NSCA certification · the whole catalog
NSCA certifications, all five
The National Strength and Conditioning Association issues five certifications, listed in its handbook in force since July 1, 2026: the CSCS for coaches of athletes, the TSAC-F for tactical personnel, the NSCA-CPT for personal trainers, the CSPS for clients with health conditions and the CPSS for sport scientists (handbook). They differ in entry rules and accreditation but share one renewal calendar, which matters most to anyone holding two.
Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
- 5NSCA certifications
- 3with NCCA accreditation
- Oct 2026facts last checked
From no degree to sport science
Each row is an entry requirement for registering. Names without a link have no questions here yet.
| Level | Athletes and tacticalperformance programs | Individual clientspersonal training and health conditions |
|---|---|---|
| No degree | TSAC-FTactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F) | NSCA-CPTNSCA Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) · not on this site yet |
| Bachelor’s degree | CSCSCertified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) | — no NSCA exam here |
| A certification or degree route | — no NSCA exam here | CSPSCertified Special Population Specialist (CSPS) · not on this site yet |
| Graduate degree or bachelor’s + years | CPSSCertified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) · not on this site yet | — no NSCA exam here |
None of the rungs is a prerequisite for the next, except that the CSPS accepts a current certification as one way in.
The five at a glance
| Certification | Who it is for | Eligibility | Accreditation | Questions on the exam | Exam price | Pass rate | Credential holders | Practice | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSAC-F | Tactical facilitators | 18+, diploma, CPR/AED | NCCA | 150 (130 scored) | $300 / $435 | 78% (2025) | 1,983 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4][5][6] | |
| CSCS | Coaches of athletes | Bachelor’s (any field) + CPR/AED | NCCA | 220 (190 scored) | $340 / $475 | 50% (2025) | 45,669 | Practice test Exam facts | [1][2][3][4][5][6] | |
| NSCA-CPT | Personal trainers | 18+, diploma, CPR/AED | NCCA | 155 (140 scored) | $300 / $435 | 77% (2025) | 17,362 | — | [1][2] | |
| CSPS | Special populations | NSCA/NCCA cert or degree route | Not NCCA | 110 (100 scored) | $340 / $475 | 57% (2025) | 236 | — | [1][2] | |
| CPSS | Sport scientists | Graduate degree or bachelor’s + 3 years | Not NCCA | 115 (100 scored) | $340 / $475 | 68% (2025) | 658 | — | [1][2] |
Only three carry NCCA accreditation
Of the five NSCA credentials, only the CSCS, NSCA-CPT and TSAC-F are NCCA-accredited. The CSPS and the CPSS are not, which matters where an employer or a rule asks for an accredited certification. NCAA Division I Bylaw 11.1.5 does exactly that for strength and conditioning coaches, requiring a nationally accredited strength and conditioning certification (NCAA). For a college strength job, the CSCS is the association’s credential written for coaching athletes; the CPSS adds sport science on top of it.
One CEU set, a fee for each credential
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renewal cycle | Every 3 years; the current 2024–2026 cycle ends December 31, 2026 for every certified person | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Continuing education | 6.0 CEUs per cycle if certified before 2024 (4.0 if certified in 2024, 2.0 in 2025, 1.0 in January–June 2026, none from July 2026), or retake and pass the examOne set of CEUs covers every NSCA credential you hold; 1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU. | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Renewal fee | $65 for members, $90 for nonmembers, for each NSCA credential held (prorated for people certified after 2023) | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] |
Every credential from the association runs on one calendar, regardless of the year you passed. Current cycle: 2024–2026, ends Dec 31, 2026. One set of continuing education units counts for all of them, so a coach holding two of the five reports one set (6.0 CEUs for anyone certified before 2024), not one per credential. The fee does not work that way: it is charged per credential, $65 / $90 (member / nonmember) each. If you certified in 2024 or later, the CEU requirement for this first cycle is prorated (see the table). Retaking and passing the exam is the alternative to CEUs.
Membership and the exam price
Members pay less for every exam: $340 / $475 for the coaching exam, $300 / $435 for the tactical one. Membership is $130 / yr at the Professional level, with a cheaper Student tier, and on a first attempt at either exam the member discount is larger than a year of Professional dues. Members also pay the lower renewal fee. Neither exam has a separate application fee; the CPSS adds one. Full breakdowns, retakes included: CSCS cost, TSAC-F cost and certification cost.
Pass rates and testing
The CSCS had the lowest 2025 pass rate of the five, 50%, and its second section is the harder one: 71% passed Scientific Foundations, 55% Practical/Applied (exam report). The year-by-year history is on the exam facts page.
All five are taken at Pearson VUE test centers. The one exception: the tactical exam can also be taken online with live remote proctoring, by candidates living in the US.
Which NSCA certification to take
- You coach athletes and hold a bachelor’s degree: the CSCS. If your degree is not from a CASCE program, sit the exam before the rule changes (CASCE degree from 2030).
- You train military, fire or police personnel, or have no degree: the TSAC-F.
- You work with clients who have health conditions: the CSPS, which accepts a current certification as one route in.
- You run testing and monitoring as a sport scientist: the CPSS, the most advanced of the five.
- You train the general public one-on-one: the NSCA-CPT, a personal training credential outside the scope of this site.
Practice apps for the two with question sets
CSCS practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
TSAC-F app
TSAC-F practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
Both coaching exams on this page have a practice app with a longer question set than this site.
The NSCA exams on this site
- CSCS certificationtwo sections, seven domains
- TSAC-F certificationtactical, online option
- CSCS exam facts
- TSAC-F exam facts
- CSCS practice test
- TSAC-F practice test
- All strength and conditioning certifications
Sources
- NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) nsca.com · checked Oct 27, 2026
- NSCA exam report, 2025 exams (Wayback copy of Jun 15, 2026) web.archive.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- NSCA exam report, 2024 exams (Wayback copy of Apr 30, 2025) web.archive.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- NSCA exam report, 2023 exams (Wayback copy of Nov 3, 2024) web.archive.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- NSCA exam report, 2022 exams (Wayback copy of Apr 19, 2024) web.archive.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- NSCA Certification Handbook, 2022 edition (PDF, superseded) nsca.com · checked Oct 27, 2026
Questions about NSCA certification
How many certifications does the NSCA offer?
Five: the CSCS, TSAC-F, NSCA-CPT, CSPS and CPSS, all described in the association’s handbook in force since July 1, 2026.
Can you take an NSCA exam online?
Only the TSAC-F, and only from the US. The other four are taken at Pearson VUE test centers.
Do I renew each NSCA certification separately?
You report one set of CEUs for all of them, but the renewal fee is charged for each credential you hold. All of them share one cycle. Current cycle: 2024–2026, ends Dec 31, 2026.
Is membership required to certify?
No. It lowers the exam and renewal prices; nonmembers pay the higher price for the same exam.