FREE API 580 Exam Guide 2026: 90 Qs / 3.25 Hrs Closed-Book, $380 Member Fee, RP 571 Damage Mechanisms, 12-Week Plan (Practice Questions)

Last updated: April 23, 2026. Verified against the API Individual Certification Programs (ICP) page for API 580 at api.org, the 2024 API 580 Body of Knowledge (BOK), and the 4th Edition Addendum 1 (2025) of API RP 580.

API 580 Risk Based Inspection Professional Exam Guide 2026: The Only Walkthrough Built Around the Current RP 580 / RP 581 / RP 571 / API 579 Body of Knowledge

The API 580 Risk Based Inspection (RBI) Professional is the credential that signals you can lead an RBI program at a refinery, chemical plant, LNG terminal, offshore platform, or upstream production facility. It is how inspection engineers, mechanical integrity (MI) managers, and fixed-equipment reliability leads demonstrate that they can identify damage mechanisms per API RP 571, quantify probability of failure (PoF) and consequence of failure (CoF) per API RP 581, and convert that risk into inspection plans and intervals that satisfy API 510, API 570, and API 653 in-service codes. In 2026, with refining margin pressure, new LNG capacity (Plaquemines, Rio Grande, Port Arthur), aging North-Sea-era offshore assets, and PHMSA/OSHA PSM enforcement, RBI is no longer optional — it is the accepted method for prioritizing inspection spend, and the API 580 credential is the gate to running it.

This guide is engineered for the 2026 candidate. You will get the exact exam structure, the full current Body of Knowledge, eligibility rules (including the API 510/570/653 fast-track), a realistic fee stack, a 12-16 week study plan, free and paid resources, test-day strategy, the most common damage-mechanism pitfalls (HTHA, polythionic SCC, 4-point harmonic), the career upside (RBI Engineer $110-160K + per-diem refinery inspection $1,200-2,500/day), and a comparison of API 580 vs 510 vs 570 vs 653.

API 580 At-a-Glance (2026)

Source: API ICP Certification pages (api.org), API 580 Body of Knowledge (2024, transitioning to 2025 Addendum), API Schedules & Fees 2026, API RP 580 4th Ed. Addendum 1 (2025).

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What an API 580 RBI Professional Actually Does (and Why Demand Is Surging in 2026)

An API 580-certified RBI Professional owns the answer to the most expensive question in a refinery or chemical plant: "Which equipment do we inspect next, how, and when?"

Under a compliant RBI program, the RBI Professional:

• Screens the equipment population (pressure vessels, piping circuits, atmospheric and low-pressure tanks) and selects assets for the RBI study scope
• Identifies credible damage mechanisms for each asset per API RP 571 (corrosion, cracking, metallurgical, mechanical, high-temperature mechanisms)
• Quantifies Probability of Failure (PoF) — damage-mechanism susceptibility, corrosion rate, inspection effectiveness history, equipment age, confidence
• Quantifies Consequence of Failure (CoF) — flammable release, toxic release (H2S, HF, ammonia, amine), production loss, environmental impact, financial loss
• Plots risk on a 5x5 qualitative matrix or quantifies it per API RP 581 (semi-quantitative or fully quantitative)
• Determines inspection intervals and techniques driven by risk rather than fixed-code default intervals (half-life rule from API 510/570/653)
• Assigns inspection effectiveness categories A-E per RP 581 Table in the Part 2 Annex
• Integrates Fitness-For-Service (FFS) per API 579-1 / ASME FFS-1 when damage is found (Level 1, 2, or 3 assessments — e.g., general metal loss, local thin area, pitting, crack-like flaws, creep, HTHA, fire damage, blisters/HIC, dents, laminations)
• Manages change (MOC) — process changes, metallurgy changes, feedstock changes trigger RBI reassessment
• Documents, audits, and presents the program to regulators (OSHA PSM 1910.119, EPA RMP), insurers, and owners

Demand in 2026 comes from five converging forces:

1. Aging fleet + deferred capex. The average U.S. refinery is 40+ years old; 1970s-80s vintage pressure equipment is now in the late-life risk zone where run-or-replace decisions require rigorous RBI.
2. LNG buildout. New Plaquemines Phase 2, Rio Grande, Port Arthur II, and Mexican/Canadian LNG terminals all require owner RBI programs as part of mechanical integrity under PSM.
3. Sour service and amine treating growth. More sour crude processing, more SO2/amine units, more polythionic SCC and amine SCC exposure — exactly the damage mechanisms RBI prioritizes.
4. Insurance and reinsurance pressure. Munich Re, Swiss Re, and FM Global increasingly require documented RBI for high-hazard process equipment, including wet H2S, HF alky, and hydroprocessing units.
5. Digital RBI adoption. Software platforms (Meridium APM, PinnacleART, Becht TurnDown, Inspectioneering APM tools) require certified RBI Professionals to configure, calibrate, and defend.

For candidates who already hold API 510, 570, or 653, API 580 is the natural next credential — and it typically adds $15-$30K in base salary plus per-diem premium on turnaround contracts.

Who Should Pursue API 580

If you already spend your week reviewing thickness data, arguing about inspection intervals, and explaining why a circuit needs NDE, API 580 is the credential that legitimizes what you are already doing.

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API 580 Eligibility (2026): The API 510/570/653 Fast-Track

This is the most misunderstood part of the credential, and the single biggest reason candidates over-prepare their application.

Fast Path (Most Candidates)

If you hold a current API 510, API 570, or API 653 certification, you automatically qualify to sit the API 580 exam. No additional education or experience documentation is required on the application. You simply register, pay the fee, and schedule.

This is the path ~70-80% of API 580 candidates take.

Standard Path (No Existing API Inspection Cert)

If you do not hold a current API 510/570/653, eligibility is based on a combination of education + related experience acquired within the last 10 years:

API 580 experience requirements are looser than API 510/570/653 because RBI candidates are typically already experienced inspection professionals. Any petrochemical industry experience acquired in the last 10 years is acceptable (refinery/chemical-plant inspection, corrosion engineering, materials engineering, mechanical integrity, pressure-vessel design or in-service inspection, piping integrity, NDE Level II/III in a pressure-equipment context, reliability engineering on pressure systems).

"Within the last 10 years" means recent, documented experience — a 20-year-old inspection role will not count. Employer-signed documentation is reviewed during the application.

Vision and Ethics

API ICP requires candidates to affirm the API ICP Code of Ethics and agree to abide by it. A specific vision examination is not required for API 580 (it is closed-book, no visual acuity test), but your downstream API 510/570/653 work still requires annual near-vision (Jaeger J2 or equivalent).

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Exam Format: Fully Closed-Book, 90 Questions, 3 Hours 15 Minutes

This is where API 580 differs sharply from API 510/570/653 — and where competitor guides still get it wrong in 2026.

API 510, 570, and 653 are hybrid exams (closed-book fundamentals section + open-book code-reference section with printed RP/code allowed). API 580 is fully closed-book. You cannot bring any paper, no printed copy of RP 580, no RP 571 tabs, no RP 581 quantitative tables — nothing. Everything you need is in your head.

Because it is closed-book, the exam rewards conceptual mastery of RP 580 and RP 581 methodology, plus the ability to recognize RP 571 damage mechanisms from service conditions (temperature, feed composition, metallurgy, pH) rather than lookup speed.

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API 580 Body of Knowledge (2026)

The 2026 BOK (transitioning to 2025 Addendum 1 at the August 2026 window) is organized around the RP 580 chapter structure. Approximate weightings based on historical exam analysis and the published BOK:

Damage mechanisms (RP 571) are consistently the highest-weight and highest-failure domain. Candidates who treat RP 571 as a reference to be looked up will fail — you must internalize 20+ mechanisms cold.

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RBI Framework Deep Dive: Qualitative vs Semi-Quantitative vs Quantitative

RP 580 recognizes three RBI approaches, graded by data requirement and resolution:

1. Qualitative RBI

• Inputs are descriptive (ranges, categories, expert judgment)
• Output is a risk category (e.g., 5x5 matrix cell: Low, Medium, Medium-High, High)
• Fastest to complete; good for screening large equipment populations
• Accuracy depends heavily on team experience; results typically conservative
• Limitation: cannot resolve between two "High" risks to prioritize the worse one

2. Semi-Quantitative RBI (most common in 2026)

• Hybrid: quantitative PoF (corrosion rates, damage-factor tables per RP 581) with qualitative or categorical CoF (or vice versa)
• Most refinery RBI programs operate at this tier
• Good balance of rigor and resource cost

3. Quantitative RBI (per API RP 581)

• Fully numerical — PoF expressed as events/year, CoF in ft² affected area and $ loss
• Produces a numerical risk value (e.g., 1.2 x 10⁻³ ft²/yr)
• Requires detailed damage factor (DF) calculations per RP 581 Part 2
• Requires CoF modeling: release rate, dispersion, ignition probability, outcome probability
• Supports optimization (risk-vs-cost trade-off for inspection, replacement, PRVs)
• Demands high-quality data and software (Meridium APM, PinnacleART, Becht)

Probability of Failure (PoF) — Core Factors

PoF in RP 581 is calculated as:

PoF = gff x D_f x F_MS

where:

• gff = generic failure frequency (per equipment type and hole size; published in RP 581 Part 2 Annex)
• D_f = damage factor (the big variable — susceptibility to each active damage mechanism, modified by inspection effectiveness)
• F_MS = management system factor (derived from a plant-wide PSM audit questionnaire; typical value 0.1-10)

Damage factors roll up contributions from each active mechanism:

• Thinning damage factor (D_f^thin) — dominated by corrosion rate and inspection effectiveness history
• Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) damage factor — by mechanism (chloride, caustic, amine, polythionic, HIC/SOHIC, HF)
• External damage factor — atmospheric corrosion, CUI (corrosion under insulation), external cracking
• High-temperature damage factor — HTHA, creep, reheat cracking
• Mechanical fatigue damage factor — thermal, vibration
• Brittle fracture / low-temperature embrittlement damage factor

Inspection Effectiveness Categories (A-E) per RP 581

The single biggest lever on PoF is past inspection effectiveness. RP 581 classifies inspections into categories from A (highly effective) to E (ineffective or no inspection). An "A" inspection drops the damage factor dramatically; "D" or "E" barely moves it.

Candidates consistently miss test questions here — the exam will describe an inspection and ask which category it falls into. Know the coverage %, technique rigor, and personnel-qualification criteria that drive the category.

Consequence of Failure (CoF) — Core Factors

RP 581 splits CoF into two parallel calculations:

1. Consequence Area (CA) — ft² of damage from a release, driven by:

   • Fluid phase (liquid, gas, two-phase)
   • Release hole size (1/4", 1", 4", rupture)
   • Release rate (choked/unchoked flow)
   • Dispersion (atmospheric stability, wind, plant layout)
   • Ignition probability and outcome (pool fire, jet fire, flash fire, explosion, toxic cloud, safe dispersion)
   • Toxic vs flammable fluid category (H2S, HF, ammonia, chlorine treated as toxic-flammable)

2. Financial Consequence (FC) — $ from:

   • Equipment damage cost
   • Business interruption / production loss
   • Environmental cleanup
   • Injury / fatality cost (statistical value of life)

For the exam, know the fluid representative list in RP 581 Part 3 Table 5.1 (C1-C2, C3-C4, C5, C6-C8, C9-C12, C13-C16, C17-C25, C25+, H2, H2S, HF, ammonia, chlorine, acid, caustic) and which are flammable, toxic, or both.

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API RP 571 Damage Mechanisms: The 20+ You Must Know Cold

RP 571 lists 60+ damage mechanisms. For API 580, you must fluently identify the service conditions that produce each of the highest-weight mechanisms. Grouped by category:

General / Thinning (Corrosion) Mechanisms

Environmental Cracking Mechanisms

High-Temperature Mechanisms

Mechanical / Metallurgical Mechanisms

Exam strategy: build flashcards with Temp, Fluid, Metallurgy -> Mechanism on one side and the mitigation / inspection technique on the other. A typical exam stem reads: "A fractionator overhead line in crude service, carbon steel, 250 F, 10% H2S in the sour water, shut down for turnaround with a nitrogen purge interrupted..." — the answer is polythionic SCC if the piping upstream is 300-series, not carbon steel. Read stems carefully for metallurgy.

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The 5x5 Risk Matrix and Risk Ranking

RP 580 uses a 5x5 matrix as the default qualitative output. Rows are PoF categories (1-5, low to high); columns are CoF categories (A-E, low to high). Cells are color-coded:

Acceptable risk is set by the owner. Residual risk > acceptable triggers one or more of: (a) more effective inspection, (b) equipment modification/replacement, (c) process change (lower severity), (d) mitigation (coating, cladding, chemical inhibitor, MOVs/SIS).

For RP 581 quantitative, risk is a continuous ft²/yr or $/yr value — not a matrix cell. You plot iso-risk curves on a PoF-vs-CoF plot and set an iso-risk acceptance line.

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Inspection Interval Determination

RBI changes inspection intervals from code-driven to risk-driven:

• API 510 default: next inspection at half the remaining life or 10 years, whichever is less
• API 570 default: by piping class (1, 2, 3) with fixed intervals (5 yr Class 1, 10 yr Class 2, etc.)
• API 653 default: external 5 yr; internal per corrosion rate and half-life, max 20 yr

RBI override: inspection intervals are set such that projected risk at the next inspection remains below the acceptance threshold. This can be shorter (high-risk circuits get inspected at 1/3 life) or longer (well-understood low-risk circuits get inspected less frequently, with jurisdictional approval).

API 510/570/653 explicitly permit RBI to extend intervals up to a maximum (e.g., API 570 allows RBI piping intervals up to 10 years beyond the original Class 2 default with approval). Know these override rules — they appear on the exam.

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Integration with Fitness-For-Service (API 579-1 / ASME FFS-1)

When RBI inspection finds damage, the decision is: repair now, run with monitoring, or replace. FFS (API 579-1) provides the engineering methodology:

Key FFS Parts tested on API 580 background knowledge:

• Part 4: General metal loss
• Part 5: Local metal loss (LTA — local thin area)
• Part 6: Pitting
• Part 7: Blisters / HIC / SOHIC
• Part 8: Weld misalignment and shell distortion
• Part 9: Crack-like flaws (API 579 KISS diagrams, FAD)
• Part 10: Creep
• Part 11: Fire damage
• Part 12: Dents, gouges, dent-gouge combinations
• Part 13: Laminations
• Part 14: Fatigue

Management of Change (MOC) is part of FFS integration — any process, feedstock, metallurgy, or operating-condition change must trigger RBI reassessment within the MOC procedure.

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Total Cost of API 580 (2026)

Most refiners and EPCs reimburse the full cost. Independent contractors typically recoup within 1-2 per-diem weeks after certification.

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Registration (Step-by-Step, 2026)

1. Pick an exam window. API runs three per year: April, August, December. Register at least 60 days before the window closes. For 2026, the August window uses the new 4th Ed. Addendum 1 (2025) BOK — if you are reading the prior edition, double-check the Addendum.
2. Log in to my.api.org (the Individual Certification Programs portal). Create or update your profile.
3. Pick your qualification path: API 510/570/653 holder (fast-track, instant eligibility) or education + experience path.
4. If education + experience: upload a resume and employer verification letters covering your documented experience within the last 10 years.
5. Pay the exam fee ($380 member / $440 non-member). You receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) email with your Prometric scheduling code.
6. Schedule with Prometric. Select test center or ProProctor remote (where available). Pick a date inside the chosen window.
7. Sit the exam — present two IDs. 90 questions, 3 hours 15 minutes, fully closed-book.
8. Wait ~8-10 weeks for official results after the window closes. API publishes pass/fail + domain breakdown.
9. Receive certificate — valid 3 years from issue date.

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Recertification (2026)

API 580 certification is valid for 3 years. Recertification requires:

• 50 CEUs (continuing education units) accumulated in the cycle — training, conference attendance, authored papers, committee service, teaching
• Continued relevant work experience in RBI, inspection, or mechanical integrity
• Recertification application + fee ($265 member / $320 non-member in 2026 — lower than the initial exam fee)
• Every 6 years, API requires a full re-examination rather than CEU-based renewal

Track CEUs from Day 1. The most common recert failure is inability to produce CEU documentation at the 3-year mark. Save conference certificates, course completions, and authored-paper PDFs in one folder.

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12-16 Week Study Plan

For a candidate who already holds API 510/570/653, a 12-week plan is realistic. Candidates without prior API experience should plan 16 weeks.

Total prep hours: ~120-180 hours for API 510/570/653 holders; ~200-260 hours for first-time API candidates.

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Recommended Resources (Free + Paid)

Test-Day Strategy (Closed-Book)

Because API 580 is fully closed-book, tab strategy does not apply — the exam rewards different habits than API 510/570/653.

• Arrive 30 minutes early at Prometric. Two forms of ID (one photo government-issued).
• No personal items in the test room — Prometric lockers only. No phone, watch, notes, food.
• On-screen calculator is provided (four-function). No scientific calculator is needed — RP 581 numerical calculations on the exam are simplified.
• 3 hours 15 minutes. That is ~2 min 10 sec per question. Do not linger.
• Flag-and-return. Use it ruthlessly — any item that takes more than 90 seconds on first read gets flagged and skipped. Come back after you have all the free-answer points locked in.
• Scratch paper is provided and collected. Use it for risk matrix sketches, HTHA Nelson-Curve recall, and damage-factor calcs.
• Damage-mechanism stems — read the temperature, fluid, metallurgy, and service condition before reading the answer choices. Then match to the mechanism you would expect, then check the answers. This is faster than the reverse.
• "Best answer" language — multiple answers may be plausible; pick the one that most directly addresses the stem.
• No result on-screen — unlike NDT Level III at Prometric, API 580 does NOT give preliminary pass/fail. Results come in 8-10 weeks after the window closes. Do not panic afterwards — that is normal.

Common Pitfalls on the API 580 Exam

1. Treating RP 571 as a reference to be looked up. It is closed-book. You must recognize HTHA (Nelson Curve — H2 partial pressure and temperature), polythionic SCC (sensitized 300-series + sulfide + O2 + moisture during shutdown, mitigated with soda ash neutralization + nitrogen purge), naphthenic acid (TAN >0.5, 400-750 F, velocity-driven, 317L mitigation), caustic SCC (non-PWHT CS, NaOH, temperature envelope), and amine SCC (non-PWHT CS in lean/rich amine) from the service description alone.
2. Confusing chloride SCC with polythionic SCC. Chloride SCC is in service — austenitic SS + chlorides + heat + stress. Polythionic is shutdown-specific — sensitized austenitic SS + atmospheric moisture + residual sulfides + O2 during opened-up maintenance. Mitigation differs (soda ash wash vs chloride avoidance).
3. Missing the HTHA Nelson Curve logic. HTHA requires both H2 partial pressure above ~100 psia and temperature above the Nelson Curve threshold for your metallurgy. Plain carbon steel has a lower threshold than 1Cr-0.5Mo; modern 2.25Cr-1Mo-V (vanadium-modified) is the most resistant. API RP 941 is the reference.
4. Misclassifying inspection effectiveness. An "A" category requires high coverage + qualified technique + qualified personnel. Spot UT on 5% of the circuit is at most a "D" regardless of technician skill. The exam will describe an inspection and ask for its effectiveness category.
5. Ignoring management-system factor (F_MS). Candidates focus on D_f and forget that F_MS multiplies the whole PoF. A plant with a 90% PSM audit score has F_MS ~0.1 (10x reduction in PoF); a 30% audit score gives F_MS ~10 (10x increase).
6. Mixing qualitative vs quantitative acceptance. Qualitative uses a 5x5 matrix and categorical acceptance. Quantitative uses iso-risk lines and numerical acceptance (e.g., risk < 1 x 10⁻³ ft²/yr).
7. Forgetting 4-point harmonic on thermowells. Thermowell failure is a classic exam question — vortex-shedding frequency coinciding with natural frequency at 4-point (fourth-mode) harmonic per ASME PTC 19.3 TW.
8. Budgeting exam time poorly. 90 questions in 195 minutes feels comfortable until you hit a calculation-heavy PoF question in slot 60. Pace.

Salary and Career Outlook (2026)

API 580 is a salary multiplier rather than a standalone salary floor — almost every holder also holds API 510, 570, or 653. Industry 2026 ranges:

Top employers include ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, bp, Phillips 66, Valero, Marathon, PBF Energy, Motiva, LyondellBasell, Dow, BASF, every major LNG EPC (Bechtel, KBR, McDermott, Technip Energies), and the big inspection/consulting firms (Becht Engineering, Matrix PDM, PinnacleART, Mistras, Team Inc., Applus+, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, Stress Engineering Services, Quest Integrity).

Career Ladder from API 580

API 580 also pairs powerfully with AMPP SP Cathodic Protection, CWI/SCWI (welding inspection), API 571, API 577 (welding inspection and metallurgy), and ASME Authorized Inspector for candidates moving into code enforcement.

API 580 vs API 510 vs API 570 vs API 653: Decision Matrix

The typical career stack: start with API 510 OR 570 OR 653 (depending on your equipment focus), add API 580 for RBI leadership, add API 571 for damage-mechanism specialty, optionally add API 577 for welding. Candidates who hold API 510 + 570 + 580 + 571 are highly compensated across the refining industry.

Common Gotchas Competitor Guides Miss

• Fully closed-book (not hybrid). Unlike API 510/570/653, API 580 does not have an open-book section. Many competitor guides written before 2020 still describe a hybrid format — they are wrong.
• API 510/570/653 holders auto-qualify. If you already hold one of the three, skip the education/experience documentation — your ATT is immediate once you pay the fee.
• BOK transitions at August 2026 window. The 4th Ed. Addendum 1 (2025) takes effect at the August 2026 window. If you are sitting the April 2026 window, you are on the prior edition; study accordingly.
• Damage mechanism recall is the whole exam. ~25% of scored items are pure RP 571 recognition. Flashcards beat rereading.
• RP 581 Part 2 Annex tables cannot be memorized verbatim — but you must know the structure (which damage factor covers what, how inspection effectiveness modifies it) because questions are conceptual, not lookup-based.
• 3-year cycle, not 5. Many competitor guides still say 5 years — it has been 3 years for a decade.
• No on-screen pass/fail. Results come 8-10 weeks after the window closes. Plan for that wait.

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Official Sources Used

• American Petroleum Institute (API) — Individual Certification Programs (ICP) — API 580 certification page (api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/certifications/api580).
• API 580 Body of Knowledge (2024 edition, transitioning to 4th Ed. Addendum 1 at August 2026 window) — api.org ICP documents.
• API RP 580 — Risk-Based Inspection, 4th Edition, Addendum 1 (2025).
• API RP 581 — Risk-Based Inspection Methodology, 3rd Edition (quantitative).
• API RP 571 — Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry, 3rd Edition.
• API 579-1 / ASME FFS-1 — Fitness-For-Service.
• API 510 / 570 / 653 — In-service pressure vessel, piping, and tank inspection codes.
• API RP 941 — Steels for Hydrogen Service at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures (Nelson Curves).
• ASME PTC 19.3 TW — Thermowells (vortex-shedding and harmonic resonance).
• API ICP Schedules and Fees (2026) — api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedules-and-fees.
• Industry salary sources: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Payscale, Becht/Matrix PDM/PinnacleART posted rates (2026).

Certification details, fees, exam windows, and Body of Knowledge may change. Confirm current requirements directly on api.org and the API ICP portal at my.api.org before scheduling.