CMA Exam Results: CMA Exam Release Dates for 2024

Have you recently taken the CMA exam and are wondering about the CMA exam score release date for 2023? After all, candidates often have questions about when CMA scores are released. As you probably know, most people do not take the two-part exam back to back. Therefore, you might be waiting for the results from CMA Part 1 before you take CMA Part 2.

If you have questions about the CMA scores release and the time it takes to get them, I hope this post helps. Most importantly, I’ll go over when to expect your CMA results, the formula for getting results, and tips to make the most of your time while waiting.

2024 CMA Exam Score Release Dates

You’ve taken the CMA exam or part of it, and now you’re playing the waiting game. However, they say that waiting is the hardest part, which is definitely true when you’re waiting for your CMA USA results.

Regardless, you can do some value-added things while waiting for CMA score release dates. In fact, I have a list of 7 things to do to keep your career moving. But first, let’s talk about those CMA results.

So, when can you expect your CMA exam results? It’s easy to figure out.

CMA Exam Release Dates

The IMA states that scores will be released about 6 weeks from the last day of the month you took the test, plus or minus a day.

Let’s look at some examples of CMA US results in 2024.

CMA result from the January exam:

• If you take the exam on January 30, you will receive your ICMA result sometime in the middle of March or about 6 weeks after the end of January.
• If you take the exam on January 2, your CMA exam result will be released on the same day as the above. Why? Well, mid-March is still 6 weeks after the end of the month you tested.

CMA results June exam:

• The CMA score release date for the CMA May-June window is mid-August because you must wait 6 weeks after the end of June.

How Long Does It Take to Get CMA Exam Results?

First, the IMA will email your exam results immediately after your score release date. Furthermore, your CMA test results will also appear in your personal MyIMA online portal.

Second, if you happen to fail the exam, Prometric will email you a Performance Report on behalf of the IMA. These reports are emailed approximately 14 days after your CMA results are available. In this report, you can see a breakdown of the topics and your performance in each. Consequently, this report will guide your studies as you work to re-take that exam part.

CMA Exam Score Release 2024

2023 CMA Exam Score Release Dates

CMA Exam Score Release 2022

CMA Score Release 2021

2020 CMA Exam Score Release Dates

CMA Score Release: Why Such a Long Wait?

Now, I know what you are probably thinking: Why does the IMA result take so long? Well, the answer is related to the fact that the exam grading isn’t fully computerized. It may be one day, but for now, it is still done the old-fashioned way. Specifically, the essay portion of the exam is graded by hand. After all, each exam has two sections – a section with 100 multiple-choice questions and two essays. Therefore, it takes time to grade the CMA essays. Plus, the reviewers grade all papers from the same testing window at the same time to ensure fairness and consistency. And for these reasons, it takes time for the IMA to develop your CMA result.

What score do you need to pass the CMA exam?

CMA test scores are actually scaled calculations based on your raw score. Basically, your raw score is converted to a scaled score between 0 and 500. The CMA exam passing score is 360 out of 500.

Grading the Certified Management Accountant exam

Extra work and checking may be required when your raw CMA score is converted into the scaled score. At the end of the essay grading process, the reviewers even double-check their work for exams on the border of a CMA passing score. So as you can see, this level of personal attention to grading the CMA exam takes time.

CMA vs other exams

For your reference, the CFA exam results take 7 to 8 weeks, even though the first two levels are fully computerized. So, all in all, six weeks for the CMA exam is about as quick as you can expect these days. Before you even take the exam, you may want to research pass rates. You must also study with a reliable guide to ensure you pass on the first try. Check out the reviews on this site to help you choose the best study guide and materials for your needs.

CMA Pass Rates

Next, let’s take a look at those CMA pass rates. Understanding the CMA exam pass rates will help you understand the test’s difficulty level. According to the latest percentages, the average CMA exam pass rate is 45%. However, the rate can fluctuate over time.

CMA exam results 2022-2023

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMA has slowed down the public release of pass rate percentages. But when new pass rates are released, we’ll update our post on the latest CMA exam pass rates. Right now, though, the IMA has just stated that the pass rates for CMA exam Parts 1 and 2 is about 50%.

CMA exam results from 2021 and older

The Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA) released stats for 2018-2019 that showed a 35% pass rate for Part 1 and a 50% pass rate for Part 2. Then, the ICMA made certain changes to the CMA exam. According to the results for 2020 and 2021, the pass rates started to level out a bit:

• CMA Part 1 = 45%
• CMA Part 2 = 45%

Therefore, looking at these older CMA pass rates, it seems that the overall success rate has gone up from about 45% to an average of 50% in more recent years.

CMA Pass Rate vs CPA, CFA, EA

How does the CMA compare to other accounting exams? Well, the pass rates for the CMA exam are actually lower than those for other accounting exams that are often deemed more difficult, such as the CPA and CFA.

Furthermore, the pass rate for the Enrolled Agent exam is 61-86%, and the EA exam has long been touted as more difficult than the CMA.

CMA Exam Results: You Need to Wait, Wait, and Wait

If you take the CMA exam this year, it might seem like a long time before your CMA score release date in 2023. Now that you know you’re going to be waiting on those exam results, the next best thing you CAN do is keep yourself occupied. Moreover, you can do the following while waiting for your CMA score release in 2023.

1. Spend Time with Your Family and Friends

If you have half-abandoned your dear ones during your CMA studies, now is the best time to make it up. Seriously, so many people immerse themselves in the study process for weeks and even months before the exam day. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to reconnect with those close to you. First, go out with friends, spend some quality time with family, or do something nice for yourself.

2. Give Yourself a Well-Deserved Break

It’s time to unwind! As I said, you’ve probably been deep in study sessions for a long time now. It’s finally time to take a break. Whether you choose to go shopping, have a spa day, or relax on a beach, do something that you truly enjoy. You can consider combining point 1 above by going for a short trip or doing something fun together with family and friends. Win-win!

3. Plan Ahead for Your Next Part of the CMA Exam

If you still have another part after your 2023 CMA score release date, it’s time to get organized and prepared. Take a moment to learn from your experience from this past test — how can you prepare your next part more efficiently and effectively? To start, ask yourself:

Should I increase or decrease study hours?

How can I balance reviewing and working on practice questions?

Incorporate your findings in your next CMA exam study schedule. This is a great way to make productive use of your time waiting.

Plus, think about the materials you used to study. Did you find them useful? If not, consider switching CMA review providers before studying for your next exam part. For example, many CMA candidates find success with the Gleim CMA System and Becker CMA Review. So if you didn’t like your initial study materials, check out these top courses.

4. Explore How You Can Fulfill the Experience Requirement

If you are finished with both parts and are waiting for the final CMA exam results, you can print out the experience verification form. Then, consider how you can complete the work experience requirement. Since the experience requirement is a big part of getting the CMA certification, it’s never too early to start planning how you will obtain it.

Additionally, you are required to provide a description of your daily work. Therefore, if your work is not directly related to accounting or financial management, you may need extra time to frame it so that it counts.

5. Draft Your Promotion Request or Start Your Job Search

Ultimately, getting the CMA certification is a means to get a promotion or better career prospects. After all, career mobility is a major motivation for why many people get certified. Therefore, now may be a good time to revisit your career plans. So if you’re going to ask for a promotion with your CMA certification in hand, start revising your resume and aim for your dream job. It’s never too soon to start planning your career path. And with the CMA exam behind you, you’re one step closer.

6. Research Another Certification?

Some of my readers pursue multiple certifications. This path is not for everyone, but it’s time to take a good look at the options. For instance, the CIA or one of the IIA specialty certificates could be ideas to consider. One of our bloggers, Waqar, researched other credentials while waiting for Part 2 results.

If this applies to you, then now would be a good time to examine your options and what you need to do to get there.

7. CMA CPE Courses

You might as well research CMA CPE courses while you’re waiting for your scores. Most people wait until after getting the CMA exam results to do this, but you could find them now and get it out of the way. To explore the CPE requirements and available courses, see the link at the end of this post for help. Once you get your CMA certification, you will need to have regular CPE credits to maintain it. You can certainly start planning now when and how you will get these credits.

Next, let’s explore a reader’s question.

CMA Score Advice: Reader’s Question

“I just took Part 1, my first exam. I am not sure if I will get a CMA passing score or not. Should I wait for the results first or start studying for Part 2? When is the best time to start studying?”

Unless you are sure you failed Part 1, I encourage you to take a break for a few days. Then, dive into studying for Part 2 while waiting for your Part 1 US CMA results. This way, you don’t lose your momentum. If you are really busy with other commitments, then the waiting time is a great opportunity to clear up your to-do list and give Part 2 a fresh start.

If you have a question that isn’t answered in this post, leave me a comment or send a message so we can answer it for you. Now, let’s take a look at a video summary of the things I’ve said above.

CMA Score Release Video

CMA Score: Understanding Your CMA Exam Score Results

Waiting on your CMA exam results release date is one thing. But once you finally get those scores back, you need to know how to read them.

The CMA pass rate averages show us that not everyone passes on the first try. In fact, over half will need to sit for the exam a second or even a third time to pass. If this is so commonplace, why are so many people nervous waiting for their IMA CMA results? Well, the probable reason is that if you don’t pass, it means you fail, right? And no one likes to fail.

Except for this: not passing the CMA exam isn’t exactly the same as failure.

Why do I say that? First of all, the CMA exam is a criterion-referenced test, which means it is not a simple pass/fail when it comes to scoring. If the scoring confuses you, I’ll give you a basic run-down of how it all works.

How the CMA Exam Is Scored

Each part of the CMA exam has 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and two essays. In terms of the CMA exam grading system, around 75% of the score is allocated to the MCQs and the rest to the essays.

CMA scores range from 0 – 500, with 360 being the passing score. The panel of experts who developed the scoring formula intentionally set the bar high. Therefore, those candidates who pass will reflect positively on the profession as a whole.

However, the CMA exam is not an adaptive exam (such as the US CPA exam) and each question is supposed to be equally weighted. But still, the grading system is sophisticated enough to adjust the mark based on the difficulty of each exam. This is necessary because each set of exam questions is different for different candidates since the computerized delivery of the CMA exam.

Here is a video explaining this:

CMA Exam Passing Score: How to Get a Passing CMA Score

On exam day, you need to answer at least 50% of the MCQs before you will be able to move on to the essays. However, you are not required to pass both the MCQs and the essays in order to pass the exam. After all, the only thing that matters to pass the CMA is your total score. Therefore, if you struggle with the essays and get low marks but score really well on the MCQs, you can still pass the exam.

Furthermore, it’s all about earning points toward that overall goal – to show that you have the knowledge of a CMA and the skills necessary to work daily in this profession. In sum, it’s not about memorizing answers. Rather, it’s about proving that you can apply the knowledge you have to real-life scenarios.

As mentioned above, the exam is scored based on a scale of 0-500. Moreover, you need at least a 360 to pass. However, this scale does not directly translate into a percentage like other tests you may be familiar with. For this reason, the CMA scoring can be confusing to a lot of people.

FAQs

What score do you need to pass the CMA exam?

You need at least a score of 360 on a scale of 0 to 500 to pass the CMA exam.

Do I need a new CMA review course if I failed the exam?

If you’re not happy with the result of a CMA exam, then one of two things probably happened. First, it’s possible that you just didn’t study hard enough. In that case, I have some CMA study tips to jumpstart your progress. Or second, you might have been studying with a review course that didn’t match your learning style. Gleim CMA and Becker CMA are both popular choices that have free trials so you can check them out.

Are CMA exam scores released immediately?

No, your Prometric CMA exam result will not be immediately available. Even though the multiple-choice questions are graded by a computer, the essays are graded by hand. Therefore, this grading takes time. Instead, expect to receive your CMA US exam results about 6 weeks after the end of your testing month.

When do CMA results come out compared to the CPA Exam?

Like CMA candidates, CPA candidates also have to wait several weeks for their CPA Exam score release dates. Furthermore, depending on the regulations of their state board of accountancy, some CPA test-takers will find their CPA Exam score release online on NASBA’s Candidate Portal. Other candidates, however, receive their scores directly from their state board. You can find additional information in this post about CPA Requirements by State.

What are the CMA exam dates and dates for the CMA score release in 2024?

In 2024, the CMA test dates include January, February, May, June, September, and October. It’s important to keep this CMA exam timeline in mind, since the exam isn’t given in every month. And when are CMA exam scores released? Well, you must wait 6 weeks past the end of your testing month. Here’s an estimate of CMA exam results for 2024 dates:

• January test: CMA results for the Jan. exam will be release in mid-March
• February test: CMA results for the Feb. test will be released in mid-April
• May test: The CMA 2022 result date for the May exam will be mid-July
• June test: The CMA June exam results will be released in mid-August
• September test: Expect a CMA result date in mid-November
• October test: The CMA results date for the 2024 October exam will be mid-December

How do I check a CMA exam score?

CMA exam results are emailed to you and posted online to your MyIMA transcript.

What’s the best way to reach a CMA passing score in 2024?

Simply put, the best way to pass the CMA exam is to study with a good review course. The I Pass team has reviewed the best study materials, and we prefer Gleim CMA and Becker CMA.

Where can I find more info about CMA testing dates?

You can all of the information you need about the CMA exam schedule and becoming a CMA in 2022 right here on this website! Check out this post about the CMA Exam Test Dates, Schedule, and Calendar.

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More CMA Exam Info

This site is a wealth of information about the CMA and how to pass the CMA exam. If you’d like to learn more, here are some links that might interest you.

Immediate Questions

• What are the historical pass rates?
• What if I fail?

Longer-Term Considerations

• CPE requirements and available courses
• Should I start thinking about the MBA?
• What’s the next certification I can get?