A one-page SHRM-CP reference: exam facts plus the HR knowledge and behavioural competencies you must know. Use it for final review. Confirm all current details on the SHRM certification page.
Exam facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 134 total; 110 scored (~80 knowledge + ~54 situational-judgement) + 24 unscored pretest |
| Time | ~3 hours 40 minutes |
| Pass mark | Not published; scaled 120-200, a pass is reported as 200 |
| Cost | ~US$420-495 member / ~US$520-595 non-member (incl. application fee, approximate) |
| Eligibility | No formal degree or experience requirement |
| Validity | 3 years (60 PDCs to renew, or retake) |
| Delivery | Prometric test centre or online-proctored |
Two halves of the exam
- HR knowledge (~80 scored items) - tested by knowledge questions across the three knowledge domains.
- Behavioural competency (~54 scored items) - tested by situational-judgement questions across the three clusters.
- SHRM does not publish a percentage weight for each individual domain or cluster.
Three HR Knowledge Domains
- People - talent acquisition, engagement, development, total rewards.
- Organization - structure, workforce management, employee relations, technology, global context.
- Workplace - diversity and inclusion, risk, corporate social responsibility, employment-law basics.
Three Behavioral Competency Clusters
- Leadership - leadership and navigation, ethical practice.
- Interpersonal - relationship management, communication, global and cultural effectiveness.
- Business - business acumen, consultation, analytical and critical evaluation.
Situational judgement in one line
You are shown a workplace scenario and pick the most effective HR response - often there is a best answer among several reasonable ones, not just one right and three wrong.
Common traps
- Studying only HR facts and neglecting the situational-judgement half.
- Chasing a target percentage - there is no published passing line.
- Treating it like the senior SHRM-SCP - the SHRM-CP is the operational, early-to-mid-career credential.