If you need help studying for the Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) exam or just want some more information about what the exam is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free aPHR practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 90 multiple-choice questions total, but only 65 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 25 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
The exam is split into the following five sections:
1. TALENT ACQUISITION
19% of the exam
- Identify staffing needs
- Guide talent acquisition efforts
- Identify and engage prospective candidates
- Screen and select qualified applicants
- The lifecycle of hiring and onboarding
- Using technology for collecting, reviewing, and analyzing applicant information and recruiting data
2. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
15% of the exam
- The purpose and desired outcomes of orientation for new hires
- Instructional design
- Commonly used methods for developing an organizational learning strategy
- Elements and applications for various training formats and delivery techniques
- The change management process
- Tracking employee development
- Measuring effectiveness of training
3. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
17% of the exam
- Developing and administering an organization’s compensation strategy
- Health benefit an insurance programs
- Common supplemental wellness and fringe benefit programs
- Eligibility for and enrollment in retirement plans
- Components of wage statements and payroll processing
4. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
24% of the exam
- Mission, vision, and value statements
- HR’s support of organization goals and objectives through policies, procedures and operations
- Techniques for engaging employees, collecting feedback, and improving employee satisfaction
- Workforce management throughout the employee lifecycle
- Policies and procedures to handle complaints
- Diversity and inclusion initiatives
5. COPMLIANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT
25% of the exam
- Applicable laws and regulations pertaining to talent acquisition, training, and rights and responsibilities
- Applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes affecting employment in union environments
- Applicable laws and regulations pertaining to compensation and benefits
- Applicable laws and regulations pertaining to health, safety, security, and privacy
- Risk assessment and mitigation techniques
- Restructuring initiatives
How to Register
To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to create an HRCI account on their website. From there, you can fill out and submit an application, which includes a $100 application fee.
When your application is approved, you’ll be given instructions on how to register for the exam and set up a testing appointment. You’ll need to pay the $300 exam fee during the registration process.
aPHR Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The exam is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
A passing score is a scaled score of at least 500.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the exam is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test after a mandatory 90-day waiting period.
Online aPHR Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online aPHR prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The aPHR course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 1,050+ aPHR Practice Questions
- More than 400 Digital Flashcards
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The aPHR prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their aPHR exam. Click below to check it out!
FAQs
How many questions are on the aPHR exam?
The exam contains 90 questions.
What is the time limit for the aPHR exam?
The exam is timed at 1 hour and 45 minutes.
How hard is the aPHR exam?
The PHR exam is considered to be moderately difficult. The pass rate is currently 71%.
How long does it take to get aPHR exam results?
You should receive official results within 48 hours of testing.
How much does the aPHR exam cost?
The combined application fee and exam fee is $400.
