Compare
NASM-CPT vs NSCA-CPT
NASM Certified Personal Trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine and NSCA Certified Personal Trainer from National Strength and Conditioning Association, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- NASM-CPT renews on a 2-year cycle; NSCA-CPT on a 3-year cycle.
- NASM-CPT requires 2 continuing-education units per cycle versus 6 for NSCA-CPT — note the providers use different CEU unit systems, so these figures are not directly comparable.
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
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM-CPT
NSCA Certified Personal Trainer
NSCA-CPT
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2031-11-30
2029-03-31
Target professional
Personal trainers
Personal trainers
Minimum age
18
18
Education requirement
High school diploma or GED
High school diploma (or equivalent)
Degree required
no
no
Experience requirement
None; no prior fitness certification or professional fitness experience required
unknown
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
yes
Other prerequisites
Current CPR and AED certification from an approved provider (AHA, American Red Cross, ASHI, St. John Ambulance, ECSI, or EMT; NASM also offers an ASTI-powered online course); may enroll in the self-study course before obtaining CPR/AED but must have them before the exam. Purchase of NASM self-study material is not required to sit for the exam.
Must abide by NSCA policies and procedures, including the Professional Code of Ethics; must receive a passing score on the NSCA-CPT exam.
Exam format
Closed-book, proctored exam administered by PSI; available at 500+ in-person testing centers or online via remote proctor
3-hour computer-based multiple-choice exam; 140 scored and 15 non-scored items (155 total), with 25-35 questions presented as video and/or image questions, across domains: Client Consultation/Assessment, Program Planning, Program Execution, Safety/Emergency Procedures and Legal Issues
Question count
120
155
Time limit
120 minutes
180 minutes
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or better (120 questions = 100 scored plus 20 unscored pretest items)
Cut-score determined by the Exam Development Committee using a modified Angoff methodology (specific score not stated)
Retake policy
Retest waiting periods: one week after first failure, 30 days after second failure, one year after third or subsequent failures. Retests purchased by calling NASM Member Services; a retest is included with the CPT Premium Self-Study and CPT All-Inclusive programs.
unknown
Exam / application fees
unknown
$300 exam fee member · $435 exam fee nonmember
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
2 years
3 years
CEUs per cycle
2
6
CEU unit system
NASM-approved CEU (2.0 CEUs ≈ 20 contact hours of approved continuing education)
NSCA CEU (1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU; 10 contact hours = 1.0 CEU; 1 semester credit hour = 0.5 CEU, 1 quarter credit hour = 0.3 CEU)
Renewal fees
unknown
$65 member · $60 nonmember
Ethics requirement
unknown
no
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
yes
Renewal deadline rule
Credential must be renewed by its two-year expiration date. If requirements are not met, the credential expires; renewal applications are accepted up to one year after expiration provided all CE courses were completed before or within 90 days of the expiration date. A late fee applies to applications received up to 90 days post-expiration; after 90 days an additional fee applies.
Fixed three-year reporting period with a common deadline for all certificants: current 2024-2026 cycle ends December 31, 2026. CEUs must be earned 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
NASM Preferred Providers / NASM-approved course providers (accepts ceus from) · Non-preapproved continuing education providers (petition accepted) · CPR/AED providers (e.g., American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute) (accepts ceus from)
National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA)-accredited certification programs (accepts ceus from) · Third-party organizations/businesses offering NSCA pre-approved home study courses (approved ceu provider) · Non-approved home study / outside educational activities (Personal Development) (accepts ceus from)
Categories
Personal Training
Personal Training
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Full records: NASM Certified Personal Trainer · NSCA Certified Personal Trainer
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