<p>Yes, but they are changing the CMA now so I don’t know as much about it. I haven’t taken the CPA so I can’t really compare. My guess is the new CMA will still be easier to study for(for the average person out of college a few years). The old CMA was basically just a rehash of everything you learn in a BBA in Accounting. The new one has more advanced things about budgeting and financial topics. The CPA will probably require more study from you if you don’t get an MS in accounting(if you do that, you’ll cover enough of the CPA topics that it’ll make sense for you to do that I think).</p>
<p>Of course, if you leave the government a CPA is much more valuable.</p>
<p>I don’t plan on leaving government…I’m about 10 years in already.</p>
<p>Did your CMA help you get your current job?</p>
<p>I’ve did some looking around, lots of international folks have the CMA. Even though my current agency has the CMA listed as a primary certification, i’m wondering about the others and how known it really is.</p>
<p>I’m still leaning towards taking it though.</p>
<p>I’m still a student. It might help me get one job I’m interviewing for(consulting), not another(public accounting). Not sure which I’ll do. The CMA lets students take the exam and supply education documentation later, the CPA doesn’t. I’ll take that next year. If it helps as a public accountant, it’ll be when I’m competing with the thousands of other people who have been auditing for 3 years with CPA’s, with otherwise identical resumes.</p>