GUIDE 2024

Best HR Generalist Certifications 2024: Reviews and Pricing

Do you want to become a great human resources generalist? Maybe you want to get better at your current HR generalist position.

A human resource generalist certification can help kickstart your professional career, regardless of where you are right now. Although certification isn’t mandatory in an HR career, it will make progress much more effortless.

HR Generalist Certification Course Benefits

You will experience exponential growth in your career by getting a human resource generalist certificate. It provides a deep understanding of the workforce and internal and external people management. You will also learn how to maintain and sustain professional relationships.

Easier Job Search

The HR generalist certification ensures that you land job opportunities. Having an HR generalist certificate in your CV helps you stand out amongst other candidates. Plus, it’s much easier for the employer to filter someone with a certificate as a potential candidate than someone who doesn’t have one. 

Career Promotion

Certifications are a great way to show that you know more and deserve a promotion. It could be what’s missing from your application, and this extra push guarantees better compensation.

Better Knowledge & Skillset

Knowing that your next certification exam is coming up gives you the motivation to study HR concepts through interactive exercises, apart from usual HR activities.

Higher Salary

Certified HR generalist professionals are typically paid more than HR generalists without one.

Better Recognition

Other HR professionals will recognize and trust you much sooner. You’ll also have a better position in decision-making since you have the certificate to support your opinion. 

Top HR Generalist Certification and Courses in 2024

Here is the list of the best HR generalist certifications that aim to provide you with HR professional learning resources based on interactive exercises to ensure the best human resources training.

1. Human Resources Generalist Certification by HR University

HR Generalist Course HR University

One of the best HR certification programs for newbies and professionals is the Human Resources Generalist Certification Course from HR University. This course goes over the skills and responsibilities every HR generalist needs in 2024. This course will provide the starting edge you need to create a successful HR generalist career for yourself. The course covers HR generalist topics like:

  • Basic HR generalist responsibilities 
  • The key fundamentals that every professional must know 
  • Landing job interviews with confidence
  • Hiring paperwork
  • HR administrative work
  • Three-form discrimination
  • Employee onboarding
  • Employee learning & development

The course helps obtain a practical understanding that’s helpful to beginners and seasoned HR generalists. This certificate program contains over 70+ lectures and interviews with HR professionals. This certificate program provides many resources to support your learning experience in tackling HR challenges.

What is the cost of the Human Resource Generalist Certification?

This is an excellent course for those who want to learn vital knowledge about human resources and the HR generalist role. The cost of this program is only $199, making it an easy investment.

Who is eligible for the HR Generalist Certification Course?

This course covers all of what an aspiring HR generalist needs to know. You’ll learn about current issues and trends and more advanced topics in this field, such as navigating social media platforms or creating successful workplace policies within a short time frame. There are also specific courses for those looking to become experts at handling difficult employees who need counseling services instead of firing them.

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

2. Society for Human Resource Management – HR Generalist

SHRM Course

SHRM is the gold standard. This certification provides the additional step if you have a master’s degree in HR and four or more years of industry experience. But the course is also great for people looking to begin their HR generalist career.

The HR generalist exam consists of two types of multiple-choice questions. One type tests your knowledge, and the other covers scenarios that prepare you for all critical strategies to perfect your HR skills. The HR generalist certification isn’t easy to achieve and requires much time, effort, practice tests, and other resources. You need a pass rate of around 50% to get the certificate. Given the work and commitment required to earn this certification, it is not for everyone. You must commit at least a few hours weekly over several months to complete your studies toward becoming an expert generalist.

What is the cost of the SHRM HR Generalist course?

The price of becoming a senior SHRM certified professional is $475 for a non-member. There’s also an application fee, which makes the total investment $575. However, members get a $100 discount.

Who is eligible for the SHRM HR Generalist course?

The course is for professionals who work in strategic HR positions and beginner HR generalists. These include managers responsible for aligning company goals with the HR strategies and developing policies based on analysis of performance metrics. 

Access: For more details, visit SHRM

3. Certificate Program for HR Generalist by HR Training Center

HR Training Center

HR generalists act as experts in every human resource function, from hiring and compensation to payroll management. Therefore, they need knowledge about different HR areas and how it applies to daily work.

This course teaches you about crucial duties that help a company succeed. You can get complete access, including the training and certification programs for FMLA, ADA, COBRA, and Paycheck Fundamentals. This three-day intensive training program includes 14 information-packed sessions with interactive exercises covering everything you need to excel as an HR Generalist. The HR Generalist program is an excellent choice for professionals with less experience in their field. The human resources field is a very rigorous and fast-paced industry. To become successful, you need proper training.

What is the cost of the HR Generalist Program?

The cost of certification is $2195.00, but you can get a discount of $200. This course is quite expensive compared to the other courses, but you get a lot for the price.

What is the agenda of the HR Generalist Program?

This three-day seminar and workshop provide practical solutions for day-to-day HR challenges. It gives you confidence in your ability to handle any situation, knowing about employment law. This seminar offers:

  • 14 information-packed sessions covering everything you need to excel as an HR Generalist
  • Several “Interactive Exercises” to test your new knowledge
  • Access to our heralded FMLA, ADA, COBRA, and Paycheck Fundamentals Training & Certification Programs
  • FREE updates for FMLA, ADA, and COBRA

Who is eligible for the HR Generalist Program?

If you want to help manage employees, this is a great certification program. This certification is structured to understand how to create an aligned human resources department that drives organizational results and overcomes current challenges. You also learn strategies organizations use when identifying what they want in their HR Department’s function or brand image.

Access: You can visit the link for this certification at HR Generalist Program

4. Associate Professional in Human Resource (aPHR) by HRCI

Associate Professional in Human Resources

Associate Professional in Human Resource (aPHR) is a well-known certification worldwide for beginner HR professionals. It is one of the most recognized certifications for HR generalists. It is an entry-level credential for mastering required skills for those who want to kickstart their careers in human resources.

aPHR is a certification program based on self-paced learning. It elaborates on your abilities and competencies needed to succeed. This certification shows you understand how different organizational roles achieve their business objectives.

These certification benefits professionals who want to boost their confidence and become versatile experts. To become a part of the HRCI community and access its resources, aPHR can pave your way to it, providing a great learning experience.

How much does the Exam for aPHR cost?

The exam for the aPHR costs $300. Apart from the exam fee, the application fee is $100. After submitting your application, the fee is non-refundable.

Who is eligible for aPHR?

You don’t need educational experience to enroll for this HR generalist certification. If you are a fresh graduate or a newbie seeking an opportunity to work in this HR field, aPHR is an excellent choice.

Access: To explore more, visit Associate Professional in Human Resource (aPHR)

5. HR Generalist Certificate – California

HR Generalist Certificate - California

HR Generalists are an integral part of any organization. This eight-part e-learning certificate program gives HR professionals the skills they need to be effective. Furthermore, the emphasis is on California State law. It covers termination situations, layoffs, and wage-hour regulations. The focus is on payroll leave issues. They are common in today’s remote workforce, where employees can work from anywhere.

This Generalist Certificate Program gives employers more confidence when they see that other people are using this resource and finding value in their projects. The information provided within these courses is for general purposes only. There’s no guarantee of whether or not any specific facts apply to your company’s situation. Upon finishing the program, you get the certificate. You do not need to continue taking CPE credits to maintain this qualification because it’s different from ICBA’s certification programs which are instructor-led but require continuing education for those who hold them with distinction or designations such as certified bias expert. This program duration is 10 hours and offers 16 HRCI credits. 

What is the cost of the HR Generalist Certificate – California?

The cost of certification is $499 for ICBA members. For non-members, the fee is $899. Compared to other courses, this one takes the mid spot regarding costs.

Who is eligible for the HR Generalist Certificate?

HR professionals who want to improve their understanding of human resources. It helps you learn new technologies and stay on top of trends and best practices in the HR generalist field. This program also includes critical steps to understand how and when to leverage technology and conduct a thorough HR analysis.

Learning Objectives:

HR professionals are responsible for managing the company’s human resources. With so much that they need to do, it is essential to know the laws and the role that HR plays in accomplishing goals. The course is especially beneficial for those looking to master California federal guidelines.

When termination or layoff situations arise within the organization, or any management or documentation issue arises, everything needs to be handled by the company’s HR. 

Access: For more details on how this all functions, visit:  HR Generalist Certificate – California

6. HR Management and Analytics Program by Wharton School of Business

HR Management and Analytics

This generalist certification program is the perfect way to keep you aligned with modern workforce needs and current challenges. The HR Management and Analytics course taught by Wharton School of University Pennsylvania offers a 2-month online subscription, so you can take it when it works best for your schedule.

You do not need prior experience or background in HR for this certification. If it’s your first time, you’ll master basics such as questions to consider when interviewing employees. Most of the attendees of this course possess between five and fifteen years of experience, but there are no strict background requirements. You don’t need a top-tier HR generalist resume for this certification.

The coursework for this program requires about four to six hours per week of dedicated time. There are live video lectures and recordings that you can watch. There are also journal articles or real-world examples assigned by employers who want you to learn how they handle certain situations at work before putting them into practice yourself. You need to show consistency in the preparation of this course. This course covers the basics of talent management, and contemporary strategies in designing compensation systems learning. You also learn about staffing systems, collaboration networks, and personal relationships to understand how to incentivize people at different levels within the company.

What is the cost of the HR Management and Analytics Program?

Wharton’s program is more comprehensive than other programs, which comes with a higher cost. The tuition price is around $2,800, and there are five different payment options.

Who is eligible for the HR Management and Analytics Program?

HR professionals who want to improve their skills should enroll in this program. It helps them learn about new technologies, stay on top of trends, and best practices in the HR generalist field. This program also includes critical steps to understand how and when to leverage technology and how to conduct a thorough needs analysis.

Access: To explore more on the application procedure and requirements, you can visit the link HR Management and Analytics Program

7. Human Resource Management by Cornell 

HR Certification Cornell

This certificate program consists of nine mini-courses, each lasting two weeks. That means you can spend four or five months completing this whole program to understand how to create a strategically-aligned HR department to drive organizational results. 

This online program is an excellent way to learn skills that every competitive HR generalist needs. Several instructors lead you through your study sessions. The comprehensive course covers a wide variety of topics in HRM, making it an excellent resource for professionals at any stage or level. There are no specific requirements to enroll in this program. You can expect to spend three hours per week watching lectures, interacting with classmates, and submitting assignments. After completing nine mini-courses (which only take an hour each), attendees receive their Cornell ILR School certificate of completion.

What is the cost of HRM by eCornell?

As this course contains many learning resources, therefore it is quite expensive. The program and training material costs $5,400 and you can make nine monthly payments of $650.

Who is eligible?

This program is ideal for aspiring HR professionals or individuals who have just started their careers in human resources, such as HR coordinators. With this prestigious credential, you can reach higher job postings that mention “director” level positions. This course also offers opportunities outside class, including connections at conferences and a circle of new friends while learning from expert faculty members.

Access: More details on this link:  Human Resource Management by eCornell.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is an HR Generalist?

An HR Specialist, also known as an HR Generalist or Compliance Specialist, handles various HR functions, including hiring, payroll, positive employee relations, performance management, and employment law compliance.

What’s the best HR Generalist Certification for you? 

There are many online HR generalist courses and certificates, but not all of them give you the skills that you need to grow. A challenging decision comes when picking out which one gives you the right kind of HR generalist training. The right certification lets you create practical solutions regarding employee onboarding, employee performance management, record keeping, workplace investigations, developing training programs, and implementing strategies. All certifications and online courses mentioned in this article focus on understanding HR’s role within the organization to add maximum value. Therefore,  identify quality training programs keenly before investing time or money in certification programs.

Conclusion

When you are ready to decide, consider how much time and money a specific certification requires. HR certifications serve as an investment for your future and provide you with opportunities for growth. So choose wisely!

 

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