We always look for advancement in our careers. Taking up new challenges that can given us fruitful results and monetary benefit is the major reason why we should keep upgrading our skill set. If you are in the project management field you must be looking for professional training courses that can make an impact in your career. Are you confused about which IT certification you should choose? The most demanded project management courses are PMP (Project Management Professional) certification and PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments certification). If you are looking forward to enrolling yourself in one of these courses then you should take a look at the comparison between PMP vs PRINCE2. This detailed comparison will help you understand which would be an ideal Project Management certification for your future.
But, before that let’s first find out the benefits of doing project management certifications.
- Professional certificates add a great value to your resume
- Gives you recognition in the competitive industry
- Helps in upgrading your skill set
- Hikes your salary
- Gives great opportunities for networking
Now, let’s quickly take a glance at the introduction of these courses before we jump on comparing them.
What Is PMP Certification?
PMP (Project Management Professional) is a certification exam conducted by the PMI (Project Management Institute). The agenda of this certification is to validate your knowledge and skills in the field of project management. In fact, a company recruits its employees from various regions and therefore the need for a Project Manager with a standard skillset and knowledge becomes mandatory.
What Is PRINCE2 Certification?
PRINCE2 stands for Projects In Controlled Environment. Just like PMP, the aim of PRINCE2 certification is also to give fundamental skills required to be a successful project manager who can lead projects of organizations under given constraints.
The conflict does not end here. Once you have known the introduction and benefits of them you also need to figure out which certification is the best and will give good results. Now, if you are given a choice to choose between the two best products then how do you choose one? Then, you might look at the parameters such as scope, cost, availability, advantages, etc. Similarly, if you are looking for a professional course you will have to consider these points and then compare and contrast them to reach a conclusion.
Now, we will discuss the aspects of two highly professional project management courses PRINCE2 and PMP. So, let’s compare and contrast the two programs so that you can get clarity of which project management program you should choose to get the highest benefit.
Difference Between PMP And PRINCE2
The major difference is the framework of these certifications. So, let’s quickly learn about them in detail.
1. Approach: The major difference between the two most preferred project management programs is the Approach. PMP is a more knowledge-driven process whereas in PRINCE2 the management of the project is done based on the various processes of project management.
2. Job Roles: Now, if you are looking for a job that requires high project management skills then you should ideally take up PMP certification whereas, in a company where everyone has defined roles and responsibilities to play, PRINCE2 is a must.
3. Key Areas: Talking about the roles PMP deals with the ‘HOW’ of project management whereas PRINCE2 deals with ‘WHEN’, ‘WHAT, and ‘WHOM’.
4. Project Management Strategy: PMP is a theoretical approach whereas PRINCE2 is prescriptive which means your approach can be altered with the projects.
We have talked about how the two certifications differ from each other on the basis of roles and approaches. Here is a table to compare the two high demanded IT certifications.
To about the above points in detail read below.
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Governing Bodies
A governing body is responsible for the decision-making and changes in the policies and exam pattern for a certification. Talking about the governing bodies held responsible for these two certifications are
PMP: PMI (Project Management Professional)
PRINCE2: Earlier the governing body was Axelos, but now Axelos has bought Peoplecert.
PMP VS PRINCE2: Experience
Since both these courses are highly professional they require a certain amount of experience.
PMP: With a four-year degree and experience in leading projects you would be required to have 4000-7000 hours of experience is required. But, without a four-year degree, you’ll need 7500 hours of experience along with 35 hours of education.
PRINCE2: To enroll yourself in the PRINCE2 Practitioner course you will first have to clear the PRINCE2 Foundation which requires no experience. You will know about the further pre-requisites in the blog below, so continue reading.
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Origin
These certifications origin from a region, they are:
PMP: USA
PRINCE2: UK
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Guidelines
Every course has a book that states its guidelines that candidates can refer to and resolve their doubts.
PMP: PMBOK (Project Management Body Of Knowledge)
PRINCE2: PRINCE2 Manual is used for reference
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Popularity
These certifications hold a high demand in these regions:
PMP: USA, Asia, and Africa
PRINCE2: UK, Europe, and Australia
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Passing Marks
Every examination has criteria for passing and the candidate must fulfill them in order to pass and get the certification.
PMP: To pass and get PMP certification you must score 62% on the exam
PRINCE2:
Foundation: Passing percentage to clear the Foundation course of PRINCE2 you should have a score of at least 50%
Practitioner: To pass the Practitioner level of PRINCE2 you must have scored 55%
Made up your mind? Too early to decide which one is better among PMP and PRINCE2? Take a look at some additional features and take your time to analyze between the two.
1. PMP Vs PRINCE2: Importance
Many professionals often look up an answer that clearly states the importance of the two highly demanded IT certifications. So, we can say that both the certification hold equal importance and recognition. But, the candidate needs to analyze their needs and then opt for certification. Since both of them have different approaches in proceeding with a project you can also do both the certifications to have a better position in the competing IT field. Moreover, PMP and PRINCE2 both complement each other and one can master both to have an excellent career as a Project Manager.
You have got an idea about the vitality of these IT certifications. However, if you wish to pursue one you must know which one is a better option for your career. In addition, to throw some light on this we will further study the aspects of PRINCE2 and PMP. So, let’s compare and contrast the two programs on various grounds so that you can get clarity of PMP vs PRINCE2 certification and then decide which project management program you should choose to get the highest benefit.
2. PMP Vs PRINCE2: Skill Development
The first aspect of getting a certification is skill development. We give exams to gain knowledge and move forward in life. Similarly in a professional environment, one needs to keep upgrading their knowledge and enhance their skills. Talking about the difference of skills one can get through PMP and PRINCE2 certification, here are some points.
- PMP
- PMP is a framework, a body of knowledge that will help you in developing the skills and techniques that will help a project manager in leading and negotiating the project.
- If you complete your PMP certification it will certify that you have the skills and techniques of proejct management.
- PRINCE2
- PRINCE2 will act as a guide that can be applied to your project to achieve your goals.
- This certification validates that you have the ability to handle projects in a controlled manner.
Apart from the above skills, some common expertise that you can develop by doing either PMP or PRINCE2 certification are:
- Develop professional relationships through networking
- Gaining the trust of the clients by delivering projects on time
- Building a good reputation of the company
- Great listening skills to detect emergency situations
- Appropriate use of power
- Conflict management
3. PRINCE2 VS PMP: Exam Format
Every examination has a different pattern by which they examine their candidates and then certify them for the course that they picked. Talking about this, let’s compare the difference in the exam pattern of PMP and PRINCE2.
PMP:
- Exam is conducted at a PMI approved exam center
- Duration of the exam is 4 hours (240 minutes). No additional reading time is included. The exam consists of 200 MCQ questions. There are 25 pre-test questions.
PRINCE2:
For Foundation:
- The time duration for Foundation exam is 1 hour.
- The passing marks are 33 out of 60
For Practitioner:
- The time duration for Practitioner is 2.5 hours
- The passing marks are 38 out of 60
If you are interested in knowing the prerequisites of these certifications then we have researched and brought before points to tell you what you require in order to opt for PMP or PRINCE2 certification.
4. PMP Vs PRINCE2: Pre-Requisites
You will require this set of pre-requisites to complete the following project management certifications.
For PMP:
- Four years Bachelor’s degree or a globally equivalent
- 7,500 years of experince in leading a project or directing it
- 35 hours of mandatory training in project management OR a CAPM Certification
OR
- Completion of a four year degree
- 4500 hours in leading and directing a project
- 35 hours of project management education
For PRINCE2
There are two levels of PRINCE2 certification: Foundation and Practitioner. If you want to do the Practitioner course you will first have to clear the PRINCE2 Foundation.
For Foundation:
No qualifications are required to take this exam.
For Practitioner:
- PRINCE2 Foundation
- PMP certification
- CAPM (Certified Associate In Project Management)
- IPMA (International Project Management Association) Levels- A, B, C or D
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Salary
Along with successful careers, people are also concerned about their annual package. Having project management certifications can help you a lot in taking a salary hike from your current job. Let’s talk about the project manager salary overview after PMP and PRINCE2 certification.
After doing several rounds of surveys one thing has been clear that certifications can increase your annual package. To be precise about the annual package, in America the average project manager salary is about 8344167.66 INR.
PMP: In India, after doing PMP certification the annual package reaches up to 17 lakhs which can eventually shoot up to 40 lakhs.
PRINCE2: After doing the Practitioner level course of PRINCE2, you can earn upto10-20 lakhs per annum.
So, your value and skill increase after doing a professional project management course from a certified institute. You can choose the best certification based on your region to get the maximum benefits.
This comparison table of PMP VS PRINCE2 will briefly tell about the certification courses.
PMP Vs PRINCE2: Exam Difficulty
Some exams are easy to crack while some certifications require a little extra time, effort, and preparation. Since PMP and PRINCE2 are the courses that will validate your knowledge as a project manager, therefore, they require a set of hours for a candidate to complete the certification.
FOR PMP:
PMP certification is considered the most difficult certification course. The reason is that it requires a minimum of 4500 hours and a 4-hour degree. Otherwise, 7500 hours plus a secondary degree would also help in qualifying the certification.
FOR PRINCE2:
PRINCE2 certification can be obtained by just passing the exam. Unlike PMP no such degree or experience is required for Foundation or Practitioner level of PRINCE2 certification.
PMP VS PRINCE2: Cost
PMP will cost around $405 for PMI members whereas for non-PMI members the cost will be around $555.
PRINCE2:
The Foundation course will cost $388 whereas the Practitioner course will cost $542
What Is The Goal Of A Project Manager?
A project manager will take up the responsibility of a project and will contribute to making strategies to reach a desirable goal. Furthermore, certifications can help you acquire the required skills for being a great project manager.
An organization can benefit a lot from hiring a qualified Project Manager. The project manager uses the skills to wise use and benefits himself and the organization. Here are some highlighted points that indicate key advantages of Project Manager.
How Can A Project Manager Benefit An Organization?
Here are some highlighted points that indicate the key advantages of a Project Manager in an organization.
- Stay ahead in the competition
- Implementing effective strategies
- Gaining valuable projects
- Improvement in work culture
- Customer Satisfaction
Which Institute Should You Choose For Training?
Getting certified with PMP or PRINCE2 is not a cakewalk. If you are choosing to do the certification while pursuing your job then you would need a good training institute. Choose an institute that has mastered the skill of training people for such professional courses. Zoc Learnings is one of the world’s best IT training institutes. You will get a self-paced learning experience and real-time project problems and solutions.
Concluding Thoughts!
If you have prepared well for the exams then you will not find any difficulty in accomplishing them. To get through any exam we need guidance and mentorship that can help us in building the concepts required for the exam. If you are preparing for either PMP or PRINCE2 you can get excellent guidance from Zoc Learnings. With years of experience in training professionals, ZOC has made a successful name in the IT training industry. You will get complete assistance on the syllabus and free career mentoring to help you choose the best for your future.
