NSCA-CPT · exam facts, checked 19 Oct 2026
NSCA-CPT exam facts: format, scoring and retakes
Every number on this page comes from NSCA's Certification Handbook effective July 1, 2026, with a source link in each table row. The short version: $435 ($300 for members), 155 questions, a scaled 70 to pass, and a renewal deadline of December 31, 2026 for everyone.
- $435exam fee ($300 members)
- scaled 70to pass
- 30 daysbefore a retake
- 6.0 CEUsper 3-year cycle
All the facts in one table
| Fact | NSCA-CPT | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Items on the exam | 155 (140 scored + 15 unscored) | H26 |
| Time limit | 3 hours | H26 |
| Answer options per item | 3 (a, b, c) | H26 |
| Video questions | 25–35 image or video items | H26 |
| Pass mark | scaled 70 or higher (not 70% correct; the raw cut varies by form) | H26 |
| Score report | at the test center right after the exam; a downloadable report in your Pearson VUE account after 24 h | H26 |
| Where you sit it | Pearson VUE test centers only (live remote proctoring is offered for the TSAC-F, not the CPT) | H26 |
| Eligibility | 18+, high-school diploma or equivalent, current CPR/AED with a hands-on skills check | H26 |
| Exam-only fee | $435 · $300 for NSCA members | H26 |
| Window to test | 120 days from registration (+120 days for $100) | H26 |
| Retake | full fee again; wait ≥30 days; after 3 consecutive attempts wait 1 year | H26 |
| Renewal | 6.0 CEUs + fee per fixed 3-year cycle; current cycle ends Dec 31, 2026 (pro-rated if certified mid-cycle) | H26 |
| Accreditation | NCCA (with the CSCS and TSAC-F) | H26 |
| Pass rate | 72% in 2019 (1,089 candidates) | H21 |
Format: what you'll see on screen
- 155 multiple-choice questions: 140 scored and 15 unscored pretest items, mixed in and unmarked.
- 3 hours of seat time.
- 3 answer options (a, b, c), one best answer. Some items are a short client case, and 25–35 show an image or a video.
- Calculator: an on-screen four-function calculator; you can't bring your own.
- Cognitive mix of the scored items: 33 recall · 62 application · 45 analysis.
Domain weights and what each domain covers are on the exam overview.
Cost: exam fee, extension, refunds
The exam fee is $435, or $300 for members; a retake costs the full fee again, and an extension is $100 for one extra 120 days, requested inside the first window. Membership dues, refunds, study bundles and renewal fees are on the cost page.
Registering and booking with Pearson VUE
- Register and pay on NSCA's site.
- Pearson VUE emails scheduling instructions 10–15 minutes after you register with NSCA; book at pearsonvue.com/NSCA or by phone.
- Sit the exam within 120 days of registering. If you can't, extend before the window closes (see Cost above).
- Bring an ID that matches the name you registered with; the two have to match.
There's no at-home option for this exam: it's Pearson VUE test centers only (live remote proctoring is offered for the TSAC-F, not the CPT).
Passing score and pass rate
To pass you need a scaled 70 or higher. Your raw score is converted to a scale so the standard stays the same across exam versions, which means the raw score that equals a scaled 70 changes from form to form. No fixed number of correct answers guarantees a pass.
You get your result on the spot, before you leave the test center. The report shows your raw score and how you did by domain, and the handbook itself says to read the domain figures with caution because they rest on few items.
Pass rate: 72% in 2019 (1,089 candidates), last figure in a handbook; NSCA posts newer rates each spring at NSCA.com/nsca-exam-report.
Myth: “70 means 70% correct”
The handbook says it outright: scaled scoring is not a percentage and not a curve. Anyone quoting a fixed percentage needed to pass this exam is guessing.
Retakes
- Wait at least 30 days from your last attempt. You can't even register before then.
- Pay the full exam fee again.
- You get three consecutive attempts, then a one-year wait from the most recent test date.
- You don't resubmit eligibility documents unless your CPR/AED has lapsed.
Eligibility and the CPR/AED rule
Who can sit it: anyone 18 or older with a high-school diploma or equivalent. No degree, no prior certification.
The rule to check twice is the CPR/AED card. It has to be a current CPR/AED certification that includes a hands-on skills assessment; a course with no in-person skills check won't be accepted. Exam results stay valid for one calendar year, and your documentation has to arrive within a year of passing, or you aren't certified.
Renewal: CEUs and the 2024–2026 cycle
Everyone renews on one calendar: the current cycle is 2024–2026 and closes on December 31, 2026. You need up to 6.0 CEUs and a fee, fewer if you certified during the cycle, and your CPR/AED has to stay current throughout. CEU counts by certification date, categories, reporting and reinstatement: CEUs and renewal.
NSCA-CPT exam facts, quick answers
How much does the NSCA-CPT exam cost?
$435 for non-members and $300 for members. Retakes cost the same; every other fee is on the cost page.
How many CEUs do I need to renew?
6.0 CEUs per cycle if you certified before 2024, fewer if you certified during the current 2024–2026 cycle. The full table: CEUs and renewal.
Is the NSCA-CPT exam given by Pearson VUE?
Yes. You register and pay with NSCA, Pearson VUE emails you scheduling instructions, and you book a seat at one of its test centers. There's no at-home option for the CPT.
What is the NSCA-CPT pass rate?
The latest figure printed in a handbook is 72% (2019). Updated rates appear each spring on the certifier's exam report page; we haven't been able to check the latest one directly, so we don't quote it.
Does an online CPR course count?
Only if it includes a hands-on skills assessment. A course done fully online, with no in-person skills check, isn't accepted for eligibility.