Written by: Luisa Balbinder, Eventact
October 9, 2024, | 6 min read
What is CMP?
The Certified Meeting Professional is a certification for event organizers and event designers created by the Events Industry Council (EIC) in 1985.
CMP is considered the most recognized event planner's professional certification.
CMP-HC is a subspecialty of CMP focused on healthcare management. The number of CMP-HC certified professionals has decreased from approximately 60 in 2021 to 46 in 2024. As in 2021, the majority (43) of CMP-HC certified professionals still reside in the United States.
Reasons to Become a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
For meeting professionals who want to create a competitive advantage, a professional certification like CMP is a great way to do that.
A CMP certification is a way to demonstrate event planning knowledge and experience. It is proof of superior professionalism and skills to organize events. In addition, a CMP enhances the event planner's credibility, improves his self-esteem and reputation among other industry members.
When working with clients, certified event planners have several advantages:
- CMP may help pass the door and get trust when offering services to new clients.
- Clients have greater peace of mind that the event planner will be able to deliver a professional result.
- Event venues and other suppliers may give more attention and may offer better deals to clients working with industry-recognized professionals.
For employers hiring a certified meeting professional has advantages such as:
- Having CMP event planners in the team helps create a competent team that stands out in the marketplace.
- Having certified employees increase clients' confidence in the business.
- The employee can come straight into a job with less training.
CMP Statistics
As of October 2021, there are about 12,200 meeting professionals listed as CMP. 90% of them (about 11,050) are in the US.
In the US, there are 33 Certified Meeting Professionals for every 1 million people.
Highest Rate of Certified Meeting Professionals
Virginia has the highest concentration of Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs) in the United States, with a total of 824 CMPs as of September 2024. This equates to approximately 100 CMPs per million residents. Alexandria, Virginia—a city located near Washington, D.C.—holds the distinction of having the highest percentage of CMPs per capita, with 1 out of every 910 residents being a Certified Meeting Professional.
While Chicago remains the city with the largest overall community of Certified Meeting Professionals, its numbers have grown to 232 CMPs.
Lowest Rate of Certified Meeting Professionals
Connecticut and Mississippi have the lowest rate of Certified Meeting Professionals, less than one CMP per 1 million residents.
See list of the 10 most followed CMPs on Twitter.
CMP Certification Eligibility
The requirements for obtaining a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation include a combination of experience, education, and passing an exam.
Experience and Education Requirements:
- Experience: 36 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the meetings industry or as an instructor of relevant programs in an educational institute. Applicants may need to provide documentation or references to verify their experience.
- Education: 15 to 25 hours of continuing education in industry-related classes, workshops, or professional events. All educational activities must have occurred within the past five years.
CMP-HC Certification:
To apply for the CMP-HC (Healthcare Meeting Compliance) designation, the applicant must already be a CMP. To become CMP-HC certified, a CMP holder must pass an additional multiple-choice exam ($320 USD) , pay the required fees ($205 USD), and demonstrate experience in healthcare event planning.
For the most up-to-date information on certification requirements, please visit the Events Industry Council (EIC) website.
The CMP Exam
The CMP exam is composed of 165 multiple-choice questions covering the variety of functions a meeting professional perform. The test passing score is 55. The point value assigned to each question is different. In addition, some questions are imperative, the applicant must answer them correctly to pass the exam.
The exam itself is computer-based. Applicants have 3.5 hours to complete the test. The results are available following the test submission. If you pass, it takes approximately four weeks to get your actual certificate.
Taking the exam is possible only after the Event Industry Council approves the candidate's experience and education requirements.
The exam is available in test centers throughout the world and online. The test centers are operated by a test administration company that the Event Industry Council has partnered with.
CMP Certification Application
Applicants can then submit their applications to the Event Industry Council through their website.
The application process requires applicants to
- Agree to CMP policies and Standards of Conduct
- Submit a CV of the applicant.
- Submit session description and proof of attendance to prove 25 hours of continuing education.
Proof of attendance can be a registration copy or badge scan. For education, activities are pre-approved by the EIC, and the application needs to report the hours.
According to the event industry council website, it takes approximately 6-8 weeks to review an application. After that, the answer is sent by email.
Here is the link to submit your application: https://myaccount.eventscouncil.org If the application was not approved, the applicant can appeal with the Events Industry Council. If the application is approved, the applicant is eligible to do the test. Eligible applicants can take the exam one year from the date the application was approved. Then, in case the applicant fails the test, he can retake the test after paying the test fee and waiting ninety days between tests.
CMP Certification Costs
The CMP application fee is approximately $350, and the cost of the exam is $525. The fee for retaking the exam is also $525.
If a candidate does not pass the exam within one year of applying, they must reapply and pay all relevant fees again.
There is also an annual maintenance fee of approximately $1,000.
Please note that these fees are subject to change at any time by the Events Industry Council.
CMP Renewal and Revocation
The certification is valid for five years. After five years, one can apply to renew their certification. When renewing on time, certificate holders are not required to take the exam; they need to pay the application fees.
The event industry council can revoke a CMP certificate due to a violation of the CMP Standards of Conduct or other violations and misconduct.
Preparing for a CMP Exam
To help candidates to understand how the test works, the Events Industry Council published two practice exams with questions from exams from prior years: CMP practice exams.
On the EIC website, they recommend a few manuals that you can order directly from their page, and the prices range from $35 to 100 dollars each.
Also, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) offers an Online Bootcamp where applicants can prepare for the exam. The cost to participate is between $125 and $200, depending on the date you register and if you are a member of the MPI.