Not sure which exam is best for you? When determining which exam level and version is best for you, open the Exam Information Guide from the Exam Details Page and compare the exam information. If you’d like to personal your approach, read this blog: A Personalized Approach to Exam Selection. If you have any questions about these exams, ask them here.
- Experience: The GIS Fundamentals exam is designed for candidates with 150 hours of GIS coursework or 3-6 months of GIS workplace experience, and the ArcGIS Pro exam validates the skills and experience with Esri software for someone with 0-2 years of applied experience.
- Exam Duration: The exam duration for both the GIS Fundamentals Foundation exam and the ArcGIS Pro Foundation exam is 1 hour, and 30 minutes.
- Exam Blueprints are significantly different (table below) and shown on each Exam Information Guide: GIS Fundamentals Foundation 2024 and ArcGIS Pro Foundation 2025.
Exam Information Guide (EIG) Comparison
GIS Fundamentals Foundation 2024 | ArcGIS Pro Foundation 2101 |
Data Discovery - 35% | Data Management 32% |
Identify steps to add data | Identify and access data properties and metadata |
Identify data types | Identify supported ArcGIS data formats and the procedures necessary to create file geodatabases and feature classes |
Identify coordinate systems | Determine the appropriate method of managing tabular data |
Define fundamental GIS concepts | Identify basic editing workflows that are necessary to create or modify features |
Discover content in ArcGIS Online | Recognize the purpose and characteristics of geographic and projected coordinate systems |
Describe how to use map navigation tools | |
Processing and Analysis - 22% | Performing Analysis 20% |
Describe how to use attribute tables | Determine the appropriate workflow for using proximity and overlay tools |
Recall how to perform analysis | Determine the correct workflow to select features interactively, by attributes or by location |
Recall how to edit local data in ArcGIS Pro | Recall methods to find geographic locations |
Mapping and Visualization - 25% | Mapping and Visualization 36% |
Identify steps to change Basemaps | Demonstrate familiarity with ArcGIS Pro interface |
Recognize how to represent and style data | Recall how to modify layer symbology and labels |
Identify steps to generate labels | Demonstrate an understanding of how to configure map and layer properties |
Identify layer properties in ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online | Identify the use and impact of scale on map layers |
| Identify the steps necessary for adding data |
Managing and Sharing Content - 18% | Layouts and Sharing 12% |
Describe how to validate a map for sharing content from ArcGIS Pro | Recall how to share content |
Organize content in ArcGIS Online | Determine the appropriate method to share content from ArcGIS Pro |
Identify elements of ArcGIS Online | |
Best to you on your certification journey!
