MONTVALE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In IMA®’s (Institute of Management Accountants) fiscal year 2013, more than 2,800 accounting and finance professionals earned the Certified Management Accounting (CMA®) certification, the highest number in any year throughout the CMA’s 41-year history. These figures were released today by nonprofit professional association IMA in its 2013 annual report, available for download here: http://www.imanet.org/2013-Annual-Report.aspx. IMA’s fiscal year runs from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.
Since the CMA’s inception in 1972, approximately 40,000 professionals have earned the certification by passing an exhaustive exam that evaluates expertise in the areas of financial planning, analysis, control, decision support and professional ethics. Designed to meet the needs of businesses, the CMA translates into significant career opportunities. According to IMA’s most recent Salary Survey, CMA holders earn $34,000 more in compensation than their non-certified peers.
“We’re pleased to announce IMA’s record number of CMA recipients for fiscal year 2013,” said Dennis Whitney, CMA, CFM, senior vice president, Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA®), IMA’s certification division. “The increasing demand for the CMA reflects its position as a respected credential, validated by a rigorous exam that indicates mastery of the skills needed to succeed in management accounting.”
The CMA continues to be recognized as the preeminent credential in the field. The certification is held by professionals in more than 100 countries and is currently being pursued by more than 18,000 candidates from around the world. With five-year annualized growth rates of 20 percent a year, the CMA program is one of the fastest-growing accounting credentials in the world.
Additionally, IMA recently began an endorsement program to recognize accounting programs in U.S.-based colleges and universities that meet the educational standards enabling students to pursue the CMA. To date, IMA has endorsed accounting programs at the following universities: Michigan State, Brigham Young, Pennsylvania State, Washington State Vancouver, Athens State and Cleary.
“As we seek to identify and solve the competency crisis in accounting and finance, IMA’s endorsement program and CMA exam play a critical role in assuring employers that job candidates have the necessary knowledge to succeed and add value to their organizations,” said Jeff Thomson, CMA, CAE, president and CEO of IMA.
For more information on the CMA, visit http://www.imanet.org/cma.
About IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants)
IMA®, the association of accountants and financial professionals in business, is one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, IMA supports the profession through research,the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) program, continuing education, networking and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices. IMA has a global network of more 20,000 CMA members in more than 100 countries and 300 local professional and student chapters. IMA provides localized services through its offices in Montvale, N.J., USA; Zurich, Switzerland; Dubai, UAE; and Beijing, China. For more information about IMA, please visit www.imanet.org.
