Short answer
- CCMA = Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
- CMA (AAMA) = Certified Medical Assistant, issued by the American Association of Medical Assistants’ certifying board. It requires graduating from an accredited medical assistant program or an approved alternative pathway (AAMA).
- RMA = Registered Medical Assistant, issued by American Medical Technologies (AMT). $150 covers the application, exam and first annual fee (AMT).
- Cheapest to keep for three years: the CMA ($125 for recent graduates, renewal only every five years). Most flexible entry: CCMA and RMA also accept work experience.
- Do you need one? “Although most states do not require it, employers may prefer or require that medical assistants be certified” (BLS).
People searching “CCMA meaning” usually want to know one thing: which medical assistant certification should I get? This guide compares the four national options on the points that decide it, namely who can sit the exam, what it costs, and what it takes to keep it. Every fact links to the issuing organization or the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We checked them on September 22, 2026. This is career information; check what employers in your area ask for before you pay.
The four certifications at a glance
| CCMA | CMA (AAMA) | RMA | NCMA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Certified Clinical Medical Assistant | Certified Medical Assistant | Registered Medical Assistant | National Certified Medical Assistant |
| Issuer | NHA | AAMA Certifying Board | AMT | NCCT |
| Exam fee | not published; often included in school tuition | $125 (recent graduates, AAMA members) / $250 | $150 (incl. first annual fee) | $119 |
| Work-experience route | yes | no | yes | yes |
| Valid for | 2 years | 5 years | 3-year cycle, annual fee | 1 year |
| To keep it | 10 CE credits per 2 years; NHA One $95/year | 60 points per 5 years; $80 member / $160 non-member | 30 points per 3 years; $75/year | 12 CE hours + $89/year |
Sources: NHA requirements, NHA continuing education, NHA One, AAMA exam application (PDF), AAMA recertification, AMT medical assistant, AMT maintain certification, NCCT medical assistant, NCCT recertification guide (PDF).
Who can take which exam
CCMA (NHA). A high school diploma or GED plus either a medical assistant training program completed within the last five years, or at least one year of supervised work as a medical assistant in the last three years (NHA candidate handbook). California has its own work-experience rule for the CCMA: two years within the last five.
CMA (AAMA). You must be a student or graduate of a medical assistant program accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES, qualify through the Alternative Pathway (a postsecondary program or apprenticeship with at least 560 academic hours plus a 160-hour practicum), or be a medical assistant educator (AAMA). There is no route based on work experience alone.
RMA (AMT). Several routes: graduating from an accredited program within four years (720 hours including a 160-hour externship), a competency-based program, three years of full-time work as a medical assistant within the last seven, military training, or teaching (AMT).
NCMA (NCCT). Student or graduate of an NCCT-authorized school, at least one year of full-time medical assistant experience in the last five years, or military training (NCCT).
What this means: if you trained on the job without a formal program, the CMA isn’t open to you, but the CCMA, RMA and NCMA are.
What each costs to earn and keep for three years
| Certification | Calculation | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|
| CMA, recent graduate or AAMA member | $125 exam; recertification not due until month 60 | $125 |
| CMA, non-member | $250 exam | $250 |
| RMA | $150 (incl. year-one fee) + $75 + $75 | $300 |
| NCMA | $119 + $89 + $89 | $297 |
| CCMA with NHA One | exam fee + $95 + $95 (renewal included) | exam fee + $190 |
Sources as in the table above. Training program tuition isn’t included; it’s usually the largest cost and varies widely. NHA doesn’t list its exam price on its public pages; its help center says “most schools choose to include the cost of the exam as a part of their tuition cost” (NHA), so ask your school whether the exam is included.
Three details that change the math:
- NHA One (since July 2026). NHA now enrolls its certification holders in NHA One at $95 a year, which includes unlimited continuing education and the two-year renewal. Without it, renewal costs $195 plus the cost of your CE (NHA). NHA’s help center also notes that if you cancel NHA One early, you can’t re-enroll (NHA).
- AMT’s annual fee is not optional. Missing a single $75 payment within the three-year cycle leads to reactivation, which costs $280 (AMT).
- AAMA’s CE rule. At least 30 of the 60 recertification points must be AAMA CEUs (AAMA), and the non-member recertification fee is double the member fee.
Retakes
| Waiting period | Limit | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCMA | 30 days | 3 attempts, then one year per further attempt | full exam price |
| CMA (AAMA) | none | 6 attempts in 12 months | new application and fee each time |
| RMA | 45 days | 4 attempts in total, for life | $150 per retest |
Sources: NHA candidate handbook, AAMA exam application (PDF), AMT RMA eligibility.
AMT’s lifetime cap of four attempts is the strictest rule here; prepare well before your first try.
Which one should you choose?
- Check your employer and state first. The BLS notes that certification is available “from a number of organizations” and that employers “may prefer or require” it (BLS). If a job posting names one, get that one.
- Graduated from an accredited program? The CMA (AAMA) is the cheapest to keep over time: $125 as a recent graduate and renewal only every five years.
- Trained on the job? The CCMA, RMA or NCMA accept work experience. Compare the thresholds above with your hours.
Related guides
For pharmacy technicians, see CPhT certification. For nursing assistants and the path to LPN and RN, see how to get CNA certification and CNA vs LPN vs RN. All certification costs side by side: Certification Cost Index.
The job, in numbers
The BLS reports a 2025 median pay of $45,690 a year ($21.97 an hour) for medical assistants, about 833,900 jobs, and projected growth of 13% from 2025 to 2035, “much faster than the average for all occupations.” The typical entry-level education is a postsecondary nondegree award (BLS).
Frequently asked questions
What does CCMA mean?
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, a certification issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Is CCMA the same as CMA?
No. The CCMA is issued by NHA and accepts work experience. The CMA is issued by the AAMA’s certifying board and requires an accredited program or its alternative pathway.
How much is the CMA exam?
$125 for recent graduates and AAMA members, $250 for everyone else.
How long is an RMA certification valid?
It runs in three-year cycles with a $75 annual fee and 30 continuing education points per cycle.
Can I become a certified medical assistant without school?
Yes, through the work-experience routes of the CCMA (NHA), RMA (AMT) or NCMA (NCCT). The CMA (AAMA) requires an accredited program or its alternative pathway.
How we checked these facts. Every fact comes from the issuers’ pages and PDFs or from the BLS, linked where it appears, checked on September 22, 2026. NHA’s exam price isn’t listed on its public pages, and its online store was not accessible to us. Certificate Quest is not affiliated with NHA, AAMA, AMT or NCCT and earns nothing from links on this page. This page is general career information, not legal or professional advice.