Cost & Management Accountant
Also known as: CMA · Cost Accountant · Cost Auditor
A qualified CMA who handles costing, budgeting and cost audits in companies or in practice.
What you’d do
A cost and management accountant is a member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) who works on product costing, budgeting, cost control and cost audit. CMAs work in manufacturing and service companies, and in practice, where the Companies Act reserves cost audit for practising cost accountants. Work includes cost sheets, variance analysis, budgets, cost records and audit reports.
- Prepare product and process cost reports
- Build budgets and variance analysis
- Conduct cost audits and certify records
- Advise management on cost control
How you get in
Register with ICMAI for the Foundation after Class 12, or enter directly at Intermediate as a graduate. Clear Intermediate and Final and complete the practical training to become a member. Cost audit practice needs ICMAI's certificate of practice; others join companies as cost or management accountants.
Salary in India
Fresher salary over the years
middle of the 0–1 yr range, ₹ lakh a year
Fewer than two years of fresher data so far — the trend shows once there are two.
Skills you’ll use
From our guide · a curated list is coming
- Product and process costing
- Budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis
- Maintaining cost records under the cost audit rules
- Pricing and cost-reduction analysis
- Reporting numbers clearly to managers
About this field · for freshers
Job openings by year
Is demand growing?
Not added yet.
Competition3
How many graduates enter each year?
B.Com graduates in 2023-24 at institutions that reported to AISHE — everyone finishing that degree, not only those entering this role.
Who hires
IT firms, banks, government, startups?
Not added yet.
Where the jobs are
Which cities?
Not added yet.
Women in the field3
Is it diverse?
Share of women among B.Com graduates in 2023-24 — the entry degree, not people already working in this role.
At a glance
- Common roles include cost accountant, cost controller, FP&A analyst and finance manager.
- Manufacturing-heavy regions tend to have more costing roles.
- Cost audit work depends on which companies fall under the cost audit rules each year.
Stay safe
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