What is HRCI Certification?

HRCI is proud to offer a suite of eight certifications for every stage of your HR career.

Certification is a career-long commitment that demonstrates dedication, credibility and a mastery of the principles of human resources to your employers, clients, staff members and professional peers around the globe. Certification attests to the investment you have made in your HR career and holds a recognized place in the profession.

To become certified, you must meet strict professional experience and educational requirements before taking the exam. To remain certified, you must stay current in the HR profession and recertify every three years. You display your certification by putting the credential after your name.

Earning HRCI Certification Sets You Apart

  • provides you with a fully accredited credential – Seven of our eight core products are accredited and meet the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) rigorous standards.
  • validates your expertise – HRCI certification provides you with competency based, professionally relevant credentials that are highly valued in HR and business communities.
  • connects you to an exclusive network of motivated HR professionals around the globe – Nearly 145,000 certified HR thought leaders work in more than 100 countries and territories.
  • delivers nearly 45 years of history – Established in 1976, HRCI is the largest HR certification organization in the world.
  • earns recognition from your organization and peers – Business leaders find HR certified professionals to be more self-motivated.

How Certification Differs from a Certificate Program

Compared with certificate programs, certification has three main advantages:

  • requires specific work experience, competency and education
  • requires recertification, which makes sure that you stay current in the HR profession through continuing education
  • allows you to put the letters after your name

In other words, certification typically consists of the three "E"s: education, experience and examination. All HRCI Certifications have earned program wide accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).