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PMI · Project Management & Agile · Professional

PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) exam guide

Exam PMI-PBA

The PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA) validates requirements-focused business analysis within projects and programs: needs assessment, elicitation, analysis, traceability and solution evaluation. It suits analysts who work closely with project teams and want a PMI-aligned alternative to IIBA credentials.

Questions200 (175 scored, 25 unscored)
Time limit240 minutes
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam fee$555 USD
Valid for3 years
DeliveryPearson VUE test center or online proctored

Format: Multiple choice. Fee note: PMI member USD 405.

Who it's for

Business analysts, requirements engineers and project managers who own requirements on projects and work within PMI-based delivery environments.

What the exam covers

Needs Assessment18%
Planning22%
Analysis35%
Traceability and Monitoring15%
Evaluation10%

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: Secondary degree with 60 months of business analysis experience in the last 8 years and 35 contact hours of BA education; or bachelor's degree with 36 months of experience in the last 8 years and 35 contact hours.

Recommended: Elicitation, modeling and traceability work on multiple projects, ideally across both predictive and adaptive teams.

Keeping it active

Valid 3 years. Earn 60 PDUs (including business analysis topics) per 3-year cycle and pay the renewal fee.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Needs assessment and business case input
  • Elicitation techniques (interviews, workshops, observation)
  • Requirements modeling (process, data, use case)
  • Traceability matrices and change control
  • Acceptance criteria and solution evaluation
  • Stakeholder analysis and communication

Job roles

Business AnalystSenior Business AnalystRequirements AnalystProduct AnalystSystems AnalystProject Manager

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Read the PMI-PBA Examination Content Outline and Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide.
  2. Weeks 2-3: Needs assessment and planning: business case, stakeholder analysis, BA approach.
  3. Weeks 4-6: Analysis (35%): modeling techniques, prioritization, acceptance criteria.
  4. Week 7: Traceability, monitoring and evaluation; practice change-impact questions.
  5. Weeks 8-9: Two full 200-question simulations; build stamina for four hours.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Analysis is 35% of the exam, so know when to use each model (context diagram, BPMN, ERD, decision table).
  • Pace at 1.2 minutes per question; the 200-question length is the main challenge.
  • Traceability questions often ask what to do when a requirement changes: assess impact first.
  • Answers favor collaborating with stakeholders over the analyst deciding alone.
  • PMI terminology differs from BABOK; study PMI's practice guide wording.

Key terms for this exam

All 37 terms Study with thinQcards™

Frequently asked questions

How much does the PMI-PBA cost?

USD 405 for PMI members and USD 555 for nonmembers.

PMI-PBA vs CBAP?

Both are senior BA credentials. CBAP (IIBA) is more widely recognized among pure BA roles; PMI-PBA suits analysts in PMI-centric project organizations.

How long is the PMI-PBA exam?

200 questions in four hours.

Is the PMI-PBA worth it in 2026?

It is valued where PMI credentials are standard, though it has fewer holders than CBAP; pair it with agile product skills.

How do I renew PMI-PBA?

Earn 60 PDUs every three years and pay the renewal fee.

Official page: www.pmi.org. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.