NSCA · CSCS · prices as of Oct 2026
CSCS certification cost, member or not
The CSCS exam costs $340 if you are an NSCA member and $475 if you are not, as of Oct 2026, with no separate application fee. Because the exam has two sections, a fail can cost far less than the first attempt: you pay again only for the section you missed. Below, every fee, the membership math and a worked retake.
CSCS practice test Study guide
Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
- $340member, first attempt
- $475nonmember, first attempt
- $250 / $385 per sectionone-section retake
- $65 / $90renewal, per credential
Make the first attempt count
CSCS practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
Every fee in one table
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam price | $340 NSCA member / $475 nonmember for the full exam | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Member price, first attempt | $340 for NSCA members (student or professional), full exam | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Nonmember price, first attempt | $475 for nonmembers, full exam | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Membership | NSCA Professional membership $130 a year, Student $70 a year; members pay the lower exam price | NSCA membership overview (Wayback copy of Oct 17, 2026) [2] | |
| Application fee | No separate application feeOnly the CPSS adds a $25 application fee. | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Retake price | Full price again for both sections ($340 / $475), or $250 member / $385 nonmember to retake one failed section | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| Retake rules | Wait at least 30 days and pay again (retakes are not discounted); at most 3 attempts in a row, then a 1-year wait. After failing one section you retake only that section, within one year of the first exam | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] | |
| When you can test | Year-round; you have 120 days from registration to sit the exam, with one 120-day extension for $100 | 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] | |
| 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] | |
| CPR/AED requirement | Current CPR/AED that included a hands-on skills assessment; a course without one is not accepted | NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) [1] |
Join first, or pay the nonmember price?
A Professional membership costs about as much as the gap between the two exam prices, so the first year roughly breaks even:
Calculation steps
- 1Professional membership, one year$130
- 2Exam at the member price$340
- =Member route, first attempt (our sum)$470
Source: NSCA membership overview, Oct 17, 2026 copy · NSCA Certification Handbook Against $475 for a nonmember. A student membership is $70 a year, which brings the member route to $410 (our sum).
Membership pays off on what comes after the first attempt: a one-section retake and the renewal fee are both cheaper for members, and students get a lower membership rate. If you pass first time and never renew as a member, the two routes cost about the same.
What a failed section adds
A first-time candidate buys the full exam. If one section is failed, only that section is bought again. For a member:
Calculation steps
- 1Full exam, first attempt$340
- 2Retake of the failed section$250
- =Both sections passed (our sum)$590
Source: NSCA Certification Handbook, p. 10 and p. 3 A nonmember pays $475, then $385. Failing both sections means the full price again.
The section rate is not a discount on retakes in general: retaking both sections costs the full price again, and the failed section has to be retaken within one year of the first exam. In 2025, 55% of candidates passed Practical/Applied, so that is the section a retake budget most likely goes to.
Costs around the exam
- Extending the window: if you cannot test in time, one extension is sold for $100, and it is not refundable.
- CPR/AED: the course must include a hands-on skills check. Prices vary by provider, and an online-only certificate will not be accepted.
- Textbook: Essentials, 5th ed., sold by the publisher in hardback. It is not required; what it adds is on the textbook page.
- Degree: none to buy today, since any bachelor’s qualifies, but candidates without a degree yet should note the coming rule.
Keeping it: renewal
The fee is charged per credential, so a coach who also holds a second credential from the same certifier pays it twice; one set of CEUs covers both. As of Oct 2026 members pay $65 and nonmembers $90, reduced for recently certified holders. The current cycle ends Dec 31, 2026. CEU courses cost extra, and their prices vary by provider.
Against the other exams here
The certifier’s tactical exam costs $300 NSCA member / $435 nonmember. The athletic trainer exam is $375 plus an application fee. Every exam covered here sits in one table on strength and conditioning certification cost.
- CSCSWho the credential is for, the two sections, pass rates by section
- CSCS practice testQuestions from all seven domains in the exam’s section proportions, every option explained
- CSCS exam factsTest-center only, booking, eligibility, scoring, pass rates by year, renewal
- CSCS textbook (Essentials, 5th ed.)The 5th edition: what is new, chapters by exam domain, 4th or 5th
- CSCS study guideStudy time by scored question, the section people fail, materials, a plan
Sources
- NSCA Certification Handbook, effective July 1, 2026 (PDF) nsca.com · checked Oct 27, 2026
- NSCA membership overview (Wayback copy of Oct 17, 2026) web.archive.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
CSCS cost, quick answers
How much is the CSCS exam?
$340 NSCA member / $475 nonmember for the full exam, as of Oct 2026. The same price covers both sections.
Is there a CSCS application fee?
No separate application fee.
How much does a CSCS retake cost?
Full price again for both sections ($340 / $475), or $250 member / $385 nonmember to retake one failed section. Prices as of Oct 2026.
Does the price include study materials?
No. The exam fee buys the exam only; books, practice tests and the certifier’s own prep clinics are sold separately.