Deciding on the best CMA review courses & study materials that will help you pass the Certified Management Accounting exam and become a CMA in the shortest amount of time possible isnโt that easy.
There are a few different companies that make CMA exam prep courses and โ believe it or not โ all of them boast their study materials to be the best. How are you supposed to differentiate between them all and decide on one? Below youโll find all the best information on finding the right CMA review course for you.
Itโs important to find CMA study materials that match your learning style and will help you stay focused. After all, youโll most likely end up spending over 100 hours preparing for the Certified Management Accountant exam.
Thatโs why Iโve reviewed all of the top-rated CMA study materials. I wanted you to be able to look at each one and understand which fits your learning style, study schedule, and most of all, your budget. I review the study text, video lectures, and all of the features of each CMA training class, so you will be able to see all of the benefits and drawbacks.
Check out our rankings below, starting with our number one pick!
These Are The Top 5 Best CMA Prep Course, CMA Review Courses & Study Materials in January 2021 :
- Surgent CMA Review Course: Adaptive Learning
- Gleim CMA Exam Review Course: Best CMA Questions
- CMA Exam Academy Review Course: 1-On-1 Coaching
- Hock CMA Prep Course: Great Study Guides
Here are the best CMA study material & review courses to help you pass the CMA exam on your first try and become a Certified Management Accountant.
| AIS RANKING | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMA REVIEW COURSES |  |  |  |
| PRICE | $1,199 | $1,599 | $1,394 |
| DISCOUNT | Save $340 | Save $400 | Save 22% |
| PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 3,460+ | 4,500+ | 2,500 |
| FULL LENGTH CMA PRACTICE TESTS | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| VIDEO LESSONS | 60+ Video Lectures | Gleim Instruct Video Series | Complete Video And Audio Lectures |
| COURSE ACCESS | 18 Months | Access Until You Passยฎ Guarantee | 2 Years |
| TEXTBOOKS | PDF Textbooks | Full Printed And E-Textbooks | Full Printed And E-Textbooks |
| GUIDED LESSONS | Personalized Study Plans | Personalized Study Planner | Week by week course outline |
| FINANCING | YES | YES | NO |
| SUPPORT | Automatic Content Updates | Personal Counselor | Unlimited Coaching Online |
| MONEY BACK GUARANTEE | YES | YES | YES |
| GET STARTED | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW |
1. Surgent CMA Review
Surgent CMA Review has crafted one of the top exam prep courses for those seeking a Certified Management Accountant certification. With 3,460 multiple choice questions, 65+ essay problems designed to help you think critically, unlimited CMA practice tests, and more, this is one of the most comprehensive study tools on the market.ย
Furthermore, the course takes note of the areas youโre excelling in and where youโre struggling. It then uses this information to craft a personalized study planner for your progress through the course.
One of the huge positives of this course is that it is designed for efficient studying. Surgent has revolutionized studying by cutting out a shocking amount of wasted study time. This is primarily accomplished by focusing on turning weak areas into strengths. The smart technology in the platform helps with this, using pre-assessments and frequent practice quizzes to determine where you still need the most work!
However, this focus on efficient studying may be seen as a negative by some, particularly students who thrive in a classroom setting. The CMA Prep Course is self-led; youโll need to hold yourself accountable to read the text, study, and maintain your progress. There are no instructors or activities to keep your interest, so youโll really need to power through some of the drier portions of this study course.
2. Gleim CMA Review
Gleim has offered detailed professional exam preparation courses and guides for over 45 years. Their CMA study materials and textbooks have a reputation for being thorough and filled with detailed examples. This is great for anyone who needs more help applying CMA concepts or understanding exam topics.
The Gleim CMA study guide includes more than 4,500 multiple-choice practice questions, making them one of the largest CMA test banks on the market. It also includes over 150 interactive essay problems that you can use to prepare for the essay section.
Gleim also includes more than 40 hours of video lectures taught by knowledgeable and experienced instructors. These lectures are broken into over 200 smaller lessons that are designed to succinctly explain exam concepts and topics without losing your attention.ย
Hereโs something thatโs unique about this CMA review course:
When you sign up for Gleim, youโll be assigned to a personal counselor who will help you through the study process. As you need encouragement, your counselor will remind you that you need to get back on track with your study schedule. He or she will also help answer any questions you have about the materials.
3. CMA Exam Academy
The CMA Exam Academy was founded by Nathan Liao, CMA. This course is somewhat unique because it offers extensive 1-on-1 personal coaching. Each candidate who signs up for this course will be in personal contact with Liao himself as they go through course.
The study materials includes 50 hours of HD video lectures present by Nathan and over 2,500 multiple-choice questions. You will also have access to audio lectures as well.
This is by far the most personal Certified Management Accountant review course out there right now, and is also less expensive than both Wiley and Gleim’s CMA courses.
Another great feature is that this course comes with a 100% pass guarantee. If you fail after using CMA Exam Academy, you will be able to use it again. However I doubt too many people fail after working side-by-side with Nathan to prepare.
4. Hock CMA International
Hock has been in the CMA exam prep course market for decades. They offer a wide range of different study tools and guides for CMA candidates.
Their complete course comes with video lectures, audio lectures, and more than 2,000 multiple-choice questions. They also include some practice essay questions and mock exams.
This study guide is pretty complete, but it doesnโt go into that much detail. People who need more information about topics might have a difficult time using this course, as CMA Exam Academy offers more examples and detailed study materials.
This is not a bad course, but I would recommend Wiley or CMA Exam Academy over it. They are more comprehensive and a better value for the money.
Top CMA Review Course Discounts from Surgent, Gleim & CMA Exam Academy
$340 off Surgent CMA Ultimate Pass Review!
Gleim CMA Premium Review Discount – Save $400
$240 off Surgent CMA Review Premier Pass
Get 22% OFF CMA Exam Academy!
CMA Study Materials FAQ
โฐHow long does it take to prepare for CMA?
You will most likely end up spending over 100 hours preparing for the Certified Management Accountant exam. For this reason, itโs extremely important to look through our highest recommended review courses below, and find the one that best matches your learning style.
๐What is the best CMA study material?
Surgent, Gleim, and CMA Exam Academy all offer compelling benefits, depending on what is most important to your study (video content, practice questions, adaptive learning, exam simulations, etc). Every student is different, so use my comparison chart below to see how they all stack up against each other.
๐๐ปโโ๏ธHow do I prepare for the CMA exam?
Although the answers to this question are highly subjective, in general, I recommend that prospective test takers first choose which section they want to take first, then choose a targeted time slot for taking it (either Jan/Feb, May/June, or Sep/Oct), invest in a solid professional CMA review course, and commit to a study schedule that is realistic.
๐ฌHow difficult is CMA?
Year after year, passing rates for the CMA exam are notoriously low, with recent results coming in at roughly 40% passing rate for Part 1, and just 50% passing for Part 2. In plain English--itโs tough. However, a well-made review course can dramatically increase your chances of success. Take a look at my comparison here, and feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
Best CPE for CMAs: Illumeo CPE
As a management accountant with CMA certification, your learning doesnโt end once you pass your exam and become certified. In order to meet your Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements, youโll need to earn additional credits each year. For this purpose, we recommend Illumeoโs intuitive online platform with over 1,000 different courses and webinars covering a wide range of topics. In particular, their management accounting content consists of over 130 different options that all offer credit toward your educational needs.
What is the Best CMA Exam Review Course?
Top 4 Best CMA Classes of 2021 โ Comparison Guide
| CMA Review Courses | Best for: |
|---|---|
| CMA Exam Academy | 1-on-1 Coaching |
| Wiley CMAexcel | Bite-Sized Learning |
| Gleim CMA | Biggest Test Bank |
| Exammatrix CMA | Affordable |
