4 Best CMA Books Helpful for CMA US Exams | CMA Foundation Books
Admin 29 Dec, 2023 The CMA US certification is one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized credentials in the field of accountancy The certification issued by the IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), CMA US is an especially precious qualification to have for accounting professionals wanting to climb up the corporate ladder and reach the managerial role.
US Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification focuses more on managerial accounting, It will let the CMAs get a higher position in the corporate world. With a higher position comes a higher salary. The CMA-certified accountants can get way better remuneration than their non-CMA counterparts. As the CMA credentials are internationally recognized accountancy qualifications, you get the chance to work anywhere in the world you want to be. All of this attracts many individuals to achieve the CMA certification. But without proper guidance and quality CMA books/study material, most of them are not able to achieve the CMA certification.
The applicants are required to pass two rigorous examinations to get their CMA US certification. These two examinations are quite challenging to clear. With only a 45% pass rate, these two examinations are considered the valued of all the examinations conducted in the field of accountancy.
But if you put a great study plan with the help of the right mentors/CMA books and stick to that study plan, then you most probably can crack the CMA examination. But deciding on the right CMA books and mentors is not as easy as it may sound.
With several options of US CMA books and a review system created by various companies, it becomes quite a hustle to find the right fit for you. Especially, when all these companies constantly boast that their study material is the best. In this article, you will find out which CMA book publishers and study materials are actually the best for you.
Which are the best CMA USA Books in India?
It is necessary to find high-quality CMA Books/study materials that add value to your learning style, while not putting too much burden to choose. The review system for CMA US refers to the collection of the self-study resources designed to crack the CMA US exams.
Let us first see the syllabus of the CMA USA exam for both the parts along with the subject percentage break-up.
- 15% - External Financial Reporting Decisions
- 20% - Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting
- 20% - Performance Management
- 15% - Cost Management
- 15% - Internal Controls
- 15% - Technology and Analytics
- 20% - Financial Statement Analysis
- 20% - Corporate Finance
- 25% - Decision Analysis
- 10% - Risk Management
- 10% - Investment Decision
- 15% - Professional Ethics
IMA, the conducting body, does not provide any study material. Hence, the applicant has to rely on 3rd party companies for the study materials, though these companies are verified by the IMA. These companies include - Becker, Gleim, Hock, Wiley, and a few more. All of them propagate that their study material is superior. Of course, each of them has its own pros and cons. But all this makes the selection of the right study material a task in itself.
Hence, to help you in finding the right study material and CMA books, we at NorthStar Academy have the most preferred study material, CMA prep courses, and review courses. These are the best set of study materials that can cater to an Indian student or accounting professional and help them immensely in clearing the CMA USA exam.
Lets look at the top options for CMA study materials and books ranked from top to bottom.
1. Becker US CMA Review System
Becker is a respected brand for creating study material in accountancy and is well known for its CPA books. A little more than a year ago, the company started to produce its own CMA Books and study material.Becker's review system also provides one-by-one tutoring and live webinars with their study material. The candidates who are facing difficulty in understanding a topic themselves from the book will be given an option to speak with experts who can answer all their queries.But as not much time has passed since the release, the Books and study materials from this company still have to pass the test of time, which is why many are reluctant to purchase the Becker CMA review course.
2. Gleim US CMA Study Material
Gleim is one of the first providers of the study materials for the US Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification. The study material provided by Gleim is considered one of the most detailed CMA books/study material. It is also the most affordable of the course mentioned down here.
The study guide provided by Gleim includes a massive 4,500 multiple-choice questions. Making Gleim one of the largest test banks.
Gleim has been providing study material for CMA US certification for more than 45 years, which means Gleim's study material/review course is also time-tested. Hence, it is the most popular and commonly used review system.
Though, the language used in the CMA of books of Gleim courses is a little difficult, as it is designed assuming you have some financial knowledge.
You will be good to go if you join a reputed institute like NorthStar Academy and let their tutors and mentors make thighs simpler for you. NSA has an association with the Gleim and provides their study material along with the much-needed attention, support, and other vital aspects.
3. Wiley US CMA Review System
Wiley offers highly comprehensive study material, specially designed for the students doing self-study for the CMA US examination. The language used in the Wiley CMA books and study materials is clear and easy to understand. This means that books are written for individuals with no prior financial knowledge. Hence, can be followed by complete beginners. The Wiley CMA Excel Platinum Review Course includes more than 65+ hours of video guidance, together with Test-based guides and mock exams.
The Wiley Review system also includes a performance tracker and an Interactive study planner, for creating the best study plan.
For the limitations, the Wiley US CMA study material is quite expensive for many candidates.
4. Hock US CMA Study Material
Hock CMA study materials are becoming popular recently, especially among international students. It is a great course, which is designed to suit everyone and it is also the most affordable CMA study material available on the market. The most fascinating thing about the Hock CMA course is that it is the only review course to offer the You Pass or We Pay Guarantee assurance.
These are some of the study materials that you can get hold of in India, however, keep in mind that Gleims study materials in association with NorthStar Academy are the best. The course material, mentorship, guidance, doubt resolution, and real-world project experience are some of the best advantages of joining the NorthStar Academy. You can enroll in their CMA USA course to get access to the most referred and highly relevant study material.
CMA Books PDF for CMA Foundation, Intermediate & Final Levels
The CMA India certification is the Indian version of CMA USA. The ICMAI, an organization of accounting professionals, conducts the CMA India. The CMA India is conducted in three phases - CMA foundational, CMA Intermediate, and CMA final. With 20 subjects divided into these three examinations.
The candidates have to clear all three examinations to get the CMA India certification and to clear these examinations; you need good quality study material and books. CMA foundation books and other CMA study materials, provided by the ICMAI, are the best and most reliable. Here is the list of CMA books pdf required to crack the examination.
CMA Foundation Books:
Getting CMA Foundation books is the first step toward the CMA India certification. The Foundation exam consists of 4 papers, the ICMAI has launched 4 different CMA foundation books for each paper. You can download these 4 CMA foundation books from the official website of ICMAI. But in order to make things simpler for you, here are the links to download CMA foundation books:
| Papers | CMA foundation books PDFs |
| Paper 1 - Fundamentals of Economics and Management | Click here to download |
| Paper 2 - Fundamentals of Accounting | Click here to download |
| Paper 3 - Fundamentals of Laws and Ethics | Click here to download |
| Paper 4 - Fundamentals of Business Mathematics and Statistics | Click here to download |
Other the books by the ICMAI, the candidate can use these reference CMA foundation books:
- Fundamentals of Accounting by N S Zad.
- Financial Accounting by Jasmine Kaur.
- Offences Under Company Law (Penalties & Punishments) by CA Kamal Garg
- Fundamentals of Business Mathematics by Dr. S.R. Arora / Dr. Kavita Gupta.
CMA Intermediate books
Unlike the 4 CMA foundation books, there are 8 CMA intermediate books. But the examination can be taken in two groups, each group having 4 books. Here is the list of CMA inter books, provided by the ICMAI.
| Paper-5: Financial Accounting (Group 1) |
| Paper- 6: Laws and Ethics (Group 1) |
| Paper- 7: Direct Taxation (Group 1) |
| Paper- 8: Cost Accounting (Group 1) |
| Paper- 9: Operations Management & Strategic Management (Group 2) |
| Paper- 10: Cost & Management Accounting and Financial Management (Group 2) |
| Paper- 11: Indirect Taxation (Group 2) |
| Paper- 12: Company Accounts & Audit (Group 2) |
CMA Final books
ICMAI also offers the 8 CMA final books for all 8 papers/subjects, as it does for the CMA foundation books and Inter books. Here is the list of books with download links.
| Paper- 13: Corporate Laws & Compliance (Group 3) |
| Paper- 14: Strategic Financial Management (Group 3) |
| Paper - 15: Strategic Cost Management - Decision making (Group 3) |
| Paper- 16: Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation (Group 3) |
| Paper- 17: Corporate Financial Reporting Revised (Group 4) |
| Paper- 18: Indirect Tax Laws and Practice (Group 4) |
| Paper - 19: Cost and Management Audit (Group 4) |
| Paper - 20: Strategic Performance Management and Business Valuation (Group 4) |
FAQ's
1. Which book is best for CMA preparation?
For the CMA US examination, Becker are considered the best CMA review system. But the Books/study material by the Gleim is quite affordable and is time-tested. Hence, Most of the institutes, including the North Star Academy, use Becker study material for the same reason.2. What is the best way to study for CMA Exam?
There are plenty of ways to better prepare for the CMA examination. Here are some of the best ways/steps one can take to study for the CMA.
1. Create a study plan
2. Find a review course (set of study material) that is the right fit for you. The article will help you with that.
3. Create/find and study in a productive environment.
4. Identify your key weak and strong points. Start working on your weak points.
5. Continue your preparation, till the CMA US examination date.
6. Take care of your mental and physical health while preparing for the examination.
2. Find a review course (set of study material) that is the right fit for you. The article will help you with that.
3. Create/find and study in a productive environment.
4. Identify your key weak and strong points. Start working on your weak points.
5. Continue your preparation, till the CMA US examination date.
6. Take care of your mental and physical health while preparing for the examination.
3. Which book is best for CMA Inter?
ICMAI provides CMA books pdf for all three phases of the CMA India examination, which include - CMA foundation books, CMA Intermediate books, and CMA final books for all the subjects. It is recommended to follow the books provided by the ICMAI for the preparation for the CMA intermediate examination.4. Which book is best for US CMA?
Becker CMA books are the best books for the CMA preparation, as these books are well known for being super detailed and are also quite affordable compared to the other options. But If you are someone who does not have any prior knowledge of accounting, then it will be difficult for them to follow Gleim's study material.5. Is the CMA US exam tough?
With the passing rate of the CMA USA exams being notoriously low, it is safe to assume that the CMA US exams are quite tough. The CMA USA exam is considered the most difficult exam conducted in the field of accountancy. However, with proper preparations and a well-organized CMA USA course, the chances of clearing the examination drastically increase. In the above blog, we discussed the best study material available for the CMA US preparation.6. Does the IMA provide any study material for the CMA USA examination?
IMA, Institute of Management Accountants, is the authority responsible for awarding the CMA US certification to all the deserving candidates. However, the body does not provide any study material to the candidates preparing for the CMA US exams.7. Who provides the better study material for the CMA US - Becker or Gleim?
The study materials/review systems provided by Becker and Gleim are both of top quality. Each has its own pros and cons. For example, Gleim provides a more in-depth knowledge of the subjects, but the language used is hard for beginners to comprehend, while Becker uses a layman's language to teach the topics but the price is on the higher side. However, Becker's study material, which is also provided by NorthStar Academy, is the oldest one and the most preferred among the individuals pursuing CMA USA certification.Conclusion
Good quality books/study materials are necessary to clear any exam, especially for a comprehensive examination like CMA USA. It is essential to have relevant CMA foundation books and CMA USA books to create an understanding of the syllabus and question type. In terms of affordability, the CMA review systems by Hock and Gleim are the most affordable ones. In terms of overall quality, Gleim, the oldest, most precise, and comprehensive study material, is the best for studying the CMA USA core concepts of all subjects.
In order to get the hang of the syllabus with highly organized training, you can go for NorthStar Academys CMA USA course. We are the leading institute in this field, giving the right pathway to thousands of individuals and professionals with our top mentors, like M Irfat Sir.
We at NorthStar Academy offer Becker's CMA Books/study materials for preparing the students for CMA USA exams, as it is much more comprehensive having the 12-section wise books along with the Essay case study books. For more information, you can always contact us and we will clear all your queries and counsel you through. We also provide bundle discounts for individuals who want to get enrolled in our top courses and become a master in the financial management field.