PMI-ACP vs PMI-CP: Agile or Construction?

PMI offers more than a dozen credentials, and the names can blur together. Two that are often confused are PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) and PMI-CP (Construction Professional). They have similar acronyms and similar pricing, but the audiences could not be more different.

PMI-ACP — Agile Certified Practitioner

PMI-ACP certifies that you can work effectively across the agile family of frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, XP, Lean, hybrid). It is aimed at software and product professionals, but it is not framework-specific — it is broader than a single Scrum certification.

Eligibility

Secondary degree or higher.

12 months of general project experience within the last 5 years.

8 months of agile-specific experience within the last 3 years.

21 contact hours of agile training.

Exam

120 multiple-choice questions over 3 hours. Topics include agile principles, value-driven delivery, stakeholder engagement, team performance, and continuous improvement.

PMI-CP — Construction Professional

PMI-CP is PMI's construction-industry credential. It is built around the specific contract, scheduling, and risk patterns that show up on construction projects — interface management between owner, engineer, contractor, and subcontractor.

Eligibility

Secondary degree or higher.

36 months of construction project experience within the last 6 years (or 24 months if you hold a four-year degree).

35 contact hours of construction-specific project management education.

Exam

The PMI-CP exam is delivered as four standalone micro-credential modules — Contract Management, Built Environment, Risk Management, and Project Management Fundamentals for Construction — plus a capstone integration exam. You can sit them separately.

Which one are you?

If your day job is product, software, or any context where requirements emerge as you build, PMI-ACP is the right credential. If your day job involves contracts with engineers, construction managers, or subcontractors, PMI-CP is the right credential. Neither is a replacement for PMP — they layer on top of (or alongside) PMP for domain specialisation.