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ITIL vs PMP Certification: Which One is Right for You?

ITIL vs PMP Certification: Which One is Right for You?

Q: 1. Which is harder: ITIL or PMP?

The comparison is not straightforward. ITIL certifications test knowledge, understanding, application, and analysis skills based on specific reference material. Whereas PMP testing is based on multiple and unlisted references, it also has a psychological element of testing thus not just a textbook-based exam.

Q: 2. Which is better: ITIL or PMP?

Both these certifications are great for professionals, and it depends on the individual goals, on the basis of which one can choose which certification to go ahead with.

Q: 3. Is ITIL useful for project managers?

Yes, ITIL can be very useful for project managers, especially those working on IT-related projects. ITIL provides a framework for managing IT services, which can help project managers plan, deliver, and improve their projects.ITIL can also help project managers understand the broader context of their work and how their projects contribute to the overall IT service delivery.

Q: 4. Which big companies use ITIL?

Many large organizations use ITIL to standardize their IT service management practices. Notable companies include IBM, HP, and Microsoft, which utilize ITIL to improve service delivery, streamline operations, and enhance customer satisfaction.

By Kevin D.Davis

Updated on Apr 04, 2022 | 8 min read | 13.0k views

Table of Contents

In today’s competitive job market, project management certifications like PMP and ITIL are crucial for career growth, especially in IT and related fields. While both are popular, they offer distinct value: ITIL aligns with broader project management, unlike PMP. Professionals often struggle to choose between them due to time constraints. The key is to select the certification that best enhances their specific work area. Despite some similarities, understanding the differences between PMP and ITIL helps in making the right choice for career advancement.

There are several great options for ITSM training, and you can explore them to find the one that suits your requirements. Before diving to understand ITIL vs PMP, we will first learn what ITIL and PMP is.

What’s ITIL?

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certification is a widely acknowledged framework for IT-enabled service management or Information Technology Service Management (ITSM). The Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom first used it in the 1980s. It is primarily targeted at IT service management professionals. The original aim of ITIL was to standardize IT management methods to assist organizations in providing the highest quality services while avoiding the most prevalent mistakes. It was later amended and enhanced to provide a comprehensive framework to manage IT service delivery in several markets and industries.

The KnowledgeHut ITIL Foundation Course online helps you validate your ITSM skills and boost your career with job roles offering greater responsibility and a better salary.

What’s PMP?

The Project Management Institute (PMI) administers the Project Management Professional Certification, or PMP credential, which is an industry-recognized certification for project managers. The PMP certification is intended for individuals who have extensive project management expertise. It is intended to assist project managers in understanding the fundamentals of Project Management as well as the methods outlined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). It would be useful for people who want to run huge and complex projects yet need a certification to demonstrate their competence and support their professional practice.

KnowledgeHut also offers top-rated PMP Certification training online that puts you in the elite group of PMI Certified project management professionals.

Differences between ITIL vs PMP

This comparison table highlights the difference between ITIL vs PMP so that professionals can better understand which certification is more suited to their needs.

Parameters	ITIL Certification	PMP Certification
1. Full-form	Information Technology Infrastructure Library	Project Management Professional
2. Objective	The aim of ITIL is to assist professionals in managing services in the digital era using an adaptable framework for the management of IT-enabled services.	The aim of PMP is to assist project managers in becoming highly skilled in the people, process, and business domains of project management.
3. Scope	The primary focus is on managing IT-enabled services, with project management as a required practice.	Focus is on managing projects of any size and scope, in any industry, without delving into projects in specific sectors, such as services.
4. Certification Levels	Foundation Specialist, Strategist, and Leader certifications, these at the same level and their combinations lead to certain qualifications. Master	No basic or advanced levels; Single certification
5. Exam Difficulty	Moderate, especially at the Foundation level. Advanced levels like ITIL Managing Professional are more challenging.	However, those who lack less than the stipulated years of project leadership experience may opt for CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)
6. Certification Levels	Multi-level certifications: Foundation, Practitioner, Intermediate, Expert, and Master levels.	Single-level certification: PMP (though CAPM® is a precursor certification).
7. Processes	Based on ITIL framework with 5 stages: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement.	Follows PMBOK guide with 5 process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.
8. Renewal of Credential	Requires 20 hours of continuing education (ITIL Practitioner); other levels do not require renewal.	Requires 60 PDUs (Professional Development Units) every 3 years for renewal.

ITIL vs PMP Certifications: Detailed Differences

1. Philosophy

The philosophy of the ITIL certification is based on IT service management and revolves around the life cycle approach. Hence, the ITIL methodology is more useful to organizations that provide IT-enabled services. On the other hand, PMP certification is focused on the tools, methodologies, and processes that need to be adopted to complete a project successfully.

The scope of PMP is wider as compared to the ITIL certification from a project management perspective. ITIL does include project management as one of the practices and provides guidance for it, but without delving into specific guidance such as PMP related, Hence, the principles and methodologies of PMP can be applied to projects of any industry of any size and any scope. It focuses on approaches for efficiently carrying out projects.

2. Methodology

ITIL's primary focus is on creating a consistent IT service management framework. Although designed for IT services, its guidance can be customized for any organization to enhance value and service management strategy. ITIL 4 introduces key concepts like the four dimensions of service management and the service value system (SVS), which includes principles, governance, the service value chain (SVC), continual improvement, and 34 practices (expanded from previous versions). The ITIL Foundation certification covers these concepts, with a focus on 15 practices, of which 7 are explored in detail, emphasizing value and co-creation.

By weaving in the comparison of ITIL vs PMP, this highlights the distinct yet complementary nature of both certifications, catering to professionals focused on IT service or broader project management frameworks.

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Professionals can learn more about IT Service Management with the help of IT Service Management Certification Courses Online. They would also get a fair idea about which certification is appropriate from ITIL vs PMP.

Coming to PMP views each project as a temporary endeavor with certain constraints to deliver outputs that eventually drive change. Traditionally the PMP exam has focused on knowledge areas such as project scope management, process groups such as initiating, processes such as identifying stakeholders, and associated artifacts, tools, and techniques These are published in the so-called PMBOK Guide (project management body of knowledge). Both traditional and agile life cycle approaches are covered. This has been further expanded to consider Project Management principles, a system for value delivery, and other relevant topics. There is also added emphasis on people and business.

3. Prerequisites

Delving further into ITIL certification vs PMP, certain prerequisites need to be fulfilled for each of the certifications.

For PMP, professionals with a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its global equivalent need to have 36 months of documented project management experience. Those with a secondary-level diploma require 60 months of documented project management experience. Also, professionals must earn 35 contact hours through the contact learning program.

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For the ITIL certification, the prerequisites vary with the level of the certification. For the Foundation Level, there is no prerequisite. Hence, it is a good place to start for beginners. The ITIL Foundation Level Certification becomes a prerequisite for moving toward the advanced levels.

4. Exam Difficulty

The PMP® Exam is typically regarded as being substantially more challenging than the ITIL® 4 Foundation Exam since it is longer and has more questions.

The PMP® test requires candidates to have 35 Contact Hours and at least 36 months/4500 effort hours of working experience in project management over at least three years, but there are no prerequisites for taking the ITIL® 4 Foundation Exam.

5. Certification Levels

While PMP® certification holders must recertify every three years by obtaining 60 PDUs, ITIL® 4 Foundation Certification has no expiration date.

6. Required PDUs

To maintain their PMP® Certification status, holders must accumulate at least 60 PDUs throughout the course of each three-year re-certification cycle. ITIL® 4 Foundation Certification holders are exempt from continuing education requirements. Therefore, when the most recent edition is launched, there will no longer be a need for an official bridge program for the ITIL 4 Foundation course. It simply implies that to obtain the most recent certification, holders of prior certificates must retake the ITIL 4 Foundation test.

Additionally, if you seek a certificate and enroll in their membership program, you may receive digital badges through ITIL's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme. Members must have 20 CPD to extend the badge for the next 12 months.

7. Processes

40 multiple-choice questions make up the entry-level ITIL test, which must be passed with a minimum score of 65% (i.e., at least 26 correct answers). The total examination period is one hour. However, people who take the test in a language other than their working or native tongue will receive 25% more time. The ITIL Foundation exam aims to evaluate a candidate's proficiency with terminology, broad understanding of ITIL principles, and fundamental components of the service value chain and service value system. When comparing PMP vs ITIL, it is important to note that the PMP exam is much more extensive. The PMP test takes four hours to complete, and there is no scheduled break.

There are 200 multiple-choice questions in total; 175 of them must be answered correctly to receive a final score, and the remaining 25 are pretests used to determine if the questions will still be relevant for upcoming examinations. The five project phases—planning, starting, monitoring/controlling, executing, and closing—as well as the code of ethics and additional domain of professional conduct—are examined by the PMP examination questions.

8. Renewal of Credential

ITIL: ITIL certifications require renewal every three to five years, depending on the level. Professionals must either complete continuing education credits or pass an exam to maintain their certification. This ensures that they stay current with the evolving IT service management practices.

PMP: The PMP certification requires renewal every three years. To maintain the certification, professionals must earn 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) through continued education and professional activities. This helps ensure that PMP holders remain up-to-date with project management practices and trends.

9. Certification Levels

ITIL: ITIL offers a tiered certification path, starting with Foundation and progressing through Intermediate levels (Lifecycle and Capability streams), Expert, and finally, Master. Each level builds on the previous one, focusing on different aspects of IT service management.

PMP: The PMP certification is a single, comprehensive credential for experienced project managers. Unlike ITIL, it does not have a tiered structure but requires a significant amount of project management experience and education before qualifying for the exam.

10. Salary

An employee's average PMP certification pay is based on a variety of parameters and varies by country, industry, and project size.

The average PMP certification salaries for various nations are listed below:

Country	Average Salary
India	2 Million INR
USA	112K USD
UAE	312K AED
Germany	82K EUR
Australia	142K AUD

A PMP-qualified project manager makes 20% more money than a non-certified project manager, according to the 9th PMI wage study.

According to Different Locations, ITIL 4 Salary:

The USA, UK, Canada, India, and Australia are the top nations where ITIL 4 Foundation-certified professionals may earn a reasonable salary. The remuneration of ITIL 4 Foundation professionals in various nations are displayed in the table below.

Country	Average Salary
India	1,010,838 INR
USA	98,388 USD
United Kingdom	40,807 GBP
Canada	84,189 CAD
Australia	99,738 AUD

ITIL 4 Foundation-certified individuals are among the most sought-after job prospects in the IT market due to several firms embracing the ITIL framework. The ITIL 4 Foundation certification can improve your chances for advancement in your profession and, most significantly, raise your pay.

9. Roles

The main duties of a person with a PMP certification include the following:

Formulate the major concept
Plan out and organize the strategy.
lead the group
Controlling the cost
Make important project choices.
Deliver the promised results.
Give consumers and end users a clear handover.

These are the four standard ITIL roles:

Process owner
Process supervisor
Process expert
Service provider

It's important to keep in mind that these tasks may not always correspond to specific job titles. Additionally, the ITIL-receiving association will choose a suitable job title for a representative's position that is consistent with its internal terminology and pecking order.

Additionally, jobs don't truly resemble headcount. In a smaller organization, it's common for one employee to take on many tasks.

Similarities of ITIL and PMP

Even with ITITL vs PMP differences, there are few similarities between the two certifications. Despite the certifications being unique, both are guidance that includes best practices and more. The next section discusses how you can combine ITIL or PMP methodologies to optimize project management and service delivery practices effectively.

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PMP Certification in Bangalore	PMP Certification in Toronto	PMP Certification in Dubai
PMP Certification in Chennai	PMP Certification in Pune	PMP Certification in Mumbai
PMP Certification in Hyderabad	PMP Certification in Sydney	PMP Certification in Hong kong
PMP Certification in Riyadh	PMP Certification in Berlin	PMP Certification in London
PMP Certification in Brisbane	PMP Certification in Frankfurt	PMP Certification in Delhi
PMP Certification in Melbourne	PMP Certification in Doha	PMP Certification in Canada

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Combining ITIL & PMP Methodologies

Combining both PMP and ITIL methodologies can be a great approach to managing service-related projects in the most efficient way possible. It can also help professionals understand the nitty-gritty of service management at the organizational level. For a professional who is in the service industry and, more so IT-based services, ITIL may be their first choice naturally.

However, when considering the advantages of PMP vs ITIL, there is no such limitation to stopping at the basic level. They can certainly pursue the advanced levels as well as this would give their profile a boost. On the other hand, professionals in the IT industry who are looking forward to becoming project managers within any industry can benefit more from a PMP.

Delve into the most popular KnowledgeHut's Project Management Courses

PMP Certification Training	Prince2 Certification Training	PMI-CAPM Certification
PgMP Certification Training	Prince2 Foundation Certification	Project Management Masters Program
Prince2 Agile Certification	PMI-RMP Certification Training	Prince2 Practitioner Certification

Conclusion

There are several overlapping features in ITIL vs PMP. However, the methodologies, applications, and scope of these certifications are entirely different. They each have a specific focus area and professionals certified in ITIL and PMP deliver results for enterprises in those areas.

From an enterprise perspective, an interesting observation in this scenario is that if both these certifications are combined, the enterprise will reap the benefits of a robust service management framework and efficient project management and delivery infrastructure. So, it really is less of a question of which certification is better and more of a question of what are your enterprise’s business objectives and which of these certifications will put you on a fast track to achieving them.