APM Project Management Qualification Boosts Salary by £5,000

Since 2015 the Association for Project Management (APM) has conducted a detailed Project Management Salary and Market Trends Survey. Over the years it has become widely respected as a measure of the state of the UK project management jobs market. 2025’s review of salary rates for project managers examined the difference between the salary rates of those with and without the APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ). It found that the average salary for those with APM PMQ was £57,500 and for those without APM PMQ the average salary was £52,500. These results indicate that gaining the APM PMQ qualification could boost your salary by £5,000.

Even more encouraging is that the survey results show that for Chartered project managers the average salary is £82,500.

What is the APM PMQ?

The APM PMQ qualification is a project management qualification based on the APM Body of Knowledge. As such it represents a good grounding in project management as practiced by a wide range of practitioners. It is used across multiple industries including (to name just a few):

• Construction
• Defence
• Education
• Health
• Central Government
• IT
• Manufacturing
• Telecoms

The qualification is sponsored by the Association for Project Management which is the professional body for project management in the UK. APM is also the only chartered membership organisation for the project profession in the world.

The APM PMQ qualification is highly regarded by major organisations in the project management sector, including:

1. BAA
2. Siemens
3. Network Rail
4. Transport for London
5. EDF
6. BT
7. EC Harris

These organisations deliver some of the most complex projects and employ world class project professionals.

How does the APM PMQ fit with my career development?

Professional development qualifications from the APM define a clear career development road map for project managers from the start of their careers to the the highly coveted chartered status for those delivering the most complex projects. At each level the APM has the right qualification and standards to recognise your status and prepare you for the next level.

Consistently excellent pass rates with Parallel Project Training

Parallel Project Training is one of very few training providers to cover the entire range of APM qualifications and our unique blended approach to the delivery of all training courses, our study guides, online e-learning resources, podcasts and engaging teaching methods deliver consistently high pass rates with some cohorts attaining a 100% pass rate.

The Parallel average pass rate for the multiple-choice format for the APM PMQ exam is 71%.

Some groups of learners in 2024 and 2025 achieved significantly higher and we’re extremely proud of pass rates of 77%, 83% and 100% among some cohorts.

Note that the APM does not release a national average pass rate for the new multiple-choice format for the APM PMQ, because there is a different pass mark for each exam based on its level of difficulty.

Excellent learner feedback

Independent analysis of course feedback by CourseCheck also gives Parallel an overall “excellent” rating. Here’s a summary of the feedback:

1. Comprehensive and Useful Materials: The study guide was comprehensive and well-structured. Other valuable resources included podcasts, chatbots and online portals, for both revision and self-directed learning.
2. Interactive Elements and Engaging Sessions: Our small-group discussions and breakout activities are very popular. Trainers make complex topics interesting and relatable through real-world examples so content is easier to learn.
3. Flexibility and Structure: The ability to structure the course over time (e.g., one-day per week across several weeks) is useful for balancing study time with work responsibilities. As is the hybrid approach of combining in-person and online sessions.
4. Supportive Tools: AI tools include Parallel’s custom GPT (a bespoke version of ChatGPT to help practice APM PMQ exam questions).