SHRM-CP Cheat Sheet.
The night-before summary, built like the exam.

The Numbers to Remember

• 134 total multiple-choice questions
• 80 stand-alone knowledge questions + 54 situational judgment items
• 3 hours 40 minutes total testing time, split into two 110-minute sections
• SHRM member standard price: $399 / non-member standard price: $499
• $50 nonrefundable application fee + $49 nonrefundable standard deadline fee (separate from the exam price)
• No degree, HR title, or prior HR experience required to apply
• SHRM-SCP, the advanced credential, requires 3 years of strategic-level HR work at roughly 1,000 hours per year — the SHRM-CP has no such requirement
• Recertification: 60 PDCs within a 3-year cycle

Subtests and Scores

• Content splits three ways: 10% foundational knowledge (nine behavioral competencies), 50% knowledge items (14 HR functional areas), 40% situational judgment
• SHRM does not publish a specific numeric passing/cut score for the SHRM-CP — results are reported pass/fail from a scaled model, not a stated raw percentage
• Because there's no published cut score, treat every question as equally worth your attention rather than chasing a target number
• With 134 questions spread across the full 3 hours 40 minutes, pace yourself evenly — don't burn the majority of your time on the first section and rush the second

High-Yield Review Areas

• The 14 HR functional areas carry the single largest share of points (50%) — prioritize breadth here over any one deep-dive topic
• Situational judgment (40%) rewards practiced reasoning, not memorization — drill scenario questions specifically, not just fact recall
• The nine behavioral competencies (foundational knowledge, 10%) reward knowing what each competency looks like in action, not textbook definitions
• Review pacing: with 134 questions across the full 3 hours 40 minutes, know roughly how many minutes per question you can afford in each section before test day
• Since eligibility never required an HR title or degree, don't assume gaps in formal HR education are a weakness — focus your remaining review time purely on the tested content areas

Top Traps

• Don't assume situational judgment questions have one "correct" and several "wrong" answers — SHRM scenarios usually ask for the most effective response among several plausible ones
• Don't skip the application fee and standard deadline fee when budgeting — both are nonrefundable and separate from the $399/$499 exam price
• Don't assume you need an HR degree or title to register — eligibility explicitly does not require either
• Don't under-practice the knowledge half (50% of the exam) while over-preparing for situational judgment — both halves need real study time
• Don't wait until exam week to test your pacing across the full 3 hours 40 minute sitting — stamina is part of what's being tested
• Don't confuse SHRM-CP eligibility with SHRM-SCP eligibility — the SCP's 3-year, 1,000-hour strategic-work requirement does not apply to the CP