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  1. Programs
  2. Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

American Payroll Association

Certification

Become a contributor for free to openly demonstrate student outcomes, industry alignment & eligibility criteria.

A certification credential for those with extensive payroll knowledge and experience.

Format

Online

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Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

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Program Details

Detailed information about this program

The Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) is a certification credential for those with extensive payroll knowledge and experience. The exam consists of 190 questions, and candidates have 4 hours to complete it. The Certification Board requires that payroll professionals fulfill ONE of the following criteria before they are eligible to take the CPP examination. CRITERIA 1: The payroll professional has been practicing for at least a total of three (3) years out of the five (5) years preceding the date of the examination application. The practice of payroll is defined as direct or related involvement in at least one of the following: Payroll Production, Payroll Reporting, Payroll Accounting, Payroll Systems, and Payroll Taxation Payroll Administration Payroll Education/Consulting CRITERIA 2: Before a candidate takes the CPP examination, the payroll professional has been employed in the practice of payroll as defined in Criteria 1 for at least the last 24 months, and has completed within the last 24 months, ALL of the courses within ONE of the following three options offered by PayrollOrg: Option 1 Payroll Practice Essentials and Intermediate Payroll Concepts and Advanced Payroll Concepts and Strategic Payroll Practices Option 2 Foundations of Payroll Certificate Program and The Payroll Administration Certificate Program Option 3 Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Boot Camp®* *Delivered exclusively by PayrollOrg. CRITERIA 3: Before a candidate takes the CPP examination, the payroll professional has been employed in the practice of payroll as defined in Criteria 1, for at least the last 18 months, has obtained the FPC designation, and has completed within the last 18 months, ALL of the courses within AT LEAST ONE of the following three options offered by PayrollOrg: Option 1 Intermediate Payroll Concepts and Advanced Payroll Concepts and Strategic Payroll Practices Option 2 The Payroll Administration Certificate Program Option 3 *Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) Boot Camp®* *Delivered exclusively by PayrollOrg. You do not have to be a PayrollOrg member to apply for or take this exam. As a first step, all candidates must download the CPP Candidate Handbook.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.

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Locations

Where this program is offered

No locations specified.

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Related Programs

Programs related to this one

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Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

  • Apply core payroll concepts including worker status, employment taxes, benefits, and Fair Labor Standards Act requirements
  • Comply with payroll legislative and regulatory requirements including record retention, reporting, and multi-state taxation
  • Calculate paychecks including gross pay, fringe benefits, involuntary deductions, taxes, and voluntary deductions
  • Manage payroll process systems and administration including master file maintenance and business continuity planning
  • Manage payroll administration and department operations including policies, procedures, and customer service
  • Conduct payroll audits including internal controls, reconciliation, and validation of payroll data
Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

  • Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks43-3051.00
  • Compensation and Benefits Managers11-3111.00
  • Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks43-3031.00
What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populated·from NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: developing (Level 2)(based on Certification)

  • Attendance records and pay adjustments — verify and post onto designated records with reduced oversight across regular bi-weekly or semi-monthly pay cycles.
  • Employee paychecks and earnings-and-deductions statements — process and issue accurately using payroll software with minimal errors across multiple employee classifications.
  • Gross wages, overtime, and statutory deductions — compute and enter into the payroll system independently, applying current tax tables and benefit rate schedules.
  • New hire and termination paperwork — complete and enter into HR and ERP software, ensuring all required fields and compliance documents are captured on schedule.
  • Period-end payroll reports — prepare and balance using spreadsheet software, reconciling totals to prior-period records with routine supervisor sign-off.
  • Payroll discrepancies identified in time sheets and wage computations — investigate causes and apply standard corrective adjustments within established authorization limits.
  • Employee status changes such as exemptions, promotions, and resignations — record promptly in the payroll system to maintain accurate and up-to-date personnel records.
  • Payroll processing timelines and checklists — monitor progress across each pay period, proactively communicating delays or data gaps to supervisors.
  • Payroll inquiries from employees — respond clearly and professionally, explaining deductions, adjustments, and payment schedules using accessible language.
  • Time accounting and compliance software — use routinely to track labor hours, flag potential regulatory issues, and generate standard audit-ready reports.

Some details on this page are auto-populated from public workforce data sources: O*NET (opens in new tab), BLS (opens in new tab), College Scorecard (opens in new tab), DOL Training Provider Results (opens in new tab), NSX (opens in new tab). Provided in partnership with LER.me Career Intelligence.

Student Outcomes

Performance metrics for this program

Completion Rate
Not reported
Placement Rate
Not reported