8 Best Personal Trainer Certifications

You don’t need to get a personal trainer license or personal training degree to become qualified to work as a personal trainer. Instead, you should get certified through a personal trainer program or course.

Certified professional trainer (CPT) certification programs aren’t hard to come by, and there are plenty of diverse learning options. You can even get a personal trainer certification online.

However, if you want to maximize your job opportunities and earning potential, your best bet is to choose one of these most reputable and well-respected personal training certification options.

1. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Personal Trainer Certification

One of the things that distinguishes the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is how involved they are in research and publication. Because of this, the ACSM Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM-CPT) program and certification focuses heavily on practical as well as scientific education.

In addition to mastering personal training techniques, certified trainers come away with a greater understanding of the science behind clients’ health conditions. This will be useful to anyone looking to go into specialties like personal training for seniors or weight loss coaching.

While the ACSM program might not be the most exciting or easiest course to get through, it will give you a solid foundation for your personal training, exercise instruction, or exercise physiologist career.

2. National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Personal Trainer Certification

Every personal trainer (PT) you meet will have heard of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). The NASM personal trainer certification is one of the most well-known and well-respected personal training certification programs out there.

There are two pathways you can take to get the NASM certification:

1. Take the non-proctored exam and receive the unaccredited PT certification.
2. Take the proctored NCCA-accredited exam and become a certified personal trainer (CPT).

Regardless of which route you go, you’re going to receive top-of-the-line self-study materials that teach you all about personal training instruction, performing health assessments, managing client relationships, and more. Additionally, NASM offers a job guarantee option, which will make it much easier to start making money as a personal trainer.

3. International Sports Science Association (ISSA) Personal Trainer Certification

Many personal trainers swear by the certification program offered by the International Sports Science Association (ISSA). The ISSA personal training certification program includes an NCCA-accredited exam through the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT), but it’s their self-study program that’s most worth looking into because of all the extras it comes with.

Your tuition fee gives you access to all of the following benefits:

• Personal trainer course
• CPT certification bootcamp
• Online training materials and practice quizzes
• Dedicated success coach
• Additional specialization course
• Free CPR/AED certification
• 6-month job guarantee (or your money back)

The specialist course is a great add-on as it gives you the ability to add more value to your regular training program as you work toward becoming an ISSA personal trainer. Some of the specialties you can choose from include nutritionist, online coach, bodybuilding, and group exercise.

Some trainers say that the ISSA personal trainer program is the easiest personal trainer certification to get. However, no accredited CPT program is going to be truly easy—you’ll still need to put in a lot of work to pass the certification exam.

4. National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) Diploma

The National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) does things a little differently from the other certifying bodies on this list. Instead of providing personal-trainers-to-be with self-study materials, the NPTI offers a 500-hour personal training course.

Here’s what personal trainers get from the NPTI course:

• State-approved personal fitness training diploma
• Nutrition Certificate
• NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) credential
• NASM Academic Hands on Certificate of Distinction (ACD) credential
• Lifetime job placement assistance

There’s an in-person course option as well as a online personal trainer certification option. The 500-hour course consists of 300 hours of theory and 200 hours of practical experience, which you can do either at home or at a local gym.

While self-study programs can provide sufficient information and training, that mode of learning doesn’t work for everyone. So if you’re looking for hands-on experience—putting theory into practice—then this is the program that will allow you to do that.

5. National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) CPT certification

Although the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) emphasizes “strength and conditioning,” they also offer the NSCA Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) program.

The overall goal of the NSCA certification program is to empower personal trainers to assess a client, educate them, and safely train them. In fact, safety and emergency procedures are a big part of the certification process. So is ensuring that trainers understand the potential legal and ethical issues that are involved in the job.

With this certification, you’ll also learn how to develop programs and provide consultations. So if you plan on starting your own business or opening your own gym, these skills will be indispensable.

6. National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF) CPT certification

There are a number of reasons why the National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF) personal trainer certification is highly sought after by personal trainers as well as fitness organizations around the world.

The first is that personal trainers gain NCCA accreditation upon successfully completing a rigorous exam, which tests applicants in a variety of areas, including the following:

• Anatomy
• Exercise physiology
• Health and physical fitness
• Nutrition
• Professionalism
• Programming
• Risk management
• Screening and evaluation
• Training instruction
• Training populations with special needs
• Weight management

This offers a huge competitive advantage in the market.

Another reason why personal trainers are willing to make such a hefty monetary investment is NCSF’s connections. NCSF has partnerships with some of the top health clubs and organizations around the world. So if you have your sights set on working at a place like Gold’s Gym or Planet Fitness, this certificate would give you an easy in.

7. National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT) certification

One of the primary differences between the National Federation of Professional Trainers (NFPT) and the other organizations on this list is that it’s a family-run business. The vibe and approach to certification feels more friendly and practical with NFPT than it does with others.

What’s more, the NFPT certification is the most affordable NCCA-accredited credential. In addition to having the cheapest personal training certification, NFPT offers military and civil servant discounts. What’s more, NFPT-certified personal trainers get free continuing education credits, so they don’t have to pay those extra fees when getting recertified.

Personal training certification can be such a costly process. So can starting up your own personal training side hustle or business. If you want to take a more cost-conscious approach, the NFPT certification is a good option.

8. American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer Certification

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a well-established and well-trusted organization in the personal training space, and they’ve been around since 1985. What’s nice about the ACE is that it offers two certification pathways.

Personal trainers who don’t need NCCA accreditation can take an easier, unmoderated exam. This might be a good option if you plan on opening your own business or you’re sure you’re going to work for an employer who doesn’t require accreditation.

Aspiring trainers who want accreditation can take a moderated version of the exam for an additional fee. The accredited ACE personal training certification will look especially great on your resume if you’re new to the field and want to demand higher pay from high-quality employers.

You might be wondering why some people pay for more expensive personal trainer certifications when they can just get a quick and cheap certified trainer certificate somewhere else.

It all depends on what your goals are as a physical trainer. Here are some factors that may affect which PT certification you choose.

Cost

If you’re pursuing personal training as one of many side hustles, you might not be ready to start working right away. So paying for a cheaper personal trainer certificate might be a more practical solution. You also might be cost-conscious if money is tight or you’re trying to keep startup costs low before you start earning money.

Timeline

Some certifications have deadlines. A common timeline is 12 months between registration and examination, though it can be shorter. For instance, the ACSM has a prep course and exam bundle that you can buy between April 1 and September 30. You’re required to take the exam by December 31 of that same year.

Specialization

Most personal trainer certification programs cover a broad range of subjects, allowing you to serve the general population. However, you may want to work in a specialized field, like athletics.

Alternatively, you may want to work with a certain segment of the population, like seniors. If that’s the case, finding an organization that offers specialized certificates would be a smart move.

Employment

If you plan on starting your own business, it’s a good idea to seek out personal training programs that include relevant courses and resources. If you plan on seeking employment at an established gym or other health facility, you’ll have other factors to consider.

To work at a major gym, it would be helpful to get certified by an organization that offers job placement or has established partnerships with top-rated facilities. If you have a certain gym in mind, you’ll be best off looking into their certification requirements before you choose a program.

In general, a personal training certification focuses on just that—personal training. You’ll learn about your job and responsibilities as a personal trainer. You’ll also learn how to assess clients and develop training programs. Managing client relationships and your business are also covered.

However, you can level up by getting additional certificates related to personal and fitness training. You can get accredited, if you haven’t already. You can become a master trainer. Another option is to specialize.

There are a variety of specialties you can pursue on top of your personal training cert. For example:

• Online personal trainer
• Fitness trainer
• Athletic coach
• Injury prevention specialist
• Personal trainer for seniors
• Weight loss coach
• Luxury personal trainer
• Nutritionist

It’s okay if you don’t have a specialty figured out when you first start studying to become a personal trainer. You might discover a special area of interest only once you start practicing, and there are plenty of programs to help you get the training and credentials you need when you’re ready.

What’s the most respected personal trainer certification?

There are certificates that carry more weight because of how long the organization has been in business—like the ACE, which has been operating since 1985. Then there are those that have a ton of clout because they’re involved in academic research, like the ACSM.

The truth is that if you’re looking to have an easier time getting hired, the certifying body doesn’t matter as much as whether or not your certificate is NCCA-accredited.

You don’t technically need to get certified to become a personal trainer. However, if your end goal is to get a job with a quality fitness studio or other employer, certification is one of the credentials they’re going to be looking for. And that’s not the only reason to pursue a PT certification.

Most personal trainer certification programs offer education and training that you can’t always get from a book or YouTube videos. And because certifications require renewal, you’re required to do ongoing coursework, which is useful for keeping your skills sharp and staying on top of the latest industry trends.

Plus, there are certification programs like the one offered by NPTI that give trainers-to-be extensive hands-on experience. Many times, novice personal trainers have to wait until they’re employed or working for free under a mentor to get that kind of experience.