There is no shortage of professionals to choose from, it is especially true in the field of commerce, where if there is a number, there is a role. Just like that Cost and Management Accountants / Certified Management Accountants or CMS for short, exists to calculate the number in the manufacturing industry. It has various branches, both inside India and abroad.
So today we will have a look at what CMA does, the average salary of CMA in India, and what you need to get started. But before that, remember that there are other roles too that are shortened down to CMS. So do not confuse it with anything else but Cost and Management. With that out of the way, let’s begin the main story.
What is CMA in India?
In India, CMA stands for Cost and Management Accountants for the most part. In international businesses that have a branch in India, may also know the same post as Certified Management Accountant. The role they provide is exactly the same:
- Auditing the cost of the entire company by Indian Law.
- Reviewing and creating budgets every year.
- Evaluate the performance of your colleagues, and allot the metric to each individual.
- Integrating a Management Information System or MIS for short, into the organization to provide seamless information across departments.
- Taking part in strategy meetings and recommending ways to maximize profits.
- Handling Indirect Taxation of the company. This includes GST and indirect tax compliances.
The CMA professionals do a lot of kinds of work. That’s why the company never cheaps out on their payroll. After all, they manage everything from calculating the budgets of each department to how much tax the company will pay. In a way, it sounds pretty similar to an Actuary, who also plays a massive role in the financial sector by predicting critical bankrupt-worthy events beforehand. These are huge responsibilities, and if CMA salary is lacking, things may escalate pretty quickly.
Let’s Calculate the CMA average salary in india
The CMA average salary in India is always considered high. And they also have a sweet promotion route, since they do not go through a massive leadership tunnel like others. They start as junior, eventually become a mid-level, and then into the senior. It takes around 8 years to reach the peak, and from there you can aim for Chief Financial Officer or CFO for short, who earns up to 1 crore in a year.
Enough small talks, now let’s see how much CMA professionals earn at each level in general:
- Freshers
- Experience: 0-2 years
- Expected salary: ₹3.5 LPA to ₹8 LPA.
- Maximum salary: Top campus placements like PSUs, can go up to ₹17-26 LPA.
- Mid-Level
- Experience: (3-7 years):
- Expected salary: ₹8 LPA
- Maximum salary: ₹18 LPA.
- Senior Level
- Experience: 8+ years
- Expected salary: ₹18 LPA
- Maximum salary: ₹30 LPA or more.
- CFO/Finance Head
- Experience: Significant experience like 15 years or more
- Expected salary: ₹35 LPA
- Maximum salary: ₹1 Crore+ per annum, especially in large corporations or global roles.
CMA Salary abroad
International roles like in the USA will always tend to pay 5 to 10 times more than India. For example here are the exact same roles as above in a USA CMA vs India CMA fashion:
- Freshers (Per Annum)
- Salary in USD ($): $50,000 - $75,000
- Salary in INR (₹): ₹41.75 Lakhs - ₹62.63 Lakhs
- Mid-Level (Per Annum)
- Salary in USD ($): $70,000 - $100,000
- Salary in INR (₹): ₹58.45 Lakhs - ₹83.50 Lakhs
- Senior Level (Per Annum)
- Salary in USD ($): $100,000 - $150,000+
- Salary in INR (₹): ₹83.50 Lakhs - ₹1.25 Crore+
- CFO/Finance Head (Per Annum)
- Salary in USD ($): $150,000 - $250,000+
- Salary in INR (₹): ₹1.25 Crore - ₹2.09 Crore+
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the average salary of CMA in India in 2025?
Ans. Depending on the years of experience, the average salary of CMA in India ranges from 3.5 LPA to 1 Crore Per Annum. There are various degrees of events involved, so a particular number is not possible to give. But this much is certain, the starting salary is guaranteed to be around 3-4 LPA.
Q2. What is the average CMA monthly salary in India?
Ans. That would be ₹35,000. Private sectors tend to give less to beginners. But the Public Sector does the opposite, they always start the cms package with a luxurious amount. Which massively encourages the CMA professionals to aim for those companies rather than startups or other private ones.
Q3. The Big 4 of India that provide the best CMA salary per month?
Ans. Yes, it is true that the Big 4 provides the best CMA salary per month in India, but it is not as easy to get into. Anyways, here are their name:
- Deloitte
- PwC
- EY
- KPMG
Q4. What are the most common factors when considering a CMA salary?
Ans. The CMA salary negotiations are exactly the same as any other ones. Make sure to showcase what you can offer to the company in full. Like what skills you possess, how many years of experience you have, any additional certificate programs that you own, and so on. Start negotiating the CMA salary at the end. If everything goes right, the interviewer will ask you how much you are expecting. Give 110% of what you want, and then bargain it down to your required amount. (100%)
