Over the years, management accounting has become very important to any institution since it provides information that may prove to be crucial in the decision-making process for the performance of an institution or an enterprise.
May it be a large institution or a small firm, each of them recognizes the importance of management accounting. Therefore, they appoint professional management accountants who are proficient in their jobs.
To train individuals in management accounting certification courses began, the two most essential certification courses for management accounting are CIMA and ACMA.
Key Takeaways
- CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) is a UK-based global professional qualification.
- ACMA (Associate Chartered Management Accountant) is a designation awarded to qualified CIMA members.
- CIMA qualification covers management accounting, finance, and business strategy, while ACMA indicates an individual’s competency.
CIMA vs ACMA
The difference between CIMA and ACMA is CIMA, or The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, is an educational and professional body that trains management accountants in management accounting. In contrast, ACMA or The Associates of Cost and Management Accountants, is a certificate course provided by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP).
CIMA is a professional certification course to train management accountants in the field properly; it is mostly based in the UK and the Commonwealth Nations.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | CIMA | ACMA |
|---|---|---|
| Kind of body | CIMA is a professional body based in the UK. | ACMA is a professional body and a member of CIMA. |
| Training provided | Provides training in management accounting and business accounting. | Provides training in management accounting. |
| Courses offered | At the primary level, CIMA offers Enterprise operations, Financial operations and Performance operations courses. The secondary-level courses offered by CIMA are Enterprise Management, Financial Management and Performance Management. At the last level, CIMA offers Enterprise Strategy, Financial Strategy and Performance Strategy courses. | ACMA offers courses in Financial Accounting, Cost Accounting, Business Mathematics, Statistics, Business Economics, Enterprise Management, Commercial Law, Strategic Financial Management, Investment Analysis, Corporate Financial Reporting, Cost and Management Audit, Portfolio Management, Professional Ethics and Tax Management and Practices. |
| Structure of exam | The exam conducted by CIMA has four levels. The first three levels are based on the three levels of courses. The fourth and last level has two parts: the first is based on the experience of 3 years of an individual and the second is a case study exam. | ACMA exams are divided into three parts. The first part has a total of four papers. The second part is divided into two parts, each with four papers. The third part has the same pattern as the second part. |
| Fee structure | One has to pay Rs One lakh for each level of examination. | The fee to be paid for ACMA is around sixty to seventy thousand. |
What is CIMA?
CIMA, or The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, is a professional body based in the UK; it provides training to individuals in management accounting to make a person a qualified management accountant.
CIMA offers courses at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The primary level course includes Financial Operations, Enterprise Operations and Performance Operations.
The fourth level is divided into parts A and B; part A is based on the three-year experience of an individual, while part B is a case study of three hours.
An individual is given the certificate only after completing all the levels of exams. CIMA certification takes around three to four years to complete. The CIMA course is expensive; one has to pay one lakh for each level of examination.
What is ACMA?
ACMA, or The Associates of Cost and Management Accountants, is a professional certification training by ICAI (The Institute of Cost Accountants of India) and ICMAP management accounting.
The ACMA course is divided into three parts. It includes Financial Accounting, cost accounting, Business Mathematics, Business Economics, Statistics, Enterprise Management, Strategic Financial Management, Investment Analysis, Commercial Law, Portfolio Management, Tax Management and Practices.
The ACMA examination is conducted at three levels based on the three levels of courses. The first part has four papers.
The completion of ACMA certification takes around six to twelve months. One has to pay around sixty to seventy thousand for the course.
Main Differences Between CIMA and ACMA
- CIMA certification takes about 3 to 4 years, while ACMA certification can be completed in 6 to 12 months.
- One can schedule the CIMA exams according to them, while ACMA exams are conducted at a particular time each year.
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
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