A one-page aPHR reference: exam facts plus the five functional areas and their weights. Use it for final review. Confirm all current details on the HRCI certification page.
Exam facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 90 total; 65 scored + 25 unscored pretest |
| Time | 1 hour 45 minutes testing (+ ~30 min administration) |
| Pass mark | Scaled 100-700; 500 to pass |
| Pass rate | 71% (HRCI, as of 31 December 2025) |
| Cost | ~US$300 exam + US$100 application = ~US$400 (approximate) |
| Eligibility | No HR experience required; high-school diploma or global equivalent |
| Validity | 3 years (45 recertification credits to renew, or retake) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test centre or OnVUE (online-proctored) |
The five functional areas (with weights)
- Compliance & Risk Management - 25% - employment laws (EEOC, Title VII, ADA, FLSA, I-9), health and safety (OSHA, HIPAA), risk, records retention, restructuring.
- Employee Relations - 24% - mission/vision/values, engagement, performance management, complaints and investigations, diversity and inclusion.
- Talent Acquisition - 19% - staffing needs, sourcing, screening, selection, hiring, onboarding, recruiting technology.
- Compensation & Benefits - 17% - pay structures, benefits, retirement plans, payroll - the total rewards package.
- Learning & Development - 15% - orientation, instructional design (ADDIE), training delivery, change management, measuring effectiveness.
Weighting in one line
The two largest areas - Compliance & Risk Management (25%) and Employee Relations (24%) - are nearly half the exam, so give them the most study time.
Question formats
Mostly multiple choice (four options, one correct). Some items are multiple-response (choose two or more), fill-in-the-blank, or drag-and-drop.
Common traps
- Treating it like the PHR - the aPHR is entry-level and knowledge-based, with no experience requirement.
- Studying all five areas equally instead of weighting toward the 25% and 24% areas.
- Skipping US employment-law basics, which sit mostly in the 25% Compliance area.
- Overstating its career weight - it helps you enter HR; it is not a senior or strategic credential.