GUIDE 2024

Best Entry-Level HR Certifications 2024: Reviews and Pricing

Are you seeking to kickstart your career in the HR domain? That’s a great initiative.

When making a career decision, you must understand the landscape. What skills and qualities are in high demand? Since most entry-level HR job opportunities also require a basic skill set and some training before you can even consider applying. But you don’t need to worry. You can stand out from a crowd if you have some valuable certifications on your resume.

A reputable certification program guides you to learn all the skills and hands-on experience to step into your HR profession. With so many HR certification courses to choose from, it can be tough to identify which entry-level certifications are in-d highly beneficial. Let’s find the best certification programs that should be next on your list!

Benefits of Entry-Level HR Certification

Earning an HR Certification is the perfect way to target your career goals if you have no prior experience. It will make you stand out as an expert in the field and demonstrate your competence, credibility, dedication, and experience. Let’s look at the benefits of Entry-level certification in the HR field.

Better career opportunities

Most HR professionals believe that entry-level HR courses enhance your chances of better opportunities to become a prosperous HR Professional. It will help you to improve your salary prospects as well. This entry-level certification works as an investment and will pay you off in the future.

Maximizes promotion prospects

Once you’re all set to make advancements in your HR career, HR certification can make you stand out as a career-oriented human resources professional. It is essential to your career ladder as it improves your strategic management skills and HR knowledge.

Professional development

HR Certification helps you to progress at a rapid pace in the HR field. You can qualify to learn in-demand HR expertise and take a more thoughtful approach to a successful career. By keeping yourself up to date regarding global talent management skills, you’ll be able to establish credibility and become unbeatable in no time.

Increases worth of your qualification

Suppose you are a newbie in the professional domain. In that case, the Human Resources Certification is legitimate proof that you have the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in the HR Profession.

Fosters management and leadership skills

HR certification from a reputable institute plays a significant role in boosting your credibility in your professional circle. This certification program enhances your theoretical knowledge, improves your skills, and prepares you for professional leadership. B Leadership skills help you to teach your skills to others and shine as an expert in your career.

Best Entry-Level HR Certifications

If you want to start your career in the HR field, then acquiring a professional certification in human resources is one of the best ways to do it. As a beginner, an HR certification will prove that you have the right skills to be someone worth having in any organization, even if you have less or no work experience. Here is a list of the best entry-level HR certifications to initiate your professional journey.

1. HR Management Certification by HR University

HR Management Certification Course

HR University is one of the most reputable institutes. Its online certification program can enhance your professional growth and improve your strategic planning skills by providing interactive sessions, 90+ lectures, more than 30 case studies, and quizzes. This HR certification institute offers various HR programs.

This certification will help you acquire all the knowledge and management skills needed as an HR Manager to advance your career. It covers the following topics:

  • Human Resources Tasks
  • HR Administrative Tasks
  • Employment Letter Verification
  • New Hire Paperwork
  • Employee Eligibility Verification
  • Form I-9
  • Projected Characteristics
  • Three Forms of Discrimination
  • Equal Pay
  • Glass Ceiling
  • Workplace Relationships
  • People with Disabilities
  • HR Strategy and Planning
  • Monitoring the Workforce
  • Workforce Management
  • How to Capture Employee Experience
  • Conducting Performance Appraisals
  • How to Conduct Exit Interviews

What is the fee for the HR management certification?

The fee for the Human resource management certification program is $199. It is quite reasonable compared to other programs and provides you with better career opportunities in the future.

Who can enroll for it?

Aspiring professionals who want to have a progressive career or those who want to be successful HR Managers should go for this beneficial certification. This certification will brush up your skills, improve your employee relations, and help you create a healthy work environment for employees.

Access: You can view more details on this course via this link: HR Management Certification

2. Diversity and Inclusion Certification by HR University

Diversity and Inclusion Certification Course

HR professionals and business leaders yearn to learn and implement different strategies that will help them create a diverse and inclusive workspace. With the help of this remarkable certification offered by HR University, you’ll be able to maintain a healthy work environment, enhance productivity, and improve employee retention rates.

This certification is one of the top-rated certifications and will level up your HR professional capabilities. It will help you to learn professional skills such as implementing effective strategies from planning to training and how to have excellent communication with all human resources from trainees to people at the management level. Moreover, it comes with instructor feedback on your capstone project to ensure what you learn gets put into practice effectively.

By taking more than 90 lectures, 15+ case studies, and exclusive interviews with HR experts, you’ll learn:

  • Fundamentals of diversity and inclusion
  • How to manage hard conversations
  • How to work with diverse staff
  • How to create a sense of belonging
  • Categories of diversity
  • Active listening
  • Non-verbal communication
  • Monitoring diversities
  • Managing diversities
  • Micro behaviors
  • Type of bias
  • Bias consequences

It is difficult to handle a diverse range of employees with unique personalities. This certification will help you win hard conversations across global professional environments without hesitation regarding race, culture, gender, and disability. You will become a brilliant star in your HR role.

What is the fee for the HR Diversity and Inclusion certification?

The enrollment fee for this certification course is only $299. This certification exam will improve your strategic business management skills and will work as an investment in the future by providing you with better opportunities.

Who can enroll in the Diversity and Inclusion certification program by HR?

Individuals who want to brush up on their skills and be part of the HR professional community can enroll in this certification. In addition, HR practitioners, HR professionals, and managers can also participate in the diversity and inclusion certification.

 Access: You can view more details on this course via this link: HR diversity and Inclusion certificate

3. Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) by HRCI

Associate Professional in Human Resources

The Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) is one of the most reputable organizations offering many HR certification programs. This is the first-ever HR certification designed for beginners to start their journey in their HR career, as well as for non-HR managers who manage employees and deal with diverse people daily. A Human Resources certificate can benefit you to define your HR stream i.e. who you want to be in your future HR role, for example:

  • Human Resources Manager
  • Executive Recruiter
  • Training and Development Manager
  • Labor relations specialists

Moreover, an HRCI Certification will help you build better employee relations, improve your leadership and strategic skills, enhance the efficiency of HR functions, and accomplish many administrative tasks effectively. As a result, you will lead towards successful career development having great opportunities in terms of both professional status and salary perspectives. The topics covered in aPHR are as follows:

  • Talent Acquisition
  • Learning & Development
  • Compensation & Benefits
  • Employee Relations
  • Compliance & Risk Management

Who can enroll in this course?

Associate Professional in Human Resources requires neither educational nor any prior field experience. As it is a knowledge-based credential, no HR experience is needed to earn this certification. It is a perfect credential for two distinct types of folks.

  • Recent college graduates and those without experience in the HR field can enroll in this course to kickstart their careers.
  • Professionals who seek a career transition into the HR field or already have some sort of HR experience like already managing teams in their jobs can also enroll in this program.

What is the fee for aPHR certification course?

The application fee is $100, and the exam fee for Associate Professional in human resources course is $300 respectively.

Access: You can view more details about this course via this link: Associate Professional HR Certification

4. Entry-Level HR Course by Upstart HR

UpstartHR Course

The Entry-level Human Resources course by Upstart plays a significant role in helping candidates establish a firm base for a successful HR career. If you’ve no idea about starting a career as an HR professional, this credential is the right choice for you to embark on an exciting journey.

This course consists of various modules that help you understand and learn the essentials of Human resources. Topics included in this entry-level HR course are as follows:

  • Networking
  • Interviewing
  • Work habits
  • Salary negotiations
  • Credibility
  • Professional Development
  • Stages of HR career

This certification demonstrates that you are capable of:

  • Identifying resources needs and acquiring the right talent
  • Employing strategies to maintain a work environment better
  • Managing total rewards system including benefits, compensation plans, retirement plans, promotions
  • Handling development and training programs required to align employees with organizational goals
  • Offsetting the operational requirements of the organization with an employee’s satisfaction

What is the cost of an entry-level course by upstart HR?

The cost of an entry-level HR course is $37. You can access articles, videos, books, Pdf guides, and eBooks by simply adding them to the cart. Some of the content is also free.

Who can enroll in this course?

HR Beginners can enroll in this course as it covers everything you need to improve your skills, learn advanced tools and techniques, and get inspired and certified.

Access: You can view more details about this course via this link: Entry Level HR Course

5. SHRM Certified Professional by SHRM

SHRM Course

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is one of the most credible organizations in the Human resources field. It offers two certifications; one for certified professionals and the other for senior certified professionals. SHRM professional certification (SHRM CP) is best for HR novices with little to no HR work experience. This certification is solid evidence that you possess the skills and theoretical knowledge required to succeed in the HR Profession.

The topics covered in this certification are as follows:

  • Foundational Knowledge items (FKIs)
  • Situational Judgement Items
  • Field-Test Questions
  •  Leadership
  • Situational Judgement
  • Foundational Knowledge
  • Business
  • Interpersonal
  • People
  • HR-Specific Knowledge  
  • Organization
  • Workplace

Learning Outcomes

In this certification, entry-level HR enthusiasts will be able to learn essential aspects of personal development along with professional development, such as:

  • How to get practical experience in the field
  • How to build professional relationships with solid communication skills
  • How to be a business person with an eye for detail
  • How to manage expectations being a great team player

SHRM-CP offers hands-on experience as well as great exposure to strategic thinking. Getting involved with an SHRM student chapter is an excellent way to network with practitioners and experienced HR professionals. By exploring different opportunities and continuously learning for growth, you’ll get a perfect chance to be an aspiring HR professional in the future.

Who can enroll in this certification course?

If you have a college degree or are pursuing your bachelor’s degree, this is a perfect time to enroll for this certification. It does not matter if you hold a degree in any related subject, like business or organizational psychology. You can still be eligible to get this credential. If you’re seeking a transition in your career and have no prior experience, then this HR certification will surely make you stand out in the HR industry.

If you have some years of experience and fall under a senior-level HR professional category, then you should not enroll for this certification. You should join SHRM-SCP instead.

What are the fee criteria for this certification?

SHRM professional certification fee criteria vary based on the SHRM membership status. The detailed fee structure is as follows:

If you are an SHRM member:

  • Early bird Exam Fee: The early bird exam fee is $300.
  • Standard Exam Fee: The standard exam fee is $375.
  • Student Exam Fee: The student exam fee is $149.

If you are a non-member:

  • Early bird Exam Fee: The early bird exam fee is $400.
  • Standard Exam Fee: The standard exam fee is $475.
  • Student Exam Fee: The student exam fee is $209.

Access: You can view more details about this course via this link: SHRM certified professional certification

6. Human Resource Management Certification QLS Level 1 by Oxford Home Study Centre

Human Resource Management Certification QLS Level 1 by Oxford Home Study Centre

Oxford Home Study Centre offers many online courses, including Human Resource Management. In this course, you’ll get to understand the importance of HR management in modern business space and how it will help you create a robust workspace environment. If you want to prosper in your career or dive deeper into the HR domain, then certification in HR Management QLS level 1 offered by OHSC is perfect for you. It will help you to reach your full potential.

It covers the following topics:

  • Basics of the contemporary HR Management profession
  • HR code of ethics
  • Workforce training and development
  • Assessment strategies for training
  • Devising performance management strategies and techniques
  • Managing challenges and problems associated with the work environment

What is the enrollment fee for this certification program?

If you pay the enrollment fee at once, the total amount will be $140. You can also pay a fee in installments at your convenience.

Who can enroll in this HR certification program?

There are no particular eligibility requirements needed to enroll yourself in a level 1 certification program. Whether you hold a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t matter. Anyone passionate about HR management and seeking to gain HR experience can enroll in this certification program.

Access: You can view more details on this course via this link: HRM Certification QLS Level 1

7. Administrative Human Resources (HR) for Beginners by Udemy

Udemy HR Course

HR administration plays a significant role in upgrading your skills and fast-tracking your career success. Whether you want a job in the HR department, run a small business and own an HR career, or are an administrative professional, this credential is the perfect choice for you. The course is pretty comprehensive, including a 1-hour video, 3 articles, and 3 downloadable resources. You’ll have unlimited access to this HR certification.

In this certification, you’ll learn:

  • Human resources (HR) role and responsibilities, from administrative tasks to compliance with employment laws
  • How to perform HR audit
  • The processing pipeline of recruiting new talent, from job analysis to writing interview questions, and job postings, devising strategies to retain the workforce, and training them to give maximum output
  • How to execute performance management and talent development processes

What is the fee for this HR certification course?

Administrative Human Resources for beginners certification costs $34.99. You can get special discounts on its price from time to time. This certification introduces you to the solid principles of HR roles and duties so that you can perform fantastic jobs in your organization.

What are the eligibility criteria for this course?

Anyone interested in Human resources, management, or related fields can enroll in this program. No prerequisites are required to get this certification.

Access: You can view more details on this course via this link: Administrative Human Resources for beginners

FAQs

Which HR certification is easiest?

An entry-level HR certification is a perfect choice to start your career in the human resources domain. Every entry-level program is designed in a well-organized structure so that you can grasp conceptual as well as practical knowledge in an adequate manner. All certifications are helpful based on your needs. Still, the HR management certification by HR University and Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) are the safest and most accessible options to learn the essential fundamentals of HR operations and have a good reputation in your HR department.

Is it worth getting a certificate in HR?

Yes, it is worth it. It will not only be the best choice for your HR career but also for your organization, employers, and salary perspectives. An HR certificate will make you stand out and give you better opportunities for a successful career compared to the other competitors.

What is the lowest level of HR certification?

Depending on your education and professional experience, there are 3 levels of HR certifications i.e. beginner-level HR certification, associate-level HR certification, and senior-level HR certification. The lowest level is the beginner level which includes the general knowledge and basics required to prosper in an entry-level HR role.

What HR certifications should I get?

Entry-level HR professionals should prefer those certifications that don’t have specific eligibility criteria for admission. A simple bachelor’s degree or any other related degree will be sufficient to kickstart your career as an HR professional. The certifications requiring less or no experience include entry-level HR programs by HR university, aPHR by HCI, and an SHRM certified human resources professional.

Conclusion

To conclude, human resources are a significant asset of any organization or business. Thus, you should understand your roles and responsibilities as an HR person. In this article, we have jotted down the best entry-level HR certifications for 2024 to help you out if you want to set up your career in the HR field. HR certifications facilitate you to enrich your expertise and empower you to do wonders in your profession. It’s an ideal time to start an exciting journey! HR management can be complex. However, following the right path can lead you to a bright future.

Josh Fechter
Josh Fechter is the founder of The Product Company and a partner at Product Manager HQ.