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Benefits of a CPM designation

Make more money. The average base property manager salary in the U.S. is $48,340.2 For CPMs, the average is $118,383.
Career advancement. Over half of CPMs hold senior-level management positions.

Expand your network. Generate business referrals. Meet future employees or employers. And consult with other experts.
Showcase your credibility with a digital badge to add to your email, social media profiles, website, and more.

Who should enroll in the certification course?

Those who manage any asset class and want to learn how to maximize the value of their properties.
Those who want to add advanced financial and asset management capabilities to their day-to-day operational abilities.
Those who need knowledge that transcends asset class and serves their entire portfolio – whether commercial, residential, and/or mixed-use.
Those needing to learn how to speak the languages of owners, tenants, residents, and investors.
Real estate managers from anywhere, including those outside the U.S.

CPM certification core curriculum*

Time: 12-18 months

The 8 CPM certification courses cover core competencies in property management and maximizing the value of real estate. It’s property management training for the day-to-day, and the one-of-a-kind, from solving the latest tenant crisis to analyzing market conditions. CPM candidates complete CPM certification courses online and/or in-person.

Ethics for the Real Estate Manager
Budgeting, Cash Flow, and Reporting for Investment Real Estate
Marketing and Leasing Strategies for retail, multifamily or office buildings respectively
Leading a Winning Property Management Team
Managing Maintenance Operations and Property Risk
Financing and Loan Analysis for Investment Real Estate
Performance and Valuation of Investment Real Estate
Asset Analysis of Investment Real Estate

The CPM designation is all about real-world skill, not theory. So CPM candidates must have 36 months of qualifying real estate management experience by the time of graduation.

*You can waive 7 of the 8 CPM certification courses by having a college degree in property management or real estate, select property manager professional certifications, or 20-years of qualifying real estate management experience.

CPM Certification Examination

No matter how you took your 8 CPM certification courses, you must pass the CPM Capstone, a two-part final assessment.

The CPM Capstone includes the following two parts:

Part 1: Management Plan Skills Assessment (MPSA) MPSA Prep – a two-day classroom (virtual or in-person) intensive to review concepts learned throughout your IREM education and is led by an IREM instructor. MPSA Exam – a four-hour exam completed online with a live online proctor comprised of complex multiple choice, multi-select, and short answer questions. The MPSA Exam assesses your ability to conduct several real-world analyses and make recommendations aligned with ownership goals using a variety of scenarios and property types, including office buildings, conventional apartments, and retail strip shopping centers.

Part 2: CPM Certification Exam (CPMEXM) The CPM Certification Exam is a four-hour, 150-question multiple-choice exam that tests your knowledge of property and asset management concepts based on the IREM curriculum and/or your own professional experience. The exam is open book – a hard copy or a PDF of IREM course materials may be referenced during the exam.

Total tuition and fees: $8,000-$10,000 USD