A product management certification is a qualification that demonstrates you have the necessary skills, training, and experience to thrive in product management roles. It can also be a good launchpad for those looking to explore a career in product management for the first time. This is because certifications for product management typically cover some of the most important topics you’d need to know to break into the industry.
In this article, we will highlight the highest-paying product management certifications, product management training programs, potential job outlook, accredited associations, and various resources you can use to prepare for a product management certification exam.
What Is a Professional Certification?
A professional certification is a credential showing that a person has the required experience, skills, and knowledge to perform a specific job or tasks that they have received training for. You can earn certifications in product management through a professional organization.
What’s the Difference Between a Certification and a Certificate?
The difference between a certification and a certificate is that the former shows that a professional has met industry standards by passing a professional exam, while the latter signifies education in a specific area of interest and is handled by an educational institution. Certifications are also usually standardized because they are issued by national organizations or professional bodies.
Why Is Certification in Product Management Important?
A certification in product management is important because it can help you stand out in your product management role as employers and decision-makers will view your opinions as credible. You also get to improve and become more effective in carrying out core tasks.
Product management certification courses can broaden your product management knowledge and introduce you to some of the best strategies that industry experts use to solve problems.
Best Product Management Certifications by Salary
| Certification | Provider | Average Salary | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Leader Certification | Product School | $132,434 | $4,799 |
| Senior Product Manager Certification | Product School | $122,921 | $4,799 |
| Certified Innovation Leader Certification | The Association of International Product Marketing & Management | $117,447 | $1,195 |
| Agile Certified Product Manager and Product Owner Credential | The Association of International Product Marketing & Management | $110,000 | $1,495 |
| Certified Product Marketing Manager | The Association of International Product Marketing & Management | $106,423 | $375 (members); $520 (non-members) |
| Certified Digital Product Manager Credential | The Association of International Product Marketing & Management | $101,059 | $1,495 (self-paced); $3,495 (live, online) |
| Certified Product Manager Credential | The Association of International Product Marketing & Management | $94,166 | $375 (members); $520 (non-members) |
| New Product Development Professional Certification | Product Development and Management Association | $93,000 | $250 |
| Product Manager Certification | Product School | $80,694 | $4,799 |
Best Product Management Certifications to Further Your Career
How to Choose the Best Product Management Certification for Your Career
There are certain factors you should consider when choosing the best product management certification to help boost your career. Some of the factors that you need to consider include program costs, career goals, and program format. We shall be discussing these few factors briefly below.
Program Costs
It is very important to find out the cost of the certification program that you wish to sign up for. This will help you assess if you will be able to afford the program or should consider a similar program that costs less. You can use the opportunity to plan your finances ahead of your application.
Career Goals
It is best to choose a certification program that aligns with your professional goals and interests. This can help ensure that you are on a realistic timeline and that you are hitting every milestone you have mapped out for yourself. A good way to assess the potential outcome of a certification program is by researching the career progression of others holding the same certification.
Program Format
Finding out how a certification program is designed is a great idea to ensure that it’s compatible with your schedule. It can give you time to plan ahead if you need to make any adjustments. If you desire a flexible program or a program that doesn’t take up too much time, factor these in when making your choice for a product management certificate.
Which Product Management Certifications Pay the Most?
The product management certifications that pay the most include the Product Leader and the Senior Product certifications offered by Product School. Both certifications aim to equip participants with the necessary skills to advance in their careers and break into more senior-level roles. People in similar product management careers reportedly earn up to $132,434, according to PayScale.
Highest-Paying Product Management Certifications
- Product Leader Certification: $132,434
- Senior Product Manager Certification: $122,921
- Certified Innovation Leader Certification: $117,447
- Agile Certified Product Manager and Product Owner Credential: $110,000
- Certified Product Marketing Manager: $106,423
Which Product Management Certifications Are the Best for Beginners?
The production management certification that is best for beginners is Product Manager Certification offered by Product School. This program is specifically designed for newcomers to the product management world.
The program offers a solid foundation in the fundamentals of product management and mentorship with internship experts that can equip students with detailed knowledge. Students also develop soft skills essential to the product manager role.
Best College Certificate Programs
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How to Prepare for Your Product Management Certification Exam
Preparing for your product management certification exam doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience. There are steps you can take such as taking courses, following relevant product management blogs, joining groups, or reading specific books that can help make your product management exam preparation smooth and stress-free.
Best Courses to Prepare for Product Management Certification Exams
Taking product management courses is a great way to prepare for a certification exam as they can help you get familiar with what taking a certification exam would entail. Some of the best product management certification prep courses are listed below.
Other Resources to Prepare for Your Product Management Certification Exams
Apart from courses, there are other resources like books and online communities that are helpful for product management certification exam prep. Some examples are The Product Book, Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days, and The Product Coalition online community. We briefly discuss these resources and more below.
The Product Book
This book covers all the fundamentals of being a product manager which leads to managing a great product team. It is written by the Product School CEO and a former product manager at Pixar. It illustrates how people can build incredible products and launch them.
The Product Book Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: Free
- Ideal For: People looking to pursue a leadership role in product management
Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
Sprint is an excellent book that offers a blueprint for solving big problems and questions. The book is both a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller which says a lot about the quality of its content. This versatile book can help everyone—from a team lead to a teacher—generate bright ideas to make great decisions.
Sprint Overview
- Type of Resource: Book
- Cost: $15.99
- Ideal For: People that play a key role in product management decision-making
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products
Hooked serves as the perfect model for the next generation of products. The book is an excellent guide to finding out how users think, making it a great tool for driving engagement and building good product management habits.
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products Overview
- Type of Resource: e.g. Book, Website, Online Community
- Cost: $12.99 (Kindle); $17.66 (hardcover), $21.89 (audio CD); free (audiobook)
- Ideal For: People who want to build quality engagement and improve user experience
The Product Stack
The Product Stack is more than an online community. It is a coalition of organizations offering important solutions for software teams. Members of this community enjoy valuable benefits which include advice, access to webinars, and engaging product management conversations that take place on the community’s Slack platform.
The Product Stack Overview
- Type of Resource: Online Community
- Cost: Free
- Ideal For: People looking for the latest information about product management and ways to stay current with the latest development
The Product Coalition
The Product Coalition is owned by the Medium organization and is the largest community for product managers that is free. The community has a ton of articles on product management topics and operates a very interesting Slack community where a multitude of product managers exchange ideas on a daily basis.
The Product Coalition Overview
- Type of Resource: Online Community
- Cost: Free
- Ideal For: Product management professionals seeking to engage, collaborate, and connect with like-minded people in the industry
Best Online Courses
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Product Management Job Outlook and Average Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is not specific on the job and salary information for product managers but does provide some information for marketing management under which they fall. The product management job outlook between 2020 and 2030 is projected to be at 10 percent. This is slightly higher than the national average of seven percent.
Workers in the industry earn an average annual salary of $133,380, according to BLS. States with the highest level of employment in this field include Texas, California, New Jersey, Illinois, and New York.
Best Product Management Jobs After Certification
Passing a product management certification exam can open up a lot of job opportunities. Some of the roles you can explore include product manager, director of product management, digital product manager, product marketing manager, and senior product manager.
Best Product Management Associations
There are a number of product management associations that you can join as a professional to earn certain benefits and also easily upgrade your career status. These bodies are accredited and offer certifications that are applicable to different aspects of the field. We will be looking at a few of these product management associations below.
The Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM)
AIPMM is the largest professional association of product managers, brand managers, and product marketing managers in the world. AIPMM represents members through the entire life cycle in any industry and is the only association that does so. Members receive quality training, certification, and professional networking opportunities that you need to keep abreast in the industry.
The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA)
The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) has thousands of members around the world. Some of these members are the powerhouses behind some globally recognized organizations. PDMA focuses on the integrated activities that encompass the full lifecycle of product management and is the only organization that does so.
The Association of Product Professionals (APP)
The Association of Product Professionals is a globally recognized industry body for product managers that put in the hard work to advance the profession of product management. Members can receive some benefits including receiving an APP membership badge that is fully accredited on LinkedIn. Members can also develop their skills and get mentored by top professionals across the globe.
Are Product Management Certifications Worth It?
Yes, product management certifications are worth it because they can help professionals improve their knowledge and skills. This, in turn, can prepare you for career growth. A promotion means higher competency and a better pay package. A product management certification can unlock the door to fresh opportunities as it gives professionals the opportunity to network and improve their career prospects generally.
Additional Reading About Product Management
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Product Management Certifications FAQ
No, product managers do not need to learn how to code as it is not a requirement for a majority of the jobs. It can, however, serve as an added advantage to make you more successful on the job. Product management teams usually execute projects from conception to the production stage. Learning what goes on on the technical side can help facilitate the whole process.
No, you do not need a product management certification to become a successful product manager. Many product managers today maintain at least one certification as shown in the Pragmatic Marketing Inc survey, where 71 percent of product managers revealed that in addition to their degree, they hold at least one professional certification.
Without prior experience, you can still break into a career in product management by following a few steps: assess your weaknesses and strengths, acquire new skills that can help address areas you lack, obtain certification to validate your expertise, and seek fitting employment.
It can take from a few hours to a few months to get a product management certification. The length of time required to complete a certification in product management varies and is dependent on the institution offering the certification and the type of certification that you seek to obtain.
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