The CMA program is designed to distinguish professionals engaged in management accounting and financial management. Candidates for certification must complete two continuous years of professional experience in management accounting or financial management. This may be completed prior to application or within seven years of passing the examination.

Qualifying experience consists of positions requiring judgments regularly made employing the principles of management accounting and financial management. Such employment includes financial analysis, budget preparation, management information system analysis, financial management, management accounting, and auditing in government, finance or industry, management consulting, auditing in public accounting, research, teaching or consulting related to management accounting or financial management.

Employment requiring the occasional application of management accounting principles (computer operations, sales and marketing, manufacturing, engineering, personnel, and general management) will not satisfy this requirement. Similarly, internships and trainee, clerical, or non-technical positions do not provide appropriate experience to fulfill this requirement.