Certifications in the Information Management Industry Part 4 - The Certified Information Professional

Other parts in this series: 

• Certifications in the Information Management Industry Part 1 - Introduction
• Certifications in the Information Management Industry Part 2 - The Certified Records Manager and Certified Records Analyst
• Certifications in the Information Management Industry Part 3 - The Information Governance Professional

In the interests of full disclosure, I was the technical architect for the AIIM CIP in 2011, the program and exam architect in 2016 and 2019, and a volunteer subject matter expert in 2023. I also served on the scoring committee for the 2022 update to the ARMA IGP. For the other certifications I'm reviewing, my only involvement is as a certified holder of their credential, and, as required, a member of ICRM. 

The CIP was developed by AIIM in 2011. Originally released as the Information Certification, it was rebranded shortly after release to the Certified Information Professional. The CIP exam went live for the first time on September 23, 2011. It was updated in 2016 and 2019, and the most recent version went live on November 27, 2023. 

Unlike many of the other certifications in the IGIM industry, AIIM has gone through a formal psychometric validation process for every version of the CIP exam. AIIM's exam development process is open in that an open call for volunteers is made for the different tasks required to update the exam.

The CIP Exam

There are no formal educational or experiential requirements to take the CIP exam. Candidates are recommended to have at least 5 years of broad-based information management experience due to the breadth of the exam. 

The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and is delivered via a randomized exam bank. Questions are weighted equally; the exam blueprint weighting is based on the number of questions assigned from each domain: 

• Creating, Capturing, and Sharing Information - 15%
• Extracting Intelligence from Information - 20%
• Digitalizing Information-Intensive Processes - 20%
• Automating Governance and Compliance - 30%
• Implementing an Information Management Solution - 15%

The exam is proctored and timed. Candidates have two hours (120 minutes) to complete the exam, which is only available through online exam delivery. Candidates must achieve a score of 60% to pass the exam. The exam is valid for 3 years, after which CIPs must recertify as described below. 

AIIM offers a comprehensive study guide to prepare students for the exam which is part of the AIIM+ Pro learning subscription. In the past AIIM has offered a certification prep course; as of this writing, much of the content of the AIIM+ Pro subscription is applicable to the exam, but it does not cover 100% of the exam topics. 

The cost of the exam is $450. Candidates who are unsuccessful may retake the exam for $75. AIIM does not have a formal code of ethics requirement. 

Maintenance

In order to maintain their designation, CIPs must either repass the exam, at the then-current fee, or complete 60 educational contact hours and pay a renewal fee of $175. CEUs are accepted from a broad variety of education providers, but must relate to one or more topics on the exam blueprint and must be at least 30 minutes long. CEUs are awarded at the rate of 1 CEU per educational contact hour, rounded to the nearest 30 minutes. 

CIPs who do not complete their recertification within 3 years have one additional year to meet those requirements before being decertified. Once a CIP has been decertified, the process starts completely over and the candidate has to pass the then-current exam at the then-current fee in order to regain CIP status. 

CIP in a Nutshell

Exam cost: $450

Experiential requirement: No

Formal educational requirement: No

Training requirement: No 

Proctored and timed exam? Yes

Valid exam? Yes

Exam developed through open process? Yes

Code of ethics: No

Renewal requirements: Yes, 60 CEUs over 3 years and $175 renewal fee

Accredited: No