NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Exam

The exam is built from six content domains, each weighted according to NASM's official candidate handbook:

• Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts — 15%
• Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching — 15%
• Assessment — 16%
• Program Design — 20%
• Exercise Technique and Training Instruction — 24%
• Professional Development and Responsibility — 10%

Program Design and Exercise Technique together make up nearly half the exam, so most study time should go toward applying training principles rather than just memorizing definitions.

The exam-only package costs $599.00 as a one-time payment. This option excludes prep materials and learning support, and NASM positions it for candidates who already have formal education or hands-on experience in exercise and fitness science. Candidates who need study materials should check NASM's current fee schedule for its bundled study packages, since pricing on those changes over time.

The exam is closed-book and proctored, with 120 total questions — 100 scored plus 20 unscored pretest items — and a two-hour time limit. A scaled score of 70 or higher is required to pass. The exam must be taken within 180 days of purchase, and candidates need a valid government-issued photo ID plus current CPR/AED certification on exam day.