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Roughly half of the technical skills a professional relies on today could be obsolete within five years, and in an economy reshaped by AI, uncertainty and skills scrutiny, employers are placing greater value on project professionals who can turn strategy into results. Launching today, the updated Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam, the most trusted professional certification for the project management profession, is built to validate the skills that survive the churn of tools and technology.
PMP certification updated with focus on durable and enduring capabilities.
Organizations need up to 30M new project professionals by 2035.
PMP certifications granted increased 36% year-over-year in first five months of 2026.
US PMP holders report median salary of $135,000 (24% higher than non-holders).
69% say PMP gives competitive advantage; 83% say it enhances resume.
CEOs cite disconnect between planning and execution as top reinvention barrier (35%).
As AI and automation reshape work, organizations need project professionals who can turn change into clear direction, aligned teams and measurable results. CEOs cited their top barrier to reinvention is a disconnect between planning and execution (35%), closely followed by a failure to continuously upgrade talent for the future (34%). Project professionals who manage complexity effectively are five times more likely to increase project success. The refreshed PMP exam places greater emphasis on business alignment, strategic decision-making, sustainability and real-world delivery in AI-powered environments.
Pierre Le Manh, CEO and President at Project Management Institute, stated: "Organizations are looking for people who can do more than manage task completion. Today, professionals are being asked to prove they can navigate ambiguity, align complex stakeholders' expectations, and think critically to turn ideas into outcomes. This is how you deliver impact in the modern world of work. Using AI tools on its own is not enough to deliver project success."
Dr. Kelly Heuer, VP of Learning at PMI, added: "We view professional capability on a spectrum: perishable skills, the specific tools, platforms and techniques that are essential only for today; durable skills, the frameworks and fluency that travel intact from one tool to the next; and enduring capabilities, the judgment and mindsets that compound across an entire career. AI is accelerating the decay of the perishable skills while raising the premium on durable and enduring skills."
In the first five months of 2026, PMP certifications granted increased by 36% year over year. U.S. professionals holding a PMP certification report a median salary of $135,000, nearly 24% higher than those without it. Among those certified within the past 36 months, 75% reported at least one career benefit, including increased confidence in decision-making (53%) and new career opportunities (40%).
The updated PMP exam is available beginning 9 July 2026. It is designed to validate the capabilities organizations increasingly prize: structuring work, clarifying ownership, orchestrating stakeholders, measuring impact, and maintaining momentum when conditions shift.
About Project Management Institute (PMI)
PMI is the leading authority in project success. Since 1969, PMI has shone a light on the people and advanced practices behind successful projects. Supported by a global community of millions of project professionals and by thousands of corporations, government agencies and academic institutions, PMI provides the knowledge, resources and certifications to lead projects and transformations effectively and responsibly.
