Foundation Learn the fundamentals of Agile Business Analysis. Practitioner

4-day course including Foundation.

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Self-paced training course to gain LSS Yellow Belt. PMI ® PMI-ACP Self-paced course to prepare you for the exam (exam not included).

Kanban Estimating for Agile Foundation Agile Learning Library (ALL)™ BUSINESS ANALYSIS BCS Business Analysis Business Analysis Foundation Learn the fundamentals of business analysis. Modelling Business Processes

Gain practitioner certificate in modelling business processes.

p>Yes, PMP® certification is worth pursuing in the UK if you aspire to work on global projects or with multinational organisations. Although it requires a significant investment of time and money, it offers strong career advantages, particularly in sectors such as IT, consulting, and finance.

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the PMP exam multiple choice?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"p>Yes, the PMP® exam consists of

strong>180 multiple-choice questions

> covering three domains: people, process, and business environment. The test includes both situational and knowledge-based questions, and you have

strong>230 minutes> to complete it.>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are the eligibility requirements for the PMP certification?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

p>Applicants need either:

What is Scrum? An Introduction to the Scrum Framework

ul>

>

li>A four-year degree with 36 months of project management experience.

p>In both cases, 35 contact hours of formal project management education or a CAPM certification are required.

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the cost of the PMP exam?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

p>As of 2024, the PMP® exam costs strong>USD $555> for non-PMI members and

strong>USD $405

What is the best Agile project management certification?

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between AgilePM and PMP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between PMP and PMBOK?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

p>The PMP® certification is an exam-based credential demonstrating mastery of project management principles, whereas the PMBOK® Guide is a reference book that outlines PMI’s standard framework of best practices and terminology.

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between PMP and PMI-PBA?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":" Request a quotep>The PMP® certification validates broad project management leadership skills, while the PMI-PBA® certification focuses specifically on business analysis and requirements management within projects. Professionals managing both strategy and execution may benefit from holding both.

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the UK equivalent of PMP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

p>There is no direct UK equivalent to PMP®. However, the closest alternatives are APM PMQ and PRINCE2. While PMP® is more globally recognised, PRINCE2 remains the preferred framework for project management in the UK.[email protected]

>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What percentage of PMP exam is Agile?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":" +44 (0)207 148 5985Courses

PROJECT MANAGEMENT