Everything you need to know about how the PMI-PBA® exam is structured — questions, time, scoring, and exactly how the marks are distributed.
200 multiple-choice questions (175 scored + 25 unscored pre-test, randomly interspersed) in 240 minutes (4 hours), taken at Pearson VUE test centres. Results are pass/fail with diagnostic performance information for each of the five domains.
PMI publishes how the 200 questions are distributed (PMI-PBA Examination Content Outline). Weight your preparation to match — this is the single most useful planning fact:
| Domain | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis | 35% | |
| Planning | 22% | |
| Needs Assessment | 18% | |
| Traceability and Monitoring | 15% | |
| Evaluation | 10% |
Analysis is the heaviest at 35% — most candidates under-weight it.
6 free questions · explanation for every option · per-area readiness · no dumps.
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.