Boost Your Salary and Career with a CMA® Certification

Obtaining a Certified Management Accountant (CMA®) certification can boost your salary potential and provide long-term professional growth in the accounting and finance industries.

The CMA certification is one of the most prestigious qualifications for professionals in accounting and finance. This global recognition affords you the opportunity to boost your career and salary potential, stay ahead of your colleagues, and learn advanced skills in financial planning, analysis, cost management, and strategic decision-making.

Why Pursue a CMA Certification?

Here are the top 5 reasons to get your CMA certification and fast-track your accounting or corporate finance career.

You'll Have More Career Stability

Every industry — from financial institutions and healthcare to IT and beyond — needs a CMA. This certification sets you up for success and allows you to climb the corporate ladder. Most CMAs start their careers as financial analysts, cost accountants, and staff accountants and grow within their companies.

The demand for CMAs is rising as organizations seek professionals who can provide valuable business insights and drive performance. With automation and AI becoming more integrated in the accounting industry, CMAs are in high demand for their ability to think strategically and make decisions that can improve profitability, efficiency, internal controls, financial reporting, and performance management.

As a CMA, you'll be trained in key areas such as budget planning, financial analysis, and sustainability, which are crucial for businesses to navigate these unpredictable financial times.

You'll Have More Career Flexibility

CMAs are jacks-of-all-trades in management accounting but can specialize in these areas:

• Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A): Includes financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting per the organization's financial decisions and helps improve decision-making
• Cost Management and Analysis: Includes analysis that helps organizations identify and manage costs
• Corporate Finance: Maximizes shareholder value with long-term financial planning and engaging in budgeting, financing, and management.
• Risk Management: Assesses the risk and impact of a company's financial decisions, particularly with acquisitions and mergers, and contributes to decision-making.
• Accounting Management and Reporting: Identifies, measures, analyzes, and interprets business financial information, then liaises with stakeholders.

Many CMAs start consulting firms, offering expert financial advice to businesses that need guidance on financial management or growth strategies. You'll be well-equipped for advisory roles with the strategic and analytical skills you'll gain after earning the CMA certification.

If you're interested in entrepreneurship, the CMA gives you the financial expertise necessary to launch and manage your own business — whether in finance, accounting, or another area.

You'll Have Upward Career Mobility

By going beyond balancing the books, you'll be equipped with skills to contribute toward business decisions at the management level. A CMA can fast-track your career by opening doors to leadership roles.

Your first leadership role could be a senior management accountant or accounting manager, which will allow you to lead a team. As your responsibilities grow, you might lead multiple projects and teams as director of corporate finance or corporate controller. Once you reach the top tier of leadership, you could be the vice president of finance or CFO, handling all aspects of financial management, ensuring accuracy, and assessing your company's financial health.