CMA USA

Acquiring the prestigious CMA certification from a leading country like the USA will help you earn global exposure as well as an international qualification. This certification test is conducted thrice a year- May-June; September-October; and January-February. A CMA certification enables passed candidates to gain employment in the finance sector of the USA. To all those aiming to gain a specialised certification in the field of Accountancy, this blog will provide you with the essential details of CMA USA, its syllabus, eligibility, course fees and much more!

Name of the Certification	Certified Management Accountant
CMA Exam	Part 1:  Financial Planning, Performance, and AnalyticsPart 2: Strategic Financial Management
Exam Sessions	May/June 2024; September/October 2024; January/February 2024
Course Duration	12-18 months to complete both parts, on average up to 3 years
Pass Rate	50% globally
Success Rate	4,000 CMA granted each year; 70,000 CMA awarded to date

CMA USA Exam Dates Testing Window

Tabulated below are the dates for CMA 2024:

Testing Window	Last Date of Registration	Starting Date	Last Date	Results
May/June 2024	15 June 2024	1 May 2024	30 June 2024	To be announced
September/October 2024	15 October 2024	1 September 2024	31 October 2024	To be announced
January/February 2024	15 February 2024	1 January 2024	29 February 2024	To be announced

Benefits of CMA USA

Given below are some of the advantages of CMA USA:

• Career Growth: One of the biggest benefits of having a CMA USA is career growth and development. Several mid and senior-level individuals who wish to acquire expertise in the world of finance, management, accounting and business take up CMA certification. 
• Global Opportunities: CMA USA is a global professional certification is recognised by countries like China, India, the UK, Canada, and the Middle East countries. It presents an opportunity to settle and work abroad as well as learn about global practices and business ethics. 
• Increased financial success: CMA is a lucrative opportunity and can lead to tremendous financial success. 58% of candidates with a CMA USA certificate see an increase in their salaries and benefits while 37% of candidates between the ages of 20-29 globally have a salary advantage due to CMA. 
• Short-Duration course: Another advantage of taking up CMA USA is that it can be completed in 12 to 18 months. The CMA exam is conducted thrice in one year giving ample opportunities to candidates to finish their course on time- January and February, May and June & September and October. 
• Versatile Certification: CMA is a versatile degree and is open to candidates from an array of specialisations. Candidates with a minimum of 2 years of work experience and a bachelor’s degree program from areas like engineering, business administration, economics, accountants and finance can take up this course.

Also Read: Chartered Accountant (CA) Course: Duration, Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria For CMA USA 

To pursue this prestigious program by IMA, you need to fulfil certain prerequisites specified by the institution. Candidates with discrepancies in their application or those who fail to meet the requirements will not be allowed to get admission to the course. Mentioned below are the major entry requisites of CMA USA: 

• IMA Membership
• A bachelor’s degree from a renowned institution in a related field. 
• You must possess 2 continuous years of work experience in Management Accounting or Financial Accounting.
• You must abide by the IMA’s Statement of Ethical Professional Practice.

Exam Structure 

The CMA exam is available in two parts and in order to gain this certification, it is essential for you to qualify for both these exams. Part 1 or Part 2 examination of CMA USA can be taken in any order but you will only be qualified for the next one if you clear the first examination. Registration for an exam is valid only for one exam window, hence, you have to register again if you wish to appear again for the examination. 

• The testing window opens up every year in the months of January/ February, May/ June, and September/ October. Thus, you can book the slot of your choice and take the examination accordingly.
• The CMA is a computer-based examination. Each of the exams will be of 4 hours with 100 MCQ questions as well as two 30-minute essays.

Name of the course	Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Institution	Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
Exam Structure	Part 1 and Part 2
Number of Questions	100 in Each Part
Duration	4 Hours

Also Read – How to Become a Chartered Accountant?

Career Opportunities after CMA

This ‘A’ level certification is well-recognised by leading financial and business organizations around the globe. You can explore a vast range of career opportunities after completing CMA USA and some of these are: 

Job Profiles & Average Salaries

Job Profiles	Average Salaries
Senior Analyst	₹7,50,000
Finance Manager	₹14,00,000
Budget Analyst	₹12,00,000
Treasurer	₹8,90,000
Finance Controller	₹19,00,000
Internal Auditor	₹3,00,000 – ₹​8,00,000
Financial Analyst	₹5,00,000
Cost Accountant	₹5,00,000 – ₹​6,00,000
Management Trainee	₹6,70,000

Top Companies after CMA USA Certificate

• Deloitte
• PwC
• KPMG
• EY
• Accenture
• Genpact
• InterTrust
• Knowcraft Analytics
• Cognizant
• Grant Thornton
• MaxLife Insurance
• JP Morgan Chase
• MasterCard
• Barclays
• Morgan Stanley
• HP

CMA USA Syllabus

Now that you are familiar with the basic details pertaining to the course, let us understand the CMA USA syllabus of Part 1 and Part 2 through the tables given below:

Part 1: Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics	Weightage
Technology and Analysis	15%
Internal Controls	15%
Cost Management	15%
Performance Management	20%
Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting	20%
External Financial Reporting Decisions	15%

Part 2: Strategic Financial Management	Weightage
Financial Statement Analysis	20%
Corporate Finance	20%
Decision Analysis	25%
Risk Management	10%
Investment Decisions	10%
Professional Ethics	15%

Also Read: CA Subjects

CMA USA Program Fee 

The fee for CMA USA differs for professional members and student or academic members of IMA. The following tables elucidate the fee details for this certification:

For Professional Members	Cost
CMA Entrance Fee ( Nonrefundable)	$280* [INR 21,000 – 22,000]
Exam Fee	$460 per part [INR 35,000 – 36,000]

For Student/ Academic Members	Cost
CMA Entrance Fee	$210* [INR 16,000 – 17,000]
Exam Fee	$345 [INR 26,8000 – 27,000]

*IMA membership is additional and also required 

CMA USA: Getting Started 

To qualify for the CMA course from the USA, it is necessary for one to follow a bunch of important steps. If the candidates go by these simple steps, they can easily live up to their dream of CMA USA. There are three simple steps in the journey of becoming a successful CMA. To begin with, candidates shall enrol in the CMA program so that they will become a members of the IMA association and enjoy its benefits. The next step would be to, register for the CMA exam and gain access to all the benefits. In the concluding step, you must plan to complete the certification requirements and collect all the vital documents that are to be submitted. 

CMA USA: Taking the Exam 

Before you gear up to take up the CMA examination, there are a bunch of important points that you must keep in mind. Those who register for the exam get access to the CMA Exam Support package which includes a variety of practice and previous year’s questions. Also, the candidates are advised to study at least 150-170 hours per level or part and 300 hours in total. Here are some important points with respect to the CMA examination- 

• Candidates are free to attempt parts 1 and 2 in any order they like 
• The testing window is open only in the slots of- January/ February; May/June; September/ October 
• The exam registration is only valid for one exam window 
• From the end of the month in which you have taken the exam, it takes around 6 weeks for the result to be out via the e-mail
• A performance report will also be delivered to the candidates after 14 days after the result

Also Read – Accountant Courses: Exams, Eligibility, Jobs, Scope

Best Books for CMA USA

Here are the best books for acing CMA USA-

• Wiley CMA excel Learning System Exam Review 2017
• Gleim’s CMA Review: Business Applications
• Certified Management Accountant (CMA), US – Part 1: Financial Reporting, Planning, Performance and Control by Muhammad Zain
• Strategic Financial Management
• CMA: Financial Planning, Performance and Control Exam Secrets: CMA Test Review for the Certified Management Accountant Exam

CMA Scholarship 

To help students fulfil their goal of CMA USA, the IMA organization also offer a scholarship for potential candidates. Since CMA is considered to be one of the topmost courses on the field of Management Accounts, it is widely pursued by students from across the world. Nearly 9,200 students globally have received this scholarship and more than 1,000 institutions from across the world have been a part of this program. To assist the IMA members, over $14 million worth of scholarships have been awarded. 

Who is it For? 

• High-achieving students (undergrad through PhD)
• Students who have attended an accredited school in the US or anywhere around the world
• Only 10 students per school and academic year can be nominated for the scholarship
• All those who will be nominated by a professor will earn the scholarship

What Does it Include?

• Entrance fee for the CMA program
• Exam support package with retired exam questions and a glossary of terms
• Up to three years of IMA membership while pursuing the certification
• Wiley CMA Excel Online Test Bank access for both exam parts for up to two years (all regions, except China)

CMA USA vs CMA India

Though both are equally recognized, there are some stark differences between CMA USA and CMA course details in India. Let us understand this through the table given below: 

Differentiators	US CMA	CMA India
Governing body	IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), US	The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (formerly ICWAI), India
Course Structure	– EXAM PART 1 – Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics– EXAM PART 2 – Strategic Financial Management	Level 1 – CMA FoundationLevel 2 – CMA IntermediateLevel 3 – CMA FinalThere are a total of 20 papers
Course Duration	6-9 months	3-4 years
Exam Windows	Jan-Feb May-June Sept-Oct	June and December
Starting Salary	INR 5-7 lpa	INR 4-6 lpa

Must Read: How to Become a Chartered Accountant in UK?

CMA USA vs CIMA UK

Listed below are the key differences between CMA USA and CIMA UK:

Details	US CMA	CIMA UK
Academic Focus	Management Accountancy	Management Accountancy
Board	Institute for Management Accountants	Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Duration	6 months	2-4 years
Papers	2 Papers	16 Papers
Cost to Pursue	INR 70 thousand	INR 2.5-3 lakhs
Recognition	Globally	UK

FAQs

Lastly, I hope that you have found the necessary information that you have been looking for related to the CMA USA exam. If this blog is helpful and you want to begin your journey, you can contact us at Leverage Edu and our mentors would be happy to guide you through the process and also help you understand the field of your choosing.