Passing the CMA exam on your first try is essential for any student pursuing a career in accounting. However, doing so is easier said than done. If you want to maximize your chances of passing, then you’ll need to enroll in a well-designed CMA prep course.
I’ve gone ahead and taken a look at the prep courses being offered and found the four best ones on the market. Each of these has a unique way of appealing to students and preparing them for the CMA exam. Plus, they tend to appeal to multiple learning styles, so no one is left out.
Read on to see which companies offer the four best CMA exam review courses.
The Best CMA Exam Prep Courses of 2023
- Best Overall: Becker CMA Prep Course
- Best Technology: Surgent CMA Review Course
- Best for Efficiency: Gleim CMA Exam Review
- Best Value: Wiley CMA Study Materials
- Best for CMA Coaching: CMA Exam Academy Prep
| Course Name |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Course Rank |
#1 |
#2 |
#3 |
#4 |
#5 |
Cost |
$1,299-$1,499 | $699 – $1,299 | $1039 | $1,000 | $1,997 |
Discount |
Save $1,000 | Save $399 | Save $400 | Save $500 | Save $100 |
# of Practice Questions |
4,000+ | 4,000+ | 2,900 | 5,500+ | 4,000+ |
# of Practice Exams |
Unlimited | Unlimited | 40 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Access Period |
1 Year | 18 Months | Until Exam is Passed | Until You Pass | 2 Years |
Textbook Type |
Printed and Digital Textbooks | Print and E-book | Print and E-book | Print and E-book | |
Additional Guidance |
Personalized Study Plans | Custom Study Plans | N/A | Live Classroom | Weekly Course Outline |
Academic Support |
Success Coaches and Automatic Updates | Content Updates | Personal Online Counseler | Instructor Mentoring | Online Coaching |
Refund/Pass Guarantee |
Yes | Yes | Access Until You Pass | Access Until You Pass | Yes |
LEARN MORE |
|
|
|
|
|
#1 Becker CMA Review Course
Pro – User Experience
Every Becker course is extremely easy to use and navigate through. Additionally, the interface has been streamlined to make learning simple and fun— which will help you stay engaged throughout the entire process. If you want to avoid burning out while studying, this is the way to go!
Pro – Full Coverage
All aspects of Becker’s course are kept up to date. Plus, the course includes full coverage of ICMA Learning Outcome Statements. This means you’re learning accurate information that will be relevant once you start your career.
Pro – Expert Instructors
Becker employs a team of highly experienced CMAs to teach their courses. That way, they can leverage their decades of experience when preparing you for the exam. Plus, you can use that experience to avoid common pitfalls when you start work as a CMA.
Con – Price
Becker’s course has a lot going for it, but it’s also very expensive. Full access to everything this course has to offer will cost you $2,099; a more affordable option costs $1,499. This course is excellent if you can afford it, so I recommend reaching out to an employer willing to sponsor your education. Becker also offers discounts on their courses from time to time, so keep an eye out for them.
 What’s The Bottom Line? |
| Becker is an excellent course that’s worth the money you’ll spend on it. It has a large library of up-to-date study material that’s taught by extremely qualified professionals. |
#2 Surgent CMA Review Course
Pro – ReadySCORE
Surgent’s courses come with a program called ReadySCORE. It tracks your progress throughout the course and calculates how close you are to a passing score on the CMA exam. Thanks to that, you don’t need to waste any extra time preparing— just take the exam as soon as you’re satisfied with your ReadySCORE!
Pro – Unlimited Practice Exams
Practice makes perfect, which is why Surgent includes over 4,000 practice exam questions in their CMA review course. Each question has a detailed answer explanation and can be organized into an unlimited number of exams. This means you can take practice quizzes for as long as you need to before feeling ready to ace your exam.
Pro – Mobile Friendly
All of Surgent’s materials are available on multiple platforms; you can take your work on the go and study when it’s most convenient for you. For example, I like to listen to audio lectures during my commutes and study flashcards during my breaks. No matter what your schedule is, Surgent has made it easy for you to study in this way.
Con – Limited Live Content
Unfortunately, Surgent’s live content isn’t very impressive. They offer 1-on-1 coaching but no live lectures or classrooms. That can be disappointing for anyone hoping to have a personalized study experience— but this is worth your money if you only want self-study materials.
| What’s The Bottom Line? |
| Surgent is an excellent self study course that adapts to your busy schedule. Make sure to try this one out if you have difficulty following someone else’s study plan. |
Take $399 Off Surgent CMA Ultimate Pass
#3 Gleim CMA Review Course
Pro – SmartAdapt Technology
Much like Surgent, Gleim focuses heavily on adaptive learning technology. Their SmartAdapt system ensures that you’re always working on your weak areas and reinforcing your general CMA knowledge. Doing so makes it so that you truly understand CMA concepts instead of just memorizing terms.
Pro – Gleim Instruct Videos
One of the most effective parts of this course is the Gleim instruct series of videos. Each of these breaks down complicated concepts into easy to understand parts. Each part comes with a detailed walkthrough that ensures you understand how to apply what you’ve learned before moving on.
Pro – Expertly Authored Books
Gleim provides you with plenty of bonus materials so you can keep your knowledge sharp. Easily the best one is the set of CMA books— each one is available in physical or digital format and is an easy to read way to reinforce what you’ve learned.
Con – Price Gating
Sadly, the best materials Gleim has to offer are locked behind their highest payment tier. Luckily, Gleim isn’t as expensive as some of the other courses on this list, but it’s still disappointing for anyone trying to save money (remember, before you purchase any course, be sure to check for CMA discounts here).
| What’s The Bottom Line? |
| Gleim is a solid course for anyone who likes access to multiple study methods. They’re able to teach you why CMA concepts work instead of just basic background knowledge. |
#4 Wiley CMA Review
Pro – Huge Library
This is a great option if you need a ton of practice before taking the CMA exam. Wiley CMAexcel includes almost 6,000 different practice questions that are similar to those you’ll have to answer on the real exam.
Pro – Mentoring
The instructors who wrote this CMA review course offer 1-on-1 mentoring to help you fully understand what’s expected of you as a management accountant. These instructors are so good that 80% of Wiley’s students pass both parts of the CMA exam!
Pro – Free Trial
If you’ve never tried an online review course before, I recommend taking advantage of Wiley’s 14-day trial. With two full weeks to sample their practice questions and video content, you’re free to cancel after the trial period to avoid paying for anything.
Con – Mobile App
Wiley CMAexcel includes a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. You can use this app to catch up on your studying by answering a few practice questions or reading flashcards. However, there have been issues with connectivity and support in the past, so it’s not a good idea to rely heavily on using this app during your studies.
| What’s The Bottom Line? |
| Wiley CMAexcel has a huge library of study materials with awesome teachers presenting it. You’re far more likely to pass both sections of the CMA exam on your first try if you rely on the Wiley CMA review course for your studies! |
#5 CMA Exam Academy Review
Pro-Guided Program
Unlike the other courses, CMA Exam Academy’s Accelerator course is on a 16-week guided schedule. This allows them to emulate the classroom experience. Plus, it ensures that you’re kept on task and accountable when studying for the CMA exam. It was also designed to reduce study time by up to 84 hours total per section. They provide 2-year access to their resources, even after you’ve finished the course
Pro – In-Person Exam Rehearsal
CMA Exam Academy goes a step further than other courses with their practice tests. They do so by recreating the test environment for an in-person rehearsal. That way, you can get comfortable with the testing experience while seeing how far you’ve come during the course. This free Prometric Test Drive to rehearse the exam is a part of the tuition price.
Pro – Lots of Resources
All lectures come in multiple formats, so you can choose to learn in a way that’s more comfortable for you. For instance, some people like to sit down and watch a video to study. Others prefer audio content so they can multitask and get more done.
Other bonuses: An iOS and Android flashcard mobile app, so you can study anywhere, access to a 4,000+ question test bank, and an exclusive 25% discount that brings the program to $1997.
Con – Limiting Structure
This course’s biggest selling point can actually be a negative if you prefer self-paced materials. When using CMA Exam Academy’s program, you’ll be on a strict schedule— which can be tough for anyone with a heavy workload.
| What’s The Bottom Line? |
| CMA Exam Academy is the perfect course for anyone who prefers a strict study schedule. However, you’re better off with Becker if you have a lot of other time commitments. |
TAKE ME TO CMA EXAM ACADEMY REVIEW
Save $100 on CMA Exam Academy Review Course
#6 Powers Resources Center
Pro – Free Demo
Anyone interested in this course can try it out for free before buying it. That means you can use this website for a free study session, even if you’re not interested in enrolling for the full course.
Pro – Mock Exams
Powers Resources comes with mock exams that perfectly mimic the content and structure of the real thing. This is one of the most effective ways to improve your exam score, since it helps to eliminate any pre-exam anxiety through realistic practice.
Con – Limited Pass Guarantee
Currently the pass guarantee for this course is only available for students who buy the most expensive package. It shows their confidence that this option will absolutely help you pass your exam on one attempt, but the fact that they don’t guarantee you will pass by using their other courses is somewhat concerning.
| What’s The Bottom Line? |
| I recommend trying out the free course trial to see if this is right for you. However, most students who do this will find that Powers Resources Center doesn’t stack up to the other CMA course providers above. |
CMA Exam FAQs
What skills does a CMA need?
Naturally, Certified Management Accountants need a skillset that incorporates both accounting and management. Not only will you be required to understand the intricacies of financial accounting for businesses and individuals, but you’ll also need to demonstrate competence managing other accountants and ensuring they are capable of doing the same. This is why the requirements for CMA certification include several years of education and professional experience.
How long does it take to prepare for CMA?
Since a Bachelor’s degree is required to sit for the CMA exam, at least 4 years of undergraduate education is required to prepare. You also need at least 2 continuous years of experience in financial management or management accounting, so you can estimate an average of 4 to 6 years total to become fully prepared. Aside from this, you may need an extra 3-6 months to study with a CMA review course.
Which is tougher, CA or CMA?
When you compare the pass rates for Chartered Accountants to Certified Management Accountants, it appears that the CA exam is tougher than the CMA exam. However, the lower CA exam pass rates is most likely due to less stringent requirements to sit for the exam; the CMA’s stricter requirements filter out many students who would perform poorly on the exam. Because of this, a knowledgeable student who studies hard should have an easier time passing the CA exam than the CMA exam.
Can a CMA do a bank audit?
Certified Management Accountants cannot perform a bank audit in the United States— only Certified Public Accountants (CPA) can. However, CMAs still play an important role in the audit process; they just can’t sign the audit report.
