PMP is a certification provided by PMI among the other certifications they provide. PMP was the first certification they provided when they opened the Project management institute.
PMP is the standard de facto certification of PMI. PMP is a part of PMI, So the two terms are co-related.
Key Takeaways
- The Project Management Institute (PMI) is a professional organization that offers certifications, resources, and networking opportunities for project managers.
- The Project Management Professional (PMP) is a globally recognized certification awarded by PMI to professionals who demonstrate their project management knowledge and experience.
- A PMP certification can enhance a project manager’s credibility, job prospects, and earning potential.
PMP vs PMI
PMP stands for Project Management Professional. It is a globally recognized professional certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMI stands for Project Management Institute. It is a global nonprofit professional organization that provides resources and support for project managers.

PMP stands for project management professional, and it is a certification. The certified individual gets more benefits. Employers prefer individuals with a certification as it will increase the chances of their success.
PMP tests the individual’s ability and skills and enhances their skills as well.
PMI is an organization that provides different certifications. The organization helps individuals to enhance their skills and get them better jobs. It is a non-profit organization.
The organization has helped many individuals from all over the world. ISO has also approved the institute.
Comparison Table
Parameters of Comparison | PMP | PMI |
---|---|---|
Full-Form | Project Management Professional | Project Management Institute. |
Definition | PMP is a certification, a professional designation provided by PMI, | PMI is an ISO-certified non-profit organization. |
Eligibility Criteria | A four-year degree with a minimum three-year experience. | Required education. (Different for different certification) |
Year Of Launch | PMP was the first credential provided by PMI. The launch year was 1984 | The institute was formed in 1969. |
Aim | To provide candidates a certificate that will allow them to take their career to the next level. | A number of various certificates are provided to individuals based on their qualifications so that they can get better jobs. |
What is PMP?
PMP stands for Project Management Professional. It is one of the certifications provided by PMI. PMP is an international professional designation.
Through PMP, the candidate is seeking to improve their skills in project management. It is a skill enhancement test.
The candidate should have a four-year degree and at least three years of experience to be eligible for a PMP certification. The aim of the organization was to prepare candidates to improve the success rates of projects through this certification.
And this is why government and commercial organizations prefer to employ candidates with PMP certifications.
The PMP exam consists of 180 multiple-choice questions. The exam is a closed-booked exam and is taken under strict guidelines. The questions are placed randomly in the paper.
The candidates are given the percentage on the basis of 175 questions, as five of the questions are sample questions. The sample questions are to calibrate the degree of difficulty.
The candidates who give computer-based tests get the result immediately. However, the candidate can also take the paper-based test, and they get results within four weeks.
You can have the certification without being a member of PMI, however, you have to pay the fees in order to be certified.
What is PMI?
PMI stands for Project Management Institute. PMI is a non-profit professional organization for project management. It provides different types of project management-related certifications. It is an ISO-accredited organization.
PMI provides various certifications for project management, of which PMP is one. PMI was formed in 1969 in the United States. Sunil Prashara is the president and CEO of the company.
As of 2021, the institution has around 500+ staff and about 14000 volunteers. Along with this, they have an overall three million professionals with more than 650,000 members from all over the world which includes 213 countries and territories.
Indeed, as of 31 July 2020, there are 1,036,367 active PMP-certified individuals all over the world.
The variety of certifications that are provided in PMI helps professionals to become more eligible. Professionals like managers gain an advantage through these certificates as they become a priority preference by the employer over the rest candidates.
Their aim is to provide knowledge of all areas to the candidates who already have experience. They are sharpening their techniques and skills.
PMI helps candidates to take their careers to the next level. And the candidates don’t have to be a member of the institute to be eligible for the certifications.
Main Differences Between PMP and PMI
- PMP is a certification offered by PMI, while PMI is the whole institute that provides different certifications.
- PMP was the first credential of the PMI. Later, PMI introduced more certifications.
- The eligibility criteria to get a PMP certificate is that the candidate should have a four-year degree and a minimum three-year experience. On the other hand, there are no particular eligibility criteria to be a member of PMI.
- In order to keep the PMP certification, the candidate has to earn Professional development units by teaching or by publishing articles. PMI, as an organization, doesn’t require any other requirement than paying the fees to be a member of it.
- PMP is a skill enhancement test, while PMI is the organization that provides this facility.
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=coBTjcTuywQC&oi=fnd&pg=PR17&dq=PMP+and+PMI&ots=HOAArmsmdC&sig=EEWzRVCesKLJKAtybI-8ZSke21E
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6nsNsUH6EBgC&oi=fnd&pg=PR4&dq=PMP+and+PMI&ots=YmK3KfTfsu&sig=gsWjHpoZpM0simpu923b0_sJAtc
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=JiW-DgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=PMP+and+PMI&ots=yy9uzL5aIY&sig=FF8vVeP1XneQCAJVgTu2C1F3KFQ