SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP · cost · checked Oct 26, 2026
What SHRM certification costs, member or not
As of Oct 2026, SHRM certification costs $399 for members and $499 for nonmembers at the standard deadline; the early-bird price was $350 / $450 (closed Aug 31, 2026). The CP and SCP exams cost the same, and qualifying military and student candidates pay less. Below: what the price includes, the discounts, whether membership pays for itself, and the charges you can avoid.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
- $399SHRM member
- $499nonmember
- $199–$299student
- $150move to next window
SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP fees, side by side
| Certification | Member price | Nonmember price | Military price | Student price | Recertification fee | Practice | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHRM-CP | $399 | $499 | $369–$469 | $199–$299 | $165–$210 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3] | |
| SHRM-SCP | $399 | $499 | $369–$469 | $199–$299 | $165–$210 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3] |
Every other SHRM charge, sourced
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $50 nonrefundable, included in the exam price; the standard price also includes a $49 deadline fee | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) · 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [1][2] | |
| Who gets member pricing | Member prices apply only if you are a SHRM member when you submit the application | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [2] | |
| Membership | $299 a year, optional; it lowers the exam price by $100 | SHRM: membership for HR professionals · SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) [1][4] | |
| Prices in effect since | June 3, 2026, when the fee table for the December 2026 – February 2027 window took effect (early-bird applications opened that day) | SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) [1] | |
| Moving your test date | $150 to move to the next testing window, once per application; the Prometric appointment must be canceled first, and its fee is extra | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) · SHRM: certification (testing windows) [2][5] | |
| Reschedule | $45 paid to Prometric 30+ days before the appointment, $60 at 5–29 days; under 5 days you cannot reschedule and lose all fees | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [2] | |
| Reset fee | $100, once per testing window, paid to PrometricSHRM lists the fee but does not describe what a reset covers. | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) · SHRM: certification (testing windows) [2][5] | |
| Results review | $100 for a test-results review, available to candidates who do not pass | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) · SHRM: certification (testing windows) [2][5] | |
| Refunds | All certification fees are nonrefundable; medical or personal emergencies are reviewed case by case | 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) [2] |
What the price includes
Every price already contains the $50 nonrefundable application fee. The standard price adds a deadline fee on top, and that fee is the whole gap between the early-bird and standard prices, so applying early saves the same amount whether or not you are a member.
Study materials are not included. SHRM’s own course, the Certification Prep System (once called the Learning System), is sold separately, and the free sources are on the study guide.
Military and student prices
Candidates who meet SHRM’s military requirements pay $369 as members or $469 as nonmembers at the standard price. Students who qualify pay $199 as members or $299 as nonmembers. Each discount has its own eligibility rules, linked from the fee page, and the same early-bird and standard deadlines apply.
Does SHRM membership pay for itself?
Our arithmetic from the published prices, standard deadline, one exam, as of Oct 2026:
Calculation steps
- 1Nonmember exam price$499
- 2Member exam price$399
- 3One year of membership$299
- 4Member price plus one year of membership$698
- =Extra cost of joining just for the exam$199
Source: Exam options and fees · membership page Recertification adds a smaller saving three years later: $165 for members against $210.
When membership is worth it
On fees alone, joining for one exam costs more than it saves, by the $199 shown above. Membership makes sense when you would join anyway for its other resources, when your employer pays for it, or when you count the recertification discount over several cycles. If you do join, join first: the member price counts only if you are a member on the day the application goes in. Membership is never required to apply.
Charges you can avoid
- A second exam fee. There is no retest in the same window: a fail means a new application in a later window at the full price.
- Moving to the next window. A one-time transfer costs $150, and Prometric’s cancellation fee comes on top. Choose the window you can actually prepare for.
- Reschedule fees. Prometric charges $45–$60 depending on notice, and under five days you cannot reschedule at all.
- The deadline fee. Apply in a window’s early-bird period (for the current window it ran Jun 3 – Aug 31, 2026) and it disappears.
- A results review. $100 if you did not pass and want the result reviewed; fees are otherwise nonrefundable.
- A late recertification. Recertifying in the grace period after your cycle ends costs more than doing it on time.
Keeping the credential
Recertification takes 60 PDCs every 3 years and costs $165–$210, depending on membership. The recertification fee is due each cycle, on top of whatever your PDC activities cost. The full PDC rules for SHRM and HRCI side by side: HR recertification.
Different numbers elsewhere?
If a page lists other prices, check its date. The current fee table has applied since June 3, 2026; the figures here were read from the fee page and the 2026 handbook on Oct 26, 2026, and prices may change when the first 2027 window opens. HRCI exams follow a different fee model: HR certification cost.
Practice before you pay twice
SHRM-CP: practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with HRCI or SHRM.
More on the SHRM-CP
- SHRM-CP What the SHRM Certified Professional exam is, who it suits, and the 2026 facts
- SHRM-CP practice test A mixed SHRM-CP quiz across all six BASK areas, every option explained
- SHRM-CP exam facts Testing windows, deadlines, test day, scoring, retakes and recertification
- SHRM-CP BASK The 2026 SHRM BASK: competencies, functional areas, what changed
- SHRM-CP study guide Free sources first, study by score weight, the SJI method, where paid prep fits
Sources
- SHRM: exam options and fees (fees, windows, format, pass rates) shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- 2026 SHRM Certification Handbook (PDF) shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- SHRM: recertification shrm.org · checked Oct 25, 2026
- SHRM: membership for HR professionals shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
- SHRM: certification (testing windows) shrm.org · checked Oct 26, 2026
SHRM certification cost, quick answers
How much is the SHRM-CP exam for a nonmember?
$499 at the standard deadline, as of Oct 2026; members pay $399. The early-bird price was $350 / $450 (closed Aug 31, 2026).
What does it cost to move my SHRM exam to the next window?
$150 to SHRM, once per application and only to the next window, plus Prometric’s cancellation fee. The same applies to the SHRM-SCP.
How much does it cost to retake the SHRM exam?
The full price again: there is no retake in the same window, so you apply for a later window as a new candidate.
Is there a student discount on the SHRM exam?
Yes, for candidates who meet SHRM’s student requirements: $199–$299 as of Oct 2026, depending on membership.