Project Risk Management Practice Test

What the Project Risk Management is and how it works

According to Project Management Institute (PMI) — PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® certification, “The PMI-RMP certification examination is comprised of 115 multiple-choice and multiple answer select questions. Of the 115 questions, 15 are considered pretest questions.”^[1]

The PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) certification is issued by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It is aimed at people who identify, analyse and respond to risk on projects.

The exam has 115 multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions. Of these, 100 are scored and 15 are unscored pretest questions, so some items you see will not count toward your result. You can take it at a Pearson VUE test center or online with OnVUE remote proctoring.

The fee is $520 for PMI members and $670 for non-members. PMI says the fee is only required after your application has been accepted and you are ready to schedule.

PMI does not publish a cut score. Pass or fail is decided by psychometric analysis, so aim for solid understanding of each topic rather than a target percentage. After a computer-based exam you receive a score report showing overall pass/fail status plus diagnostic information for each domain. Paper-based results take 6-8 weeks.

Once your application is approved you get a 1-year eligibility period. You may attempt the exam up to 3 times within it. After 3 attempts you must wait 1 year from the last exam before reapplying.

The certification runs on a 3-year cycle. You need 30 PDUs in each cycle, plus a renewal fee. Application requirements and the current exam outline are on the PMI website, so check them there before you apply. The questions on this site are written by us and are not real exam questions.

Project Risk Management Exam at a Glance

Worked examples: how to reason through Project Risk Management questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What does 'variance and trend analysis' help a project manager understand during risk monitoring?

1. The number of risks added to the register each week
2. Whether project performance deviations indicate emerging risks
3. The total cost of risk responses implemented
4. How well stakeholders are responding to risk communications

Answer: B. Whether project performance deviations indicate emerging risks

Explanation:

Option B is correct. Variance and trend analysis compares actual project performance with the plan and looks at how the gap changes over time. A widening or repeating deviation often signals that a risk is emerging or that a known risk is starting to occur.

Option A only counts register entries. That tells you about activity, not about what performance data is revealing. Option C is a cost summary of responses, which is a different measure. Option D is about stakeholder reactions to communication, which is assessed through engagement and feedback, not through performance trends.

Rule to remember: when a question asks what a performance-data technique reveals during monitoring, look for the answer that links measured deviation to emerging risk.

Example 2

Question: In the Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis process, which of the following is a primary input that contains the list of identified risks to be assessed?

1. Stakeholder Engagement Plan
2. Risk Management Plan
3. Risk Register
4. Project Charter

Answer: C. Risk Register

Explanation:

Option C is correct. The Risk Register holds the list of identified risks, which is exactly what qualitative analysis needs to assess and prioritise. The process then updates the register with its results.

Option A, the Stakeholder Engagement Plan, describes how stakeholders will be involved. It does not list risks. Option B, the Risk Management Plan, is also an input, but it sets the rules: roles, scales and definitions of probability and impact. It does not contain the risks being assessed. Option D, the Project Charter, gives high-level objectives and context, not a detailed risk list.

Rule to remember: the plan tells you how to analyse risk, while the register tells you which risks to analyse.

Example 3

Question: A project manager for a new software development project is trying to forecast the most likely completion date and budget. The project has many tasks with uncertain durations and costs. To understand the combined effect of all these uncertainties and to determine the probability of meeting specific targets, which quantitative risk analysis technique would be most appropriate?

1. Monte Carlo Simulation
2. Tornado Diagram
3. Assumption and Constraint Analysis
4. Decision Tree Analysis

Answer: A. Monte Carlo Simulation

Explanation:

Option A is correct. The scenario has many uncertain durations and costs, and the goal is to see their combined effect and the probability of hitting specific targets. Monte Carlo simulation does this by repeatedly sampling the uncertain values and building a probability distribution of outcomes.

Option B, a tornado diagram, ranks which individual variables have the largest influence. It does not give the probability of meeting a target. Option C, assumption and constraint analysis, tests whether assumptions are valid, which is a qualitative check. Option D, decision tree analysis, compares choices across defined branches with expected values. It does not model many uncertain tasks together.

Rule to remember: combined uncertainty plus probability of meeting a target points to simulation.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Download the current PMI exam outline and the certification handbook, and read what PMI says about the format, domains and retake rules. Keep the outline open as your checklist.

Next, work through our sets by topic rather than jumping straight to mixed questions. Begin with risk management planning and risk identification techniques, then move to qualitative and quantitative analysis, risk response strategies, and monitoring and control. After each set, read every explanation, including the ones for questions you got right, and note the rule behind each answer.

Keep a short error log. For each miss, write down whether you misread the question, confused two terms, or did not know the concept. Revisit the log before each new session and repeat sets where the same kind of mistake keeps appearing.

Once the individual topics feel steady, use the MCQ and trivia sets for mixed practice, and the sets on governance, communication and contracts to cover wider scenarios. Because the real exam includes multiple-answer questions, practise justifying why each wrong option fails. In the last days, review your error log and the PMI outline rather than starting new material.

Sources & last verified

1. Project Management Institute (PMI) — PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® certification — number of questions, retake policy (official source). “The PMI-RMP certification examination is comprised of 115 multiple-choice and multiple answer select questions. Of the 115 questions, 15 are considered pretest questions.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
2. Project Management Institute (PMI) — PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® certification — exam fee, validity (official source). “Member price$520 Full price$670 Exam fee will only be required after your application has been accepted and you are ready to schedule your exam.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
3. Project Management Institute (PMI) — PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® certification — passing score, score release, testing window (official source). “The passing score for all PMI exams is determined by sound psychometric analysis.” Verified Oct 29, 2026 · source checked Oct 29, 2026.
4. Project Management Institute (PMI) — PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® certification — renewal (official source). “If you hold any of the following certifications, you are required to earn 30 PDUs in a 3-year cycle.” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 20, 2026.
5. pearsonvue.com — delivery (official source). “Now you can conveniently and easily take these exams in the comfort of your home while being monitored by an offsite proctor.” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 20, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.