HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute)

HR Certification Institute®(HRCI®), headquartered in the U.S., is the premier credentialing organization for the human resources profession. For 40 years, HRCI has set the standard for HR mastery and excellence around the globe.

An independent nonprofit organization, HRCI is dedicated to advancing the HR profession by developing and administering best-in-class accredited certifications, including:

(aPHR™) (PHR®) (PHRca®) (SPHR®) (GPHR®) (PHRi™) (SPHRi™) (aPHRi™)

All of HRCI’s credentials are recognized as the most rigorous, meaningful, and grounded professional certifications demonstrating competency, real-world practical skills and knowledge in the field. Together with HRCI-certified professionals in 100 countries around the globe, HRCI ensures, strengthens and advances the strategic value and impact of HR. Learn more at www.hrci.org

HRCI's Certification programs are the Only Accredited Certification Programs by (The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Read More

Read about HRCI's NCCA Accreditation

Which Certification is Right for You?

HRCI Certifications

Earning a credential from HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®) speaks volumes ― about you as an HR professional, about the organization you serve and about the employees who put their trust in you. An HRCI certification distinguishes you as a master in the HR field, with proven levels of skills and knowledge, and the competence necessary to mitigate risks and drive business results.

Whether you are an HR expert or just starting out, HRCI has a suite of proven credentials that are just right for your level of experience.

PHRI™

Professional in Human Resources - International

SPHRI™

Senior Professional in Human Resources - International

aPHRI™

Associate Professional in Human Resources - International

Why Choose HRCI?

Serving the Global HR Community

HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®), celebrating 40 years of being the most trusted HR certification organization in the world, provides credentials for a range of HR experience levels. Whether you are an HR expert or just starting out in the field, HRCI offers a suite of seven proven HR credentials that reflect different levels of career advancement and geographic areas of expertise in the HR field.

More than 500,000 HR professionals have earned certifications from HRCI, including certification holders in more than 100 countries.

Right for the HR Profession, Right for Business

Both HR professionals and the businesses benefit from HRCI certifications. A recent HumRRO study found that HRCI-certified professionals are hired more often, promoted more often and report greater career satisfaction. A 2016 study finds that companies with more than five HRCI-certified professionals had 25 percent faster revenue growth, better than 50 percent stronger stock price increases, and notably higher employer reputation rankings on Glassdoor.

Read more about how HRCI certification is right for companies.

The Most Trusted Mark of HR Mastery

As an independent organization devoted to HR certification, HRCI ensures that each credential is earned, not given. Certification candidates meet specific thresholds for education and experience. Plus, HRCI certifications require the successful passing of a multi-hour exam to ensure that candidates have the knowledge and practice-based experience necessary to perform in their HR roles.

You can be confident that HRCI will always adhere to the rigorous gold standard for HR certification that it is known for. HRCI is the only HR certification body that seeks and maintains third-party accreditationof each of its credentials through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and works with certifying bodies around the world, such as the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP), to recognize and support HRCI certifications.

Dedication to the HR Profession

HRCI certification holders are linked to a larger ecosystem of HR professionals, businesses, universities, HR associations, approved providers, certification preparation providers and many others committed to HRCI certification and united in the effort to make HR professionals valuable business partners in the organizations they serve.

Together, we are united in efforts to advance the knowledge and skills of HR generalists, not only through HRCI certification but through a community of HR experts who want to raise the bar on how HR can lead business.

Personal Benefits of Professional HR Certification

How is HR certification important to you and your career? There are many reasons why HR certification matters, but this question may be answered accurately by those who currently have an HR certification. According to the Value of Certification study by HRCI, when HR professionals were asked about the perceived benefits from achieving certification, the top-10 advantages were:

Strengthens my résumé
Provides me personal satisfaction
Differentiates me from non-certified HR professional
Increases my chances of getting a better job outside my organization
Helps me be more successful in my role as an HR professional
Gains me respect from my organization (e.g. colleagues, superiors)
Helps prove my worth/value to my employer
Increases my earning potential
Allows me to have a greater impact on my organizations business success
Improves my career advancement opportunities within my organization.

Why Staff-Wide Certification

Revolutionize Your Business. Invest in Your HR.

HR excellence, a top driver of business performance, requires company-wide commitment. Provide your HR and non-HR teams with HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®) credentials. Make sure your organization is aligned and qualified for talent-driven business success.

With certification packages, for groups of 5 or more, you get:

Discounted HRCI application and exam fees.
Free online practice exams.
One-on-one assistance from an HRCI business development advisor.

Minimize Risk:

An HRCI-certified HR department works at the highest standards of professional excellence. HRCI exams test your staff’s critical thinking, ensuring they're prepared to assess and prevent workplace risks.

Maximize Talent:

Your HR staff will have enhanced vision for talent market trends, and greater insight on recruitment and retaining strategies to seal the deal with new hires and make top talent want to stay.

Strengthen Company Culture:

An HRCI-certified HR department works with the knowledge and skills needed to create a productive, engaged and unified company culture – one that enhances an organization's mission, vision and goals.

Group Offerings Customized for Your Business.

Work with us to design a customized group package and certification plan to meet your organization’s specific needs and HR goals. Please Contact us

HRCI Certification: Career and Business Advantage

Through the combination of formal education, adherence to high ethical standards, demonstrated knowledge and achievement through exam and a renewed commitment to continuing professional development, HR professionals certified by the HR Certification Institute enhance their professional credibility and the organizations they serve.

An independent 2015 report from the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) provides proof that certified professionals have many advantages over non-certified peers:

Career Benefits: For the serious HR practitioner, HRCI certification is a must-have career advantage. HRCI certification holders report better employment prospects, higher annual salaries, faster income growth and higher levels of career satisfaction. Today, HR professionals from over 100 countries proudly maintain the HR Certification Institute's credentials as a mark of world-class HR aptitude and innovation.

Business Benefits: With HRCI letters next to your name, organizations are confident that you have the expertise to perform at the highest level - that you have what it takes to provide strategic HR and human capital management direction - that you can create advantages out of constantly shifting technologies, laws, worker needs and workplace environments. In fact, 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies have HRCI-certified professionals among their leadership ranks.

For more information, read the report: An Evaluation of the Value of HR Certification for Individuals and Organizations.

Promotions and Career Advancements

“Certifications definitely hold some weight. I would select a person with a certification vs. somebody who doesn’t have it. Basically, it means you have gone through a process and you have taken steps to gain a foundation of knowledge that is applicable to the field. It adds a level of credibility.”

Personal and Organization ROI

More than half 56% of respondents who are in charge of an HR department believe that having professionally certified employees has a positive impact on the profitability of their organization.70% Employers also felt that professional HR certification increases employees’ confidence in their ability to do their jobs and increases an organization’s reputation and demonstrates that it takes HR seriously.69% of employers state that an HR certified person being considered as an independent consultant for an HR department would have a “very significant” advantage over a non-certified individual.

The Real Value of HR Certifications

Promotions and Career Advancements.
Pay level.
Personal and Organization ROI.
why certification is preferred over other traditional academic.
Personal benefits of Professional Certification.
Benefits of Professional Certification to the Organization.

Certify Your Organization

Ensure the Best HR Practices of Your Entire Organization

Today’s business leaders seek the world’s best HR professionals―those who can lead complex organizations and anticipate changing workforce demands. HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®), for more than 40 years, has provided gold-standard credentials for leading HR professionals who demonstrate an understanding of how HR best practices drive business results.

But what about your organization’s HR capabilities as a whole? Is your organization a leader in high-performance people management?

Now that HRCI has joined forces with strategic partner Top Employers Institute, your business has the ability to seek certification company-wide! This is a unique opportunity to have your organization benchmarked against best-in-class workplace practices throughout the world.

Two Powerhouse Certifications, One Charge: HR Excellence

With HRCI’s premier credentials, the HR leaders in your organization exhibit mastery of HR practices. With Top Employers, your company can achieve organization-wide certification that establishes your company as a global leader for creating best-in-class developmental, cultural and individual factors for optimal employee performance.

As an organization with a Top Employers certification, your company will benefit by:

Rating your company against global HR Best Practices.
Optimizing the contributions of your organization’s workforce.
Enhancing the company’s reputation and brand.
Attracting and retaining the best and brightest.
Gaining best practice benchmarks, advice, research and reports.

How the Top Employers Audit and Certification Process Works

The Top Employers certification is awarded to qualified organizations that achieve the highest standards of excellence for high-performance HR environments. Your company’s first step will be participation in the HR Best Practices Survey: a comprehensive analysis of the organization’s HR environment.

Following a validation process and external audit, the company receives performance scores that are rated against international standards across nine key areas: Talent Strategy, Workforce Planning, On-Boarding, Learning & Development, Performance Management, Leadership Development, Career & Succession Management, Compensation & Benefits, and Culture.

Employers that achieve the required level of performance qualify for certification. As a top employer, your organization joins the world’s leading employers and reaps the benefits of being a top employer brand.

Watch Videos

Value of HRCI Certification

A Comparison: HRCI vs. SHRM