In this instructional video, Helena Liu explains that the PMP exam passing score is not a fixed percentage; it is determined by PMI through psychometric analysis that aligns candidate performance with expert‑defined difficulty levels. The exam pulls 200 random questions from a large pool, of which 25 are unscored and used for future test development, leaving 175 scored questions. Candidates receive immediate pass/fail results and domain‑level proficiency feedback. Liu debunks common myths such as the long‑standing belief that a 61% score guarantees a pass, that all questions carry equal weight, that the passing grade is fixed, and that each domain requires a specific target percentage. She notes historical passing scores (68% and 61%) but emphasizes that PMI no longer publishes a set threshold. For exam readiness, she recommends achieving 70% or higher on at least two full‑length, timed practice exams (under 4 hours). She also outlines the shift from five process‑based domains to three broader domains (people, process, business environment) after July 2020. The video concludes with a promotional call to a free masterclass offering a detailed study plan and exam strategies.
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Hello and welcome to Examspm's YouTube channel where we will teach you how to become PMP certified on your first try. Today's topic is what is the PMP exam passing score? Well, the short answer is that nobody knows. Many places report that it's 61%, however PMI has never confirmed this. Now let's talk about what the passing score is based on. PMI made it clear in the PMP Handbook that the PMP passing score is going to be determined by psychometric analysis. The PMI uses subject matter experts from around the world to help establish a point at which each candidate should pass the examinations and the examination's point of difficulty. The data that shows how candidates actually performed is cross-referenced with the subject matter expert to ensure that the point of difficulty on each exam is around the same. The psychometric analysis is a statistical model used to find the passing mark and for the PMP. This calculates the passing score for the PMP aspirant based on the questions received, and so that the difficulty level for each test remains the same. Although each candidate receives a different set of questions, the technical capabilities needed to pass is always similar. So a passing score on the PMP exam is dependent on the difficulty of the questions that the PMP aspirant aspirants receive. If the test is easier, the passing percentage will be a little higher. If the questions you got were a little bit more difficult, the passing score is a bit lower. The PMP exam is strictly a pass or fail exam, so as soon as you walk out of your testing center, you will be told whether you passed or failed, and you will be told your proficiency in each of the domains. You'll be told whether you're above target, at target, below target, or need improvement in each of the domains on the You will know your testing score right away and they'll give you some feedback for improvement if you need to know so for the future. I should also mention that as soon as you walk into the exam center, the system will randomly pull 200 questions from the exam database into your computer, load that, and that will be your test. So the person sitting next to you could also be taking the PMP exam and the 2 of you will have completely different exams. There is basically no chances that you can cheat, and plus there's cameras and security in the room which basically makes it impossible to cheat. They also do a thorough check of everything on you, so you cannot bring anything into the exam room. They will provide you with 2 pieces of paper and a pencil and a Windows-based calculator if you do need that during your exam. Also, on the PMP exam, there are 200 questions like I mentioned earlier. However, 25 of these questions are not scored. You're only scored on 175 of these questions. However, you won't know which of the 25 questions are not scored, so you have to answer every single question as if they are scored. PMI does this because those 25 questions give them a base for testing for future questions. So if those questions are too easy, they may not release it in the future update of the PMP exam. If they are too hard, they may not release that either. So based on how many people get those 25 questions Right, they will determine the difficulty of those questions and they will release those questions in a future update of the PMP exam. So they basically use those questions for testing purposes. So how do you know you're ready for the PMP exam? Generally, if you score 70% or higher on 2 or more full-length PMP exams in under 4 hours, which is how long you get to write your exam, then you know that you are ready for your exam. Because the PMP exam is also a stressful exam as well, you have to take it in 4 hours and you sit in one place and you have to be able to concentrate for 4 hours, so it's a mental exercise. It's not just about knowing all the material and being able to answer all of the questions, you also have to be able to do it in under 4 hours, so generally if you get 70% or above on your practice exams, you know you are ready. Now let's talk about some popular myths. Probably the most popular myth is that the passing score for the PMP exam is 61%. Now this used to be true back about 6, 7 years ago. PMI did release the passing score for the PMP exam and it used to be 61%, and about 7 years before that, so 14 years ago, it used to be 68%, and then after that, PMI stopped reporting the passing percentage for the PMP exam. Some experts still claim that the passing score is 61%. However, PMI has not confirmed this. However, from what we have seen, students who score 70% or higher on practice exams do go on to pass their PMP exam with no problems. Another popular myth is that all questions carry equal weight. This used to be true. You used to just have to get 61% or higher and you pass. However, this is no longer true. The easier questions is worth less points than the more difficult questions on the PMP exam. Another popular myth is that the passing score is fixed. The PMP exam, it's not, doesn't have a fixed passing grade. It depends on the difficulty of the question that you get on your specific exam. So when you go in and you sit for your exam, you're going to get 200 random questions pulled into your database and those would be the questions you're displayed. So if you get questions that are more difficult, your passing score will be a little lower. If they are easier, then your passing score would be a bit higher. The last popular myth is that each target level has a fixed passing percentage. So right now there are 5 different domains on the PMP exam: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing. After July 1st, 2020, there's only going to be 3 domains: people, processes, and business environment. So basically, the myth is that you need to get a certain percentage in each of these domains. Let's say 80% in order to get target. 90% would be above target, etc. And you need to get a certain fixed percentage in order in all of these domains in order to pass your PMP exam. Now PMI has never confirmed this assumption, so we don't know whether this is true or not. But what we do know is that if you do want to pass your PMP exam on your first try in the next six weeks, you do need to sign up for our. Free course where we will give you the exact study plan, the exact strategies, the exact method you need to know how to read the PMBOK charts and diagnose the ITTOs, etc. So in this free masterclass, we will teach you all of that and so much more, so be sure you sign up at www.exampm.com-free if you want to get your PMP certification. Thank you so much for joining me today, and I will see you soon.
