The short answer is yes, the CMA exam is difficult. But it has good reasons for being difficult—it’s a prestigious certification meant to verify you have the needed skills to be a CMA. That said, it isn’t necessarily as difficult as its low pass rates imply.

There are multiple factors that influence the CMA exam pass rates, but most of it has to do with the CMA exam administration and requirements—especially compared to those of other accounting certifications.

The CMA exam doesn’t require an accounting degree. While many other accounting certifications require an accounting-related degree, anyone with a bachelor’s degree can become a CMA. In fact, you can sit for the CMA exam before you’ve completed a bachelor’s degree. This means that some CMA candidates may not have a firm foundation in accounting on which to build their studies, which can result in poor scores on the exam. The CMA exam tests foundational accounting knowledge and many accounting-related topics. Review the CMA exam topics before you begin studying.

Use your exam performance report to create a list of strengths and weaknesses.

Your performance report from your first exam will tell you some of your weak areas. Write those topics down so you know what you need to work on the most. But remember, you’ll also need to retain your knowledge in all areas, including those in which you previously performed well.

Make use of a CMA exam review system.

If you’re not using a CMA exam review system, finding one is a great way to improve your likelihood of passing the exam. A review provider like Gleim will help you identify more topics you need to review and will provide exam-emulating questions to test yourself against.

Use the information provided by your CMA practice exam, if applicable, to add to your list of review topics.

In addition to your CMA performance report, if you’re working with a CMA review provider, you’ll likely have a list of exam topics that could use attention from your CMA practice test (if you took one). Be sure not to ignore the results from your practice exam, even if the results differ from your performance report.

Discuss your study plan with a CMA exam expert.

After you’ve made your CMA study plan, discuss it with an expert—perhaps a mentor if you have one, or one of our Personal Counselors here at Gleim. A second mind and set of eyes can help ensure you’re not overlooking anything.

Create a study schedule using your list of review topics.

Now that you have a list of review topics, you’ll want to create a study plan for the CMA exam. Set weekly benchmarks for your review using a calendar, and note your actual progress as you study. Be sure to include time for a general review of all topics and an exam rehearsal. Simply improving your weak areas is often not enough to pass the CMA exam the next time around. Your next CMA exam will have different questions and will weight topics differently, so you’ll want to invest ample time in reviewing all topic areas.

Schedule the CMA exam to align with your study plan.

Your study plan should include an end date. Use this date to decide which testing window to sit for the CMA exam and make an appointment. It’s best to try to retake the CMA exam in the next upcoming testing window while the knowledge is still fresh in your mind. Just like when you took the CMA exam the first time, staying motivated is key to your success. Note that scheduling your exam near the beginning of a testing window can be advantageous in the event you need to reschedule the exam later on.

Set the stage for success.

When you sit for the CMA exam, use your exam tips and preparation to conquer the CMA exam and get one step closer to earning your CMA certification.

If you do not pass the CMA exam, you will receive a performance report via email from Prometric approximately 14 days after your exam results are posted. This report can be extremely useful and help set you on the path to succeed in your next attempt.

The performance report is broken down into the same content areas as the exam outline. The report assigns each content area a “Descriptive Level” that indicates your performance. There are three Descriptive Levels: Satisfactory (S), Marginal (M), and Unsatisfactory (U).

• “S” is the strongest score you can receive. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you didn’t make any mistakes, but rather that your understanding of the content area is well developed. If you sit for the exam again, light review of this material should be sufficient.
• “M” indicates a score that is barely passing. You likely understand the general concepts but struggle to apply them at a higher level. Read through any relevant outline material and test yourself frequently with practice quizzes.
• “U” covers a very wide range. You could have received a U because of an off-performance day and just missed Marginal performance by a question or two. Or, you could have missed them all (but probably not!). If you receive a U on a content area, you will need to prepare a robust study plan and stick to it.

While the performance report will help you determine your weak areas, it’s best to review everything again. You’re not just trying to make up the remaining points; you’re going to sit for the exam again, which means you need to maintain your mastery of topics you know well and improve across all others. The report should help refine your review, not limit it.