A CMA doesn’t just boost your resume; it elevates your entire career trajectory. After all, a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) title isn’t just a badge—it can be your ticket to the C-suite.
Stepping into the shoes of a CMA means embracing challenges. As per Indeed, the role demands a sharp eye to spot profitable ventures while ensuring the stability and growth of existing business structures. But here’s the silver lining: aside from the intrinsic satisfaction of managing complex financial operations, a CMA can potentially earn you a handsome annual salary, ranging between $70,000 and $100,000, as noted by Gleim.
So, are you aspiring to be part of this exclusive club? The journey starts with ticking off the prerequisites set by the Institute of Management Accountants and conquering the CMA exam. And while we can’t fast-track the former for you, we’ve uncovered some top-notch study resources that can bolster your preparations for the latter.
Check out our comparison of the best CMA review courses below!
A Full List of CMA Review Courses Worth Considering
The four best review courses we found for the CMA exam can be seen in the table below. Out of all the companies we reviewed, Becker stands out above the rest thanks to their huge library of study resources and proficiency tracking technology. However, all of these courses have something to offer, so you should consider them all before making your final decision:
The 4 Best CMA Review Course Comparison
| Rank | Company | Pricing Info | Get Started | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. |  | Becker CMA Review | $2,199 | Go To Becker CMA |
2. |  | Surgent CMA Review | $1,299 | Go To Surgent CMA |
3. |  | Gleim CMA Review | $1,799 | Go To Gleim CMA |
4. |  | Wiley CMAexcel | $1,499 | Go To Wiley CMA |
Choose the Best CMA Review Course for You
1. Becker CMA Review
Best CMA Exam Prep Study Material
If you want the largest and most informative library of online study materials for the CMA exam, Becker should be your first choice. This course includes thousands of multiple choice questions that can help you practice in simulated versions of the full exam. Then, you can check your score with Adapt2U and tweak your study schedule to improve your results.
Becker CMA Features
You can enroll in either Becker’s CMA Review Advantage or CMA Review Pro course. Signing up for Advantage includes:
- 4,000+ multiple choice practice questions and 76 essay questions
- 500+ digital flashcards
- 100+ lecture videos
- Adapt2U Technology
- Support from online CMA tutors
However, Becker CMA Pro is the best option currently available online because it adds even more features on top of their already impressive Advantage course, such as:
- Unlimited course access
- Print versions of all CMA textbooks
- Live online virtual classroom
- Additional academic tutoring sessions
- Continuing Professional Education courses
Becker CMA Pros and Cons
- Separate Courses for Tailored Needs: Becker CMA offers a unique approach by dividing its course into two distinct parts, aligning with the two halves of the CMA exam. This offers flexibility as students can opt to purchase content for just one section if that’s all they need. However, for a holistic grasp, many find it economical and comprehensive to invest in the Advantage package that covers both parts, ensuring no topic is left untouched.
- Unparalleled Support System: Becker’s CMA Advantage stands out not just for its content but also for its commitment to student support. If you’re grappling with a tricky concept or have a burning question, their instructors are just a message away. What sets them apart is the quick turnaround time – expect a response within two days, which is impressively faster than most online courses or institutions. This ensures minimal disruptions in your study flow.
- Continuing Education for Long-Term Commitment: Passing the CMA exam is a milestone, but maintaining the certification is a continuous journey. Becker doesn’t just prepare you for the exam; it equips you for the long haul. Their emphasis on continuing education ensures that you’re always up-to-date, meeting all the CPE requirements, and staying relevant in the ever-evolving finance domain.
- Customized Learning with Adapt2U: Every student’s learning journey is unique, and Becker’s Adapt2U technology respects that. This innovative feature tailors the course based on your strengths, weaknesses, and study habits. As you navigate through the course, both virtual and real-life CMA tutors guide and mentor you, ensuring a personalized and efficient study experience that aligns with your needs.
Bottom Line: Becker CMA provides a tailored two-part course design and rapid-response support. Beyond just exam prep, they emphasize lifelong learning and use Adapt2U technology to offer a customized study experience, ensuring you’re not just prepared but primed for success.
| Course | Price |
| CMA Exam Part 1 Review | $899.00 |
| CMA Exam Part 2 Review | $899.00 |
| CMA Review Advantage | $1199.00 |
| CMA Review Pro | $2,099.00 |
| CMA Advantage to Pro Upgrade | $600.00 |
2. Surgent CMA Review
Best CMA Prep Course for Adaptive Learning
Students who enroll in Surgent’s CMA review course can access many similar features to our top-rated course. However, something unique to Surgent is their A.S.A.P. Technology— which uses cutting-edge machine learning tools to help students understand how much progress they’ve made in their studies, and how much more progress needs to be made before they can pass their exams.
Surgent CMA Features
You’re free to enroll in a single course package or a slightly more expensive package that covers both parts of the exam. Even if you only need to prepare for one part of the exam, I still recommend enrolling in Surgent’s CMA Review Essentials Pass, which includes:
- 3,900+ practice questions and 65+ essay questions
- PDF textbooks
- 18 month access period
- A.S.A.P. Technology and ReadySCORE
If you’re interested in getting some extra help with your exam prep, Surgent also offers upgraded versions of their Essentials pass. For example, their CMA Review Premier Pass includes everything from Essentials, plus:
- 6-month access period extension
- 60+ video lectures
And if you upgrade to their CMA Review Ultimate Pass, everything from Premier and Essentials is included, plus:
- Unlimited course access
- Virtual coaching sessions
- Print flashcards and textbooks
Surgent CMA Pros and Cons
- Carefully Outlined: All of Surgent’s CMA exam review courses are closely aligned with the content specification outlines set by the Institute of Management Accountants. Since they’re the organization that created the exam, you can expect that all your practice questions and exams will be closely aligned to the content covered on the full CMA test.
- Best Adaptive Learning Tech: When you first log in to Surgent’s online dashboard, you’ll fill out a first-time assessment. This allows their adaptive learning technology to customize your study schedule over the next few months— recommending specific practice exams, video lectures, and text passages. As you complete lessons, your ReadySCORE will increase, which is how Surgent tracks your progress and lets you know when you’re ready to pass the CMA exam. This is the most advanced application of this technology I’ve encountered in any online review course so far!
- Extra Questions: Most online courses will pad out their numbers by including a huge library of practice questions. Surgent doesn’t do that; instead, they offer several essay questions alongside a reasonable volume of multiple-choice questions to ensure that you can access a well-rounded educational curriculum.
- Ultimate: When considering the extra features, I recommend Premier for all students except those who want affordable tutoring on the side— in that case, I believe it’s worthwhile to enroll in their Ultimate pass instead. Aside from the tutoring add-on, there’s not a whole lot to justify choosing their highest-priced course over their more affordable options.
Bottom Line: Surgent’s CMA review harnesses A.S.A.P. Technology for a tailored study experience. Aligned with the Institute of Management Accountants’ standards, it optimizes your study flow and pinpoints readiness through ReadySCORE. Although they offer a variety of packages, their base offerings suffice for many. However, discerning the real value between the top-tier and mid-tier options might be challenging for some.
| Course | Price |
| Surgent CMA Part 1 Course | $499 |
| Surgent CMA Part 2 Course | $499 |
| Surgent CMA Review Essentials Pass | $699 |
| Surgent CMA Review Premier Pass | $999 |
| Surgent CMA Review Ultimate Pass | $1,699 |
Take $399 Off Surgent CMA Ultimate Pass
3. Gleim CMA Review
Best CMA Exam Prep Questions
Although they haven’t been around for as long as Wiley, Gleim is an educational company with a long history of helping accountants and other financial professionals earn their certifications. What makes this course stand out from its competitors is the volume of study materials you receive— including over 4,000 multiple-choice questions that can be used to make unlimited practice exams.
Gleim CMA Features
Gleim’s Mega Test Bank includes:
- 4,500+ practice questions
- Unlimited realistic CMA exam simulations
- 2 digital or physical textbooks covering both parts of the exam
Aside from practice questions, you can see that this option is a little barren. That’s why I recommend spending a little more to enroll in their Traditional or Premium courses instead. Traditional offers everything included with the Mega Test Bank, but it also includes:
- SmartAdapt technology
- Audio lectures
- Exam Rehearsal mode
- Personal coaching
But if you’re interested in even more educational content, Gleim’s Premium course offers a full collection of every type of CMA prep imaginable. On top of the things included with Traditional and the Mega Test Bank, Premium includes:
- Video lectures
- Digital flashcards
- Extra support from Accounting Experts
- Access Until You Pass Guarantee
Gleim CMA Pros and Cons
- Practice Questions: The most basic package provided by Gleim is their Mega Test Bank, which consists mostly of practice questions. There are very few online resources that offer nearly as many practice questions as you can get in this package alone, so it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking to practice heavily in this way.
- SmartAdapt: SmartAdapt allows this CMA course to track your progress and suggest custom study schedules — similar to Surgent — which also ties into the simulated Exam Rehearsal mode. The result is a guided form of instruction that offers convenience and efficiency in every step of your study journey.
- Personal Coaches: Personal coaching from the accounting experts who work with Gleim is a priceless resource of professional knowledge that could help you establish immediate success in your industry. If you ask the right questions, you could learn a lot of helpful information from these wise tutors who can help you land an excellent job after earning your certification!
- Premium: In all honesty, the most significant benefit to choosing Premium over Traditional is the video content; everything else is mostly extra amounts of features you can already get for a more affordable price. But if video content is all you care about, you’ll be better off enrolling in one of Surgent or Becker’s courses instead— they offer more video content at a lower price.
Bottom Line: Surgent’s CMA review harnesses A.S.A.P. Technology for a tailored study experience. Aligned with the Institute of Management Accountants’ standards, it optimizes your study flow and pinpoints readiness through ReadySCORE. Although they offer a variety of packages, their base offerings suffice for many. However, discerning the real value between the top-tier and mid-tier options might be challenging for some.
| Course | Pricing |
| Gleim CMA Mega Test Bank (Part 1) | $499 |
| Gleim CMA Mega Test Bank (Part 2) | $499 |
| Gleim CMA Mega Test Bank (Both Parts) | $999 |
| Gleim Traditional CMA Review System (Part 1) | $825 |
| Gleim Traditional CMA Review System (Part 2) | $825 |
| Gleim Traditional CMA Review System (Both Parts) | $1,349 |
| Gleim Premium CMA Review System (Part 1) | $950 |
| Gleim Premium CMA Review System (Part 2) | $950 |
| Gleim Premium CMA Review System (Both Parts) | $1,599 |
Get $540 Off Gleim CMA Premium Course
4. Wiley CMAexcel
We’d like to bring to your attention that Wiley CMA has recently been acquired by UWorld. Given this transition, there is inherent uncertainty surrounding course quality, content, and delivery. Due to these potential shifts and changes, we are currently refraining from recommending Wiley CMA until there’s more clarity on the direction UWorld will take with the program.
Best CMA Test Prep for Final Review
With over 200 years of history helping professionals start careers in accounting and finance around the world, Wiley Efficient Learning is a reliable and time-tested educational resource. They may not offer the same volume of study materials that Becker or Surgent does— but they offer uniquely beneficial features for students who want to get started as quickly as possible.
Wiley CMA Features
The Wiley Pro CMA Review Course provides you with unlimited access to all of its materials, which includes:
- 1,100+ practice questions
- 800+ page online textbook
- 750+ digital flashcards
- 50+ hours of video lectures
- 135 lessons and 16 essays
Thanks to the addition of video lectures, this is probably the best all-around self-study course in this price range. However, upgrading to Wiley’s Platinum CMA Exam Course is a good choice if you need more face-to-face instruction, since it includes:
- Live Classes
- 48-Hour Instructor Support
- 11th Hour Final Review
- Free Excel Course
- Score Predictor Technology
Wiley CMA Pros and Cons
- Separate Parts: Much like Surgent, you can opt for a study package that only covers a single section of the CMA exam. This is a great way to save some money on your enrollment fees, but you can save even more by opting for digital-only copies of the included textbooks. But much like your other options, it’s a better deal to purchase the combined review course that covers both parts of the full exam.
- Final Review: Wiley’s Platinum course not only provides more ways for you to get in touch with your instructor, but it also includes Wiley’s 11th-hour Final Review. This is a bonus cram course that’s offered for the majority of their curriculum, and it’s a great way to quickly understand the essentials right before you sit for your exam. Currently, no other online CMA exam review course offers something comparable to this!
- Physical Study Materials: While it’s nice to have easy access to all your study content online, it would be even nicer if Wiley offered the option of physical textbooks and flashcards. Some students prefer to learn with traditional materials like this, and they would be more effective in a location with poor internet
- Lengthy and Lackluster Video Content: Feedback from certain users indicates that the video lectures tend to drag on and lack the dynamism they expected. This can make absorbing the material more tedious and less effective for some learners access.
Bottom Line: Wiley CMA has been a solid choice for many, known for its detailed content. However, some users find the video lectures lengthy and less engaging. With the recent acquisition by UWorld, the consistency and future of the course have become concerns. It’s advisable to tread with caution.
| Course | Price |
| Wiley Pro CMA Review Course (Part 1) | $900 – $950 |
| Wiley Pro CMA Review Course (Part 2) | $900 – $950 |
| Wiley Pro CMA Review Course (Both Parts) | $1,200 – $1275 |
| Wiley Platinum CMA Review Course (Part 1) | $950 – $1,000 |
| Wiley Platinum CMA Review Course (Part 2) | $950 – $1,000 |
| Wiley Platinum CMA Review Course (Both Parts) | $1,400 – $1,500 |
Other Courses We Reviewed
Although there were four courses that got our top recommendation, there are several other online CMA certification courses available. And while we looked over these and didn’t believe they offered anything on the same level as our top picks, they’re still worth considering if you need something more affordable or want to supplement some of your other study materials.
| Company | Learn More |
|---|---|
| CMA Exam Academy | Visit Site |
| Powers Resource Corporation | Visit Site |
| Hock International | Visit Site |
Bryce Welker is an active speaker, blogger, and regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, and Business.com where he shares his knowledge to help others boost their careers. Bryce is the founder of more than 20 test prep websites that help students and professionals pass their certification exams.