CMA USA: A Student’s Guide

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 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 2025; September/October 2025; January/February 2026
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

Benefits of CMA USA

There are many reasons why students prefer to opt for the CMA USA exam. Below, we have listed some of the benefits of the CMA USA exam for students.

• 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 the CMA certification. 
• Global Opportunities: CMA USA is a global professional certification 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, accounting and finance can take up this course.

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 to gain this certification, you need to qualify for both of 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 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 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

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CMA USA Exam Dates Testing Window

CMA USA conducts its exam in three sessions. The registration dates and exam dates for each session of CMA USA 2025 are given in the table below.

Exam Window	First Exam Date	Last Exam Date	Registration Deadline
January–February 2025	January 1, 2025	February 28, 2025	February 15, 2025
May–June 2025	May 1, 2025	June 30, 2025	June 15, 2025
September–October 2025	September 1, 2025	October 31, 2025	October 15, 2025

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%

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)	USD 280* [INR 21,000 – 22,000]
Exam Fee	USD 460 per part [INR 35,000 – 36,000]

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

*IMA membership is additional and also required 

Important Details Regarding CMA USA

Before you gear up to take the CMA examination, there are a bunch of important points that you must keep in mind. 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. 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, and 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 email
• A performance report will also be delivered to the candidates 14 days after the result

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

Career Opportunities after CMA

This ‘A’ level certification is well-recognised by leading financial and business organisations 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

Students who passed the CMA USA exam can pursue various job fields according to their passion and interest. Here we have mentioned some of the job profiles suitable for CMA USA students, along with the average salaries.

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

Top Recruiters after the CMA USA Certificate

Many companies offer employment to individuals with a CMA USA certificate. Here are some of the popular companies that offer job opportunities after the 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 Scholarship 

To help students fulfil their goal of CMA USA, the IMA organisation also offers a scholarship for potential candidates. Since CMA is considered to be one of the topmost courses in 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 USD 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)

FAQs

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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.