ACSM certification · four exams, one college
ACSM certification, four exams on one ladder
An ACSM certification is earned by passing one of the four exams the American College of Sports Medicine runs: group exercise instructor (GEI), personal trainer (CPT), exercise physiologist (EP) and clinical exercise physiologist (CEP). Each is a separate credential, and none of them requires the one below it: your schooling decides which you can sit, and for the CEP so do logged clinical hours. This page lines the four up, lists the rules they share, flags what changes in 2027 and says which edition of the Guidelines the exams follow.
Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
- 70%EP first-time pass rate, Jul–Dec 2025
- 55%CEP first-time pass rate, Jul–Dec 2025
- 550 of 800scaled pass mark, CPT, EP and CEP
Four exams, by what you bring to them
Read down the column: the top two rows need a diploma and differ in who you teach; the bottom two need a degree, and the last one also needs documented clinical hours. You can enter at whichever row you qualify for.
| Level | ACSMcore certifications |
|---|---|
| Diploma, leads classes | ACSM-GEIGroup Exercise Instructor |
| Diploma, one-on-one clients | ACSM-CPTCertified Personal Trainer |
| Exercise science degree | ACSM-EPACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP) |
| Degree plus clinical hours | ACSM-CEPACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) |
The two lower rows are fitness-industry credentials this site lists for reference only; its practice sets cover the EP and the CEP.
The three accredited exams, side by side
| Certification | Who it is for | Eligibility | Questions on the exam | Testing time | Exam price | Pass rate | Accreditation | Practice | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACSM-CPT | Personal trainers | Diploma + CPR/AED | 135 (120 scored) | 2 h 30 min | $310 / $410 | 53% first-time (2025) | NCCA | — | [1][2] | |
| ACSM-EP | Healthy and controlled-disease clients | Exercise science bachelor’s + CPR/AED | 140 (125 scored) | 3 h 30 min | $350 / $460 | 70% first-time (2025) | NCCA | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4][5] | |
| ACSM-CEP | Clinical populations | Master’s + 600 h or bachelor’s + 1,200 h | 115 (100 scored) | 3 h 30 min | $350 / $460 | 55% first-time (2025) | NCCA | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][4][6][7] |
The fourth exam and the specialty certificates
The group exercise instructor exam is the one missing from the table. It asks for what the CPT asks for, a high school diploma and CPR/AED training that includes an in-person skills test, and it is aimed at people who teach classes rather than individual clients. Unlike the other three, it lacks NCCA accreditation: the college's July 2025 candidate handbook says it is still working toward it. ACSM’s CPT, EP and CEP exams were first accredited in 2006–2007.
Next to the four exams sit the specialty certificate programs: cancer exercise, inclusive fitness, youth fitness and several more on the certification page. The college describes them as educational programs that add to a certification's base knowledge; they are not a fifth exam, and this page leaves them out of the comparison.
Which one fits your background
- No degree. The CPT for one-on-one clients or the GEI for classes. Neither is covered by this site's practice sets.
- Bachelor's in kinesiology, exercise science or exercise physiology, plus CPR/AED. The ACSM-EP. You can test in your final semester; the requirements page covers degrees with other names.
- Clinical hours already logged. The ACSM-CEP, open to master’s + 600 h or bachelor’s + 1,200 h; the file is checked before you can book a date.
Choosing between the two exercise physiologist exams is its own question, answered on exercise physiologist certification with both sets of facts side by side.
Rules the three accredited exams share
| Certification | Where you test | Passing score | Retake price | Continuing education | Renewal fee | Renewal cycle | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACSM-CPT | Test center or online | 550 of 800 | $205 | 45 CECs | $60 | 3 years | [1][8] | |
| ACSM-EP | Test center or online | 550 of 800 | $235 | 60 CECs | $70 | 3 years | [1][5][8] | |
| ACSM-CEP | Test center or online | 550 of 800 | $235 | 60 CECs | $70 | 3 years | [1][7][8] |
Scores. All three are scored on a 200–800 scale, and the pass mark is 550 of 800. Forms are equated, so it is not a percentage of questions right and the raw count behind it moves from form to form.
At home or at a center. All three can be booked at a Pearson VUE test site or proctored at home through OnVUE, which the NSCA's coaching exam does not allow: see NSCA vs ACSM.
Retakes, EP and CEP: Wait at least 15 days after a failed attempt; up to 4 attempts in a 12-month period.
What changes in 2027
| Feature | ACSM-EP | ACSM-CEP | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree ruleThree different accreditation rules: CASCE for the CSCS from 2030, CAAHEP for ACSM degrees from August 15, 2027, CAATE master’s programs for athletic trainers. | Degrees awarded on or after August 15, 2027 must come from a CAAHEP-accredited program or one that has started the CAAHEP/CoAES process; ACSM will reassess in August 2029 | Degrees awarded on or after August 15, 2027 must come from a CAAHEP-accredited program (bachelor’s in exercise science or master’s in exercise physiology) or one that has started the accreditation process | [4] |
| CPR/AED requirement | Adult CPR/AED with a live hands-on skills check; standard first aid is also required from August 15, 2027 | BLS Provider, ACLS, or CPR for the Professional Rescuer, with a live in-person skills check; current first aid also required from August 15, 2027 | [1][4] |
Both changes take effect on the same day. What counts for the degree rule is when the degree is conferred, whatever your exam date, and a program that has started the accreditation process counts, so ask your department where it stands rather than guessing from its website. The first-aid requirement reaches the GEI and CPT too, per the handbook. The EP's degree wording, coursework substitutions and audits are on ACSM-EP requirements; the clinical-hour log is on ACSM-CEP requirements.
ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th edition
The Guidelines (GETP) is the reference behind both exercise physiologist exams, and the edition that counts is the 12th: each outline in force is dated July 2025 (GETP 12).
- EP: GETP, 12th ed., the main reference.
- CEP: ACSM’s Clinical Exercise Physiology, 2nd edition, and ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th edition.
How the EP exam uses it, domain by domain, is on the ACSM-EP study guide.
Older book lists
A reading list written before July 2025 may still name the 11th edition of the Guidelines. The EP and CEP outlines in force since then are aligned with the 12th.
Pass rates since the new outlines
The college publishes first-time and repeat pass rates per exam. Between the two exercise physiologist exams, only the CEP's dropped once the July 2025 outlines arrived: its first-attempt rate slid to 55% for July–December 2025, from 65% in 2024. The EP held at 70%. A repeat attempt passes less often on both: 53% for the EP and 49% for the CEP in the same months.
EP and CEP questions, in your pocket
ACSM-EP practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
ACSM-CEP app
ACSM-CEP practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
Go deeper
- ACSM-EPthe healthy-client exam, by domain
- ACSM-CEPclinical populations, ECG and medications
- EP or CEP?EP and CEP compared, plus what replaced the RCEP
- Certification costACSM fees next to the NSCA and BOC
- Compareevery pairing of exams on this site
Sources
- ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: about ACSM certification (scoring, pass rates, audits) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM-EP exam content outline, effective July 10, 2025 (PDF) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: updated ACSM-EP and ACSM-CEP requirements and accreditation (revised Feb 6, 2026) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: Certified Exercise Physiologist acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM-CEP exam content outline, effective July 10, 2025 (PDF) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: recertification acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
ACSM certification, quick answers
How many ACSM certifications are there?
Four core certifications: GEI, CPT, EP and CEP (candidate handbook). The specialty certificates are educational programs added on top, not separate exams.
What is the ACSM passing score?
550 of 800 on the CPT, EP and CEP. It is a scaled score, so it does not translate into a fixed number of correct answers.
Can you take an ACSM exam online?
Yes. The CPT, EP and CEP all offer OnVUE remote proctoring at home as well as Pearson VUE test sites.
Is the ACSM-GEI NCCA-accredited?
Not yet. The July 2025 handbook says ACSM is in the process of earning NCCA accreditation for it; the CPT, EP and CEP are accredited.
Which edition of GETP do I need?
The 12th. Both exercise physiologist exam outlines in force since July 2025 are aligned with it.