CPIM certification: exam, cost and the 2026 learning system

What is CPIM certification?

CPIM stands for Certified in Planning and Inventory Management. It is issued by ASCM, the Association for Supply Chain Management, under its APICS brand — which is why you will see it called APICS CPIM certification, ASCM CPIM certification or both. ASCM aims it at people who plan and manage supply, demand and inventory, and lists manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, pharmaceutical, government, defense, services, consulting and education among the fields its holders work in.

The CPIM certification meaning has shifted slightly over time. It was originally named Certified in Production and Inventory Management — CPIM certification kept its acronym when ASCM renamed it to Certified in Planning and Inventory Management, effective 25 February 2021. ASCM states that the change did not affect the status, maintenance timeline or original certification date of existing holders.

Source: ASCM — CPIM name change FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM in 2026: the new learning system and what changed

ASCM’s exam details page lists two CPIM content versions. The previous one, with eight modules, applies to exams purchased through 2 February 2026, and ASCM states that the exam for that learning system version sunset on 31 May 2026. The new one, with nine modules, applies to CPIM bundles and learning systems purchased from 3 February 2026. ASCM’s 2026 module outline ties it to the CPIM Exam Content Manual version 9.0, whose cover gives an effective date of 1 June 2026.

Be aware that ASCM’s own pages are not yet consistent. The CPIM product page still describes a 2022 learning system split into Part 1 and Part 2 and says candidates must pass two exams within three years, while the exam details page describes the new nine-module structure without saying whether it is one exam or two. Confirm the exam structure at checkout before you plan your schedule.

Source: ASCM — Certification exam details and process. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM certification cost

ASCM’s CPIM page shows prices only for members with the certification upgrade: US$545 for a CPIM certification exam, and US$1,860 for a bundle of learning systems and exams with membership, which ASCM says saves up to US$1,025. Non-member and standard-member exam prices are not shown on the page, so the binding CPIM certification cost depends on your membership status at checkout.

Retakes are priced in ASCM’s FAQ: US$400 for members with certification upgrade and US$500 for members and nonmembers. Training through the ASCM learning system is a separate cost. The APICS CPIM certification cost is therefore best planned as exam fee plus learning materials plus a possible retake.

• Exam: US$545 (members with certification upgrade)
• Bundle with learning systems, exams and membership: US$1,860 (members with certification upgrade)
• Retake: US$400 (members with certification upgrade) or US$500 (members and nonmembers)

Source: ASCM — APICS CPIM Planning and Inventory Management. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM exam format and passing score

ASCM certification exams consist of 150 questions: 130 operational questions that count and 20 pretest questions that do not. You get 3.5 hours, and ASCM advises answering every question.

Scoring is scaled from 200 to 350. A score of 300 or above passes; 299 or below fails. The CPIM exam is computer-based, at Pearson VUE test centers worldwide or online through the OnVUE system. If you fail, ASCM’s FAQ sets a 14-day wait before a retake.

Source: ASCM — Certification exam details and process. Checked 10 October 2026.

What is on the CPIM exam?

The 2026 CPIM learning system has nine modules. ASCM’s module outline names them but gives no percentage weights, so treat each module as examinable.

Compared with the previous eight modules, supply is split into internal and external supply, and inventory and distribution are separate modules. The Exam Content Manual gives an outline of each module’s body of knowledge, recommended references, key terminology and illustrative questions.

• Supply Chains and Strategy
• Sales and Operations Planning
• Demand
• Internal Supply
• External Supply and Key Support Functions
• Inventory
• Detailed Schedules
• Distribution
• Quality, Business Investments, and Continuous Improvement

Source: ASCM — 2026 CPIM Module Content Outline. Checked 10 October 2026.

How to get CPIM certification

ASCM’s exam handbook states that the CPIM exams have no eligibility requirement, so there is no experience or degree threshold to meet before you buy. The steps are: choose a learning route, buy the exam, schedule with Pearson VUE (test center or OnVUE), and pass with 300 or more.

Once certified, you maintain CPIM by earning and submitting 75 professional development maintenance points and filing a maintenance application every five years.

Source: ASCM — APICS Exam Handbook & Testing Policies. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM certification training, courses and classes

ASCM’s own CPIM certification training is the CPIM Learning System: digital and printed books for one year, online study tools with quizzes, a practice exam, learning activities and a resource center, plus the Exam Content Manual. Instructor support is not included in the self-study product.

CPIM certification courses and CPIM certification classes with an instructor are offered through ASCM and its partners; ASCM’s exam handbook notes that partners may offer discounted pricing. Whatever CPIM certification course you choose, check that it uses the 2026 learning system — material built for the eight-module version or the older Part 1 / Part 2 structure no longer matches the exam.

CPIM certification online preparation works well because the exam itself can be taken online via OnVUE. A CPIM certification free of charge does not exist: the exam is paid, and so is the official learning system.

Source: ASCM — APICS CPIM Planning and Inventory Management. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM certification study material

The core CPIM certification study material is the ASCM Exam Content Manual: an outline of each module’s body of knowledge, recommended references, key terminology and illustrative questions. Build your plan around the nine module names, and use the terminology lists as a checklist — APICS exams are vocabulary-heavy.

Source: ASCM — CPIM Exam Content Manual. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM practice exam and exam questions

ASCM’s learning system includes a practice exam and quizzes, and the Exam Content Manual includes illustrative questions for each module. For a realistic CPIM practice exam, mirror the real conditions: 150 questions in 3.5 hours, across all nine modules.

CPIM exam questions copied from the live exam are another matter. ASCM’s exam handbook lists sharing exam content as misconduct; consequences include an unscored exam without refund, cancellation of scores and revocation of certification.

Certsqill’s CPIM practice questions are expert-developed: every question explains each answer option, and you see a readiness score per module.

Source: ASCM — APICS Exam Handbook & Testing Policies. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM exam pass rate and salary

ASCM does not publish a CPIM exam pass rate on its CPIM, exam details or FAQ pages, and it states no CPIM certification salary figure on its CPIM page — only that the certification can boost career prospects. Figures quoted elsewhere do not come from ASCM’s certification pages.

Source: ASCM — Certification and credential FAQs. Checked 10 October 2026.

CPIM questions people ask

What is CPIM certification?

Certified in Planning and Inventory Management, ASCM’s (APICS) certification for supply chain planning and inventory management. Source: ASCM, checked 10 October 2026.

What does CPIM stand for?

Certified in Planning and Inventory Management. Until 25 February 2021 it was Certified in Production and Inventory Management. Source: ASCM name change FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.

How much does CPIM (APICS) certification cost?

ASCM shows US$545 per exam for members with certification upgrade and US$1,860 for a bundle; retakes cost US$400 or US$500. Non-member exam prices are not shown on the CPIM page. Checked 10 October 2026.

How many questions are on the CPIM exam?

150 — 130 operational and 20 unscored pretest questions — in 3.5 hours. Source: ASCM exam details, checked 10 October 2026.

What is the CPIM passing score?

300 on a scaled range of 200 to 350. Source: ASCM, checked 10 October 2026.

What is the CPIM exam pass rate?

ASCM does not publish one on its CPIM, exam details or FAQ pages, checked 10 October 2026.

Can I take the CPIM exam online?

Yes, through the OnVUE system, or at a Pearson VUE test center. Source: ASCM exam details, checked 10 October 2026.

Is CPIM one exam or two?

ASCM’s pages disagree: the CPIM product page still describes Part 1 and Part 2, while the exam details page describes the new nine-module 2026 learning system without saying. Confirm at checkout.

How do I keep CPIM?

Earn and submit 75 professional development maintenance points and file a maintenance application every five years. Source: ASCM, checked 10 October 2026.