Fitness, Wellness & Personal Care
There are 29 fitness, wellness & personal care credentials in the TestPrepPilot directory: 29 national certifications awarded by a single body.
Personal training, strength and conditioning, aquatics and outdoor guiding, plus cosmetology, barbering and esthetics licensing.
- Credentials
- 29
- Specialisms
- 2
- National
- 29
How do the main fitness, wellness & personal care credentials compare?
Verified figures for 10 of the national fitness, wellness & personal care credentials, drawn from each awarding body's published material. Fees change — confirm with the body before you book.
| Credential | Awarded by | Exam fee | Length | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACE Certified Personal Trainer | American Council on Exercise | $499 for the exam alone (study-package pricing varies) | 3 hours (180 minutes) | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification | American Council on Exercise | $400-500 package | 3 hours | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| ACSM Certified Personal Trainer | American College of Sports Medicine | ~$199 exam-only; package pricing varies (member discounts apply) | 150 minutes (2.5 hours) | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| AFAA Certified Personal Trainer | Athletics and Fitness Association of America | Self-Study certification package from $499 (includes the exam); standalone exam/retake $199 | 120 minutes | Scaled score of 70% (minimum) |
| AFAA Group Fitness Instructor Certification | Athletics and Fitness Association of America | ~$200-$400 | 2 hours | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certification | American Red Cross | $250-350 | 2-3 day course | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Certification | American Red Cross | ~$300-$500 | 2-3 days | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate | CrossFit, Inc. | ~$1,000 | End of 2-day seminar | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| ISSA Certified Personal Trainer | International Sports Sciences Association | ~$399-$799 depending on the package (exam included in course bundles) | Up to 4 hours (self-scheduled online) | Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report |
| NASM Certified Nutrition Coach | National Academy of Sports Medicine | $899 full price (frequently discounted; monthly payment plans from ~$49) | 90 minutes (timed) | Minimum score of 70% |
Which fitness, wellness & personal care credentials lead to the highest published pay?
Ranked by the median annual wage published for the occupation each credential unlocks — the most recent figure per occupation, quoted from the source named in the guide (usually the BLS occupational series). A credential is the entry ticket to an occupation, not a pay guarantee: these are occupation medians, not starting salaries.
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ACE Certified Personal Trainer
$46,180 median for fitness trainers and instructors (BLS, May 2024)
ACE does not publish a pass rate at all
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ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification
Expect fitness-instructor pay at a May 2024 median of $46,180 (BLS) — the ACE Group Fitness certification is the leading group-ex credential, and group-class income is built from class pay, format specialisation, and client following
ACE publishes no pass rates — the Group Fitness exam is 125 questions in 3 hours with a scaled passing score around 500-600/800, and ACE reports pass/fail rather than cohort data
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ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
$46,180 median for fitness trainers and instructors (BLS, May 2024)
ACSM publishes no pass rate — the passing score is a scaled 550 on a 200-800 scale
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AFAA Certified Personal Trainer
$46,180 median annual wage for fitness trainers (BLS, May 2024)
Pass mark: 70% scaled score (no published pass rate)
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AFAA Group Fitness Instructor Certification
$46,180 median for fitness trainers and instructors (BLS, May 2024) — and an NCCA-accredited group fitness credential is the standard hiring filter for gyms and studios
AFAA publishes no official pass rate — but it publishes the bar: 120 questions in 2 hours with a scaled passing score of 70, on a proctored, closed-book, NCCA-accredited exam
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CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate
Expect fitness-coach earnings in the $46,180 median range (BLS, May 2024) — the L1 is the entry coaching credential for affiliate boxes, where income is built from class pay, personal training, and programming, not from the certificate itself
No pass rate is published — the L1 assessment is a 40-question multiple-choice exam, and CrossFit does not release cohort pass data; the practical gate is attending and learning the movement standards
Fitness, Sport & Recreation 23 credentials
- ACE Certified Personal Trainer ACE Certified Personal Trainer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from American Council on Exercise
- ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from American Council on Exercise
- ACSM Certified Personal Trainer ACSM Certified Personal Trainer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from American College of Sports Medicine
- AFAA Certified Personal Trainer AFAA's personal trainer credential — the practical, group-fitness-rooted path to coaching one-on-one clients.
- AFAA Group Fitness Instructor Certification AFAA Group Fitness Instructor Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from Athletics and Fitness Association of America
- American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certification American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from American Red Cross
- American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Certification American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from American Red Cross
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from CrossFit, Inc.
- ISSA Certified Personal Trainer ISSA Certified Personal Trainer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from International Sports Sciences Association
- NASM Certified Nutrition Coach NASM's science-backed, open-book nutrition coaching credential that lets trainers add habit-based guidance — without practicing dietetics.
- NASM Certified Personal Trainer NASM Certified Personal Trainer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Academy of Sports Medicine
- NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Academy of Sports Medicine
- NRA Certified Instructor NRA Certified Instructor — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Rifle Association
- NRA Chief Range Safety Officer NRA Chief Range Safety Officer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Rifle Association
- NRA Range Safety Officer NRA Range Safety Officer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Rifle Association
- NSCA Certified Personal Trainer NSCA Certified Personal Trainer — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Strength and Conditioning Association
- NSCA Certified Special Population Specialist NSCA Certified Special Population Specialist — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Strength and Conditioning Association
- NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National Strength and Conditioning Association
- PADI Divemaster Certification PADI Divemaster Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from Professional Association of Diving Instructors
- PADI Instructor Development Course PADI Instructor Development Course — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from Professional Association of Diving Instructors
- PADI Open Water Diver Certification PADI Open Water Diver Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from Professional Association of Diving Instructors
- Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from Precision Nutrition
- Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher 200 Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher 200 — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from Yoga Alliance
Cosmetology & Barbering 6 credentials
- NIC Barber Practical Examination NIC Barber Practical Examination — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology
- NIC Barber Theory Examination NIC Barber Theory Examination — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology
- NIC Cosmetology Practical Examination NIC Cosmetology Practical Examination — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology
- NIC Cosmetology Theory Examination NIC Cosmetology Theory Examination — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology
- NIC Esthetics Theory Examination NIC Esthetics Theory Examination — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology
- NIC Nail Technology Theory Examination NIC Nail Technology Theory Examination — Beauty, Food, Security & Recreation credential from National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology
Frequently asked questions about fitness, wellness & personal care credentials
How many fitness, wellness & personal care credentials are there?
There are 29 fitness, wellness & personal care credentials in the TestPrepPilot directory: 29 national certifications awarded by a single body.
How much do fitness, wellness & personal care exams cost?
Across the 10 national fitness, wellness & personal care credentials we have verified fee data for, exam fees run from $199–$1000. Renewal, membership and study-material costs are additional and vary by awarding body — each guide breaks out its own full cost table.
Do you need a certification to work in fitness, wellness & personal care?
None of the 29 credentials in this field is a state-issued licence — all 29 are national certifications awarded by a professional body. That usually means the certification is not legally mandatory, but employers, insurers or clients may require it as a condition of the work.
Which fitness, wellness & personal care credential should you start with?
Start with the one your target employer or state board names. The most widely recognised national options in this field are ACE Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certification, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer — each has a full guide with eligibility rules, fees and a week-by-week study plan.
How often do fitness, wellness & personal care requirements change?
Fees are revised most years and eligibility rules change whenever a state legislature or awarding body acts. Every guide on TestPrepPilot links to the primary regulatory source it was verified against, and the "Sources" section is the authoritative place to confirm current figures before you book.