CMA Experience Requirement

Candidates for CMA certification must complete two continuous years of professional experience in management accounting and/or financial management. This requirement is a cornerstone of the CMA program, ensuring that certified individuals possess not only theoretical knowledge but also practical, real-world skills.

• The experience can be completed prior to or within seven years of passing the CMA examination.
• The experience must be continuous, although it does not need to be with a single employer.
• Roles can be full-time or part-time. For part-time roles, experience is counted at a rate of two years of part-time work being equivalent to one year of full-time work (20 hours/week minimum).

Professional experience is expected to be gained in roles that require judgments to be made employing the principles of management accounting and financial management. Qualifying job titles include but are not limited to:

This is not an exhaustive list. If you believe your role qualifies but is not listed, you can submit a detailed job description for review by ICMA (Institute of Certified Management Accountants).

Experience in roles that are primarily clerical or non-analytical in nature generally do not qualify. Examples of non-qualifying experience include:

• Clerical tasks such as bookkeeping, data entry, and accounts payable/receivable processing without analytical duties.
• Sales, marketing, or general administrative positions.
• Internships or trainee programs that are not part of a formal management accounting development track.
• Teaching accounting at a basic or introductory level without supervisory or advanced curriculum development responsibilities.

Once you have passed both parts of the CMA exam and are ready to have your experience verified, you will need to submit the CMA Experience Verification Form. The process is straightforward:

1. Complete the Form: Fill out the verification form with details of your relevant job roles, including employer information, job titles, and a detailed description of your responsibilities.
2. Supervisor Signature: Your form must be signed by your direct supervisor or another qualified individual (such as a certified professional or senior manager) who can attest to your experience.
3. Submission: Submit the completed and signed form to ICMA for review and approval.

For detailed instructions and to download the form, please visit the official IMA website.