PMI Membership Fees: Guide to Benefits, Costs & Renewals

As everyone knows, PMP certification is the gold standard certification for project management. However, acquiring one is difficult as it includes specialized formal training and rigorous hours of practical experience to pass a certification exam. It takes a lot of time, and this process also helps validate your project management skills. In addition, it ensures that you have the knowledge of the highest standard that makes you apt for the role of a Project Manager.

PMI plays a huge role in becoming a certified PMP professional. As all know, PMI is the accredited governing body for PMP certification. It offers many benefits to all project managers, and PMI membership is one among them. PMI offers many membership options to aspiring project management professionals, and they must be aware of them. So, today, let us talk about PMI membership and its fees.

PMI Membership Benefits

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world's leading project management organization, with over 700,000 global members and more than 300 local chapters worldwide. PMI membership demonstrates your commitment to your project management career and professional development.

PMI states, "Membership is part of the world's leading community of project, program, and portfolio professionals."

PMI membership gives your career an edge that highlights your dedication to employers, colleagues, and the community. In addition, it provides access to knowledge, networks, and resources that help you improve and advance.

PMI Membership Fee

Project Management Institute (PMI) offers four types of membership options

• PMI Individual membership
• PMI Student membership
• PMI Retiree membership
• PMI Group Membership

Let us discuss them below one by one.

1. PMI Individual Membership

This type of membership is open to any individual or professional who pays the applicable fee to join the PMI community. It is beneficial for industry professionals who want to enhance their project management knowledge and skills and implement the acquired knowledge in their projects.

2. PMI Student Membership

The cheapest form of membership.
A student membership is only available to students enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or degree program. However, it helps students or learners who are willing to become aspiring project managers in the future. As mentioned above, the PMI membership cost is the lowest among the available membership types.

3. PMI Retiree Membership

Retire membership applies to professionals who have renounced active careers in project management and taken the retiree status. It is also useful for those who want to remain part of the PMI community but have no interest in pursuing project management in their future careers.

4. PMI Group Membership

This membership is available only to organizations or universities. The enterprises that want to take up this membership must have a group of 15 or more people interested in joining PMI and then can pay the PMI membership fees. If you are already part of such a group, you can directly contact PMI and get the membership.

The table below includes the PMI membership renewal fee and membership fee for the mentioned types of PMI membership.

Membership Type	Membership Fee (One Year)	Renewal Fee (One Year)
Student Membership	$32	$32
Individual Membership	$139	$129
Retire Membership	$65	$65
Group Membership	NA	NA

Is PMI Membership Worth it while Aiming for PMP Certification?

Answering this question is pretty much easy. The simple answer is: Yes, of course, joining PMI as a member is worth it.

Reduction in the PMP Exam Fee

The first and foremost benefit of being a PMI member is that it helps you to save money. PMI offers a discount to its members for applying to the PMP certification exam.

The regular PMP certification fee is $675, but the fee is reduced to $425 for PMI members. Although this is a direct saving of $150, it is not. You will have to shell out $139 for individual membership, but you can still save $11.

The PMI membership gives many benefits, such as

• Membership access gives you PMBOK for free
• Have a chance to join the local chapters of PMI
• Avail discount on PMP exam fees and save money on many globally recognized certifications
• Boost your skills through many free webinars and events
• Stay ahead of deadlines by getting access to 1,000+ free tools and templates
• You can re-attempt the PMP Certification exam if you cannot pass on your first try and can save up to 100$

We can also find many other benefits. Let us discuss them in detail now.

As mentioned earlier, PMI membership is an "add-on" advantage if you are an aspiring project manager. You are benefited in most of the ways:

Discounted Access to Huge Project Management Resources

As a PMI member, one can easily save up to 20% on PMI publications available in the PMI store. In addition, all the resources related to PMI's exams and PMI's online self-learning courses covering project management can be used for free. Also, you can download the latest version of the PMOBOK free of charge.

One can also download many other relevant standards and frameworks for free. For Example, some of the Standard for Program Management, Practice Standard for Scheduling, Practice Standard for Project Risk Management, and many others.

Be a Part of the PM Network

Every PMI member is entitled to receive free copies of the PM Network and PMI Today Magazines published by the PMI every month. They can either be delivered to your doorstep or in your email free of charge.

These copies provide you with the latest updates in the project management stream and within the PMI and its local chapters. In addition, interviews, in-depth articles, and case studies will help you increase your knowledge and skills.

Have an Advantage from Your Local PM Community

Once you become a PMI member, you will have a chance to understand PMI local chapters. In addition, project managers, professionals, and other experts can use this platform to enhance their professional network.

Earn More PDUs

The PMI has a large library of free webinars that you can watch to earn an unlimited number of PDUs. Anyone with an active PMI membership can access projectmanagement.com and watch the webinars to stay updated on the latest developments.

However, if you are PMP certified, you can watch these webinars while earning PDUs. These PDUs will be automatically reported to PMI, and you can renew your PMP credential for another three years for free with them. Their website categorizes PDUs for PMP, PMI-RMP, and PMI-SP, among others. This makes earning PDUs for all of your PMI credentials easier.

Annual Renewal PMI Member Fees

After you become a PMI member, you must renew it regularly. Therefore, you will pay the annual renewal fee, which is $119 for PMI members. If your PMI membership ever expires and you want to rejoin PMI again, you will be considered a new member. You must also pay a $129 membership fee plus a $10 joining fee.

Is it Essential to Become a PMI Member Before Taking the PMP Exam?

No, PMI membership is not mandatory to take the PMP exam. You can apply for the PMP exam without being a member of the PMI. There is no problem with that. However, I strongly advise you to join PMI before applying for the exam because it will save you money. As previously stated, one can save up to 11 USD. As a result, if you join the PMI and then apply for the PMP exam, you will pay USD 405.

Obtaining a PMI membership provides certain benefits that will assist you in navigating your PMP journey with ease. In addition, your PMI membership at the local PMI Chapter allows you to expand your network by attending various events. These events allow you to attend various sessions, including informal meet-ups. Furthermore, you can work with like-minded people to create and share consumable tools, content, and resources.

Conclusion

Joining PMI offers various benefits for professionals seeking to advance their careers in project management. With access to valuable resources, networking opportunities, and certification discounts, PMI membership provides immense value for individuals looking to stay competitive. While membership fees may vary depending on membership type and location, the investment is well worth the opportunities for professional growth and development that PMI provides.