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ACSM-CPT vs AFAA-CGFI
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer from American College of Sports Medicine and AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor from Athletics and Fitness Association of America, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- ACSM-CPT renews on a 3-year cycle; AFAA-CGFI on a 2-year cycle.
- ACSM-CPT requires 45 continuing-education units per cycle versus 1.5 for AFAA-CGFI — note the providers use different CEU unit systems, so these figures are not directly comparable.
- The renewal fee differs: $60 for ACSM-CPT versus $99 for AFAA-CGFI.
Differences are stated only where both credentials have a known value on record — never inferred against an unknown. No winner is declared; which credential fits depends on your goals. Methodology
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2031-08-31
2030-12-31
Target professional
Personal trainers
Group fitness instructors
Minimum age
18
unknown
Education requirement
Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent (or within no more than 90 days of completing all requirements for a high school diploma/GED or recognized equivalency); candidates under 18 must present the NASM|AFAA Academic Partner High School Verification form or their GED/diploma to the proctor at testing
Degree required
no
no
Experience requirement
unknown
None – "You do not need prior experience before taking the CGFI course."
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
yes
Other prerequisites
Possess current adult CPR/AED certification that has a live/in-person practical skills examination component (e.g., American Heart Association or American Red Cross); First Aid required beginning 2027. Candidates must submit an application with supporting documents via the MyACSM portal.
Current Adult CPR and AED certification from an approved provider (e.g., American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute) with a hands-on component; proof required prior to sitting for the exam. May enroll in the course before obtaining CPR/AED but must have it before the final exam. Valid government-issued photo ID required at the exam.
Exam format
Computer-based multiple-choice exam delivered by Pearson VUE; may be taken live remote-proctored online (OnVUE) or at an in-person Pearson VUE testing center
Closed-book, 3rd-party (PSI) proctored exam; administered in-person at a testing center or via live remote online proctoring
Question count
unknown
120
Time limit
unknown
120 minutes
Passing score
Scaled score of 550 on a 200–800 scale (criterion-referenced, modified Angoff standard setting)
Scaled score of 70 or better
Retake policy
A retest fee applies for retaking the exam ($205); candidates whose online exam is terminated forfeit their registration and must reschedule, including retest fees.
Candidates who fail are subject to a retest wait period: 30 days after the first and/or second failed attempt; 1 year for each repeated failure after the 3rd attempt. A retest must be purchased (or a retest voucher activated) by calling Member Services.
Exam / application fees
$410 exam fee nonmember · $50 application fee · $310 exam fee member
unknown
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
3 years
2 years
CEUs per cycle
45
1.5
CEU unit system
ACSM CEC (Continuing Education Credit; ACSM recognizes 1 CEC per contact hour of education)
AFAA CEU (contact-hour based: 1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU; 1.5 CEUs = 15 contact hours)
Renewal fees
$60 standard
$99 standard
Ethics requirement
no
no
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
yes
Renewal deadline rule
Certification valid 3 years. Certificants certified prior to 2025 expire Dec 31; those newly certified in 2025 expire three years from date of initial certification. Recertification must be completed by 11:59 p.m. EST on the expiration date to avoid the $80 late fee; an automatic six-month grace period follows (certification inactive during grace period), after which the credential lapses and only reinstatement ($225) or re-examination is available.
All requirements must be met by the certification expiration date (materials mailed/submitted prior to expiration). Recertification applications may be submitted up to one year late provided all continuing education was completed before or within 90 days of the expiration date; late fees apply ($30 up to 90 days post-expiration, $50 after the grace period and before one year post-expiration).
Reinstatement
unknown
unknown
Credential status
active
active
Last verified
2026-09-03
2026-09-03
CEU recognition
Other certifying organizations' certifications (not recognized) · American Council on Exercise (ACE) (accepts ceus from) · National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) (accepts ceus from) · National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) (accepts ceus from) · AFAA (accepts ceus from) · ACSM Approved CEC Providers (100+ organizations reviewed by ACSM's Education Department) (approved ceu provider)
Colleges/universities (post-certification collegiate coursework) (accepts ceus from) · American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute, National Safety Council, St. John Ambulance, EMT programs (accepts ceus from) · AFAA-Approved Continuing Education Providers (accepts ceus from) · Non-AFAA-approved continuing education providers/courses (petition accepted)
Categories
Personal Training
Personal Training
Compare something else
Related comparisons
ACE-CPT vs AFAA-CGFIACE-GFI vs AFAA-CGFIACSM-CPT vs ACE-CPTACSM-CPT vs ACE-GFIACSM-CPT vs IFPA-CPFTACSM-CPT vs IPTA CPTACSM-CPT vs NASM-CPTACSM-CPT vs NCCPT-CPTACSM-CPT vs NCSF-CPTACSM-CPT vs NESTA PFTACSM-CPT vs NETA-CGEIACSM-CPT vs NETA-CPTACSM-CPT vs NFPT-CPTACSM-CPT vs NPCP NCPTACSM-CPT vs NSCA-CPTACSM-CPT vs W.I.T.S. CPT
Full records: ACSM Certified Personal Trainer · AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor
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