Everything an HR Professional Needs to Know About SHRM Certifications

You’ve heard people talk about the SHRM certification, seen the letters following other HR pros’ names, and may have noticed events or webinars touted as “SHRM accredited,” but aside from that, you might be feeling a little bit out of the loop.

Throughout your career in human resources, you’re likely on the lookout for learning and development courses to improve your skills and understanding. This certification can support that goal.

We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about SHRM certification, from the big picture of what a SHRM certification is and whether you need it, to the details of how to get it and what the costs are.

What Is SHRM?

The Society for Human Resources Management, or SHRM, is a 501(c) nonprofit professional membership organization devoted to promoting, educating, and connecting human resources professionals in the workplace.

It has three main functions:

• Offer education and certification in human resources.
• Act as a networking hub for the HR industry.
• Lobby Congress on behalf of human resources and labor management interests.

SHRM has been around since 1948 and has over 300,000 members, which gives it some serious clout in the HR industry. If you are already working in HR or have relevant experience, you’re eligible for the SHRM HR certification. Best of all—you don’t have to be a member of the SHRM to get started.

What Is the SHRM Certification?

SHRM Certification is a certification course for HR professionals or anyone looking to develop their career in human resource management. It’s important you choose the right type of SHRM certification for your needs—more on this below—but essentially it is a learning and development course designed to enhance your skills in the human resources field.

What Is a SHRM Certified Professional?

A certified SHRM professional is a HR or HR-related employee who’s achieved a SHRM certification. Even if you wish to start a career in HR, you can get the certification, providing you pass certain eligibility criteria and SHRM requirements.

What Are the SHRM HR Certifications Available?

SHRM offers two paid education certifications to its members: SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP. Holders of a SHRM certification often add these initialisms to their names, and since SHRM offers recertification credit through events, webinars, and other HR learning initiatives every year, it’s hard to be in HR and not hear about them.

So, what do the different initials stand for?

SHRM-CP

SHRM-CP is the first level of SHRM certification. The CP stands for Certified Professional, and the certification is targeted at the operational level of human resources. It includes training on foundational HR elements, such as policy implementation, technology and data collection, disciplinary action, and compliance.

SHRM-SCP

SHRM-SCP stands for SHRM Senior Certified Professional and is the more advanced SHRM certification intended for senior and executive-level HR roles. It focuses more heavily on strategic elements of HR, like engagement and retention, workforce planning, and policy creation for entire organizations.

How Important Are SHRM HR Certifications? Do I Need to Be a SHRM Certified Professional?

If you’re wondering if you’re required to have a SHRM certification to have a successful career in human resources, the answer is no. The HR industry isn’t overseen by a licensing body like accounting, law, or medicine, and you don’t need a SHRM HR certification or any other HR certification to practice HR.

However, you don’t always need an undergraduate or graduate degree to work in many fields (including HR), yet both are viewed favorably by employers.

The Benefits of Obtaining a SHRM HR Certification

Here are some of the benefits of obtaining a SHRM certification:

• Enhance your knowledge in the human resources field and improve your confidence.
• Boost your career and make your resume more appealing to prospective employees.
• Increase your earnings compared to those without the certification.
• Improve your recognition and reputation by building a positive company culture and mentoring.
• Implement your broad knowledge to help accelerate your workplace to being the very best.
• Develop conflict resolution skills, come up with effective employee retention strategies, and more.

How Long Does It Take to Get SHRM Certified?

SHRM notes that most applicants take three to four months to study before taking the exam.

Becoming SHRM certified does take time and effort; it’s not just an expensive rubber stamp. The organization has a solid reputation in the HR industry, and a SHRM certification shows that you’ve gained core competency in human resources.

It’s something employers recognize easily, which might make the difference between moving on to the next round of interviews, negotiating a higher salary, or achieving that long-awaited promotion.

What’s the Difference Between SHRM Certification and HRCI Certification?

The Human Resources Certification Institute, or HRCI, is another well-known HR education organization offering instructional courses and certifications to HR professionals.

The main difference between SHRM and HRCI certification is that while a SHRM HR certification offers two certificates, HRCI has eight different certifications that target a slightly broader audience, including brand-new HR professionals, international HR, and California-based human resources pros.

The eight certifications offered by HRCI are:

aPHR, aPHRI

Associate Professional in Human Resources is the first level of HRCI certification and differs from the SHRM certification as it’s aimed at students and those just beginning a career in human resources.

The aPHRI certification provides similar entry-level training but with a focus on international (non-US) HR practice.

PHR, PHRI, PHRca

Professional in Human Resources is the next level of HRCI certification. To apply, candidates must have some professional experience in HR or a combination of experience plus an HR-related graduate or undergraduate degree.

PHRI and PHRca are the international and California-specific versions, respectively, of the PHR certificate.

SPHR, SPHRI

Senior Professional in Human Resources is the HRCI senior-level certification that focuses on strategic and organizational development. These certifications require significant prior experience in HR, and they’re aimed at HR executives and HR pros who are either seeking to advance into a management role or are already in one.

SPHRI is the international version of the SPHR certification and leans slightly more towards HR service delivery and data analysis as a result.

GPHR

Global Professional in Human Resources is another senior-level certification offered by HRCI, in this case, targeted at HR executives in multinational organizations. It takes the SPHRI certification a step further by covering the intricate challenges HR executives face when managing HR teams and employees in multiple countries.

In the world of HR certifications, HRCI is the Pepsi to the SHRM certification’s Coca-Cola; in fact, they’re even more closely tied, since HRCI used to administer certifications through SHRM until SHRM developed its certification program.

Both institutions are widely respected, and when it comes to choosing one or the other, it’s more a question of how their certification offerings match your career path than which one is preferred by employers.

That said, if you’re just getting started in HR and you feel you need a certification to get a leg up in the hiring pool, the fact that HRCI has an associate-level certification with no entry prerequisites makes them a good choice.

SHRM Certification & HRCI Certificates at a Glance

Other HR Learning and Development Courses

There are lots of HR certifications and courses available out there, but the SHRM and HRCI are‌ the most well-known.

Other options that come with certifications include:

• AIHR (Academy to Innovate HR) offers a catalog of courses for HR professionals with 13 certificates available. Entry-level courses are available.
• SHRL (Strategic HR Leadership) can help you develop the skills you need to lead a team and improve performance, especially if you’re new to HR.
• PHR® (Professional in Human Resources®) can expand your knowledge of US laws and regulations and ‌develop your technical and operational knowledge in the field.

How To Get SHRM Certification

Working towards becoming a SHRM-certified professional is relatively straightforward. The steps to getting a SHRM certification and maintaining it are as follows:

1. Determine Your Eligibility

Before you decide which SHRM certification you’d like to acquire, it’s important to check which type you’re eligible for.

To apply for SHRM-CP certification, you must have at least one of the following SHRM requirements:

• An HR-related bachelor’s degree (in progress) and three years of experience working in HR
• A non-HR-related bachelor’s degree (in progress) and four years of experience in HR work
• An HR-related bachelor’s degree (completed) and one year in an HR role
• A non-HR-related bachelor’s degree (completed) and two years of experience working in HR
• An HR-related graduate degree and current employment in HR
• A non-HR-related graduate degree and one year in an HR role

To apply for SHRM-SCP certification, you must have at least one of the following combinations of education and experience:

• An HR-related bachelor’s degree (in progress) and six years in an HR role
• A non-HR-related bachelor’s degree (in progress) and seven years in an HR role
• An HR-related bachelor’s degree (completed) and four years in an HR role
• A non-HR-related bachelor’s degree (completed) and five years in an HR role
• An HR-related graduate degree and three years in an HR role
• A non-HR-related graduate degree and four years in an HR role

2. Select Your Credential for Your SHRM HR Certification

Assuming you qualify for both SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP, you now have a choice to make. If your current HR responsibilities are operational in nature (e.g., that of an HR generalist or similar role that doesn’t involve strategic work) and they will stay that way for the foreseeable future, you might choose SHRM-CP.

If you are in an executive-level or other HR role that involves a significant amount of strategic work, or you’re highly experienced in operational HR and aspire to a more strategic role, you’re probably a better candidate for SHRM-SCP certification.

3. Apply for SHRM Certification

Once you’ve determined you qualify for a SHRM certification and you’ve selected the credential you want, you should check the dates and fees for upcoming exams. Then, apply for certification through the SHRM application portal where you’ll create an account, complete your application, and submit your payment.

Once your application is approved, you’ll receive an authorization email that allows you to schedule your exam.

4. Prepare For the SHRM Exam

You have a choice of two methods when it comes to preparing for your upcoming SHRM exam to fulfill the SHRM requirements:

• Self-Study: You can purchase the study materials (or as they refer to it, the SHRM Learning System) and prepare for the exam on your own.
• Instructor-Led: Depending on your schedule and budget, you can also take an instructional course led by a SHRM expert.

Whether you choose to study on your own or take one of the SHRM courses, the material you’ll be studying is the same. The SHRM Learning System contains four learning categories based on the SHRM Body of Competency & Knowledge, or BoCK.

You can read more about the learning modules and what they cover here: Preparing for SHRM Certification.

5. Take The SHRM HR Certificate Exam

The exams for SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certification both consist of 134 questions, divided into two categories: stand-alone knowledge and scenario-based judgment.

The exams are timed, with three hours and 40 minutes split into two 110-minute sections. However, the exam timer doesn’t start at three hours and 40 minutes and count down to zero—each section is independently timed, and minutes don’t “roll over” into the next section.

Once you’ve passed your SHRM certification exam, you’ll be officially SHRM certified and can add your SHRM credentials to your name. Congratulations!

How Much Does the Exam for SHRM Certification Cost?

Fees for the SHRM certification vary, and you’ll pay less if you are a SHRM member. You’ll find all the details about the fees and exams on the SHRM website, but we’ve broken down some of the key figures below:

• The Corporate Exam Fee and Military Exam Fee is $270 for SHRM members and non-members.
• Student Exam Fees are $149 for SHRM members and $209 for non-members.
• The Standard Exam Fee—the option for anyone looking to get accredited and not yet working in HR—is $410 for SHRM members and $510 for non-members.

SHRM HR Certification: FAQs

What Is a SHRM Certified Professional?

A SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) is an individual who’s completed the SHRM certification and obtained the certificate. These individuals are people who have HR duties in the workplace or who have a background in studying HR in preparation for a career in HR.

What Are the SHRM Certification Costs?

From start to finish, SHRM certification costs range from about $1,000 to $1,500 depending on a few factors (like whether you are already a SHRM member or you’re actively serving in the US military). This covers the cost of the exam and the learning materials.

When Are the SHRM Exams Open?

Exams take place between May and July or between December and February.

Is a SHRM Certification Worth It?

Having a SHRM HR Certificate can open many doors and boost your confidence in the world of HR. You can build on your knowledge, improve your current workplace, and prove that you are a reliable employee who goes the extra mile to expand your personal understanding or HR credentials. Read more on the benefits of HR certifications above

How Hard Is the SHRM Exam?

The pass rate differs depending on which certification examinees opted for. The pass rate for the SHRM-CP candidates between December 2023 and 2024 was 70%. For those taking the SHRM-SCP exam, the pass rate was 53%.

Can You Take the SHRM Exam Remotely?

Yes, you can apply for in-person or remote testing for your SHRM exam. It’s best to check whether your computer is compatible with the testing software before selecting the remote testing option.

Do I Have to Recertify My SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP?

Yes, you’ll have to recertify every three years from the date you became certified.