Almost every credentialing body says its certification is respected. Accreditation is the difference between saying it and having someone else confirm it, and it’s one of the few quality signals you can check before you pay for an exam.
What NCCA Is
The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredits certification programs across many industries, not only HR. HRCI states that its certifications are NCCA-accredited and describes that as impartial, third-party confirmation that its programs are developed and administered to high standards of quality, integrity and fairness.
Why It Matters to You
- It’s evidence that the exam itself was built and run to an external standard, not only to the issuer’s own
- It gives employers and peers a reason to treat the credential as substantive expertise, rather than a paid-for badge
- Because it applies across industries, it lets you compare credentials from different fields on the same footing
The Nuance: It’s Voluntary
HRCI itself notes that accreditation is voluntary. That cuts both ways. A body that chooses to be independently assessed is signalling confidence in its process, but the absence of one accreditation isn’t proof a credential is weak, since bodies may use different assessment routes.
How to Use This When Choosing
Ask any certification body three things: who accredits the program, whether that accreditation is current, and what it covers. Then weigh the answers alongside how well the credential fits your role, which we compare in HRCI vs SHRM.
Full Details
HRCI explains its accreditation on its individual certifications page.
