CMA in USA: Course Details​, Fees​, Syllabus​, Eligibility​ & Scholarship 2025-26

If you are a USA CMA aspirant, this blog is for you! We will give you detailed information about CMA in the USA. You will know the course details, fees, duration after graduation, passing percentage, subject lists, and much more. With a CMA qualification, you will be considered a strategic management expert. You will have over twice the regular MS in finance and accounting and an MBA. 

So, what is the CMA? The full form is Certified Management Accountant. A CMA is a professional with expertise in strategic accounting and financial management. CMAs use their extensive analytical and research skills to help business organizations make strategic decisions. They can explain the "why" behind numbers, not just the "what."

Why Choose CMA in the USA?

CMA is a global benchmark for financial professionals and management accountants. The IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) offers the CMA in around 150 countries. The course equips the students with all the required accounting and financial management knowledge and skills to excel in this highly competitive domain. But why choose CMA in the USA? Let us find out!

The UK, Canada, India, China, and the Middle East countries approved CMA USA qualification. Besides advanced learning on accounting and management skills, you also gain global exposure and business ethics at an international level.

International students choose CMA for its duration. The duration of the CMA course is shorter than the traditional MS, MSc, or MBA which takes an average of 1.5 to 2 years. The CMA takes around 6-9 months to complete.

You may get scholarships for CMA in the USA. IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) has provided over USD 35 million worth of scholarships to help international students pursue the CMA certification at no cost.

According to IMA’s Global Salary Survey, a CMA (Certified Management Accountant) can earn an average base salary of USD 110,000 P/Y. It is much higher than a traditional MS in finance and accounts, or an MBA.

With a CMA qualification, you can boost your finance and management accounting career to the next level within less than 12 months. 

If you have completed your UG degree and plan to pursue a CMA USA course, this blog will be your help. Let’s see the CMA course duration after graduation.

CMA Course Duration in USA

The CMA course in India typically takes 2 to 3 years to complete. It may vary depending on the program and study method. The CMA course is made up of 3 levels: 

• CMA Foundation: This course takes about 8 months after passing the 10+2 grade system of India.
• CMA Intermediate: This course takes about 10 months.
• CMA Final: This course takes about 18 months.

If you are a UG with a B.Com degree, you can skip the Foundation Level Program, and complete the course in 2.5 years. To become a CMA USA, you must pass both parts of the CMA exam within a maximum of 3 years.

CMA Course Duration After Graduation

The Certified Management Accountant (CMA) course duration after graduation is roughly 2.5 years. Let’s see how. 

• The CMA Intermediate course takes about 10 months
• The CMA Final course takes about 18 months

However, you need 5 years to complete the course because of the UG degree, work experience, and exam preparation. 

CMA USA - Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the CMA in the United States certification, you must meet the following criteria mentioned:

• You must have completed Grade 12 and must have 2 years of professional experience in financial management, or management accounting domain.
• A UG degree in accounting, finance, or relevant disciplines. 
• Candidates can meet the requirement before or within 7 years of passing the test/exam.

CMA Course Details/CMA Subjects List in 2025

The CMA in the USA courses are divided into 2 main parts. Here is a glimpse of the syllabus or CMA subjects list:

Part one - Financial planning, performance and analytics

• Technology and Analysis

• Internal Controls

• Cost Management

• Performance Management

• Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting

• External Financial Reporting Decisions

• Financial Statement Analysis

Part two - Strategic accounting and financial management

• Corporate Finance

• Decision Analysis

• Risk Management

• Investment Decisions

• Professional Ethics

CMA Course Fees in 2025

The USA CMA fees are different for different groups. If you plan to appear as a professional member, the entrance fee would be around USD 300 and the exam fee is USD 495. On the other hand, the fee for a student or academic member is USD 225 and the exam fee is USD 370 per part. 

Remember - An additional fee is also required for the IMA membership, besides the CMA entrance fee.

How To Register?

To register for the CMA in the USA, you must visit their official website and complete the process online. Here is the step-by-step process for CMA admission:

First, become a member of the IMA. You must fill out the registration form to become a member mentioning the student, professional, or academic membership.

Second, pay the registration fee. After that, you must pay the one-time entrance fee to be able to appear for the CMA exam. Since the exam is conducted in 2 parts, part payments are to be made.

Third, after completing the registration process, you get a confirmation email about your registration completion, authorization number, and further instructions, if any. 

CMA USA Pass Percentage

The average pass percentage for the CMA exam is around 45% for both parts (part 1 and part 2), which means that less than half of the candidates who appear for the exam, pass the CMA in the USA. 

CMA USA Scholarships

The CMA board helps students pass the exam without a single penny or offers financial support to carry the cost of the program. To date, more than 20k students across the globe received CMA scholarships. If you want to apply for the scholarship for the CMA program, you must visit the IMAj’s official website to get the details for the financial support. Here are some of the scholarships mentioned:

• IMA Century Scholarship award of USD 7500.
• CMA scholarship program caters to all costs of the programs, starting from exam fees to study costs in each module.
• IMA doctoral scholarship program of USD 10,000.

CMA USA - Job Prospects

The scope of CMA is worldwide. CMA USA certifications open up new opportunities in a wide variety of roles in industries, like insurance and banking, financial services and accounting, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, etc. 

Some of the top-paying CMA in USA jobs are mentioned below:

CMA USA Vs CMA India

Although the aims and objectives of the CMA course across the world are the same, there are certain differences in aspects for every country. Here we have discussed the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) course in the USA vs the CMA (Cost and Management Accounting) course in India:

Final Words

A CMA in the USA can boost your career prospects in finance, and management accounting. It helps you climb the ladder of your career faster than other degrees, like an MS in finance, an MSc in accounting, or an MBA. So, if you are looking forward to upscaling your career prospects, join the USA CMA (Certified Management Accountant) course today.

Education Vibes, one of the leading study abroad consultants helps students achieve their dreams. If you plan to join the CMA course or have questions, talk to our expert counselors now!