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Senior Professional in Human Resources
Find the current format, timing, scoring, fees, eligibility, and testing options for SPHR, with direct links to official sources.
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Questions115 scored questions (mostly multiple-choice) plus 25 unscored pretest questions (140 total)
Testing time2 hours 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes administration time)
ScoringScaled score with the passing score set at 500 for every HRCI exam type; the cut score is set using the modified Angoff method, and unsuccessful candidates receive a scaled score indicating how far below passing they were
Exam feeUSD 495.00 exam fee plus USD 100.00 application fee; no refunds once an exam application is approved
Prep options
Study resources for SPHR
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- HRCI
- Category
- Human Resources & Payroll
- Current version
- SPHR exam content outline that took effect in 2024 (Certification Policies and Procedures Handbook revised January 2025)
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE
- Format
- Computer-based; taken at a Pearson VUE testing center or remotely from home or office using OnVUE online proctoring
- Availability
- Year-round testing; after the HRCI exam application is approved the candidate must schedule a test date within a 180-day eligibility period, on a first-come, first-served basis
- Results
- Test center: printed results report at the testing center, with official results online within 1-2 business days. Online proctored: no printed report; email within 24-48 hours when the web-based results report is available, and the result is viewable in the HRCI account within one hour after the session ends
- Credential validity
- Passing the exam earns certification valid for three years; holders must earn 45 HR and 15 Business recertification credits (60 total) over the three-year span or retake the exam
- Remote testing
- Available
Exam structure
One 140-question computer-based exam (115 scored + 25 pretest) built on the SPHR exam content outline with five functional areas: Leadership and Strategy (33%), Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition (17%), Talent Management (23%), Total Rewards (17%), and HR Information Management, Safety, and Security (10%). Handbook item types include traditional multiple choice, multiple-response, fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, and scenario items
Where rules vary
United States-focused senior HR certification exam covering U.S. laws and practice; HRCI offers the separate SPHRi (Senior Professional in Human Resources - International) for practitioners outside the United States
Eligibility
Must meet one of: at least 4 years of professional-level HR experience plus a master's degree or higher; at least 5 years plus a bachelor's degree; or at least 7 years of professional-level HR experience — plus an approved HRCI exam application (eligibility ID) before an appointment can be scheduled
Retake policy
90-day cooling-off period after an unsuccessful attempt before a retake appointment may be scheduled; with Second Chance Insurance the candidate schedules within a 180-day eligibility window, without it the candidate must re-apply, re-qualify, and pay all related exam fees again; changing exam type (e.g. SPHR to PHR) requires a new application and full fees