If you work in HR, talent acquisition, executive coaching, or organizational development, you've probably heard of Hogan Assessments. Hogan's personality assessments—particularly the HPI, HDS, and MVPI—are used by Fortune 500 companies worldwide to select, develop, and retain talent. The Hogan Assessment certification is the credential that qualifies you to administer, score, and interpret these tools professionally.
Without certification, you can't purchase or use Hogan instruments. The certification isn't just a formality—it's a prerequisite. Hogan controls access to its assessments and requires all users to complete accredited training before they can deploy the tools with clients or candidates.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the certification process: what it includes, how to complete it, what it costs, and what you can do once you're certified.
The core Hogan certification covers the three primary Hogan personality instruments:
Certification training teaches you how to administer each assessment, score reports, interpret results in the context of job roles and competencies, provide feedback to individuals, and present findings to organizational stakeholders.
Some Hogan training programs also include the Hogan 360 (a multi-rater feedback tool) and the Hogan Leadership Forecast Series (role-specific leadership reports). These may be covered in extended workshops or separate certification tracks.
Hogan certification is designed for professionals who use personality assessments as part of their work. The typical candidates include:
You don't need a psychology degree to get certified—though a background in HR, organizational behavior, or a related field is strongly recommended. Hogan does require that participants have a basic understanding of psychometrics and assessment principles before attending the certification workshop.
The primary path to Hogan certification is the Hogan Certification Workshop. These workshops are offered in multiple formats: in-person programs at Hogan's training facilities, virtual instructor-led training delivered online, and open enrollment programs scheduled throughout the year.
The standard certification workshop runs 2–3 days. During that time, you'll cover:
Workshops are interactive. You'll work through case studies, give and receive feedback practice, and ask questions of Hogan-certified trainers. The learning approach emphasizes application—not just theory.
Hogan offers certification workshops across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. In Canada specifically, workshops are regularly available in major cities:
For current Hogan assessment certification workshop schedules, the best source is Hogan's official website or your regional Hogan authorized distributor. Schedules change regularly and new cohorts open throughout the year.
Since 2020, Hogan has significantly expanded its virtual training options. Virtual instructor-led training (VILT) delivers the same content as in-person workshops, with certified trainers facilitating sessions over video conference platforms.
In-person workshops have the advantage of richer practice opportunities, direct networking with peers, and a more immersive experience. Virtual workshops offer flexibility—particularly valuable for practitioners in cities where in-person workshops aren't regularly scheduled or for those with travel constraints.
Both formats result in the same Hogan certification credential. The decision usually comes down to your learning preferences, location, and schedule.
Hogan certification workshop fees vary by region, provider, and format. In North America, open-enrollment workshop prices typically range from $1,500 to $3,000+ USD per participant. In-house or organizational programs (where Hogan or an authorized distributor delivers training exclusively for your company) may be priced differently based on group size.
The fee generally includes workshop materials, access to Hogan's online learning resources, sample assessment reports, and your certification credential upon completion. Some programs include practice assessment credits so you can work with real reports during training.
Ongoing access to the Hogan platform—purchasing and administering assessments—typically requires a separate licensing or distributor relationship. Certification gives you the credential; the commercial agreement with Hogan or a distributor gives you ongoing access.
After completing the certification workshop, you receive a Hogan Certification credential. This credential confirms that you've completed accredited training and are qualified to use Hogan instruments. You'll also gain access to Hogan's online platform where you can administer assessments, pull reports, and access research and technical documentation.
Certification doesn't expire in the same way some credentials do, but Hogan does release updated training materials and occasionally requires recertification when major platform or assessment updates occur. Staying current with Hogan's continuing education offerings—webinars, advanced workshops, research publications—helps you maintain depth in your practice.
You can also pursue advanced credentials. Hogan offers a master practitioner program and specialized certifications for leadership development, selection, and coaching applications. These advanced tracks build on the foundational certification.
Hogan certification is specific to Hogan's instruments—it doesn't qualify you to use other personality assessments like the Myers-Briggs (MBTI), DiSC, or CliftonStrengths. Each of those tools has its own certification program.
That said, Hogan's assessments are particularly valued in corporate talent management contexts because they're built on rigorous academic research, are validated against job performance outcomes, and are designed specifically for the workplace rather than clinical settings. Organizations that prioritize evidence-based people decisions tend to favor Hogan's tools—which makes Hogan certification especially marketable for practitioners working with mid-to-large enterprises.
If you're building an assessment practice, Hogan certification alongside experience with other validated tools (like the SHL OPQ, the Caliper Profile, or NEO-based instruments) creates a strong foundation.
Most participants don't need to do extensive preparation before attending a Hogan certification workshop—the training is designed to teach you what you need. But if you want to walk in with more context, these preparation steps help:
You can also explore our Hogan Assessment practice resources to familiarize yourself with the types of questions and concepts covered in Hogan's instruments before your workshop.
Hogan sells and delivers training through a global network of authorized distributors. In North America, Hogan Assessments (the company) delivers training directly and also through certified regional partners.
To find a workshop near you, check Hogan's website under the "Training" or "Certification" section. You can filter by region, format (in-person vs. virtual), and date. If you're purchasing assessments through a Hogan distributor rather than directly, that distributor can often arrange certification training as part of an initial partnership.
For in-house programs—where you want Hogan to train your entire HR or talent acquisition team—contact Hogan's sales team directly to discuss pricing and scheduling options.
For HR and talent professionals who want to use validated, research-backed personality assessments, yes. The tools are genuinely strong—Hogan's assessments have decades of published research behind them, and they're among the most cited personality instruments in the workplace psychology literature.
The practical benefits are real too. Certified practitioners can deliver structured personality feedback that's more credible and legally defensible than ad hoc assessments. In executive coaching and leadership development, Hogan HDS data in particular offers insights that are hard to get from any other instrument.
The main limitation is that certification only covers Hogan's tools. If your organization or clients use different assessment vendors, you'll need separate training for each. But if Hogan is your primary or intended assessment platform, certification is the non-negotiable first step.