CMA requirements: what you need, and when you need it
Unlike the CPA, the CMA has no state-by-state rules. One body, the IMA, sets the same requirements for every candidate in every country, and you can sit both exam parts before you have finished your degree or your work experience.
Education
You need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or a professional certification that IMA recognizes in its place. The CMA Handbook lists which certifications qualify. Transcripts go to IMA electronically, as official or notarized copies.
You do not need the degree to start. Students can enrol and sit both parts before graduating, then submit their education documents once they have them.
Experience
Two continuous years of professional experience in management accounting or financial management. It can be earned before you sit the exam or after it, within seven years of passing. Most candidates work and study at the same time, so this rarely holds anyone up.
Ethics
There is no separate ethics exam. Professional ethics is 15% of Part 2, and every CMA agrees to follow IMA’s Statement of Ethical Professional Practice.
How to enrol, step by step
Membership comes first and must stay active for as long as you are a candidate. Student membership is far cheaper if you qualify.
This enrols you in the program and starts your three-year clock to pass both parts. Do not pay it until you are ready to start studying in earnest.
Register for Part 1 or Part 2, in either order, for one of the three testing windows. Registration closes around two weeks before each window ends.
IMA recommends booking at least four weeks ahead to get the date and test center you want.
If you do not, any part you passed expires and you must re-enrol and pay the entrance fee again.
Either can be completed after the exam. Once both are verified, you are certified.
Certified CMAs renew IMA membership each year, pay a $30 annual maintenance fee, and complete continuing professional education.
Common questions
Can I sit the CMA before I graduate?
Yes. You can take both parts as a student and submit your degree afterwards. Students who qualify also pay much lower IMA fees.
Do I need to be in the US?
No. The CMA is a global credential with the same requirements everywhere, and the exam is offered at Prometric test centers worldwide.
What happens if I do not pass both parts within three years?
Any part you passed expires. You re-enrol, pay the entrance fee again, and pass both parts in a new three-year window.
Do I have to take Part 1 first?
No. You can take the parts in either order, and in the same testing window if you are ready for both.
Next step
Every IMA fee, for professionals and students.
→The three testing windows and their registration deadlines.
→Four CMA review courses compared on price, access and case-based practice.
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