PMI-ACP

pm Associate Updated: 2025-04-10 Methodology

The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) validates knowledge and skills in agile principles, practices, tools, and techniques across agile methodologies including Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP, and test-driven development. It is designed for practitioners who work on agile teams or whose organizations are adopting agile practices.

$115K
Avg Salary
70%
Pass Rate
18.0K
Job Listings
120h
Study Time
$435
Exam Cost

Exam Details

Exam CodePMI-ACP
Exam Cost$435 USD
Duration180 minutes
Questions120
Passing ScoreAbove Target / Target / Below Target (per domain)
ProviderPMI
Difficulty6/10

Salary Data

Professionals holding the PMI-ACP certification earn between $85,000 and $145,000 annually, with an average of $115,000.

Job market demand trend: Growing (+8% YoY)

Prerequisites

  • 2,000 hours of general project experience within the last 5 years
  • 1,500 hours working on agile project teams or with agile methodologies within the last 3 years
  • 21 contact hours of training in agile practices

Skills Covered

AgileScrumKanbanLeanXPAgile EstimationStakeholder Engagement

Best Study Resources

Official

Agile Practice Guide (PMI & Agile Alliance)

 Course

Mike Griffiths — PMI-ACP Exam Prep

 Practice Exams

PMI Study Hall — ACP Practice Exams

Comparisons Featuring PMI-ACP

PSM I vs PMI-ACP

PSM I and PMI-ACP both live in the agile space but approach it from fundamentally different angles. PSM I is laser-focus...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between PMI-ACP and CSM?
PMI-ACP covers multiple agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP) and validates broad agile knowledge, while CSM focuses specifically on Scrum. PMI-ACP requires documented agile project experience and a rigorous exam, whereas CSM requires attending a 2-day course with a simpler assessment.
How hard is the PMI-ACP exam?
The PMI-ACP exam is moderately challenging with an estimated 70% pass rate. It consists of 120 questions over 3 hours covering agile principles, value-driven delivery, stakeholder engagement, team performance, adaptive planning, problem detection, and continuous improvement. Most candidates study 2-3 months.
Is PMI-ACP worth it in 2025?
Yes. As organizations increasingly adopt agile and hybrid delivery models, PMI-ACP validates cross-methodology agile expertise that employers value. PMI-ACP holders earn an average of $115K, and the credential is recognized globally across industries beyond IT, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Data Sources

  • Salary data — Aggregated from job postings and salary surveys (US median)
  • Job listings — Active postings across major job boards
  • Pass rates — Community-reported estimates (not official vendor data)
  • Exam details — PMI official documentation