What is it?

What exactly is the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant?

The NCCA-accredited, accredited-program-only medical assistant credential that hospitals ask for by name.

The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), awarded by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), is the most widely recognized medical assisting credential in the U.S. and is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). It is distinctive because eligibility is restricted to graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited programs — there is no work-experience or military route — which is why many hospitals and large health networks specifically prefer it. The exam is a 200-question, computer-based test (160 minutes) delivered at PSI test centers, scored on a 200–800 scale with a passing mark of 405. Once earned, the credential is valid for 60 months and is renewed through continuing education or exam retake. For candidates from accredited programs who want the gold-standard MA credential, the CMA (AAMA) is the one employers name by name.

The path in brief

1. Graduate from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program
2. Apply and pay the $125–$250 exam fee
3. Get your eligibility verified by AAMA
4. Schedule and pass the 200-question exam at a PSI center
5. Maintain the credential with 60 CEUs every 60 months

Before you book

Who is eligible to sit the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant?

Eligibility is limited to graduates (or students within 30 days of graduating) of a medical assisting program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES. AAMA classifies candidates as completing student, recent graduate (within 12 months), or non-recent graduate (more than 12 months ago); documentation requirements differ slightly by category. There is no work-experience, military, or non-accredited-program pathway to sit for the CMA (AAMA).

Who it is for: Graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited medical assisting programs entering clinical or administrative roles.

The test itself

What is the format of the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant?

The AAMA Certified Medical Assistant is administered by American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), delivered by PSI and runs 160 minutes (four 40-minute segments), contains 200 multiple-choice (includes unscored pretest items) questions and requires Scaled score of 405 on a 200–800 scale to pass.

The fine print

What are the retake and renewal rules for the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant?

Proctoring & delivery

In-person at PSI Services test centers across the U.S. There is no remote/online proctoring option for the CMA (AAMA). A valid photo ID is required at check-in.

Retake policy

Up to six (6) exam attempts are allowed within any 12-month period. There is no required waiting period between attempts, but each attempt requires a new application and the full exam fee.

Score reporting

A pass/fail result appears on screen immediately after the exam. The official score report is emailed about 24 hours later and is also posted to your AAMA account.

Recertification

Valid for 60 months (5 years). Recertify by earning 60 continuing education units (at least 30 must be AAMA-approved) or by retaking the exam. Recertification by CEU costs $65 for AAMA members and $130 for non-members.

Refunds & rescheduling

Exam fees are non-refundable.

What it pays

How much does this credential pay?

$44,200 median (BLS OOH, May 2024)

The Certified Medical Assistant (CMA, AAMA) credential sits on top of one of the fastest-growing support occupations in healthcare. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants (SOC 31-9092) earned a median annual wage of $44,200 in May 2024, with employment of 811,000 and a projected 12% growth from 2024 to 2034 — "much faster than average" for all occupations and roughly 112,300 openings per year when replacements are included. The CMA does not automatically reset a graduate’s pay, but it is the credential most often required by hospital-based outpatient practices and large health systems, and it unlocks roles that are closed to uncredentialed or only on-the-job-trained assistants. Geography is the single largest pay lever: BLS shows the top of the range well above the median in outpatient care centers, hospitals, and physicians' offices, and state wages vary sharply. Because the CMA validates both clinical and administrative competence, holders are harder to outsource and better positioned for lead or coordinator roles. Candidates should read the median as a national midpoint, not a promise — entry-level wages in the bottom decile are materially lower, and the top decile reflects experienced assistants in high-cost metro markets and specialized settings. For context, BLS OEWS shows pay varies by industry and state, with outpatient care centers and hospitals generally above the physician-office median, so candidates should benchmark against their local market rather than the single national figure. The CMA return on investment is best measured as expanded eligibility for roles that require the credential and resilience against offshoring of clinical-support work, not as an automatic raise.

Job growth.12% growth 2024–2034 (BLS OOH, much faster than average); ~112,300 annual openings including replacements.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Medical Assistants (SOC 31-9092)

Your schedule

How long should I study for it?

80–120 hours of focused study

A realistic CMA prep assumes roughly 10–12 weeks at 8–10 hours per week for a recent program graduate, or 14–16 weeks for a career-changer without a medical assisting background. The schedule below weights time to the blueprint: Clinical Competency is 59% of scored items, so it gets the largest block, but the 41% split between General (21%) and Administrative (20%) is where unprepared candidates lose points and must not be shortchanged.

1. Weeks 1–210 hrs/week

   General domain — law, ethics, communication

   • Study HIPAA Privacy Rule, mandated reporting, and consent doctrine
   • Drill medical terminology roots/suffixes and A&P systems
   • Build a one-page legal/ethical quick reference
2. Weeks 3–410 hrs/week

   Administrative domain — billing, coding, scheduling

   • Learn ICD-10-CM and CPT E/M coding and modifiers
   • Practice CMS-1500 / superbill and insurance coordination of benefits
   • Memorize scheduling methods (wave, open-access, cluster)
3. Weeks 5–712 hrs/week

   Clinical A — workflow, vitals, infection control

   • Vital signs, OSHA, standard/transmission-based precautions, PPE donning/doffing
   • Phlebotomy order of draw and specimen handling
   • Safety data sheets and emergency preparedness
4. Weeks 8–912 hrs/week

   Clinical B — pharmacology & procedures

   • Seven rights of med admin, routes, dosage/IV drip math
   • ECG lead placement, diagnostic testing, sterile technique
   • Practice 3–5 calculation problems per session
5. Weeks 10–1110 hrs/week

   Full-length simulation

   • Two 200-question timed exams in four 40-min blocks
   • Review every missed item against the blueprint
   • Target weak domains with focused re-drills
6. Week 126 hrs/week

   Polish & exam logistics

   • Light review of high-yield lists only
   • Confirm PSI eligibility window and test-center location
   • Rest 24h before the exam

What to buy

Which study resources are worth paying for?

Official AAMA products are the only materials that mirror the certifying board’s own blueprint; third-party books add structure and alternate explanations. Prices below were verified on the publisher/retailer pages cited.

Prices checked 2026-08 from aama-ntl.org and retailer listings; AAMA practice-exam price is flat for members and nonmembers. We do not rank by commission.

What you'll face

What question types will I see?

The CMA (AAMA) exam is 200 multiple-choice questions delivered by computer in four 40-minute segments (160 minutes total). Of the 200, 180 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items. Scoring is criterion-referenced on a scaled 200–800, MPS 405. The blueprint divides scored items into three domains: Clinical Competency 59% (106 items), General 21% (38 items), and Administrative 20% (36 items). Questions are single-best-answer multiple choice that test application of the Content Outline, not rote recall, across topics such as pharmacology, infection control, billing/coding, and law/ethics.

Samples are editor-written illustrations of the published blueprint (Clinical 59% / General 21% / Administrative 20%); they are not live exam items.

Reference

What are the key facts about the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant?

AAMA Certified Medical Assistant is a certification credential; awarded by American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA); the exam fee is $125 AAMA student member / recent graduate; $250 all other candidates; typical preparation is 8–12 weeks of study (after graduation); holders typically earn $38,000–$50,000 (approx. U.S. median wage for medical assistants; BLS).

In short

Is the AAMA Certified Medical Assistant worth it?

• The CMA (AAMA) is the only medical assistant credential that requires graduation from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program — no experience pathway exists.
• The exam is 200 multiple-choice questions in 160 minutes; the passing scaled score is 405 on an 800 scale.
• Testing is in person at PSI centers year-round; remote proctoring is not offered.
• Recertify every 60 months via 60 CEUs (at least 30 AAMA-approved) or by exam retake.

Trust

Where does this information come from?

Everything above is taken from the awarding body's own published material. Fees, question counts and domain weights are revised regularly — check the official page before you pay.

• Official AAMA Certified Medical Assistant exam page Exam page

Research confidence: high · Last reviewed 2026-08