American College of Benefit Specialists

What American College of Benefit Specialists does

American College of Benefit Specialists (ACoBS) is a private professional certification organization operating under Roy Hardiman Holdings, LLC, with headquarters in Las Vegas, NV and a legal mailing presence in Detroit, MI. The firm originated from the Pharmacy Benefit Institute of America (PBIA), founded in 2015, and grew out of the CPBS pharmacy-benefits credential first offered in 2014. ACoBS issues four proprietary designations — Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS), Certified Medical Benefits Specialist (CMBS), Retirement Benefits Management Specialist (RBMS), and Voluntary Benefits Management Specialist (VBMS) — targeting HR executives, benefits managers, brokers, consultants, TPAs, pharmacists, and self-funded employer plan sponsors.

ACoBS delivers its curriculum across four formats: an 8-week instructor-led virtual eLearning cohort via Zoom, a self-paced GoToTraining pathway with seven modules and a 12-month access window, an on-demand subscription library of 100+ recorded video lessons, and an in-person Knowledge Camp track embedded in the annual PBIA Summit at Crystal Mountain, MI. Program content is academically co-sponsored by UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, and USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy, and is pre-approved for continuing education credit by SHRM, HRCI, ACPE, and 40+ state Departments of Insurance. Assessment requires an 85% passing score on a final exam, and credentials are maintained via biennial recertification at $995.

Revenue is generated through one-time certification fees (range $2,750–$3,500 depending on format), bundle pricing ($4,125 for any two, $7,195 for all four), team/corporate licenses with volume discounts, annual PBIA membership providing tuition discounts, biennial recertification fees, Summit registration, on-demand subscription pricing ($997 individual / $3,985 team of five), individual module sales ($425–$595), and a ShareASale affiliate program paying 10% commission on initial CPBS sales. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via acobs.org, augmented by an event-driven Summit channel and a sales-led team-license motion targeting employer-sponsored cohorts.

Name

American College of Benefit Specialists

Legal name

Roy Hardiman Holdings, LLC

Website

https://acobs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

American College of Benefit Specialists (ACoBS) is a private professional certification organization offering four designations — CPBS, CMBS, RBMS, and VBMS — for HR, benefits, and pharmacy professionals, delivered through virtual, self-paced, on-demand, and in-person formats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification & Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Educational Support Services (61171), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Life Insurance (6311)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC), Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI), Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB), Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE) (EDAAALAO)

Keywords

• Professional certification programs
• Employee benefits education
• Pharmacy benefits training
• HR certification courses
• Continuing education credits

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Certification Fees: One-time payment for single certification programs (CMBS, CPBS, RBMS, VBMS) ranging from $2,750 to $3,500 depending on delivery format. Includes lifetime access to materials, updates, and certification renewals.
2. Certification Bundle Sales: Bundle pricing for two programs at $4,125 and full access to all four programs at $7,195, offering volume discounts compared to individual purchases.
3. Team/Corporate Enrollment: Group pricing with volume discounts (e.g., team certifications, 5-seat licenses for on-demand). Corporate partners receive up to 25% PBIA member discounts.
4. PBIA Membership: Annual membership providing 25% tuition discounts, free monthly training, members-only toolkit, micro-certifications, and priority access to events.
5. Recertification Fees: Bi-annual recertification at $995 requiring one self-study course completion and one ethics credit. CPBS designees must renew every two years.
6. Self-Study Module Fees: Individual modules priced at $425-$595 for members, $495-$595 for non-members. Ethics module at $225-$295. Final exam fee of $200 (waived for PBIA members).
7. PBIA Summit Registration: Annual in-person conference with registration fees covering networking, CE sessions, workshops, and optional CPBS certification track.
8. Affiliate Commissions: ShareASale affiliate program paying 10% commission on initial CPBS sales referred through affiliate links.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

American College of Benefit Specialists (ACoBS) delivers professional certification and continuing education programs for employee benefits specialists, with a flagship focus on pharmacy benefits management. It offers four proprietary certification tracks—Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS), Certified Medical Benefits Specialist (CMBS), Retirement Benefits Management Specialist (RBMS), and Voluntary Benefits Management Specialist (VBMS)—delivered via virtual instructor-led, self-paced, in-person, and on-demand formats. Programs are accredited for CE credits by SHRM, HRCI, ACPE, and 40+ state Departments of Insurance.

Product overview

American College of Benefit Specialists (ACoBS) offers a portfolio of professional certification programs in employee benefits management. The core offerings include four main certifications: Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS), Certified Medical Benefits Specialist (CMBS), Retirement Benefits Management Specialist (RBMS), and Voluntary Benefits Management Specialist (VBMS). These are delivered through multiple formats including virtual instructor-led eLearning (8-week cohorts), self-paced online courses, on-demand video training, and in-person summits. Supporting products include the PBIA Membership program, individual course modules, and bundled pricing options for multiple certifications. The company operates under the Pharmacy Benefit Institute of America (PBIA) brand for pharmacy-specific offerings and provides continuing education credits through SHRM, HRCI, and ACPE accreditation partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pharmacy Benefit Institute of America (PBIA): A division/sponsor of ACoBS that provides pharmacy benefit management education and certification programs, including the CPBS designation. It is sponsored by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy and has an education partnership with the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy.

Products and services

• Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $41.3M in rebates and pricing shortfalls recovered by one CDC employee applying CPBS training
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• TransparentRxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026TransparentRx is a pharmacy benefit administrator (PBA) and the parent organization driving ACoBS/PBIA initiatives. Managing Director Tyrone Squires serves as lead CPBS instructor. Multiple press releases highlight TransparentRx achievements including Inc. 5000 recognition, Vet100 Award, and product launches (MARGIE portal, InsourceRx AI platform). TransparentRx CEO Circle selects top performers for exclusive program participation.
• University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Eshelman School of PharmacyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier pharmacy school sponsors the Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS) program and Pharmacy Benefit Institute of America. Provides ACPE-accredited continuing education credits for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. One of the top pharmacy schools in the country lending academic credibility to the certification program.
• University of Kentucky College of PharmacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst university to offer an accredited program dedicated solely to pharmacy benefits management education. Education partnership enables pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to earn up to 20.0 hours of ACPE-accredited continuing education credit through PBIA courses.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBIA is approved by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications. TransparentRx is recognized by SHRM for offering PDCs. Program valid for 12 PDCs per certification track.
• HR Certification Institute (HRCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPBS and other ACoBS programs are pre-approved by HRCI for recertification credit. Use of HRCI seal confirms activities meet HRCI criteria for recertification credit pre-approval.
• Crystal Mountain ResortminorOthersConference venue host for annual PBIA Summit in Michigan. Crystal Mountain Ski, Golf & Spa Resort provides accommodation and event facilities for the annual pharmacy benefits management conference. Room block reserved for registered attendees at group rates.
• ShareASale (Affiliate Network)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate marketing partnership through ShareASale network. Affiliates earn 10% commission on initial CPBS sales resulting from referred traffic. Strict advertising compliance requirements including no use of testimonials, no Google AdWords, and no deceptive marketing practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WorldatWork: Global nonprofit association offering certifications (CCP, GRP, CEBBS) for compensation, benefits, and total rewards professionals. Highly comparable to ACoBS's benefits specialist certifications, including retirement and voluntary benefits tracks.
• National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA): Membership association offering retirement plan administrator certifications (APA, ACPA). Directly comparable to ACoBS's Retirement Benefits Management Specialist (RBMS) program in subject matter and CE offerings.
• ISCEBS — International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists: Membership society affiliated with the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation. Operates parallel benefits certification programs serving HR, finance, and consulting professionals.
• National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU): Trade association for health insurance agents and brokers offering CE-accredited training and certifications. Comparable to ACoBS in serving benefits brokers and consultants needing CE credits for license maintenance.
• CEU Institute: Online continuing education provider for insurance, HRCI, SHRM, and other licensed professionals. Competes with ACoBS in the multi-body CE-accredited training market for benefits professionals.
• Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI): Research and education organization focused on pharmacy benefit management. Closest direct competitor to ACoBS in PBM-focused training, conferences, and credentialing for payer-side pharmacy professionals.
• International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP): Membership organization providing benefits education, CE programs, and certifications to plan sponsors and administrators. Overlaps with ACoBS in benefits training and serves the same employer and consultant buyer.

Broad incumbents

• HRCI (HR Certification Institute): Credentialing body offering PHR, SPHR, and aPHR certifications; pre-approves recertification CE from providers like ACoBS. Functions as both a partner and a broad incumbent in HR/benefits certification.
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): Largest HR professional association offering SHRM-CP/SCP certifications and PDCs. Provides CE credits that ACoBS programs align to, and is both a partner and a broad incumbent in the same training ecosystem.

Emerging players

• American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL): Professional organization offering pharmacy-law and PBM-related CE. Adjacent to ACoBS's CPBS curriculum and competes for the same pharmacist audience seeking payer-side and regulatory expertise.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCghbdNC0vCOc_hMFg-hLzEw?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/pharmacybenefitinstitute%20
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharmacy-benefit-institute-of-america-pbia

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American College of Benefit Specialists