Personal Training Certification School Comparison
The Full Results
We have compiled all the data from our
personal training certification school
review into one monster table. It is huge,
and hard to read. But I have also created
three filtered versions of this table listed below
You should also look at our full list of
Personal Training Schools.
Filtered Versions of the Comparison Table
1) NCCA accredited programs only
2) Non-NCCA accredited programs
3) Online Certification Programs
This is the only place on the Internet to compare personal trainer certification
programs. If you find this information useful, please support our site.
Each of the links in our personal training certification school table will take
you to our information page for each program.
| Personal Training Certification School |
ACE |
NPTI |
NASM |
ACSM |
NSCA |
NCSF |
NFPT |
NESTA |
IFPA |
ISSA |
AFAA |
| Certification |
Personal Trainer |
Certified Personal Trainer,
Certified Nutritional Consultant,
Diploma in Personal Training,
CPR Certification |
Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) |
Certified Personal Trainer (cPT) |
NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) |
Certified Personal Trainer (cPT)
|
CPT - Certified Personal Trainer |
Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT) |
CPT - Certified Personal Trainer |
Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT) |
Personal Trainer |
| Established |
1985 |
|
1987 |
1954 |
1993 |
|
1988 |
|
1994 |
1988 |
1983 |
 |
| Workshop length |
2 days |
500 hours |
2 days |
1 or 3 days |
2 days |
2 days or extended school option |
2 days |
2 days |
2 days |
2 days |
3 days |
| Workshop
Availability |
US major cities |
Locations in 23 U.S. cities and Online option |
Select US cities |
US major cities |
Limited cities |
US major cities |
Major U.S. Cities |
very limited |
Major U.S. Cities |
US major cities |
|
| Program Cost |
$399 |
$5900 - $6300 |
$599-$799 |
$129 or $375 |
N/A |
$309 |
$425 |
$489 or $389 without Polar watch |
$399-$459 |
$754 |
$469 |
| Materials cost |
Included |
Included |
Included |
$125 |
up to $468 |
Included |
Included |
Included |
Included |
Included |
$59 |
| Industry recognition |
High |
Med-High |
High |
High |
High |
High |
Med - High |
Med |
Med - High |
Med-High |
Med |
| Accreditations |
NCCA |
State Certified Training |
NCCA |
NCCA |
NCCA |
NCCA |
NCCA |
NCCA |
NCCA, ACET |
DETC |
NBFE, NOCA, CHEA |
| Prerequisites |
18 years old, Adult CPR/AED Certificate |
18 years old, U.S. Citizen or Green Card (not required for online program), High School diploma or equivalent |
18 years old, Adult CPR/AED Certificate |
High School Diploma, Adult CPR Certificate |
18 years old, Adult CPR and AED Certificate, high school diploma or equivalent |
None |
High School Diploma, 18 years old, 2+ years fitness experience |
18 years old, high school diploma or equivalent |
High School Diploma, 18 years old, CPR |
High School Diploma, 18 years old, Adult CPR/AED Certificate |
Unavailable |
|
| Exam Questions |
150 |
|
120 |
125-150 |
140 |
150 |
120 |
100 |
100 |
168 |
|
| Exam Time |
3 hours |
|
2 hours |
2.5 hours |
3 hours |
3 hours |
2 hours |
2 hours |
2.5 hours |
|
|
| Exam Cost |
$219 (pencil/paper), $249 (computer) |
Included |
Included |
$279 |
$235-270 (members)/ $355-390(non-members) (Pencil/paper exam) $285(members)/$405(non-members) (Computer-based exam) |
$199 |
$44 |
$199 |
included |
Included |
Included or $199 (without program) |
| Retest Cost |
$135 (pencil/paper) $184 (computer) |
|
$99 |
$150 |
$185-220(members)/$305-340(non-members) (Pencil/paper exam) $235(members)/$355(non-members) (Computer-based exam) |
$135 |
$60 |
$95 |
$79 |
one free online, $149 at seminar, ($50 charge for each additional attempt) |
|
| Exam deadline |
|
|
120 days |
|
1 year |
|
1 year |
90 days |
6 months |
2 years |
|
| Exam locations |
Major cities worldwide |
Major U.S. Cities |
Major U.S. Cities |
Major cities worldwide |
Major cities worldwide (pencil/paper) United States only (computer-based) |
400 testing locations in North America |
300 testing centers worldwide |
Major US Cities |
Major Cities worldwide |
Online plus Major U.S. cities |
| Time to Complete (Approx.) |
3-6 months |
6 months (4 month and 12 month options available) |
|
4-9 months |
4-9 months |
4-6 months |
2 to 6 months |
4-6 weeks |
2 to 6 months |
13-16 weeks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Recertification |
every 2 years |
N/A |
every 2 years |
every 3 years |
every 3 years |
every 2 years |
every year |
every 4 years |
every 2 years |
every 2 years |
yes |
| Recertification Cost including CEU (Approx.) |
$400 |
N/A |
$700 |
$800 |
$500 |
$400-800 |
$85 |
$600 |
$20 + $319 CEU costs |
$600 (20 CEU and $75 fee) |
$600 |
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Discuss our Certification Comparison Chart
So how do the major personal trainer certifications compare? Tell us what you think in the form below. You can ask a question or submit comments about the various certifications.
Personal Training Certification Comparison Comments
Click below to see contributions from other visitors about our personal training certification school comparison table.
Importance of NCCA Accreditation
Why is NCCA considered so "respected". What makes NCCA such an important accreditation to have. Many of the Personal Trainer Certification Programs on ...
apex certification
I just started working for a gym that requires all trainers, regardless of prior certification, to get "APEX" certified. I still don't know much about ...
Personal Trainer would like to be NSCA-CPT certified I have all the materials and am a member
I am 32 years old and have previously spent the last 9 years working as a professional wrestler with the World Wrestling Entertainment. You name him ...
How to Choose a Personal Trainer school with the correct certifications
I am looking for a personal training school that offers a certification that is recognized in the industry as professional. Can you tell me which certification ...
Personal Trainers are Teachers
I am concerned about this list in that many of these only determine the candidate's ability to take a test. How many require teaching skills? I believe ...
What about IFPA Certification?
I noticed you did not include the personal trainer certification by IFPA. There web site says they are accreditted by NCAA. Waht do you think of this certification ...
Ace Certified Personal Trainer
I think you should change the exam time to 4 hours for Ace. I was allowed 3 hours to take the first part of the exam, then there was the second part of ...
NCCA accreditation
I find it sad that you are promoting only NCCA accredited certifications when the NCCA / NOCA is not recognized by the United States Dept. of Education,...
National Federation of Personal Trainers
I am considering enrolling my 3 LMT's at our re-hab clinic in the NFPT program which is NCCA certified but did not see it on your chart. Is there any ...
ACE certification doesn't deserve a high rating
ACE certification isn't rated as "high" ...every club I worked at - ACE was frowned on and the people who held an ACE cert got bagged on a lot. Everyone ...
Costs of Recertification
I am finding the price for recertification different from the prices on this page. Is there something i don't know or something these people aren't telling ...
Very helpful:)
Not rated yet
I thought this chart was probably one of the most helpful tools for me to help me decide which program I wanted to enroll in. Although it would be even ...
GI Bill Approved
Not rated yet
There are a lot of us guys in the service who are looking at getting these certifications, would you be able to tell me which ones are GI BILL friendly?...
great info
Not rated yet
Thanks for the info. I am considering a career change, and am intrigued with the idea of becoming a personal trainer. My background is in education, and ...
Your Table is Tops
Not rated yet
I have been compiling similar info into a spreadsheet, to figure out what to do when Uncle Sam lets me take off the camo...
Your certification comparison ...
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