PMP Salary – How Much Can I Make?

Many people pursue and obtain a Project Management Professional
certification.  It is a popular and growing area of professional and educational endeavor. It is fair to ask: what are the economic benefits of PMP certification.
One should therefore look at PMP salary. Is there a higher level within
areas that hire managers- was there a higher PMP salary  2012 standard? How would one account for higher PMP certification salary differential in an era of globalization,
economic uncertainty, and increased competition for jobs?

There are costs to acquiring a professional credential, and Project
management professional is not an exception. Education from a reputable institution, the costs of the certification process are each significant.  There is another cost- the opportunity cost. While attending classes and or preparing for examination to achieve certification, the time is lost to those tasks. It is time that could have been used to earn money, even if the minimum wage, it is a cost, the loss of an opportunity to gain from another activity.

There are clearly some benefits to education and training as a project
management professional.  The field generally consists of a set of disciplines that enable one to start, control, successfully conduct and finish a project within the parameters of a plan.  These abilities and skills may have been
gained over years of experience, they may be tools in a competent and
experienced management professionals skills set. However, as one seeking to
hire someone to oversee a project, experience may be a wonderful asset, but
proof of training is an expression of due diligence: that I as the employer’s
agent to make a personnel decision, have been thorough in my judgment.

A project management professional can be expected to manage elements of the project including: integration with related activities; define and adhere to its scope; control time, procurements, costs, communications, and people resources. The results that can be expected are quality, managed risks and achievement of project goals.

Does it Pay?  Is it worthwhile to gain certification? Will one make more money?
There have been many surveys, most by groups interested in selling PMP
education or certification services which render those more of an advertisement
than a fact based presentation.  But even discounting the surveys as things prepared by people who have an interest in showing a salary increase, there does in fact seem to be a salary differential for employees who have a certification.
First, many employers ask for it when hiring a project manager. Second, the
certification represents a certified skill level which must otherwise be shown
by a record or a convincing presentation in an interview setting- by a
candidate at disadvantage for getting an interview.

The surveys taken on average suggest that for comparable years of experience,
in 2010 management personnel who have a PMP certification make approximately
$10,000 per year than those who do not. This is a substantial amount in a field where average salaries range from $60.000- $110,000 based on years of experience. There are many fields which utilize the credential: IT, Construction, Public Administration, and
Strategic Planning to mention but a few.

One more recent survey showed salaries were high and rising globally for PMP
managers, but that in the US they out earned their non PMP-credentialed counterparts by 16% which represented $14,500.00 per year. The meaning of this data seems clear, companies seem to value the credential and that sense of value is growing. It has an international recognition and in every region there is a significant salary bump for the PMP certified employee.  The recession and current instability in many economies seems to also mean that employers are exercising more care and deliberation in selections.
A credential is another reason to remove a doubt fro the scorecard of an applicant.

It seems relatively clear that PMP certification is an advantage in getting
a job, keeping a job, and securing a higher salary than others who lack it. It
seems well worth the costs for the benefits can last a lifetime.  For those who prefer it, the PMP certification can be a key to opening a world of desired work and challenges,
which in a sense, is priceless.