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Human Resources & Payroll

Professional assessments for human resources, benefits, compensation, and payroll work.

6Exams

Open an exam to see its format, timing, fees, eligibility, and review status.

Why people take these exams

Earn an HR or payroll credential

What to compare when choosing prep

Compare career level, jurisdiction, employment law, and operational scope

ExamQuestions & time
Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR)aPHR · HRCI
90 questions (65 scored + 25 pretest)1 hour 45 minutes (plus 30 minutes administration time)
Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) ExamFPC Exam · PayrollOrg (PAYO)
150 questions3 hours
Professional in Human Resources (PHR)PHR · HRCI
115 questions total: 90 scored questions plus 25 pretest questions; pretest questions are randomly distributed throughout the exam and are not counted in the final results2 hours of exam time plus 30 minutes administration time
Senior Professional in Human ResourcesSPHR · HRCI
115 scored questions (mostly multiple-choice) plus 25 unscored pretest questions (140 total)2 hours 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes administration time)
SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) ExamSHRM-CP · SHRM
134 multiple-choice questions: 80 stand-alone knowledge-based items and 54 scenario-based situational judgment items; 24 items are unscored field-test questions3 hours 40 minutes of exam time in two independently timed 110-minute sections (one optional 15-minute break; the clock does not stop)
SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) ExamSHRM-SCP · SHRM
134 multiple-choice questions: 80 stand-alone knowledge-based items and 54 scenario-based situational judgment items; 24 items are unscored field-test questions3 hours 40 minutes of exam time in two independently timed 110-minute sections (one optional 15-minute break; the clock does not stop)

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