On this page I am going to provide you with all the PMP exam study resources that you will need to prepare for and pass the PMP exam. Although there are thousands of resources available on internet, I will try to keep this list short and concise.
I will include resources which are of high quality, affordable and can be accessed online, except of course for the PMP exam reference books, which you will need to buy in paperback format.
Training
You must attend a 35 contact hours training program to apply for the PMP exam. This is a mandatory eligibility requirement to apply for the PMP exam.
There are various modes for this training, but I recommend you join an online training program. Online training programs are cheaper, more flexible, and more importantly you can complete them at your own pace.
I recommend you join the following 35 contact hours training programs:
The above training program is developed by PMI approved REPs (Registered Education Providers).
PMP Exam Preparation Tool
This is the most comprehensive course for professionals who want to pass the PMP exam. This course provides you with all the study resources you will need to study for and pass the exam.
The course access is for one year and it is completely mobile-friendly.
The price of the course is 99.99 USD and the access is for one year.
Reference Books
You will need to buy at least two good PMP exam reference books to prepare for the PMP exam. The first book is the PMBOK Guide, which is the basis of the PMP exam and official guide from the PMI. The other book can be any other PMP exam reference book.
Below is a list of the most popular books for the PMP exam preparation:
Along with the PMBOK Guide, I suggest you buy at least two PMP exam reference books. My recommendations are Head First and Rita Mulcahy.
* If you are a PMI member, you can download the digital copy of the PMBOK Guide from the PMI site for free.
Sample Questions
You will need to practice some PMP exam sample questions and finally attempt mock tests. Sample questions prepare you for the exam and mock tests check your strengths against a real exam.
Here I am going to provide you with some of the most popular free and paid resources for sample questions and mock tests.
Free Sample Questions
Below is a list of sites providing free PMP exam sample questions:
These will provide more than 1,900 questions.
Free Mock Tests
Mock tests are a good tool to check your readiness against the real exam. You should try these mock tests at least one week before the real exam so you can find any knowledge gaps and fill them.
Below is one such popular free mock test:
Paid Sample Questions
You should try to buy a few good paid sample question sets to practice. Paid resources offer many benefits over free resources: their content will always be updated, they will provide you support, and there is less chance of errors, to name a few.
Below are a few paid resources which I believe are of high quality:
Other Resources
You can consider these resources as secondary PMP exam study resources. These resources will help you prepare better for the PMP exam. For example, if you are having difficulty solving mathematical questions for the PMP exam, you can utilize the PMP Math program; if you want to practice short concepts, you can use flash cards, etc.
The following are some other resources which I believe will help you immensely:
This completes the resource list for the PMP exam.
I hope these resources are enough for you to prepare and pass the PMP exam.
CAPM Exam Study Resources
If you are preparing for the CAPM exam, this section is for you. Here I’m going to provide you with resources to help you prepare for the CAPM exam.
Training
Usually professionals who want to apply for the CAPM exam go for the 35 contact hours training program, because with this training they can apply for the CAPM exam. If in the future they decide to apply for the PMP exam, they will not need to attend another training program.
However, there are very few training providers who provide CAPM training programs.
One of such 23 contact hours training program is as follows:
Please note that if you have at least 1,500 hours of work experience in project management, you do not need to attend a training program.
CAPM Exam Reference Books
The following are a few CAPM exam reference books. I suggest you buy at least two books; the first book should be the PMBOK Guide and other book can be any PMP exam reference book.
Practice Questions
Previously, most professionals used PMP exam simulators to practice for the CAPM exam. This was not an ideal solution because of the lack of CAPM exam specific sources; however they did not have any other option.
Fortunately, Mr. Cornelius Fichtner has launched a CAPM exam simulator to help professionals preparing for the CAPM exam.
Below is the link for this software:
PMI-RMP Exam Study Resources
If you are a PMP, passing the PMI-RMP exam will be easier. To prepare well for the PMI-RMP exam, review all your PMP concepts before moving on to the PMI-RMP specific material.
However, if you are not a PMP and are preparing for the PMI-RMP exam, I strongly recommend you buy any good PMP exam reference book and read it from cover to cover at least twice.
Training
To apply for the PMI-RMP exam, you must attend a 30 contact hours training program.
The link below provides you with one such training program:
- PM Simplify PMI-RMP Training Program [use coupon code PMSC to get a 10% discount]
Reference Books
You may need the following books for your PMI-RMP exam preparation:
Practice Questions
I used this simulator during my PMI-RMP exam preparation and its question quality was similar to the real exam.
Conclusion
The resources given on this page are more than enough for you to prepare for and pass the PMP exam. I suggest you use a few resources, focus on them and attempt the exam. Do not try to go through all the free resources available on the Internet. Do your own due diligence before selecting any resource. Many times free resources are old, not updated and contain many errors which may fill you with the wrong information and make you feel demoralized as well.
Disclosure: Some of the given links are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you decide to purchase after clicking on them without any additional cost to you.
