PMP passing score?

This is a question I get a lot…”What is the passing score for the PMP?”

The reason why there’s confusion is that different materials may have different answers Let me make it easy for you.

PMBOK 2000 (old version of exam) = 69%

PMBOK 3rd ed. (new version of exam) = 81%

PMBOK 3rd ed. (new version of exam after the first few months of release) = 61%

I remember telling my students a few years ago that they better apply for the PMP soon since you never know what you’re going to get in the new version. When the new version finally came out, 81% was the passing score. However, based on the candidates’ scores, PMI realized that people who should be passing weren’t passing! Rather than updating the entire exam, they lowered the passing score. The 61% was determined the appropriate passing score after reviewing several months of data.

However, prep books and other materials that were printed obviously were not updated. That’s why you may see varying passing scores.

In short (until PMI changes it again), you need 61% to pass.