Are CIMA and CMA the same qualification?

No, though both certify management accounting. The CMA is a two-part certification from the US-based IMA. CIMA is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, now operating jointly with the AICPA, and its CGMA Professional Qualification is a multi-level chartered route: nine Objective Tests and three Case Studies beyond the entry certificate, leading to the ACMA, CGMA designation.

Which is faster, CIMA or CMA?

The CMA, clearly. Its two parts take roughly 150-170 study hours each, and candidates often finish within 12-18 months - many within a year. CIMA's official cost scenarios assume about three years for the full qualification, or around five including the Certificate in Business Accounting, plus three years of verified experience for the designation.

Do I need a degree for CIMA or CMA?

For the CMA, yes: IMA requires a bachelor's degree, plus two years of relevant experience that can be completed within seven years of passing. CIMA requires no degree - the Certificate in Business Accounting is the open entry route, and relevant degrees earn free exemptions that shorten the path instead.

Which is more widely recognised?

They anchor in different markets. CIMA is the chartered route with deep UK and Commonwealth recognition, ending in the ACMA, CGMA designation. The CMA is US-originated but globally recognised, and particularly popular for corporate-finance roles in several regions; the exam is offered in English, Chinese and Arabic. Neither dominates everywhere, so your target market decides.

Head-to-head comparison

CIMA vs CMA: which management accounting route should you take?

By The Exam Atlas Editorial Team · Verified 2026-08-05

Our verdict

Both certify management accounting, so choose by route, not subject. The CMA (IMA) is two parts, degree-required, and often finished within 12-18 months - speed with a US anchor. CIMA is twelve exams beyond entry plus three years of verified experience, needs no degree to start, and ends in the chartered ACMA, CGMA designation. It is a quick credential versus a chartered journey, not better versus worse.

Side by side

The numbers that decide it, lined up across every dimension that matters.

	CIMA	CMA
Body	AICPA & CIMA	IMA
Structure	9 Objective Tests + 3 Case Studies (after the Cert BA entry route)	2 parts
Exam format	90-min Objective Tests on demand; 3-h Case Studies in 4 windows a year	4-hour exams: 100 multiple-choice questions + 2 essays each
Passing score	Scaled 0-150: 100 (Objective Tests), 80 (Case Studies)	360 out of 500 per part
Entry requirement	No degree needed - Cert BA is the open entry route	Bachelor's degree + IMA membership
Experience requirement	3 years verified, for the ACMA, CGMA designation	2 years relevant, completable within 7 years of passing
Typical time	~3 years officially costed (about 5 including Cert BA)	Often 12-18 months; many finish within a year
Exam fees	GBP 104-254 per Objective Test, GBP 192-382 per Case Study (2026 tiers)	~US$460 per part, plus entrance fee and membership
Pass rates	Published per exam: E1 82% down to P2 46%	~50% per part (IMA approximate figure)

Full exam pages: CIMA (CGMA Professional Qualification) · CMA (IMA)

CIMA and the CMA cover the same territory - management accounting, the finance work done inside a business - which is exactly why people confuse them. The difference is not the subject but the shape of the route: a multi-year chartered framework versus a two-part certification. Here is the detailed comparison, beyond the table above.

The core difference

CIMA awards the CGMA Professional Qualification: a framework, not a single exam. Newcomers start with the four-paper Certificate in Business Accounting, then work through three levels (Operational, Management, Strategic), each with three 90-minute Objective Tests capped by a 3-hour Case Study - twelve exams beyond entry in all. Finishing them plus three years of verified experience leads to CIMA membership and the chartered ACMA, CGMA designation.

The CMA from IMA is a certification built for speed: two parts (Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics; Strategic Financial Management), each a 4-hour exam of 100 multiple-choice questions plus two essays. It requires a bachelor’s degree and two years of relevant experience, which can be completed within seven years of passing.

Same profession, different vehicle: one is a long chartered journey open to anyone, the other a focused sprint for degree holders.

Cost compared

CIMA: fees are tiered by country since 2026. Per exam, Objective Tests run GBP 104-254 and Case Studies GBP 192-382, with Cert BA papers at GBP 89-123. Add one-off registration (GBP 99), the annual subscription (GBP 150 for each year you remain a candidate), and a GBP 199 assessment when applying for membership. Exemptions are free. Budget a multi-year commitment of well over a thousand pounds even in the cheapest tier.
CMA: roughly US$460 per part across two parts, plus a one-time entrance fee and required IMA membership maintained annually.

The CMA is the more contained outlay; CIMA’s cost is spread across years of subscriptions and a dozen exam fees. Confirm current fees with each body before committing.

Difficulty and time

CIMA: Objective Tests pass at 100 and Case Studies at 80 on a scaled 0-150. Pass rates are officially published and vary sharply by paper: the Enterprise pillar is the most passed (E1 82%, E2 81%), while P2 Advanced Management Accounting (46%) and F2 Advanced Financial Reporting (49%) are the toughest. Cert BA takes about six months on average; the full qualification is officially costed over about three years.
CMA: each part passes at 360 out of 500, with roughly 150-170 study hours per part and 300+ in total, commonly across 12-18 months. IMA’s published approximate pass rate is around 50% per part.

Neither is a soft option - both post pass rates near or below half on their hardest papers. The difference is duration: the CMA is measured in months, CIMA in years.

Recognition and geography

CIMA carries the weight of a chartered designation, with particularly deep recognition in the UK and Commonwealth markets, and the CGMA letters travel well in industry. The CMA is US-anchored but globally recognised, popular for corporate-finance roles in several regions, and the exam is offered in English, Chinese and Arabic. Neither is the “international” one and neither is parochial; they simply have different centres of gravity.

Career fit

Both point at the same roles: management accountant, finance business partner, financial analyst, finance manager, controller. So the differentiators are personal:

No degree? CIMA is open to you via Cert BA; the CMA is not, since it requires a bachelor’s.
Already working in FP&A with a degree, wanting letters quickly? The CMA maps directly and finishes fastest.
Want chartered status and a structured, examined progression? That is what CIMA’s levels and case studies are built to deliver.

How to decide

Ask two questions. First, do you have a degree? If not, CIMA is the realistic route. Second, what does your market reward? In UK and Commonwealth environments, the chartered ACMA, CGMA designation is the established currency; in US-anchored corporates and several international markets, the CMA is well understood and much faster to earn. If both would serve, decide by appetite: two exams in about a year, or twelve exams and an experience record for a chartered title. The destination is the same profession - pick the road you will actually finish.

Which should you choose?

Choose CIMA if

People who want the full chartered route into management accounting - including school leavers and career changers without a degree - and who accept a multi-year path to the ACMA, CGMA designation.

Choose CMA if

Degree holders who want a focused management-accounting credential fast: two parts, often completed within 12-18 months, while working in FP&A, controlling or corporate finance.

Our specialty · side by side

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FAQ

Are CIMA and CMA the same qualification?: No, though both certify management accounting. The CMA is a two-part certification from the US-based IMA. CIMA is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, now operating jointly with the AICPA, and its CGMA Professional Qualification is a multi-level chartered route: nine Objective Tests and three Case Studies beyond the entry certificate, leading to the ACMA, CGMA designation.
Which is faster, CIMA or CMA?: The CMA, clearly. Its two parts take roughly 150-170 study hours each, and candidates often finish within 12-18 months - many within a year. CIMA's official cost scenarios assume about three years for the full qualification, or around five including the Certificate in Business Accounting, plus three years of verified experience for the designation.
Do I need a degree for CIMA or CMA?: For the CMA, yes: IMA requires a bachelor's degree, plus two years of relevant experience that can be completed within seven years of passing. CIMA requires no degree - the Certificate in Business Accounting is the open entry route, and relevant degrees earn free exemptions that shorten the path instead.
Which is more widely recognised?: They anchor in different markets. CIMA is the chartered route with deep UK and Commonwealth recognition, ending in the ACMA, CGMA designation. The CMA is US-originated but globally recognised, and particularly popular for corporate-finance roles in several regions; the exam is offered in English, Chinese and Arabic. Neither dominates everywhere, so your target market decides.