Credentials / National Council on Strength & Fitness

NCSF Certified Strength Coach

NCSF-CSCcertificationverifiedby National Council on Strength & Fitness· Compare
Verified: this record was checked against its official source and the accreditor’s directory. Last verified 2026-09-03. 12 sources on file.

At a glance

Credential type
certification
Status
active
Target professional
Strength coaches
Country
US
Official page
https://www.ncsf.org/strength-coach/
Recertification page
unknown
Categories
Strength & Conditioning, Sports Performance

Accreditation

accreditedNCCAaccredited through 2030-03-31· confirmed in the accreditor’s directory 2026-09-03
Confirmed against NCCA Accredited Program Directory (full listing) on 2026-09-03: National Council on Strength and Fitness | CSC | Certified Strength Coach | NCCA | Accredited through 3/31/2030

Eligibility & examination

Eligibility

Minimum age
unknown
Education
Candidates must meet at least one of: a current NCSF-CPT certification; a current NCCA-accredited fitness professional certification; an associate's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in an exercise profession or related field; or enrollment in the CPT/CSC dual credentialing program or the Master Trainer program
Degree required
no
Experience
unknown
CPR/AED
unknown
Other prerequisites
Alternative pathways: current NCSF-CPT certification, current NCCA-accredited fitness professional certification, or enrollment in the CPT/CSC dual credentialing program or Master Trainer program. Candidates are not required to participate in an NCSF educational program to sit for the exam.

Government-issued photo ID required at testing; eligibility code issued after registration, valid six months. Degree pathway (optional, one of the alternative routes): Associate's degree or higher (one of several alternative eligibility pathways) — In an exercise profession or related field (if using the degree pathway).

Examination

Format
Computer-based multiple choice, third-party proctored by Prometric; available at Prometric testing centers or via remote online proctoring (ProProctor)
Online exam
yes
Testing center
yes
Length
180 minutes
Questions
150
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or greater (scale 0-100)
Attempts included
1
Retake policy
Retake fee $99.00; must wait 30 days between attempts; retake fee rate valid for 6 months after first exam, after which first-time candidate fee applies; no limit on number of attempts

Initial certification costs

$399
exam fee
$349
exam fee
$99
exam retake fee
  • $449 — Certified Strength Coach program (sale price; reg. $899.00)
  • $749 — Strength Coach + Sport Nutrition (sale price; reg. $1,499.00)
  • $749 — Strength Coach + Personal Trainer (sale price; reg. $1,499.00)
  • $999 — NCSF MasterTrainer (sale price; reg. $2,199.00)

Renewal & CEU requirements

2 yr
renewal cycle
10
CEUs per cycle
$85
renewal
Recertification required
yes
CEU unit system
NCSF CEU (1 CEU = 2 hours of educational learning; 1 contact hour = 0.5 NCSF CEU)
Ethics requirement
yes
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
Deadline rule
Two-year certification period begins the day the NCSF exam is passed and ends on the last day of the month in which certification began, 2 years later; Recertification Applications postmarked after the expiration date are not accepted (mail postmark date governs).

10 CEUs per 2-year cycle: 2 CEUs CPR (current CPR proof required), 1 CEU Ethics/Professional Practice, 7 general CEUs from qualifying subject matters. CEU total stays 10 even if holding multiple NCSF credentials. All CEUs must be earned during the current two-year active period; excess CEUs do not carry over. All 10 CEUs must be submitted at once with the application, fee, and supporting documentation (via NCSF Recertification Portal or mail; no fax/email). Failure to renew (CEUs + fees) or retake and pass the CSC exam means the NCSF-CSC title may no longer be claimed.

CEU recognition

  • NATA Board of Certification (BOC) — approved ceu provider
    NCSF Certified Strength Coach program approved by the BOC as continuing education (80 CEUs) for Certified Athletic Trainers
  • Outside continuing education providers (seminars, home study, conferences, college/university courses) — accepts ceus from
    NCSF accepts CEUs earned outside the NCSF within approved categories listed in the Recertification Handbook, subject to category maximums; several courses are pre-approved; coursework in unlisted categories may be submitted to NCSF for verification of qualification
  • CPR certification providers — accepts ceus from
    All reputable organizations offering CPR certifications are accepted (2 CEUs)

Pathway

What this credential requires

One of:
— or —
  • CertificationCurrent NCCA-accredited fitness professional certification
— or —
  • EducationAssociate's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in an exercise profession or related field
— or —
  • CourseEnrollment in the CPT/CSC dual credentialing program or the Master Trainer program

Formal prerequisite: NCSF Certified Personal Trainer (NCSF-CPT) — source · verified 2026-09-06.

Open in Pathways →

Sources (12)

Latest verification activity: reverification → confirmed (2026-10-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-10-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-10-03) · source check failed → could_not_verify (2026-09-07) · source check failed → could_not_verify (2026-09-07)

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