Comparison · 13 material differences
AM&AA vs CCIM Institute
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Professional association
Verified September 2026 AM&AA
Middle-market M&A advisers: investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers
Professional association
CCIM Institute
Commercial real estate practitioners (brokers, investors, asset managers, lenders, appraisers and developers) pursuing or holding the CCIM designation
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining: AM&AA: Young Professional membership is limited to those aged 35 and under in the early stages of an M&A career; CCIM Institute: No published maximum age at joining.
- Industry restriction: AM&AA: Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independently; CCIM Institute: Candidate membership is open to commercial real estate practitioners; no prior designation or advanced degree is required.
- Annual dues: AM&AA: $545 a year; CCIM Institute: $695 a year.
Side by side
| AM&AA | CCIM Institute | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Professional association | Professional association |
| Founded | 1998 (Established in 1998 to bring together CPAs, attorneys and corporate financial advisers working in middle-market M&A) | 1967 (CCIM's own designation page states "Since 1967, more than 20,000 professionals have completed the CCIM Designation program"; its homepage says the Institute has operated for more than 56 years.) |
| Headquarters | Dallas, United States | Chicago, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Chapters are all in the United States plus a virtual chapter; the membership network spans 25 countries | Members in more than 30 countries; chapters across the United States plus Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea and Taiwan |
| Members | 1,100as of September 2026 | 13,000as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 24 | 59 |
| Primary audience | Middle-market M&A advisers: investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers | Commercial real estate practitioners (brokers, investors, asset managers, lenders, appraisers and developers) pursuing or holding the CCIM designation |
| Typical member | Members are M&A and supporting trade professionals: accountants, lawyers, investment bankers, valuation and due diligence specialists, and corporate financial investors working in the middle market. Individual membership is aimed at those who practise independently; corporate membership covers teams of five or more from one firm. | Members are working commercial real estate practitioners rather than a wealth or seniority cohort. Candidate members are practitioners studying for the designation; designees have completed the curriculum, submitted a portfolio of qualifying experience and passed a comprehensive exam. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | Young Professional membership is limited to those aged 35 and under in the early stages of an M&A careerIdentification and proof of age are required during the application processverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published maximum age at joining |
| Industry restriction | Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independentlyverified September 2026 · source ↗ | Candidate membership is open to commercial real estate practitioners; no prior designation or advanced degree is requiredPractitioners who are not pursuing the designation may also join in order to take courses.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | Applicants complete an application through AM&AA's membership portal at amaa.wildapricot.org, or contact the association directly. Young Professional applicants must supply identification and proof of age. Corporate memberships are arranged by email with custom pricing. There is no published interview, sponsorship or committee review, but all members must accept the ethics and standards rules and the no-solicitation condition. | Practitioners join online as candidate members and pay annual dues, then work through the designation curriculum at their own pace. Applications for the special designee categories (life membership, retirement, leave of absence) are reviewed twice a year, with a spring deadline of 27 March 2026 for the current cycle. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed: AM&AA publishes membership categories and conditions but no acceptance data | Not publicly disclosed as an acceptance rate. Membership itself is open; the filter is the designation, which requires curriculum completion, a qualifying-experience portfolio and a comprehensive exam. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $545 a yearIndividual membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ | $695 a yearCandidate membership, United States. Dues prorate in the shopping cart for members joining after 31 January.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Local chapter dues | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed; chapter dues are not listed on the national membership pages.verified September 2026 |
| Programme fee | $5,200 one-timeCertified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA) programme fee, which includes first-year membership and materialsverified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not recorded here. The designation curriculum is priced separately from dues under CCIM's "Designation Program: Time & Cost" schedule, which was not read for this record.verified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Annual | Calendar year, with dues prorated for members joining after 31 January |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly chapter events plus two annual conferences (Summer and Winter), and CM&AA certification courses run in person and virtually | Chapter events year-round plus national Spring and Fall Forums |
| Peer forums | No confidential peer forums; members organise through chapters, including a virtual chapter, and deal-sourcing tools | Local chapters organised across 13 regions; no confidential facilitated peer forum is published |
| Confidentiality | Members agree not to solicit fellow members without written board permission; no broader confidentiality policy was found | Not publicly disclosed; CCIM publishes a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual | Chapter-based, Cohort-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | Partial |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Partial |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Yes |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Yes | Partial |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | Partial |
| Philanthropic component | No | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Low |
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Last verified: not yet reviewed
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: AM&AA · CCIM Institute