CMA (AAMA) Pass Rate 2026: 69% First-Time, per the AAMA
- Questions
- 200
- Time limit
- 2h 40m
- Passing score
- 405 (scaled)
- Exam fee
- $250
What is the CMA (AAMA) exam pass rate?
According to the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the percent pass rate for first-time administrations of the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam was 69% — a figure the AAMA reports for the July 2024 through April 2025 testing window.
How the CMA (AAMA) exam is scored
The AAMA states that the exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions, and candidates are given 160 minutes to answer them. That works out to just under 50 seconds per question on average, so pacing matters as much as knowledge. Your raw performance is converted to a scaled score rather than a simple percent-correct, which lets the AAMA compare results fairly across different versions of the exam.
The passing standard is fixed on that scaled scale: the AAMA reports the minimum passing score is 405. Because the score is scaled, you cannot reliably back-calculate exactly how many questions you must answer correctly — but a strong, even performance across the content is what carries you over the 405 line.
What the exam covers — and what drives pass/fail
The AAMA notes that the Exam Content Outline covers general, clinical, and administrative responsibilities. The AAMA requires candidates to be a student or graduate of a medical assisting program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES, and those accredited curricula are built around the same competencies the exam measures.
Time management matters too: with 200 questions in 160 minutes, candidates who stall on hard items early can run short at the end.
How to improve your odds
The AAMA offers a 200-question practice exam with 90-day access — the same item count as the real test. Working through it under timed conditions surfaces the domains where you're weakest while there's still time to fix them.
You can start building that timed-testing habit right now with our free CMA (AAMA) practice exam, then layer in the AAMA's official practice exam closer to your test date. Once your application is approved, the AAMA's testing partner PSI sends scheduling instructions, and approved candidates receive a 90-day exam authorization window in which to test — enough runway to schedule a final, focused review sprint before you sit down for the real thing.
What the 69% covers
The AAMA reports this figure for first-time administrations across a defined window rather than as a running all-time average, and two things follow from that. Repeat attempts are not in it, so the share of candidates who eventually certify is higher than 69%. And because it describes a window rather than a rolling number, a "69% CMA pass rate" quoted elsewhere without a date attached may well be describing a different period.
What the number cannot do is rank the exam against other credentials. The CMA (AAMA) draws almost entirely from candidates who have finished a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program — a narrower and better-prepared pool than an open-entry exam sees. Comparing this 69% directly against a pass rate from an exam with no education requirement is not an apples-to-apples comparison.
What an attempt costs — and what keeping it costs later
| Item | AAMA member |
|---|---|
| Exam registration | $125 |
| Exam authorization window | 90 days from approval |
| Reschedule or cancel deadline | 24 hours before the booked time, or the fee is forfeited |
| Recertification cycle | Every 60 months |
| Recertification requirement | 60 points, of which at least 30 must be AAMA-approved CEUs |
| Recertification fee | $80 |
The bottom three rows are the ones candidates rarely price in. The credential is not permanent: it runs on a 60-month clock, and holding it means accumulating 60 recertification points — at least 30 of them AAMA-approved CEUs — before that clock runs out.
What clearing the exam is worth
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for medical assistants (May 2025) counts 817,870 people employed nationally, with a median annual wage of $45,690 and a mean of $46,120. Per that same BLS data, the spread matters more than the midpoint: the bottom tenth of the occupation earns about $36,050 and the top tenth about $59,310, a range of roughly $23,000. A credential is not the only thing separating those two ends — experience, specialty and region all move a salary — but it is one of the few a candidate can settle before their first day on the job.
The bottom line
The CMA (AAMA) exam is 200 questions in 160 minutes, with a minimum passing scaled score of 405 and a 69% first-time pass rate for candidates from accredited programs.
What the cited data shows
The charts below use only figures from the sources this article cites. A chart is left out where no source publishes the figure.
| Document | Effective date | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| AAMA: AAMA Certification — Exam Statistics | 2025-04-30 | 2026-07-21 |
| AAMA: Apply for the CMA (AAMA) Exam | Not stated | 2026-07-18 |
| AAMA: CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Eligibility | Not stated | 2026-07-18 |
| AAMA: CMA (AAMA) Exam Scheduling | Not stated | 2026-07-18 |
| AAMA: CMA (AAMA) Recertification | Not stated | 2026-07-18 |
| AAMA: Prepare for the CMA (AAMA) Exam | Not stated | 2026-07-18 |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092), national employment | 2025-05-31 | 2026-08-06 |
Free CMA (AAMA) practice test — 214 questions, instant feedback. No signup required.
Sources
- 1.AAMA Certification — Exam Statistics — AAMA (accessed Jul 21, 2026)
- 2.Prepare for the CMA (AAMA) Exam — AAMA (accessed Jul 18, 2026)
- 3.CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam Eligibility — AAMA (accessed Jul 18, 2026)
- 4.Apply for the CMA (AAMA) Exam — AAMA (accessed Jul 18, 2026)
- 5.CMA (AAMA) Exam Scheduling — AAMA (accessed Jul 18, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How hard is the CMA (AAMA) exam?
The CMA (AAMA) exam is challenging but passable with structured preparation — the AAMA reports a 69% first-time pass rate, meaning roughly two in three candidates succeed on their initial attempt. You face 200 multiple-choice questions in 160 minutes, which works out to under a minute per question, so pacing matters as much as knowledge. The AAMA sets the minimum passing score at 405 on its scaled scoring system. The breadth is the real difficulty: the Exam Content Outline spans general, clinical, and administrative responsibilities rather than one narrow domain.
What is the CMA (AAMA) exam pass rate?
According to the AAMA, the first-time pass rate is 69%. That figure covers candidates testing on their first administration, so it reflects how well-prepared first-attempt test-takers are rather than overall eventual certification rates. Since the passing standard is a fixed scaled score of 405, you are measured against a content standard rather than against other candidates in your testing window.
How much does the CMA (AAMA) exam cost?
The AAMA states that members pay $125 for exam registration and nonmembers pay $250 — a $125 difference that often makes AAMA membership worth pricing out before you apply. Budget for recertification too: the recertification fee is $80 for AAMA members and $160 for nonmembers. Be careful with scheduling changes, since test center exams must be canceled or rebooked at least 24 hours before the booked testing time or the test fee is forfeited.
Who is eligible to sit for the CMA (AAMA) exam?
Eligibility runs primarily through accredited education: the AAMA requires candidates to be a student or graduate of a medical assisting program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES. There is also a pathway for medical assisting educators who have completed a minimum of 1,000 hours in a postsecondary medical assisting program. Before applying, the AAMA expects candidates to verify their eligibility, prepare for the exam, and review the exam application — confirming your program's accreditation status early avoids a rejected application later.
How should I study for the CMA (AAMA) exam?
Start with the Exam Content Outline, which covers general, clinical, and administrative responsibilities, and audit yourself against all three areas rather than only the clinical skills you use daily at work. The AAMA offers a 200-question practice exam with 90-day access, which mirrors the real exam's 200-question length and is the closest available gauge of your readiness. Practice under a 160-minute clock so timing pressure is familiar rather than a surprise, and keep drilling weak domains until you can clear the 405 scaled passing standard comfortably.
How do I schedule the exam, and how long do I have to test?
Candidates schedule the CMA (AAMA) exam through PSI, the AAMA's testing partner, either online or by phone. After the AAMA approves an application, PSI sends the candidate an email with scheduling instructions, and approved candidates receive a 90-day exam authorization window in which to test. Plan your study calendar backward from that 90-day deadline, and remember that once you book a test center seat, you must cancel or rebook at least 24 hours before the booked testing time or the test fee is forfeited. Note that certification is not permanent — the credential must be recertified every 60 months.