HRCI certification · the whole family
HRCI certifications, from aPHR to SPHR
An HRCI certification is a credential from the HR Certification Institute, earned by passing one exam. For HR work in the US there are three rungs: the aPHR for people starting out, the PHR for operational HR and the SPHR for strategic HR. The GPHR covers HR across borders, the aPHRi, PHRi and SPHRi are versions for HR work based outside the US, and the PHRca is a separate exam on California law: eight credentials in all (HRCI exam fees). Each has its own experience rule, and none requires the rung below it.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
- 63,311PHR holders, Jan 2026
- $495PHR price incl. application, Oct 2026
- 3 yearsrecertification cycle
The HRCI ladder
US credentials on the left, the versions for global or non-US HR work on the right. Only the three US credentials have practice sets on this site so far.
| Level | US-based HRUS laws and regulations | Global or outside the USlocal law or multinational HR |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | aPHRAssociate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) | aPHRiAssociate Professional in HR – International |
| Professional | PHRProfessional in Human Resources (PHR) | PHRiProfessional in Human Resources – International (PHRi)not on this site yet |
| Senior | SPHRSenior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) | SPHRiSenior Professional in Human Resources – International (SPHRi)not on this site yet |
| Senior, global | —No US-only exam at this level | GPHRGlobal Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)not on this site yet |
Moving up is a matter of experience, not of holding the rung below: aPHR vs PHR and PHR vs SPHR set the neighbors side by side.
The three US credentials
| Certification | Level | Eligibility | Questions on the exam | Testing time | Exam price | Pass rate | Practice | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aPHR | Entry | None | 90 (65 scored) | 1 h 45 min | $400 | 71% (2025) | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] | |
| PHR | Professional | 1–4 years of HR work | 115 (90 scored) | 2 hours | $495 | 72% (2025) | Practice test Exam facts | [1][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] | |
| SPHR | Senior | 4–7 years of HR work | 140 (115 scored) | 2 h 30 min | $595 | 76% (2025) | Practice test Exam facts | [1][3][4][5][6][7][8][10][11] |
Read the eligibility column by degree. A master’s cuts the experience required, a bachelor’s cuts it less, and no degree means the longest wait: at the professional level that is 1 year, 2 years or 4 years, at the senior level 4 years, 5 years or 7 years. The degree does not have to be in HR, and the experience need not be current or consecutive. What counts as professional-level work is explained on the requirements page.
Rules shared by every HRCI exam
The institute’s handbook, dated October 1, 2026, applies one set of rules to all its exams, so they are listed once here.
- No discounts. No member price; HRCI charges everyone the same fee, all year, with no early-bird price. Every price is the exam fee plus the $100 application fee.
- When and where. You book any day of the year, within the eligibility period that starts when your application is approved (60-day extension available for a fee). You test at a Pearson VUE center or, for select exams and locations, online with OnVUE; HRCI describes itself as the only HR certification body offering year-round online exams.
- Accreditation. NCCA, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Every HRCI exam except the aPHRi is NCCA-accredited.
- If you fail. Wait 90 days after a failed attempt, then re-apply and pay all fees again, unless you bought Second Chance Insurance with the application.
- US law. Questions follow the US laws and regulations in effect on your exam day. The professional exam leans on it most, and this site explains those laws once, under employee and labor relations.
- Keeping it. Renewal every 3 years takes 45 credits for the aPHR, 60 credits for the PHR and SPHR (the SPHR’s must include Business credits), one of them ethics in each case, and costs $169 for one HRCI credential, plus $50 for each additional one (up to $369 for five or more): HR recertification.
Names that look alike
Several of the institute’s credentials differ by one letter, and they are not interchangeable.
- aPHRi is not the aPHR. It is the international entry credential: it needs no HR experience either, and it is the one exam the accreditation note above leaves out. This site covers the US version.
- PHRca is a separate exam on California employment law (institute page), so passing the national professional exam doesn’t give you it. It is active: 293 people took it in 2025, and its 47% pass rate was the lowest the institute published for that year (exam statistics, pass rates).
- The PHRi shares the professional outline. Its 2024 exam content outline (7 functional areas, same as the PHR) is applied to local law instead of US law.
International credentials, facts only for now
| Certification | Who it is for | Eligibility | Questions on the exam | Testing time | Exam price | Pass rate | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPHR | Global HR leaders | 2–4 years of HR work | 125 (100 scored) | 2 h 15 min | $595 | 56% (2025) | [1][3][4][5][6][7][8][12] | |
| PHRi | HR outside the US | 1–4 years of HR work | 115 (90 scored) | 2 h 15 min | $495 | 84% (2025) | [1][3][4][5][6][7][8][13] | |
| SPHRi | Senior HR outside the US | 4–7 years of HR work | 140 (115 scored) | 2 h 45 min | $595 | 76% (2025) | [1][3][4][5][6][7][8][14] |
GPHR renewal: 60 credits in 3 years (45 HR + 15 Global, 1 of them ethics), or retake the exam. The Global credits are a requirement the international professional exam doesn’t have. The GPHR’s 2020 exam content outline (6 functional areas) is led by strategic global HR at 25%. The two international exams have the same areas as their US counterparts, tested against local law and practice instead. PHRi and SPHRi languages: English or Spanish (Castilian).
Which HRCI exam to take
Count your years of professional-level HR work and look up your degree in the table: the highest rung you qualify for is the one to check first. Two cases are less obvious.
- No experience at all: the aPHR is the institute’s US option (the aPHRi its international one), but not the only one in the field; SHRM’s professional exam checks no experience either (which certification first).
- Enough experience for the professional exam: the entry credential is not a prerequisite, so skipping it saves $400 (is it worth it).
How the two certifying bodies compare is on HRCI vs SHRM.
HRCI practice on your phone
aPHR: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
Practice on your phone
PHR: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
Practice on your phone
SPHR: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
An iPhone app for each of the three US credentials, and Android apps for the professional and senior ones. Everything also runs here in the browser.
The three HRCI exams on this site
- aPHR certification entry level, no experience required
- PHR certification operational HR and US employment law
- SPHR certification strategic HR and policy
- PHR exam info
- SPHR eligibility
- How hard the aPHR is
Sources
- HRCI: individual certifications hrci.org · checked Oct 25, 2026
- HRCI: aPHR certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: understanding professional-level experience (does not apply to aPHR) hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: exam fees hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: exam pass rates hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI pass rates as of Dec 31, 2024 (Wayback, 2025-02-08) web.archive.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI pass rates as of Dec 31, 2023 (Wayback, 2024-05-29) web.archive.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI pass rates as of Dec 31, 2022 (Wayback, 2023-11-30) web.archive.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: PHR certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF dated 2026-10-01) hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: SPHR certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: GPHR certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: PHRi certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- HRCI: SPHRi certification page hrci.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
Questions about HRCI certification
What is HRCI?
The HR Certification Institute, the body that writes and awards eight credentials: the three US ones on this site, the GPHR, the California PHRca and three international versions. No membership is needed for any of its exams, and the price is the same for everyone.
How much does it cost to get HRCI certified?
As of Oct 2026, $400 at entry level, $495 at professional level and $595 at senior level, each including the application fee. Renewal and the optional Second Chance Insurance come on top: HR certification cost.
How hard is the HRCI exam?
The institute’s published pass rates for 2025 were 71% at entry level, 72% at professional level and 76% at senior level, up from 60% and 55% for the last two in 2023. Across the seven with published rates (the aPHRi has none), the 2025 figures ran from 47% for the PHRca to 84% for the PHRi (HRCI pass rates). Every one of its exams passes at 500 (scaled).
Can I take an HRCI exam online?
Yes, for select exams and locations: there is OnVUE remote proctoring through Pearson VUE as well as test centers. An online session allows no break at all, so plan the full testing time in one sitting.
Is an HRCI certificate worth it?
The institute publishes holder counts, not salary data, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports pay by occupation rather than by credential. BLS does note that some employers prefer or require certification (BLS: human resources specialists). The entry credential’s case is weighed on is the aPHR worth it.