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CMA Exam Information

Are you interested in the CMA certification?

Then you’ve come to the right place!

You can get essential CMA certification details and CMA exam information right here.

What Is the CMA?

The CMA is the Certified Management Accountant certification. The Institute of Management Accountants developed the CMA in 1972 in order to provide an objective measure of an individual’s knowledge and competence in the field of management accounting.

The IMA continuously evolves and improves the CMA program to meet the needs of modern business for the present and future. Therefore, with this certification, CMAs distinguish themselves as experts in management accounting areas such as financial planning, analysis, control, and decision support. These skills are critical to the finance departments of companies around the globe, as the CMA is an internationally recognized certification. For this reason, CMAs hold worldwide respect and esteem.

cma exam information

The Benefits of Becoming a CMA

Why should you pursue the CMA? The CMA advances the careers and lives of accountants with many major benefits. These benefits include increased income, job opportunities, job security, recognition, and more. See all the advantages the CMA has to offer in this article.

cma exam information

The CMA vs. the World

See how the CMA stacks up to other accounting certifications and degrees:

How to Become a CMA

Becoming a CMA is an involved process that takes time. But, we’ve broken it down for you into 12 simple steps. Some of these steps, like comparing the CMA to other certifications, are pretty easy. Others, like studying for the CMA exam, ask a bit more of candidates. However, this user-friendly guide leads you through the entire CMA journey, so you’ll always know what to do next. Find the way to becoming a CMA in this article.

becoming a CMA

CMA Requirements

Earning the CMA means meeting specific requirements. For candidates to qualify for the CMA, they must meet the education requirement with a bachelor’s degree, the experience requirement with 2 consecutive years of relevant experience, and the examination requirement by passing the CMA exam. You must fulfill the education requirements in order to sit for the CMA exam. But, you do not need to complete the experience requirement right away. In fact, you have 7 years from the time you passed the exam to finish accumulating your 2 years of experience. Learn more about the CMA exam requirements in this article.

The 3 Es

Get the details on the distinct CMA requirements:

CMA Review Courses

Once you've determined that you want to become a CMA, the first step is to begin studying for the CMA exam. And to study for the CMA exam, you'll need the help of an online CMA review course.

There are many CMA review courses available and the most widely used options are:

Gleim CMA Review

  • Gleim CMA is a favorite among CMA candidates. The Gleim CMA claim-to-fame is its test bank, which includes detailed answer explanations for both MCQs and essays. Additionally, Gleim was the very first CMA review course, so prior to Wiley CMA's release, it was the course most often used by CMA candidates.

HOCK CMA Review

  • Not only is HOCK CMA affordable, but it’s also top-notch. Enjoy clear classroom-style lectures from world-renowned accounting instructor, Brian Hock. You’ll also have unlimited access to the HOCK team anytime you have questions about the course or the CMA exam. Plus, you’ll get access until you pass (your course won’t expire).

Wiley CMA Review

  • Wiley CMA is another CMA course to consider, especially for CMA candidates who do not have any budget constraints. The Wiley CMA lecturers are highly-awarded university professors, and the Platinum course includes CMA video lectures, questions, and sample essays. Additionally, Wiley’s Platinum CMA course includes access until you pass the CMA exam.

CMA Exam Fees

Once you’ve earned the CMA, the certification steadily enhances your life with several career perks. But until then, you must pay to become a CMA. In particular, you must cover CMA expenses such as IMA membership fees, CMA program entrance fees, exam fees, review course costs, travel and accommodation, and more. You can get the details on all these CMA exam fees and suggestions for how to save on them in this article.

cma exam information

CMA Exam Pass Rates

Passing the CMA exam is a one of the most challenging CMA requirements. Consequently, pulling it off demands thorough preparation. For this reason, you may have questions about the exam. Questions like, “How many people pass the CMA exam each year?” And, “What do these pass rates say about the exam?” Well, you’re in luck, because this article has the answers to those questions and more. It reveals that latest CMA exam pass rates range for average to low, which means that the exam is not necessarily easy, but it is passable. Then, this article further unpacks the CMA exam pass rates and tells you what these pass rates mean for you.

CMA Exam Format

The CMA exam has two parts, each of which addresses different management accounting topics with specific types of questions. Additionally, both parts contain a number of multiple-choice questions and essay questions that contribute a certain percentage of your score. You have just 4 hours of total testing time, so you must know all about the structure of the exam in order to pass. Find out more about the CMA exam format in this article.

cma exam information

Learn about the CMA exam parts:

CMA Exam Schedule

You must register for your first CMA exam part within 12 months from the day you entered the CMA program. Furthermore, you must pass both parts of the CMA exam within 3 years of joining the program. However, you can only take the CMA exam during the exam testing windows. So, you must be very aware of these specific dates and deadlines as you develop your CMA exam schedule. Discover the important days of the CMA journey in this article.  

cma exam information

CMA Exam Scoring

As you prepare to pass the CMA exam, you need to know what passing the exam looks like. What score must you earn to pass? How does the IMA grade the exam and give you your score? How are the essay questions graded? Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about uncovering this information because we’ve already done the work and put it in this article. Read all about the CMA exam scoring now.

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CMA Exam Score Release Dates

The CMA exam is computerized, but you don’t find out if you passed it right away. Instead, you must wait until the score release dates. No matter when you sat for the exam within the testing window, these dates only occur a certain number of days from the end of the testing window. Furthermore, there is usually only one score release date per testing window. Once you sit for the exam, you might find waiting for your score to be a struggle, but we’ve got some suggestions for how to endure. Learn about the CMA exam score release dates and tips for staying patient in this article.