CMA Exam Academy
CMA Exam Academy is an Irvine-based, founder-owned online education company founded in 2014 that delivers a 16-week guided CMA exam prep program with unlimited coaching to accounting and finance professionals in 120+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CMA Exam Academy does
CMA Exam Academy, LLC is a privately held, founder-owned online education company founded in 2014 by Nathan Liao in Irvine, California. The company delivers a done-for-you 16-week guided program that prepares accounting and finance professionals to pass the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam on their first attempt, combining structured weekly modules, unlimited personalized coaching from certified CMAs, live weekly support calls, and a pass-or-100% refund guarantee. The platform operates entirely online with no physical locations and has scaled to serve students in 120+ countries.
The product portfolio is anchored by the 16-Week CMA Accelerator Program and the Premium CMA Coaching Combo covering both exam parts, supplemented by individual part courses, dedicated Part 1 and Part 2 retaker programs, HD video lectures with whiteboard explainers, printed and digital textbooks aligned to 100% of ICMA Learning Outcome Statements, a 4,000+ question online test bank with 27+ case-based questions and exam simulations, formula guides, a private student community, the CMA Coach Flashcards mobile app (iOS/Android), and a 24/7 text-based AI CMA Coach chatbot. Reported average pass rates of 92% across the 2022–2025 exam windows compare against a ~50% global CMA pass rate.
The business model is direct-to-consumer with one-time course purchases priced at $797 per individual part and $1,394 for the complete combo, alongside a global four-payment installment plan ($499 down + 3 × $315/month = $1,444) that requires no credit check. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by content marketing — the founder's CMA Show podcast, YouTube channel, blog, LinkedIn and Instagram presence, an 82,000+ subscriber email list built around a free CMA cheat sheet, SEO, and an affiliate program — supplemented by a mutual marketing partnership with the Institute of Management Accountants offering a 15% discount on IMA membership and the CMA entrance fee. The company is bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or subsidiaries.
CMA Exam Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CMA Exam Academy
- Legal name
- CMA Exam Academy, LLC
- Website
- https://cmaexamacademy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CMA Exam Academy is an Irvine-based, founder-owned online education company founded in 2014 that delivers a 16-week guided CMA exam prep program with unlimited coaching to accounting and finance professionals in 120+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CMA Exam Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Certification Exam Preparation
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM) (EDANAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Online Exam Delivery & Test Administration Platforms (EDAFADAA)
Keywords
Where CMA Exam Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CMA Exam Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- CMA Exam Academy Course Sales: One-time purchase model for online CMA exam preparation courses. Individual parts sold at $797 each; combo package (both parts) at $1,394. Payment plan option available ($499 down + 3 monthly payments). Includes 2-year access to course materials.
- Retaker Programs: Dedicated retaker programs for students who have previously taken the CMA exam. Video-only options available for Part 1 and Part 2 retakers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Part - Part 1 or Part 2 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Complete Combo (Both Parts) - Best Value |
| Subscription | Monthly | Payment Plan - Four Payments |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Part 1 Retaker Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Part 2 Retaker Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
CMA Exam Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CMA Exam Academy delivers a done-for-you 16-week guided program that prepares accounting and finance professionals to pass the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam on their first attempt. The core offering combines video lectures, textbooks, a 4,000+ question test bank, weekly live coaching calls, a mobile flashcard app, a 24/7 AI coach, and a private student community, all backed by a Pass-or-100% Refund Guarantee.
Product overview
CMA Exam Academy offers a unified 16-week guided CMA exam prep program with personalized coaching as its core product. The main offering is the 16-Week CMA Accelerator Program, which includes the Premium CMA Coaching Combo for Parts 1 and 2. The product portfolio includes individual part courses (CMA Part One and Part Two Review Courses), dedicated retaker programs for candidates who previously failed, and supplementary tools including the CMA Coach Flashcards mobile app (iOS/Android), a 4,000+ question test bank with exam simulations, HD video lectures with whiteboard explainers, printed/digital textbooks, PDF formula guides, and 24/7 AI CMA Coach support. The program is distinguished by live weekly coaching calls, unlimited email support, a private student community, and a Pass-or-100% Refund Guarantee. Students can also add the Fundamentals of Accounting refresher for those needing foundational support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CMA Coach Flashcards: Mobile flashcard application for CMA exam preparation available on iOS and Android platforms.
Products and services
- 16-Week CMA Accelerator Program The flagship done-for-you guided program providing a step-by-step 16-week study plan, unlimited coaching, video lectures, textbooks, test bank access, and the Pass-or-100% Refund Guarantee for busy accounting and finance professionals preparing for the CMA exam.
- Premium CMA Coaching Combo (Parts 1 & 2) Complete CMA review course covering both exam parts with coaching, video lectures, printed textbooks, 4,000+ question test bank, flashcards app, and 2-year access to all materials.
- CMA Part One Review Course Individual exam part review course for Part 1 (Financial Planning, Performance & Analytics) with 16 modules, video lectures, textbook, test bank, and coaching support.
- CMA Part Two Review Course Individual exam part review course for Part 2 (Strategic Financial Management) with 16 modules, video lectures, textbook, test bank, and coaching support.
- CMA Part 1 Retaker Program Dedicated program for candidates who have previously attempted and failed Part 1 of the CMA exam, offering structured review with coaching support.
- CMA Part 2 Retaker Program Dedicated program for candidates who have previously attempted and failed Part 2 of the CMA exam, offering structured review with coaching support.
- CMA Coach Flashcards Mobile App Mobile application available for iOS and Android that provides flashcard study tools covering all key testable areas of both CMA exam parts, enabling practice anywhere, anytime.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90%+ pass rate vs 50% global average
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CMA Exam Academy
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CMA Exam Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
CMA Exam Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- IMA (Institute of Management Accountants)coreCMA Exam Academy students receive an exclusive 15% discount on IMA membership and CMA entrance fee. This partnership benefits both organizations by reducing barriers to CMA certification entry for students.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CMA Exam Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wiley Efficient Learning (CMAexcel): Wiley's CMAexcel is one of the most widely adopted CMA review courses, endorsed by IMA. It directly competes with CMA Exam Academy on CMA prep, with larger-scale content libraries, adaptive learning tools, and institutional/B2B sales channels.
- Gleim Exam Prep: Gleim offers CMA, CPA, CIA, and EA review materials with a SmartAdapt adaptive learning system. It is a direct competitor in CMA prep with comparable self-study-plus-coaching positioning and a long operating history in accounting certification.
- UWorld Roger CPA Review: Roger CPA Review (part of UWorld) is a major U.S. CPA prep provider with premium video content and an instructor-led brand. It competes for the same working-professional accountant cohort as CMA Exam Academy, with overlapping curriculum quality, technology, and outcome-driven positioning.
- Surgent CPA Review: Surgent provides CPA, CMA, and EA review courses with adaptive learning technology and a pass-or-refund-style guarantee. It directly competes with CMA Exam Academy on outcome guarantees and personalized study technology in the accounting certification market.
- Becker: Becker is one of the largest U.S. professional exam prep providers offering CMA, CPA, and CFA review courses. It directly competes with CMA Exam Academy in the CMA prep market with a broader catalog and enterprise distribution to accounting firms and universities.
Broad incumbents
- Institute of Management Accountants (IMA): IMA is the certifying body for the CMA and a strategic partner of CMA Exam Academy (offering 15% off membership/entrance fee). It is a broad incumbent that defines the CMA syllabus, publishes its own study resources, and can influence candidate flow that funnels into third-party prep providers.
- Kaplan Financial Education: Kaplan offers broad professional certification prep (CFP, CFA, CPA, securities licensing). It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same adult-learner cohort with greater brand recognition and B2B/employer distribution, though its CMA focus is less concentrated than CMA Exam Academy's.
Emerging players
- 7Sage: 7Sage is a tech-forward, online-only test prep company that started in LSAT and expanded to bar exam and other graduate admissions prep. Although not in CMA, it is a relevant emerging player model: direct-to-consumer, content-driven, founder-led, and built around online video + community + adaptive practice.
- BrainyAct Accounting & Finance Tutors: BrainyAct provides 1-on-1 tutoring and exam prep support for accounting and finance certifications, including CMA candidates. It is an emerging player overlapping with CMA Exam Academy's coaching-led value proposition for busy working professionals.
Others
- Anki (AnkiApp): Anki is a widely used spaced-repetition flashcard platform that candidates use alongside CMA prep. It is an adjacent tool (not a direct CMA prep competitor) that competes at the study-method layer and whose community-driven CMA decks overlap with the CMA Coach Flashcards mobile app.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CMA Exam Academy social profiles
Digital presenceCMA Exam Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CMA Exam Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CMA Exam Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CMA Exam Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CMA Exam Academy
What does CMA Exam Academy do?
CMA Exam Academy delivers a done-for-you 16-week guided program that prepares accounting and finance professionals to pass the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam on their first attempt. The core offering combines video lectures, textbooks, a 4,000+ question test bank, weekly live coaching calls, a mobile flashcard app, a 24/7 AI coach, and a private student community, all backed by a Pass-or-100% Refund Guarantee.
Is CMA Exam Academy a public or private company?
CMA Exam Academy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CMA Exam Academy founded?
CMA Exam Academy was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CMA Exam Academy based?
CMA Exam Academy is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does CMA Exam Academy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. CMA Exam Academy Course Sales are the primary driver. The others are retaker Programs.
Who are CMA Exam Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wiley Efficient Learning (CMAexcel), Gleim Exam Prep, UWorld Roger CPA Review, Surgent CPA Review and Becker. Broad incumbents are Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and Kaplan Financial Education. Emerging players are 7Sage and BrainyAct Accounting & Finance Tutors. Anki (AnkiApp) is listed as an others.
Does CMA Exam Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for CMA Exam Academy.
What industry is CMA Exam Academy in?
CMA Exam Academy's product category is Professional Certification Exam Preparation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAIAD, Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM), with a secondary code of EDAFADAA, Online Exam Delivery & Test Administration Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.