SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM CP)
Go to the official page ↗Direct official link
What you'll learn
You prepare for a 134 question exam that splits evenly between HR behavioral competencies in business, leadership and interpersonal skills and HR technical knowledge about people, organization and workplace, aimed at early to mid career operational HR roles.
- Business competency cluster
- Leadership competency cluster
- Interpersonal competency cluster
- People, Organization and Workplace domains
Source: the provider's official page ↗
Is this right for you?
- Level
- Intermediate People with some experience who want to go further or prove what they know.
- What you get
- A certification employers can verify, made for the top of your résumé and your LinkedIn profile.
- How you learn
- In person, about 3 hrs.
- How to use it
- Put it at the top of your résumé and under Licenses and certifications on LinkedIn, with the verification link so hirers can confirm it in seconds. Name it in every application that uses this skill, and send it straight to recruiters and hiring managers.
- Why it's worth it
- An industry certification hiring managers recognize by name. It instantly sets you apart from applicants who only claim AI skills, and it travels with you to every job you apply for.
What you will pay$350 and upUpfront cost. Full details below.Renewal costs money too. See Renewal below.
- Time
- Exam 3 hours 40 minutes (two 110 minute sections); study time varies.
- Before you start
- No HR experience, HR title or degree required (SHRM recommends basic working knowledge of HR).
- How you are tested
- In person proctored exam at a Prometric testing center; 134 multiple choice questions (80 knowledge, 54 situational judgment). Two windows a year: May 1 to July 15, 2026 and Dec. 1, 2026 to Feb. 15, 2027.
- Renewal
- Every 3 years: 60 professional development credits (PDCs) plus $165 member / $210 nonmember, or retest at current level.
- Full cost details
- Exam $350 member / $450 nonmember (early bird) or $399 / $499 (standard); includes $50 nonrefundable application fee (standard adds $49 deadline fee). Student $150/$250 early bird, $199/$299 standard; military $320/$420 early bird, $369/$469 standard. Recertification $165 member / $210 nonmember every 3 years.
- Where it applies
- United States; SHRM also offers the exam internationally.
Jobs asking for this
See live job postings that mention SHRM Certified Professional.
Open to work?Join the free Open to Work list so hirers looking for this credential can find you. No phone number needed.
Join the listChecked at the source Oct 13, 2026
Sources and what we verified
SHRM exam options and fees (2026 windows, member/nonmember prices, format) ↗SHRM eligibility criteria ↗SHRM recertification: 60 PDCs, 3 years, fees ↗What we verified: Fees, windows and format from the SHRM fees page; eligibility from SHRM eligibility page; recertification from SHRM recertification page. officialUrl is the SHRM CP page path (not itself fetched; sibling SHRM SCP path appeared in search).
Fees and eligibility can change. Confirm current terms with the issuer before you pay.
Also listed for: AI for HR