CMA certification
- Exam fee
- $125 AAMA members / $250 nonmembers
- Questions
- 200
- Time
- 160 minutes (four 40-minute segments)
- Renewal
- Every 60 months: 60 CEUs ($80 members / $160 nonmembers) or retake the exam
CMA certification is the Certified Medical Assistant credential, CMA (AAMA), granted by the American Association of Medical Assistants. You get it by passing one national exam. Before sitting for that exam, most people finish a medical assisting program at an accredited school, meaning an outside organization has checked it and given its approval.
CMA vs RMA vs CCMA vs NCMA, side by side
Who can take the AAMA CMA exam?
Eligibility usually comes through a medical assisting program that carries CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. Those two groups handle program approval for this purpose, according to the AAMA.
A few other paths also lead to the exam:
- An earlier CMA (AAMA) credential
- At least 1,000 hours spent teaching medical assisting
- The Alternative Pathway, offered by the AAMA as its own route
Still choosing a school? Check for CAAHEP or ABHES approval first, since that's how most people become eligible.
Inside the AAMA CMA exam
The test has 200 multiple-choice questions. Your score comes from only 180 of them. The remaining 20 are pretest questions, fresh items being tried out for later use, and they won't change your score.
Total testing time is 160 minutes, broken into 4 sections of 40 minutes each. Scores range from 200 to 800, and you need 405 or higher to pass.
This test is a real hurdle. Between July 2024 and April 2025, 69% of test takers passed on the first attempt. If you don't pass, you get up to 6 tries within 12 months, though each attempt costs a new fee.
A revised set of exam topics, based on a 2025 job analysis, starts with exams in July 2027. Testing near that time? Check which version you'll get.
Exam fees
The amount you pay hinges on whether you belong to the AAMA or recently finished a program. The fee is nonrefundable.
| Who you are | Exam fee |
|---|---|
| AAMA members | $125 |
| Student or graduate of an accredited program within the past 12 months | $125 |
| Nonmember | $250 |
Practicing for the exam
An official practice exam is sold by the AAMA, and it's online only. It contains 200 questions across 10 parts. You get two uses within 90 days, so plan when each run will happen.
Keeping your CMA current
The credential stays valid for 60 months. Renewing means either retaking the exam or earning 60 CEUs, which are continuing education units, credits from approved classes and training completed after certification.
The continuing-education renewal fee is $80 for members, $160 for nonmembers.
Finding an accredited program
Our list covers 1,094 medical assistant programs in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Of those, 484 are accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES. CAAHEP programs number 310, and 181 sit at ABHES-accredited schools; 7 have both.
Prices differ widely depending on the kind of school. These 2023-24 figures are based on federal school data.
| Kind of school | Median published price |
|---|---|
| Career school, complete program (tuition, fees, and books) | $17,257 |
| Public college, 1 year of full-time study (in-district tuition and fees) | $4,346 |
A medical assistant associate degree is available at 354 schools.
Common questions
How long does it take to become a CMA?
Across the 378 career schools reporting a length, the median program runs 9 months. Programs range from 2 months at the short end to 32 months at the long end. The largest group, 257 programs, falls in the 7-to-9-month range.
Is a CMA higher than a CNA?
They're separate jobs with separate training. Looking at pay, medical assistants earned a median of $45,690 per year as of May 2025, which comes to $21.97 an hour. Nursing assistants earned $42,260, Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show.
Can I get CMA certification online?
Online study is possible, though few programs offer it fully. On our list, 30 programs can be finished entirely through distance education, and 14 of those hold accreditation.
Is there free CMA certification?
The exam always carries a fee. Help with school costs may exist, though: federal student aid is available at 1,049 of the schools in our list.