Here's the full PMI-PBA® cost picture — the PMI fees you'll pay, plus how to keep your total down by passing on the first attempt.
| Item | Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| Exam fee — PMI member | ~$405 (verify on pmi.org) |
| Exam fee — non-member | ~$555 (verify on pmi.org) |
| PMI membership (optional) | $129/yr + $10 one-time |
| Renewal (every 3 yrs) | 60 PDUs under the CCR program |
Commonly reported US pricing is about $405 for PMI members and $555 for non-members — PMI adjusts pricing by region and membership, so verify on pmi.org before booking. Reexamination fees apply to 2nd/3rd attempts within the 1-year eligibility window.
The biggest hidden cost of any certification is the retake — fail once and you pay the exam fee again, plus weeks of lost momentum. The cheapest way to sit PMI-PBA® once is to walk in genuinely ready.
That's where affordable practice pays for itself: ExamDeck is $15 for lifetime PMI-PBA® access (or $19/month All-Access across every exam) — a fraction of the exam fee — with original questions, an explanation for every option, and a readiness report that tells you when you're ready to book.
6 free questions · per-area readiness · no dumps · no ads.
Start free →PMI-PBA (from PMI) suits analysts working within project/program environments and the PMI ecosystem; CBAP (from IIBA) treats business analysis as a standalone discipline. Eligibility, blueprints and reference standards differ — many senior BAs eventually hold both.
Moderate-to-high: 200 scenario-heavy questions over 4 hours across five domains, with the passing standard set psychometrically rather than published. Real project experience plus structured practice beats memorisation.
200 multiple-choice questions (175 scored + 25 unscored pre-test, randomly interspersed) in 240 minutes (4 hours), taken at Pearson VUE test centres.
PMI does not publish a numeric cut score — results are pass/fail with per-area performance indicators. Aim for a consistent 80–85% on realistic mocks before booking.
PMI does not publish official pass rates, so any exact percentage quoted online is unverified. The readiness signal that actually predicts passing: consistently holding 80–85% on realistic, full-length practice exams before you book.
Secondary degree: 60 months of business analysis experience (last 8 years) + 35 contact hours of BA education, OR bachelor's degree or higher: 36 months of BA experience (last 8 years) + 35 contact hours of BA education. GAC-accredited degree holders: 24 months of BA experience (+12-month experience credit).
Commonly reported US pricing is about $405 for PMI members and $555 for non-members — PMI adjusts pricing by region and membership, so verify on pmi.org before booking. Reexamination fees apply to 2nd/3rd attempts within the 1-year eligibility window.
For most candidates, commonly reported 80–120 hours depending on BA experience. What matters most is practising questions and analysing why each option is right or wrong — not just reading.
60 PDUs every 3 years under PMI's CCR program.
No — every question is original, written to test the concepts and reviewed before it ships, with an explanation linked to the source for every option. Dumps are stale, often wrong, and against PMI's policies.