If you’re planning for the CMA exam this year, you need to know the best CMA review courses for 2023. Deciding to get your CMA certification is a big step that will help you further your career in management accounting. However, it is also a step that you need to make knowing that you are going into it with all of the materials you need to succeed. Statistics show that half of the people who take the CMA exam do not pass on the first try. If you want to avoid being in those statistics, you need to prepare properly.

And preparing properly means selecting a CMA review course and study materials that will help you not only pass the CMA exam but to pass both parts on your first try. There is no easy answer on which course CMA course is the best because it can vary from one candidate to another. It requires an understanding of your learning style as well as what the course offers. We’re going to break down some of the top courses and what they offer in this post to help you decide.

What is the Best CMA Review Course?

You may be asking, “What is the best CMA review course?” The simple answer: there isn’t one. There are several great, quality review courses out there today, but part of choosing the right one is understanding your needs and choosing the best one for you. That said, it isn’t just one “best” review course because they offer different things. However, all the top review courses will have some things in common.

You’re going to spend over 100 hours studying for the CMA exam, so it’s important to choose a review course that gives you what you need and works with your learning style. Some candidates learn better with a lot of visuals and videos. Others learn better by listening to audios and taking notes. What’s more, there are CMA candidates that will learn better with practice questions and mock exams. Furthermore, a well-rounded course will have a bit of everything, but the best course for you will be the one with the most resources in your learning style.

The Best CMA Review Courses of 2023 to Help You Pass on the First Try

Here are our picks for the best CMA exam study material review courses to help you pass the CMA exam on your first try and become a CMA.

 

CMA Review Course

Gleim CMA Review

Surgent CMA Review

HOCK CMA Review

Overall Impression

Most Essay Questions

Only Adaptive CMA Course

​You Pass or We Pay Guarantee

Pricing for 2 Parts (before discounts)

​$​​1,599-$1,999

$799-$1,999

$​1,529-$1,809

CMA Discount
20% 25% 30%
IMA Licensed / Strategic Partner
Video / Audio-Visual
Test Prep Software
# of Practice Questions

2,900+

4,000+

4,000+

Performance Tracking
Audio Review
Customer Service

Personal Counselors

One-on-one Coaching

Email & Forum Support

Free Trial
Access Time Limit

Until You Pass

Until You Pass

Unlimited

Mobile App
Money-Back Guarantee*

You Pass or We Pay

Pricing for 1 Part

$825-$950

$499

$914-$1,059

Recommendation & Analysis
Is Gleim CMA Worth It? Does Surgent CMA Work? Is HOCK the Most Affordable CMA Course?

Breakdown of the Best CMA Review Courses of 2023

Now, let’s take a look at each of these CMA review courses and what they have to offer. The chart shows you some of the key things you want to look for in a course besides the cost. It’s important to see how many multiple-choice questions they offer since these types of questions make up the majority of the test portion. It’s also important to see how many essay questions they offer and how closely they emulate the actual exam since the other part of the CMA exam is focused on CMA essays.

Gleim CMA Review

Gleim CMA is another very popular CMA review course, and it’s preferred by people who like to study independently. Gleim itself is very established in the industry and provides trusted courses for CPA, CIA, and EA credentials. Another benefit to Gleim is that it is very inclusive. They have video lectures, audio reviews, textbooks, a large test bank, an essay test bank, and an online study tracking system.

Gleim also has a Personal Counselor to help you reach your study goals. Gleim CMA’s included help services offer more than review courses that only provide you with technical support. Gleim is a comprehensive program to help you answer questions about the study material and how you study. Since everyone learns differently, this can be a great tool to help you discover how you learn best and keep you moving forward efficiently.

The test bank is high-quality and definitely one of the main features of Gleim.

However, Gleim isn’t best for people completely new to accounting. It’s designed for people who already have some basic framework in accounting. Consequently, if you have at least had a few introductory classes, you should do well with the Gleim review course. If you learn best by doing, this course is great for you because of all the practice questions.

What’s more, you can find my detailed comparisons of Gleim vs. Becker CMA, Gleim CMA vs. HOCK, and Wiley CMA vs. Gleim.

Surgent CMA Review

Surgent is another name that is well known in the industry, as they are well-known as an accounting test prep provider. And Surgent is most well known for their unique adaptive technology software that actually learns from your answers. Surgent CMA’s ASAP technology analyzes your weak areas to help you know where you need to improve. Additionally, Surgent CMA gives each candidate personalized results that they can use to study better and get prepared faster.

Another benefit to Surgent is its money-back guarantee. As for weaknesses, they don’t have much in the way of textbooks. It’s a great course for people who love up-to-date technology, but if you like to study “old school” with books, you may find it lacking. Another potential downside is that you have to pay more for the most expensive course to get all the features. This includes video lectures, printed books, flashcards, and one-on-one coaching.

Surgent is a great review course for someone who already knows the exam material but needs great test prep software to ensure they are ready to pass. It can also make a good supplement to other courses if you just want more review and practice questions.

HOCK CMA

HOCK CMA is very well-known to international candidates and has quickly made a name for itself in the United States. It is a high-quality course with great notes and classroom recordings. Another benefit to HOCK CMA review is that you get full access until you pass the exam. Furthermore, candidates will not have to feel rushed or concerned that their access will run out. Once you pay, it’s yours until you pass.

HOCK CMA is also the only review course to offer a Pass or We Pay guarantee. As for the downsides, it’s still a little limited on review questions. You may need to supplement in this area, especially if you want a lot of practice questions.

However, HOCK CMA has excellent answer explanations within their test bank. And HOCK is the only course that provides true, unlimited 1:1 support for its candidates. Not only will you be able to ask the HOCK CMA professors questions online, but you can also reach them by phone. What’s more, the support from HOCK is unlimited.

Why You Need a CMA Review Course

Some candidates wonder if they need to spend this money on a review course. Can’t you get the same information on the internet for free? You’re already investing so much time and money on your CMA certification; couldn’t you save a little on your review course?

While it’s understandable to think this way, the opposite is true. Purchasing a quality review course is an investment in your CMA certification. Half of the people who take the CMA exam do not pass on the first try. If you must retake, that means more money is spent on exam fees. It also means more time spent prepping and longer getting where you want to be in your career. Furthermore, this is an investment that will impact the rest of your life, so you don’t want to cut corners now. Do it right from the start, and you will reap the rewards.

CMA Review Courses FAQ

Many candidates have questions about review courses, choosing the best ones, and what they need to look for. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding CMA review courses.

How long do I need to study for the CMA exam?

CMA study time varies from one candidate to another, but you can expect to spend at least 100 hours prepping for the CMA exam. This is why it is important to choose the right CMA review course for your learning style so you can be properly prepared. Many candidates spend about 100 hours studying per part, although candidates with an accounting background may find themselves needing to study for far less time than this.

How hard is the CMA exam?

Passing rates for the CMA exam are low. Each year, they seem to drop even more. This indicates that the exam is challenging and that most people do not prepare properly. The CMA passing rate for Part 1 is about 40%, and the passing rate for Part 2 is about 50%. A great review course and the proper amount of time to study will help you beat these statistics.

Which part of the CMA exam should I take first?

You can take either CMA part first, as they don’t have to go in order. Some candidates decide to take Part 2 first since many believe it is easier. However, some like to get the harder one out of the way first. And still, others just prefer to go in order. You can look at what each part covers to help you decide which one you want to take first.

Discounts on the Best CMA Review Courses of 2023

If you decide to use one of these CMA review courses, we can help you save some money. Here are CMA discount codes for each of these review courses to help you save on whichever one you choose.