CMA (Certified Management Accountant)
The global management-accounting credential; particularly strong fit for industry/corporate FP&A and controller career tracks where CPA's audit emphasis is unnecessary.
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Visit Official Site →Founded
1972
HQ
Montvale, NJ, USA
Target Audience
Management accountants, FP&A professionals, cost accountants, financial analysts, and corporate-side controllers/CFOs focused on internal decision-support (not external audit/attest).
Key Features
- Two parts: Part 1 (Financial Planning, Performance & Analytics) and Part 2 (Strategic Financial Management)
- Each part: 100 MCQ (75% weight) + 2 essay scenarios (25% weight), 4 hours total
- Three testing windows per year: Jan-Feb, May-June, Sept-Oct
- Pass rates: Part 1 ~50%, Part 2 ~50% (IMA recent reporting)
- Bachelor's degree + 2 years of qualifying work experience required (experience can be completed within 7 years of passing exams)
- 30 hours of CPE annually (including 2 hours ethics)
- ~100,000+ active CMAs globally; strong representation in industry, manufacturing, and tech finance
How to Get This Certification
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree (from accredited institution) + 2 years of continuous qualifying professional experience in management accounting or financial management. Experience can be completed within 7 years of passing both parts.
Why Get Certified — ROI
Salary Impact
CMAs earn an average 21% premium over non-certified peers (IMA 2024 Global Salary Survey). Median US CMA total compensation: $115,000-$135,000.
Career Benefits
- What makes this stand out
- The global management-accounting credential; particularly strong fit for industry/corporate FP&A and controller career tracks where CPA's audit emphasis is unnecessary.
- Industry recognition
- IMA proprietary; recognized by major US and global employers in industry finance.
Who Should Get This Certification
Ideal for:
- Management accountants
- FP&A professionals
- cost accountants
- financial analysts
- and corporate-side controllers/CFOs focused on internal decision-support (not external audit/attest).
Consider alternatives if:
- Less brand recognition than CPA in the US — many US employers in public accounting still don't recognize it adequately
- Heavy quantitative/financial-analysis content overlaps significantly with CFA Level I-II — some candidates feel forced to choose
Pricing
Pricing varies.
Weaknesses
- Less brand recognition than CPA in the US — many US employers in public accounting still don't recognize it adequately
- Heavy quantitative/financial-analysis content overlaps significantly with CFA Level I-II — some candidates feel forced to choose
- Limited career mobility in audit/attest paths — CPA remains the gatekeeper there
- Required IMA membership ($290/yr) is recurring cost without comparable post-CPA-license overhead
Markets Served
Global
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