Compare
CSCCa SCCC vs NSCA CSCS
Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified from Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from National Strength and Conditioning Association, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- The exam fee differs: $470 for SCCC versus $475 for CSCS.
- SCCC requires 45 continuing-education units per cycle versus 6 for CSCS — note the providers use different CEU unit systems, so these figures are not directly comparable.
- The nonmember renewal fee differs: $120 for SCCC versus $90 for CSCS.
- SCCC carries an ethics requirement at renewal; CSCS does not.
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
Provider
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2029-07-31
2029-03-31
Target professional
Full-time collegiate and professional strength and conditioning coaches
Strength and conditioning coaches
Minimum age
unknown
unknown
Education requirement
Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (sealed official transcript required). All first-time candidates must have academic credit for 4 courses: Anatomy & Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics or Kinesiology, and Nutrition (each 3+ credit hours). Alternatively, a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science or Kinesiology from a CAAHEP- or CASCE-accredited program meets the education eligibility requirement.
Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution (BS/BA), or a terminal degree in Physical Therapy or Chiropractic Medicine; candidates may also sit for the exam while currently enrolled as a college senior at an accredited institution. Official transcript required (US/Canada); international candidates submit copy of final transcript/diploma.
Degree required
yes — Bachelor's degree
yes — Bachelor's degree or higher
Experience requirement
Must be a currently practicing, full-time strength and conditioning coach on the collegiate or professional level, or a student preparing to become one. Completion of a 640-hour CSCCa-approved practicum/internship under a CSCCa-Approved Mentor (must be completed within 3 years of the candidate's initial exam date); undergraduates must be at least a senior (90+ semester hours). Candidates with 6 or more years of full-time collegiate/professional S&C coaching experience submit employment verification letter(s) instead of the practicum.
unknown
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
yes
Other prerequisites
Signed CSCCa Code of Conduct within the exam application; Practicum Waiver & Information Form and Internship Completion Verification Form; submission of a program design; CPR, First Aid and AED certification card from American Red Cross or American Heart Association valid on the exam date (CPR/AED cannot be obtained solely online). CSCCa membership is not required but members receive discounted rates.
CPR/AED certification must include a hands-on skills performance assessment; candidates without current CPR/AED may still register and test but must submit a valid copy within 1 year of the exam date. All eligibility documentation must be received within one (1) year of the exam date or results become invalid. Candidates must abide by the NSCA Code of Ethics.
Exam format
Three-pronged program: 640-hour practicum/internship, a comprehensive science-based written exam, and a practical exam before a panel of Master Strength & Conditioning Coaches. Written exam scheduled with PSI online at a location near you; practical exam either virtual with remote proctoring or in person at the CSCCa National Conference.
Computer-based multiple-choice exam in two sections: Section 1 Scientific Foundations (1.5 hours; 80 scored + 15 non-scored questions) and Section 2 Practical/Applied (2.5 hours; 110 scored + 15 non-scored questions, 30-40 video- and/or image-based). First-time candidates must complete both sections.
Question count
unknown
220
Time limit
unknown
240 minutes
Passing score
unknown
Cut score set by Exam Development Committee using a modified Angoff methodology; numeric passing score not stated
Retake policy
Candidates may retake one or both portions of the SCCC Certification Exam by submitting a retake exam application and paying the retake certification fee (one portion: $225 member / $355 non-member; both portions: $340 member / $470 non-member); retaking the practical exam also requires a program design submission.
Candidates who fail one of the two sections only retake the failed section, which must be retaken within one year of the initial exam date; retake fees apply ($340 member/$475 non-member for both sections; $250 member/$385 non-member for one section).
Exam / application fees
$340 exam fee member · $470 exam fee nonmember · $230 application fee
$340 exam fee member · $475 exam fee nonmember
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
3 years
3 years
CEUs per cycle
45
6
CEU unit system
CSCCa CEU (15 CEUs recommended per year; non-CSCCa approved events credited at 0.5 CEU per contact hour, max 8 CEUs per event)
NSCA CEU (1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU; 10 contact hours = 1.0 CEU; college coursework: 0.5 CEU per semester credit hour, 0.4 per trimester, 0.3 per quarter)
Renewal fees
$75 member · $120 nonmember
$65 member · $90 nonmember
Ethics requirement
yes
no
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
yes
Renewal deadline rule
All requirements must be completed on or before the last day of the 3-year CEU cycle; cycles run August 1 - July 31 (current cycle August 1, 2025 - July 31, 2028, deadline July 31, 2028). CPR/AED and First Aid must be valid on/after July 31, 2028.
Fixed three-year cycle ending December 31 of the cycle's final year; current 2024-2026 cycle deadline is December 31, 2026. All requirements must be completed between January 1, 2024 (or the certification date, whichever is later) and December 31, 2026.
Reinstatement
unknown
unknown
Credential status
active
active
Last verified
2026-09-03
2026-09-03
CEU recognition
Non-CSCCa conferences and meetings (approved non-CSCCa events) (petition accepted)
NSCA pre-approved third-party CE providers (e.g., Human Kinetics) (approved ceu provider) · National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) (accepts ceus from)
Categories
Strength & Conditioning, Sports Performance
Strength & Conditioning, Sports Performance
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