Comparison · 13 material differences
AM&AA vs Urban Land 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.
What the records say
- Industry restriction — AM&AA: Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independently; Urban Land Institute: Open to professionals across the real estate and land use industry.
- Annual dues — AM&AA: $545 a year; Urban Land Institute: $1,332 a year.
Side by side
| AM&AA | Urban Land 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) | 1936 (Founded 14 December 1936; the Urban Land Institute name was adopted in 1939 per Wikipedia's history of the organisation.) |
| Headquarters | Dallas, United States | Washington, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Chapters are all in the United States plus a virtual chapter; the membership network spans 25 countries | Members in 80+ countries; district councils across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with separate ULI Europe and ULI Asia Pacific regions |
| Members | 1,100as of September 2026 | 45,000as of August 2026 |
| Chapters | 24 | 57 |
| Primary audience | Middle-market M&A advisers — investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers | Professionals across the land use and real estate industry — developers, investors, lenders, architects, planners, public officials and academics |
| 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. | ULI's own materials describe a cross-disciplinary membership of developers, investors, designers, builders, buyers, sellers, urban planners and public officials. Wikipedia's breakdown of the membership puts developers at 28 percent, capital sources at 13 percent, service providers at 10 percent and the public sector at 10 percent. |
| 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 ↗ | Under 35 qualifies for a reduced dues rateULI's membership FAQ states it offers 50–75 percent savings for individuals under age 35, for professionals in non-profit organisations, government or academia, and for students. Under-35 members are also the constituency for the Young Leaders Group. This is a discount band, not a barrier to joining.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Industry restriction | Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independentlyverified September 2026 · source ↗ | Open to professionals across the real estate and land use industryULI describes itself as "a diverse network of private and public professionals spanning the real estate and land use industry, including developers, investors, designers, builders, buyers, sellers, urban planners, and public officials". No revenue, seniority or wealth test is published.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. | Applicants create a ULI account and join online, or join by email, phone or post using a printed application with payment. Membership is open on application; ULI's published materials describe no sponsor, interview or committee review. Dues can be paid in one annual payment, on annual auto-renewal, or in twelve monthly instalments, which require a twelve-month commitment. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed — AM&AA publishes membership categories and conditions but no acceptance data | Not publicly disclosed; ULI publishes no acceptance rate and its published joining route is open enrolment rather than selection. Invitation-based selection applies within ULI to product councils, not to membership itself. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $545 a yearIndividual membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ | $1,332 a yearFull membership, United States standard rate ($111 per month on the instalment plan). From ULI's own US individual membership application; the form states rates were valid for payments received by 30 June 2023, so the current rate may differ.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Local chapter dues | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed. District council participation is included in national dues in ULI's published materials; no separate district council fee is advertised.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 ↗ | Dues rates recorded here come from ULI's own FY2023 United States individual membership application, which states the rates were valid for payments received by 30 June 2023. ULI's current site (uli.org) blocks automated retrieval, so a 2026 rate card could not be read. Rates also differ by country: ULI publishes separate applications for Canada, Mexico and Latin America and the Caribbean. |
| Membership term | Annual | 12 months, expiring on the last day of the anniversary month; annual renewal, with auto-renewal and monthly instalment options |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly chapter events plus two annual conferences (Summer and Winter), and CM&AA certification courses run in person and virtually | District council events year-round plus ULI Spring Meeting and Fall Meeting; ULI cites 2,900+ events worldwide each year across in-person and online formats |
| Peer forums | No confidential peer forums; members organise through chapters, including a virtual chapter, and deal-sourcing tools | ULI Forums and Product Councils are topic-specific member groups that meet regularly; district councils run local committees and a Young Leaders Group |
| Confidentiality | Members agree not to solicit fellow members without written board permission; no broader confidentiality policy was found | Not publicly disclosed as a general membership rule; ULI publishes a Code of Ethics rather than a confidentiality regime |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual | Chapter-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Yes | No |
| Online community | Partial | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Yes |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | Partial |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Yes | Yes |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: AM&AA · Urban Land Institute