So, you’ve decided that a CMA certification is the next step in your management accounting journey. All you need to do is just take the test and pass, right?
Except the pass rate is 45% on average.
Thankfully, countless courses have been created to help you pass despite the odds. After reviewing several CMA prep courses, Becker stands out as one of the top options for preparing for the CMA exam. Here’s what you need to know before buying.
Key Takeaways
- Becker’s Pass Guarantee: One of the standout features of Becker’s Pro Package is the Pass Guarantee, which reimburses you up to $500 for retake costs if you don’t pass.
- Unlimited Access: Becker doesn’t offer just a review course. From unlimited practice tests to 1-on-1 support, you get to use all of Becker’s resources for as long as you need them.
- Top-Notch Support: Becker offers extensive support through lecture videos, live tutoring, and success coaching, along with interactive virtual classes, boosting your chances of exam success.
- Unparalleled User Interface (UI): The software itself is clean, intuitive, and easy to use. Resources like Exam Day Ready Indicator, which shows your progression through your study materials, bring Becker’s CMA courses a notch above the rest.
- 100% Up-to-Date CMA Exam Content Coverage: Becker partners directly with The Institute of Management Accountants (talk about a strategic partner!) to ensure that all exam content is covered and up-to-date, so come exam day, you’ll have everything in the CMA exam syllabus on lock.
Becker CMA Exam Review Courses
Becker offers two options for CMA exam preparation: the Pro and Advantage.
Pro Package
The Pro Package is designed for learners who prefer a highly structured, guided study experience. Here’s what sets it apart:
- Pass Guarantee: Becker will reimburse you up to $500 ($250 per exam part) if you don’t pass the CMA exam, giving you extra peace of mind.
- Personalized Tutoring: You’ll have access to 5 one-hour tutoring sessions with CMA-certified instructors, allowing you to get answers to complex questions or focus on challenging areas.
- Success Coaching: In addition to tutoring, the Pro package includes 5 coaching sessions that help you with goal setting, study planning, and maintaining your progress throughout your exam preparation.
- Live Virtual Classes: The Pro package includes live classes with CMA-certified instructors. This interactive feature is great for those who benefit from real-time feedback and structured learning.
- Extended Access: Lifetime access to the course materials ensures that you can study at your own pace, without worrying about time limits.
- One Year of Becker CPE Subscription: The package also includes a year of access to Becker’s Continuing Professional Education (CPE) courses, which can help you maintain your certification once you pass the exam.
Advantage Package
The Advantage Package is designed for independent learners who prefer self-paced study but still want access to top-quality review materials:
- Self-Paced Learning: Unlike the Pro package, this option is more suited to those who want to study at their own speed without relying on live instruction or tutoring.
- Comprehensive Content: You’ll still receive access to Becker’s complete CMA exam preparation, including practice questions, digital textbooks, and simulated exams, but without the live classes and personalized support.
- Time-Limited Access: You get access to the materials for 24 months—plenty of time for most learners to prepare for the exam, but shorter than the lifetime access offered by the Pro package.
- Multiple Practice Exams: This package includes simulated exams and access to over 4,000 multiple-choice questions, providing the tools you need to succeed.
| Feature | Pro | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Pass Guarantee | ✔️ Up to $500 reimbursement | ❌ No Guarantee |
| Tutoring Sessions | ✔️ 5 one-hour sessions | ❌ Not Included |
| Live Online Classes | ✔️ Yes, with CMA-certified instructors | ❌ Not Included |
| Success Coaching | ✔️ 5 personalized sessions | ❌ Not Included |
| Access to Study Materials | Lifetime | 24 months |
| Simulated Exams | ✔️ Yes, full exam simulations | ✔️ Yes, full exam simulations |
| Multiple-Choice Questions | 4,000+ MCQs | 4,000+ MCQs |
| Digital Textbooks | ✔️ Included | ✔️ Included |
| Flashcards | ✔️ 500+ digital flashcards | ✔️ 500+ digital flashcards |
“For me, Becker was perfect. Tons of Multiple Choice questions, practice exams, lecture videos, and you get a textbook too. I did the 6 months interest free payment plan.”
u/HisbigHammer
Becker CMA Course Standard Features
Now that you know what you’re getting with either CMA review course option, let’s dig a little deeper into the standard and premium features you can expect–and why they’re worth your hard-earned dollar in the first place.
Self-Study Course Content
- 2-Part Review Course: You’ll get access to Becker CMA exam parts 1 and 2, so ALL of your CMA exam prep goes swimmingly–not just one or the other. And yes, you get to work through the content at your own pace!
- Digital Textbooks: In both packages, you can access digital textbooks in addition to your study materials. Because hey, let’s face it: schools wouldn’t pay money for textbooks, hefty price tag and all, if they weren’t helpful for students.
- 500+ Digital Flashcards: Flashcards have been used forever in education because for a lot of learners, they work. And yet, Becker stands out among other CMA review course offerings with its fun and effective flashcard system.
Online Learning Support
- Academic Support: Becker has an academic support staff to help learners, whether they’re struggling with the content or looking for a specific resource. According to Becker, students can expect a response within 48 hours of submitting a question.
- FAQ Database: Need an answer to a question right now? Chances are, you’ll find it in the comprehensive FAQ database offered to Becker students.
“I don’t regret going with Becker. I passed all 4 on the first try (after many hours of studying).”
Becker User
Comprehensive Practice Resources
- Unlimited Practice Exams: Want practice tests? You’ve got ’em. Each review course offers over 4,000 multiple-choice questions to prepare you for the real thing.
- Simulated Exams: Want a little more than the average practice tests can give you? Both Becker CMA Review courses offer exams that simulate the real experience of the CMA exam for a unique exam prep option that increases your chance of success.
Becker CMA Course Premium Features
If you plan on purchasing the Becker CMA Review Pro package, these are the additional features you can expect for your CMA exam prep.
- Pass the CMA Exam, Guaranteed: With the Pass Guarantee, you’ll pass the CMA exam on your first try. If you don’t? Becker will reimburse you up to $500 ($250 for each exam part). And sure, you could see that as a further incentive to buy, but businesses tend to shy away from throwing their money out the window. I read it as confidence. They believe in their product (and so do 96% of their Becker CMA Review course students!).
- Printed Textbooks: Maybe you’re a little old-fashioned and prefer the feel of printed paper (and don’t forget that oh-so-heavenly book smell!). If so, you’ll love the inclusion of a printed textbook with the Review Pro package.
- Online Classes: Not an “own pace” kind of learner? No worries! Becker’s live instruction is second to none, and you can get front-row access when you grab the pro course. And, with CMA-certified instructors, many of your would-be teachers have walked the walk (compare that to a university professor who might only study the subject–now that’s value, my friend!).
- 5 Hour-Long Tutoring Sessions: Work 1-on-1 with an instructor to make sure you’re understanding the key concepts, get your questions answered, and make the most of your exam prep.
- 5 Success Coaching Sessions: Take your CMA prep to the next level with highly personalized success coaching. You’ll get pro tips on setting goals, exam prep planning, and ensuring that you’re hitting your progress markers on your journey to pass the CMA exam.
Case Study: How Becker Helped Pass Both CMA Exams
This case study focuses on the real experience of a Becker CMA user, Famous-Librarian835, who successfully passed both parts of the CMA exam with Becker’s comprehensive study package.
The Becker CMA Experience
For this user, Becker provided everything they needed to pass the exam, eliminating the need to search for additional study materials. They highlight Becker as a “complete package,” offering multiple tools to enhance exam preparation.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive Resources: The user praises Becker’s video lectures with downloadable slides, which they found invaluable for adding personal notes. The inclusion of a formula list was another standout, which the user described as “so so so helpful.”
- Practice and Exam Simulation: Becker offers ample practice MCQs and essay questions, each with detailed explanations for correct and incorrect answers. The user found this resource incredibly useful, along with simulated exams that mimic the real test, complete with timing. According to the user, this approach helped prepare them thoroughly, saying, “they actually will help you pass the exam.“
- User-Friendly Interface: Another feature the user loved was Becker’s clean, intuitive interface, which made navigation simple and seamless. They describe the interface as “superb and so user-friendly.“
New Features and Benefits
Although the user took their exam 1.5 years ago, they mention that Becker has introduced new tools, such as a study tracker. This tool helps keep learners on track and could serve as an “accountability buddy,” particularly beneficial for those who prefer self-study.
Pros
- Becker Promise and Pass Guarantee: Even though only the Review Pro course offers the pass guarantee, both packages offer the Becker Promise. This promise states that if you don’t get your certification from the CMA exam with the CMA Review Advantage course, you can repeat the course for free. Both of these promises and guarantees tell me that Becker’s entire company is built on trust. They trust their courses, they trust their students, and they want their students to be able to trust them.
- An Unbeatable Legacy: Frankly, there are few companies with a record as impressive as Becker’s. Over the course of over 60 years in business, they’ve helped over 1 million (you read that right, with an M) succeed. To boot, they have a 96% satisfaction rate, which is just downright incredible. Can you even think of another company with satisfaction rates that high? Because I sure can’t.
- Adapt2U Technology: Unlike other companies who expect you to figure stuff out on your own, Becker uses adaptive learning technology to help you monitor your progress and develop a study plan that works with your brain. This adaptive learning technology even helps you in your practice tests, where you can choose a practice test formatted specifically to help you identify areas of opportunity and improvement (rather than the regular ol’ random CMA review course practice tests).
- Always Fresh, Never Frozen: It’s intimidating spending so much money on a CMA prep course when, let’s face it, you have no idea how good it’s going to be until you get in the portal. That makes it all the more impressive that Becker has a strategic partner in the Institute of Management Accountants to ensure complete ICMA coverage and up-to-date learning.
- The BEST Study Materials: Using cognitive science principles and partnering with CMA experts has helped Becker achieve an amazing library of study materials (that actually work!). Let’s review: over 4,000 multiple-choice questions, 76 essay questions, a library of video lectures, digital and printed textbooks, digital flashcards, simulated exams, unlimited practice exams, and unlimited access to said study materials… And the Adapt2U Technology that helps you track your progress leading up to exam day. Becker CMA truly has a treasure trove of resources for the CMA candidate looking to pass the exam on their first attempt.
Cons
- Fewer Resources for CMA Review Advantage: It’s hard to find holes in CMA Review Pro for the typical CMA candidate. However, some of those resources are missing from the less expensive package, and there is a noticeable absence. For example, lecture videos are only available in live online virtual classes for the Pro course, as is unlimited access (you get 24 months instead of lifetime access). Further, you’ll also miss out on things like the Becker CPE subscription.
Becker vs Other CMA Courses
Becker vs Surgent CMA
Surgent offers a more budget-friendly option but lacks certain features that Becker includes, such as personalized tutoring and success coaching. For learners who need more hands-on support, this could be a drawback.
That being said, Surgent does offer more multiple-choice questions and simulated exams.
So, Surgent isn’t a bad choice by any means. However, it tends to serve only the learner who’s concerned about self-study. The learner who needs interaction and personalized instruction may suffer.
Becker vs Gleim CMA
Gleim offers competitive pricing but lacks some standard features that Becker includes in its base packages, like video lectures and flashcards. To access similar features with Gleim, you would need to opt for their premium package, which is priced higher than Becker’s Advantage option.
Again, it isn’t that Gleim is bad so much, but that Becker is better and more comprehensive. And, even though Gleim prides itself on its question bank, I haven’t noticed a difference in either quality or quantity. I feel they’re evenly matched in both essay questions and multiple-choice questions.
Becker vs Hock CMA
Unlike most other CMA review courses, Hock functions on a monthly subscription model. While this could be a serious benefit if you’re a fast learner, the quality leaves a lot to be desired compared to other courses.
There’s a drop in comprehensive practice resources. Hock has fewer questions, and they tend to be far easier than the questions on the actual exam.
(And honestly, the website feels really… sketchy.)
They do have good video lectures, but so does every course listed. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Becker is just miles above Hock, though Hock definitely appeals to the quick-learner crowd.
Becker vs UWorld CMA
Becker and UWorld CMA Review are both strong, well-established CMA prep providers, and candidates routinely pass with either. Becker is often viewed as slightly more comprehensive overall, with a very structured curriculum and a long-standing reputation in the CMA space.
UWorld CMA Review, however, is strong in its own right. It offers adaptive learning tools, a robust mobile app, live bootcamps, and detailed answer explanations that many candidates find especially helpful. Choosing between the two often comes down to preference: Becker’s tightly guided structure versus UWorld’s equally capable, more flexible learning experience.
Is Becker CMA Right for You? Here’s How to Decide
- If you’re someone who needs personalized coaching and hands-on support, then Becker’s CMA Review Pro Package is ideal, offering 1-on-1 tutoring and success coaching to guide you through the toughest concepts.
- If you prefer unlimited study access for as long as it takes to pass, then Becker’s Pro Package is perfect for you, with lifetime access to all study materials and practice exams.
- If you want confidence in your investment, then Becker’s Pass Guarantee, which reimburses you up to $500 if you don’t pass, provides extra assurance.
- If you’re looking for comprehensive exam simulations and practice questions, then Becker’s detailed mock exams and 4,000+ multiple-choice questions will give you the prep you need to succeed.
Final Verdict
Overall, Becker offers a comprehensive and well-structured CMA review course. While it comes at a higher price, the value added through features like personalized support and its Pass Guarantee makes it a strong choice for serious candidates.
Given the significant investment in CMA exam preparation, it’s important to choose a course you can trust. Becker’s long-standing reputation in the field, combined with its Pass Guarantee and comprehensive study resources, makes it a strong option for those looking for a guided, structured approach to passing the CMA exam.
FAQS
The Pass Guarantee is included with the CMA Review Pro course. If you don’t pass your CMA exam, Becker will reimburse you up to $500 ($250 for each exam part) to cover retake costs. It’s a great benefit that gives you extra confidence in your investment.
The Pro course ($2,199) includes exclusive features like 5 success coaching sessions, 1-on-1 tutoring, a pass guarantee, and 1 year of Becker CPE subscription. The Advantage Package ($1,599) offers excellent study resources but lacks these premium features, making it more suited for independent learners.
With CMA Review Pro, you get unlimited access to the course materials. The Advantage Package offers access for 24 months, giving you plenty of time to complete your CMA exam preparation.
Both packages offer access to digital textbooks, over 4,000 multiple-choice questions, simulated exams, flashcards, and adaptive learning technology. The Pro course adds live online classes, tutoring, and success coaching for a more personalized learning experience. Both also offer a 14-day free trial.
Compared to Gleim and Surgent, Becker provides more comprehensive support, including tutoring, live classes, and success coaching—features that are not always available with other courses.
