What is the CCMA? Certification Overview, Eligibility, Exam, and Pay
The CCMA is a nationally-recognized medical assistant credential from NHA. Here’s what it certifies, eligibility paths, exam format, and how it compares to CMA and RMA.
A CCMA — Certified Clinical Medical Assistant — is a nationally credentialed medical assistant who has passed the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) certification exam. The credential signals to employers that you’ve completed accredited training and demonstrated clinical and administrative competency. CCMA is one of the two most-recognized medical assistant credentials in the U.S. (alongside the AAMA’s CMA), is required by most major hospital systems and clinic networks, and typically pays a $1-$3/hour premium over uncertified medical assistant work.
This post covers what the CCMA credential actually is, how the certification process works, what’s tested on the exam, eligibility, recertification, and how the CCMA compares to the other medical assistant credentials you’ll see (CMA, RMA, NCMA).
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Earn your NHA CCMA in as little as 8 weeks online. Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) + Externship includes the NHA exam voucher, externship placement and a venipuncture practice kit; Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) is coursework only. 5 ACE college credits.
What the CCMA Credential Means — What Is The Ccma
A CCMA has demonstrated competency across:
- Clinical patient care (84 of the 150 scored items) — vitals, phlebotomy, EKG, medication preparation, sterile technique, infection control
- Anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology (8%) — body systems, common conditions
- Foundational knowledge and basic science (10%) — medical terminology, math, life sciences
- Patient care coordination and education (8%) — referrals, teach-back, health literacy
- Administrative assisting (12 items) — ICD-10, CPT, HIPAA, scheduling
- Communication and customer service (12 items)
- Medical law and ethics (7 items) — HIPAA, scope of practice, informed consent
Passing the CCMA exam means an employer can be confident you’ve been tested on all of these — the credential is portable and widely recognized.
CCMA Eligibility
To sit for the CCMA exam, you must meet at least one of these pathways:
- Education pathway (most common): Complete an accredited CCMA training program (institutional or online) within the past 5 years that includes both didactic coursework and a clinical externship.
- Experience pathway: Have at least 1 year (1,200 hours) of medical assistant work experience within the past 3 years.
- Military pathway: Complete eligible military medical training within the past 5 years.
For full transparency, our CCMA program is built on the education pathway: 8 weeks online coursework + 160-hour externship at a partner clinic, with the NHA exam fee included.
What’s on the CCMA Exam
- 180 questions (150 scored + 30 unscored pretest)
- 3 hours
- Passing scaled score: 390 (range 200-500)
- Computer-based, delivered at PSI test centers or online proctored
- Cost: NHA lists the application at $169 in its public store
For a free practice test mapped to the 2026 test plan, see our NHA CCMA practice test.
CCMA vs CMA vs RMA — Quick Comparison
| Credential | Body | Eligibility | Pay differential | Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCMA | NHA | Training program or 1 year experience | Pay varies by employer and region | Widely recognized; common in hospitals + outpatient |
| CMA | AAMA | CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited program, or an AAMA-listed alternative pathway | Pay varies by employer and region | Widely recognized; preferred by some academic centers |
| RMA | AMT | Education, military or work-experience routes (see AMT) | Pay varies by employer and region | More common in southern + midwestern markets |
| NCMA | NCCT | NCCT-approved program or 2 yrs experience | Pay varies by employer and region | Less common; check local market |
Employer preferences vary: some name one credential and others accept several, so check the postings for the jobs you want. Choose based on which exam path your training program supports and which credential is most common in your target labor market.
Why Employers Pay More for CCMAs
The 2-3 dollar/hour premium on CCMA-certified MAs over uncertified ones reflects three things:
- Reduced training cost. A certified MA can be productive on day 1; an uncertified hire needs 4-8 weeks of in-house training.
- Reduced liability. Documented certification supports compliance audits and malpractice defense.
- Better patient outcomes. Multiple studies show certified MAs make fewer documentation errors and have higher patient-satisfaction scores.
Over a typical CCMA’s first 5 years, the cumulative pay differential vs. uncertified work is usually $15,000-$25,000.
Career Paths That Build on CCMA
CCMA is intentionally a stepping-stone credential. Common 2-5 year trajectories:
- CCMA → Lead MA / Office Manager: $50-60k median
- CCMA → LPN/LVN: 12-15 month nursing program, $50-55k median
- CCMA → RN (associate’s): 2-year program, $75-85k median entry
- CCMA → Specialty MA (cardiology, dermatology, oncology): $48-55k median
- CCMA → PA school path: requires bachelor’s; PCE hours from CCMA work count toward CASPA
Recertification
The CCMA must be renewed every 2 years. Renewal requires:
- 10 continuing education (CE) credits within the renewal cycle
- Renewal fee ($195, NHA)
- Active practice OR maintained registry status
NHA offers free CE credits via their member portal, plus paid CE through partner providers. Most working CCMAs accumulate 10 CE credits in 12-18 months without dedicated effort.
Ready to stop studying alone? HealthCerts’ Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) program is built around fully online, self-paced coursework that can be completed in 8 weeks, with externship placement — so you walk out with both the credential and the clinical hours employers want.
The bottom line on what is the ccma: choose the path that matches your real-world constraints — schedule, financial aid eligibility, and target employer — rather than the cheapest or fastest option in isolation. what is the ccma outcomes vary meaningfully by program quality, so verify accreditation and externship support before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CCMA?
The CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant) is a nationally recognized medical assistant credential issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). It certifies clinical and administrative competency across 8 domains and is widely accepted by hospitals and outpatient clinics.
What does CCMA stand for?
CCMA stands for “Certified Clinical Medical Assistant” — the credential issued by the NHA after passing their MA certification exam.
Is the CCMA hard to pass?
NHA reported that 81.73% of CCMA exams administered in 2025 were passed; this is not a first-attempt-only rate and does not measure any one training program’s graduates. With 8-12 weeks of focused study, most program graduates pass on the first attempt.
How much does a CCMA make?
BLS reported a national median of $45,690/year ($21.97/hour) for medical assistants in May 2025. Range is $36,050 at the 10th percentile to $59,310 at the 90th. See our full CCMA salary breakdown.
How long does it take to become a CCMA?
Typically 8-12 weeks for an accredited online program with externship, plus 1-2 weeks of focused exam prep. Total time from enrollment to certified-and-employable: usually 10-14 weeks.
How is the CCMA different from a CMA?
CCMA is issued by the NHA; CMA is issued by the AAMA. Both certify medical assistants; both are widely recognized. The main practical difference is that the CMA (AAMA) is usually taken by students and graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited programs (AAMA also lists alternative pathways), while the CCMA accepts training programs and an experience pathway.
Is CCMA worth it?
For aspiring or working medical assistants, yes — the certification typically pays for itself within 3-4 months on the job through the certification pay differential, opens hospital and specialty-practice roles that uncertified MAs can’t access, and supports career progression toward LPN, RN, or specialty roles.
Do I need a degree to become a CCMA?
No. The CCMA does not require a college degree. The most common path is an accredited certificate program (8-12 weeks online or 4-12 months in-person) followed by the NHA exam. Some students complete CCMA first and add an associate’s or bachelor’s later.
Start Your CCMA Journey with HealthCerts
Reading about it is one thing — actually getting credentialed and into a clinical role is another. HealthCerts’ Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) program is the fastest, most-supported path: Earn your NHA CCMA in 8 weeks online with NHA exam fee, externship, and a venipuncture practice kit included. 5 ACE college credits.
Shahnaz Ghassemi Ph.D., is a co-founder of HealthCareerCerts and a dedicated educator, scientist, and workforce development leader. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and brings extensive experience as both an educator and a research scientist in industry. As a co-leader of HealthCareerCerts, Shahnaz is deeply committed to making healthcare education accessible through affordable, flexible, and high-quality learning pathways. She works closely with academic institutions, healthcare partners, and workforce organizations to deliver certification programs that are practical, inclusive, and directly aligned with real-world healthcare needs. Since co-founding the organization, she has played a key role in building strategic partnerships that expand impact and opportunity, helping learners across the country gain essential skills, confidence, and meaningful careers in healthcare. Seeing hundreds of students thrive within the supportive learning community she helps lead continues to inspire and drive her mission forward.
