PMP exam format and scoring
The PMP is a single computer-based exam of 180 questions in four hours, taken at a Pearson VUE test center or online with a proctor. Questions are weighted across three domains, and PMI does not publish a passing percentage.
The three domains
| Domain | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| People | 33% | Leading and supporting teams, stakeholders and conflict |
| Process | 41% | Planning and delivering projects across predictive, agile and hybrid approaches |
| Business Environment | 26% | Connecting projects to organizational strategy, value, compliance and change |
Weights from PMI’s July 2026 content outline.
The refreshed exam also adds AI, sustainability and stakeholder engagement to its project-based scenarios. See the exam changes page for what moved.
How the exam works
- 180 questions in 4 hours, with two scheduled 10-minute breaks.
- Mixed question types, including multiple choice, multiple response, matching, hotspot and fill-in-the-blank. Some questions are unscored pretest items.
- Scenario-based. Most questions describe a project situation and ask what you should do next.
- Two delivery options. A Pearson VUE test center, which PMI recommends, or secure online testing.
How scoring works
PMI reports a pass or fail result and a proficiency rating for each domain, rather than a percentage score, and it does not publish a passing percentage. That means there is no fixed number of questions you can afford to miss, and practice-exam percentages are only a rough guide.
If you do not pass, the domain ratings show where to focus before a retake. You have up to three attempts within the one-year eligibility period.
Common questions
What score do I need to pass?
PMI does not publish a percentage, so providers’ estimates of a pass mark are not official. Treat any number you see online as a guess.
Test center or online?
Both are PMI-approved delivery options. PMI recommends the test center, which avoids the technical and room-setup risks of testing online.