What is the minimum passing score for the PMP® Exam? This is a trick question because there isn't one! The scoring of the PMP exam is dynamic. As stated in the PMI Certifications Handbook:
"The passing score for all PMI exams is determined by sound psychometric analysis. PMI uses subject matter experts – project professionals from around the world and many different disciplines – to determine how many questions you must answer correctly to pass the exam. Each scored question on the exam is worth one point, and your final score is calculated by totaling the points you have earned on the exam. The number of questions you answer correctly places you within one of the performance rating categories you see on this report."
For the PMP exam, five questions are unscored. They are trial questions under consideration for addition to the question bank. These unscored questions are not identified to exam takers, so it is still a good idea to answer every question, even if you need to guess.
How hard is the PMP exam? The PMP exam pass rate is estimated at 61% for first-time attempts (note: beware of training sites indicating a 99% pass rate). However, based on various assumptions, some sources indicate that a passing score can be as low as 61% or as high as 80%. Therefore, the best way to prepare for the exam is to ensure you answer 75-80% of all questions correctly on practice exams. You are ready for the exam if you can consistently achieve this score.
And, of course, it's always a good idea to ensure you understand the latest exam content and review the certifications handbook. PMI no longer provides links to these documents, but you can access them by browsing https://pmi.org, clicking on Certifications, and then choosing the certification you want to learn about on the left-hand side. In addition, each certification page offers a download button for an exam content outline and another for a certifications handbook.
Remember, the PMP is still valuable, and project managers are in demand, so if you are thinking about a project management career, be sure to get started in 2022!
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