CEH vs PMI-ACP
Which certification is right for your career? Here's the full breakdown.
EC-Council
CEH
CEH v13
Certified Ethical Hacker — offensive security certification covering penetration testing methodologies and hacking tools.
Full guide →PMI
PMI-ACP
PMI-ACP
PMI's agile certification covering Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP, and SAFe — ideal for PMs transitioning to agile delivery.
Full guide →Side-by-side comparison
| Category | CEH | PMI-ACP |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | $1199 USD | ✓$495 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | +$15,000/yr | +$15,000/yr |
| Exam duration | 240 min | 180 min |
| Renewal period | Every 3 years | Every 3 years |
| Issued by | EC-Council | PMI |
| Difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
CEH — Prerequisites
2 years IT security experience or EC-Council official training
PMI-ACP — Prerequisites
2,000 hours general project experience + 1,500 hours agile experience + 21 hours agile education
Get CEH if…
- •You have 2–3 years of IT experience and want to specialise
- •You want a +$15,000/yr salary boost
- •You prefer credentials from EC-Council
Get PMI-ACP if…
- •You have 2–3 years of IT experience and want to specialise
- •You want a +$15,000/yr salary boost
- •You prefer credentials from PMI
Best CEH courses
Best PMI-ACP courses
Frequently asked questions
Is CEH harder than PMI-ACP?
Both CEH and PMI-ACP are rated intermediate difficulty.
Which pays more — CEH or PMI-ACP?
CEH has an average salary uplift of +$15,000/yr, while PMI-ACP has +$15,000/yr. CEH has the higher salary impact.
Which should I get first — CEH or PMI-ACP?
CEH is the better starting point — it's rated intermediate and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward PMI-ACP.