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Exam Overview
The NASM Certified Personal Trainer exam is administered by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and delivered by PSI. It evaluates whether a candidate has the knowledge to work safely and effectively with apparently healthy clients and special populations, from exercise science and assessment through program design, coaching, and professional responsibility.
Exam Pattern
The exam contains 120 four-option multiple-choice questions. Of these, 100 are scored and 20 are unscored research questions being evaluated for future exams. Research questions are mixed in with scored questions and look exactly like them, so treat every question as if it counts. You have 2 hours to complete the exam, which allows about one minute per question. You can test at an in-person PSI test center or online through live remote proctoring.
The Six Content Domains
Exercise Technique and Training Instruction is the largest domain, followed by Program Design. Together they account for 44% of the exam.
| ExamDomain | Weight | WhereItIsReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| BasicandAppliedSciencesandNutritionalConcepts | 15% | Section1 |
| Assessment | 16% | Section2 |
| ProgramDesign | 20% | Section3 |
| ExerciseTechniqueandTrainingInstruction | 24% | Section4 |
| ClientRelationsandBehavioralCoaching | 15% | Section5 |
| ProfessionalDevelopmentandResponsibility | 10% | Section6 |
Scoring and Passing Requirements
Only the 100 scored questions count toward your result. Raw scores are converted to a scale, and a scaled score of 70 or higher passes. Scaling holds every candidate to the same standard regardless of which exam form they receive. Candidates who pass are not given a numeric score; candidates who do not pass receive their score and a breakdown by content area to guide further study. There is no penalty for incorrect answers, so answer every question.
With 120 questions in 120 minutes, aim for about one minute per question. Answer what you know quickly, flag items that need more thought, and leave time at the end to return to them.
Exam at a Glance
| ExamAspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Credential | NASM Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) NCCA accredited , |
| Delivery | Computer-based proctored by PSI at a test center or by live remote proctoring , |
| Questions | 120 four-option multiple-choice: 100 scored and 20 unscored research questions |
| Time | 2hours |
| Content | Sixdomains:Sciences15%·Assessment16%·ProgramDesign20%·ExerciseTechnique24%· |
| ClientRelations15%·ProfessionalResponsibility10% | |
| Scoring | Scaledscore;70orhigherpasses;nopenaltyforguessing |
| Eligibility | HighschooldiplomaorequivalentandcurrentCPRandAEDcertification |
| Testingwindow | Theexammustbetakenwithin180daysofpurchase |
| Retakes | Waitoneweekafterafirstunsuccessfulattempt 30daysafterasecond andoneyearafterathird;a , , |
| retestfeeapplies | |
| Recertification | Everytwoyears:20CEUs(20contacthours)andcurrentCPRandAEDcertification . |
Why the NASM-CPT Credential Matters
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