If you’re in the process of becoming a CMA, you’ll be entering into a profession that’s highly in demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected a 6% growth rate for the accounting profession between 2023 and 2033.
Before you can get there, you have to jump the hurdle of the CMA exam. In this article, I’m going to share some CMA exam questions for each section of the test.
Before we dive in, let’s go over how much these questions count when you’re sitting down on exam day:
Key Takeaways
- Multiple-choice questions count for 75% of your total score
- You must score at least 50% on this section to advance to the essay portion
- There are 100 total multiple-choice questions on the exam
- The overall average pass rate for the entire exam is 45%
- The minimum passing score is 360/500 for both parts of the exam
CMA Test Format
The test is broken up into two parts, with subcategories in each one:
Part One: Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics
- Planning, budgeting, and finance: 20% of the exam focuses on this topic
- Performance management: 20%
- External financial reporting decisions: 15%
- Cost management: 15%
- Internal controls: 15%
- Technology and analytics: 15%
Part Two: Strategic Financial Management
- Decision analysis: 25% of the exam focuses on this topic
- Financial statement analysis: 20%
- Corporate finance: 20%
- Professional ethics: 15%
- Risk management: 10%
- Investment decisions: 10%
So, how do you beat the odds? Practice, practice, practice. Taking CMA practice tests is one of the best ways to prepare yourself mentally, so you have an idea of what to expect — and to assess your knowledge of each section of the exam.
I’ve curated sample questions for each section of the exam so you’ll get a feel for what you’ll see on test day. Scroll down to the end of the article for the answer key and explanations.
I recommend keeping notes on which sections you found easy and which ones you need some improvement on to further direct your studying. Good luck!
CMA Practice Test
Final Thoughts
So, how did you do? Keep track of how you did with these questions, and come back to them later in your study journey to see how you’ve progressed. If you want to strategize your test prep, consider using a top CMA review course like Becker, Gleim, or Surgent to help you ace the CMA exam.
FAQ
You need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and two continuous years of professional experience in management accounting or financial management. The experience requirement can be fulfilled within seven years of passing the exam, and you must maintain an active IMA membership.
The exam consists of two parts, 100 multiple-choice questions, and two essay scenarios. You need to score at least 360 out of 500 points (72%) to pass each part, and you must achieve at least 50% on the multiple-choice section to proceed to the essays.
Most successful candidates spend 150-170 hours studying per part over 12-16 weeks. Using a comprehensive review course, practicing questions regularly, taking timed practice exams, and focusing on understanding concepts rather than memorization typically yields the best results.
The exam is offered during three testing windows each year: January/February, May/June, and September/October. After registering with the IMA and receiving your authorization, you can schedule your exam at a Prometric testing center during one of these windows.
If you fail a part, you can retake it during another testing window after paying a retake fee. There’s no limit to how many times you can retake the exam, but you must complete both parts within three years of your initial registration.
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