Certified medical assistant cost: exam fee, renewal and earnings

CMA (AAMA) exam fee: medical assistant certification cost

The exam fee depends on your eligibility route and AAMA membership. The fee applies per attempt: each attempt needs a new application and fee, and you can make up to six attempts within 12 months.

• Completing students and recent graduates (within 12 months) of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited programs: $125
• Nonrecent graduates, educators, Alternative Pathway candidates and former CMAs (AAMA): $125 for AAMA members, $250 for nonmembers
• Alternative Pathway documentation review: free; the exam fee applies only after approval

Source: AAMA — Eligibility. Checked 18 October 2026.

When you lose the fee

Fees are nonrefundable and cannot be transferred to another candidate or another 90-day testing period. If you do not start your test within 15 minutes of the booked time, you forfeit the fee, and AAMA issues no refunds when an exam is ended for rule violations. Remote exams must be canceled or rebooked at least 24 hours before the booked time.

That is why the certified medical assistant cost is lowest for candidates who book only when they are ready. A failed or missed attempt costs the full fee again.

Source: AAMA — Test Center vs. Remote Proctoring. Checked 18 October 2026.

Other certified medical assistant cost items: practice and renewal

AAMA’s e-Learning Center sells the CMA (AAMA) Review Exam, 200 multiple-choice questions for $30 (members) or $45 (nonmembers), with access for 30 days; retakes require repurchase. AAMA also offers a separate CMA (AAMA) Certification Practice Exam, whose price was not shown on the pages checked, and 50 free questions each in anatomy and physiology and in medical terminology.

Renewal is due every 60 months. Recertification by continuing education costs $80 for AAMA members and $160 for nonmembers; recertification by exam costs $125 or $250. If your credential has expired, AAMA adds a $50 reactivation fee.

Source: AAMA e-Learning Center — CMA (AAMA) Review Exam. Checked 18 October 2026.

Cost of medical assistant programs

How much does a medical assistant program cost? AAMA and CAAHEP do not publish tuition, and CAAHEP’s student page says nothing about program cost or length, so any single number you see is a school’s own price, not an official figure. The cost of medical assistant programs depends on the institution and on whether you take a certificate, diploma or associate degree.

How much does a medical assistant degree cost compared with a certificate? Only the schools can answer that. What you can check is whether the cost for medical assistant program enrollment buys eligibility: for the CMA (AAMA), the program needs CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation, or must meet the Alternative Pathway rules of at least 560 contact hours and a 160-hour practicum at a USDE- or CHEA-recognized institution.

Source: CAAHEP — For Students. Checked 18 October 2026.

How much does it cost to become a medical assistant?

Add up three parts. Medical assistant training cost, meaning your program, is the largest and is set by the school. The exam is $125 or $250 per attempt. Practice material from AAMA ranges from free questions to the $30 or $45 Review Exam.

Beyond that, medical assistant cost over a career includes renewal every 60 months: $80 or $160 by continuing education, plus the cost of the CEUs themselves, at least 30 of which must be AAMA CEUs.

Source: AAMA — Recertification. Checked 18 October 2026.

How much does a certified medical assistant make?

AAMA’s 2025 Compensation and Benefits Report is the official source here. It reports that full-time medical assistants with a current CMA (AAMA) earn an average of $23.55 per hour or $45,159 a year, and that non-CMA (AAMA)-certified medical assistants earn an average of $22.61 per hour or $42,675 a year.

Whether the search is "how much do certified medical assistant make" or "how much do a certified medical assistant make", those averages are AAMA’s answer; the report breaks pay down further by region, work setting and experience. AAMA notes an overall margin of error of ±0.9% for its 12,596 responses and higher margins for smaller groups, so treat regional figures with care.

How much does "Certified Medical Assistant" make a difference on a paycheck? AAMA reports the two averages above. They are survey averages from voluntary responses, not a figure any individual employer has to pay.

Source: AAMA — 2025 CMA (AAMA) Compensation and Benefits Report. Checked 18 October 2026.

CMA (AAMA) cost: questions people ask

How much is the certified medical assistant certification cost?

$125 for AAMA members and recent graduates of accredited programs, $250 for nonmembers, per attempt. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

Is the CMA (AAMA) exam fee refundable?

No. Fees are nonrefundable and cannot be moved to another candidate or 90-day period. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

How much do medical assistant programs cost?

AAMA and CAAHEP do not publish program costs; tuition is set by each school. Check accreditation before you compare prices. Checked 18 October 2026.

How much does it cost to renew the CMA (AAMA)?

$80 for members or $160 for nonmembers by continuing education, or $125 or $250 by exam, plus $50 if the credential has expired. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

Does AAMA offer free CMA practice questions?

Yes: 50 free questions each in anatomy and physiology and in medical terminology. The 200-question Review Exam costs $30 or $45. Source: AAMA, checked 18 October 2026.

How much do certified medical assistants earn?

Full-time CMAs (AAMA) earn an average of $23.55 per hour or $45,159 a year, according to AAMA’s 2025 Compensation and Benefits Report. Checked 18 October 2026.