diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/9061-cpanm-version.yml b/changelogs/fragments/9061-cpanm-version.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..af91cac1c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/9061-cpanm-version.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - cpanm - add return value ``cpanm_version`` (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/9061).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/cpanm.py b/plugins/modules/cpanm.py
index 25489170dd..04b3b06b7f 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/cpanm.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/cpanm.py
@@ -142,7 +142,19 @@ EXAMPLES = """
     version: '1.0'
 """
 
+RETURN = """
+---
+cpanm_version:
+  description: Version of CPANMinus.
+  type: str
+  returned: always
+  sample: "1.7047"
+  version_added: 10.0.0
+"""
+
+
 import os
+import re
 
 from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.cmd_runner import CmdRunner, cmd_runner_fmt
 from ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.module_helper import ModuleHelper
@@ -175,6 +187,7 @@ class CPANMinus(ModuleHelper):
         mirror_only=cmd_runner_fmt.as_bool("--mirror-only"),
         installdeps=cmd_runner_fmt.as_bool("--installdeps"),
         pkg_spec=cmd_runner_fmt.as_list(),
+        cpanm_version=cmd_runner_fmt.as_fixed("--version"),
     )
     use_old_vardict = False
 
@@ -191,6 +204,14 @@ class CPANMinus(ModuleHelper):
         self.runner = CmdRunner(self.module, self.command, self.command_args_formats, check_rc=True)
         self.vars.binary = self.runner.binary
 
+        with self.runner("cpanm_version") as ctx:
+            rc, out, err = ctx.run()
+            line = out.split('\n')[0]
+            match = re.search(r"version\s+([\d\.]+)\s+", line)
+            if not match:
+                self.do_raise("Failed to determine version number. First line of output: {0}".format(line))
+            self.vars.cpanm_version = match.group(1)
+
     def _is_package_installed(self, name, locallib, version):
         def process(rc, out, err):
             return rc == 0
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_cpanm.yaml b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_cpanm.yaml
index ad081254d6..ff4bd9c0f7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_cpanm.yaml
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_cpanm.yaml
@@ -10,15 +10,23 @@
     mode: compatibility
   output:
     changed: true
+    cpanm_version: "1.7047"
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: &env-def-true {environ_update: {LANGUAGE: C, LC_ALL: C}, check_rc: true}
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/perl, -le, 'use Dancer;']
       environ: &env-def-false {environ_update: {LANGUAGE: C, LC_ALL: C}, check_rc: false}
       rc: 2
       out: ""
       err: "error, not installed"
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, Dancer]
-      environ: &env-def-true {environ_update: {LANGUAGE: C, LC_ALL: C}, check_rc: true}
+      environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
       out: ""
       err: ""
@@ -30,6 +38,13 @@
     changed: false
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/perl, -le, 'use Dancer;']
       environ: *env-def-false
       rc: 0
@@ -42,6 +57,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, Dancer]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -55,6 +77,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, MIYAGAWA/Plack-0.99_05.tar.gz]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -67,6 +96,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, MIYAGAWA/Plack-0.99_05.tar.gz]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -81,6 +117,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --local-lib, /srv/webapps/my_app/extlib, Dancer]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -94,6 +137,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, /srv/webapps/my_app/src/]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -109,6 +159,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --notest, --local-lib, /srv/webapps/my_app/extlib, Dancer]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -123,6 +180,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --mirror, "http://cpan.cpantesters.org/", Dancer]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -146,6 +210,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, Dancer~1.0]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -160,6 +231,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, Dancer~1.5]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -174,6 +252,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, Dancer@1.7]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -188,7 +273,14 @@
     failed: true
     msg: parameter 'version' must not be used when installing from a file
   mocks:
-    run_command: []
+    run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
 - id: install_specific_version_from_directory_error
   input:
     from_path: ~/
@@ -198,7 +290,14 @@
     failed: true
     msg: parameter 'version' must not be used when installing from a directory
   mocks:
-    run_command: []
+    run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
 - id: install_specific_version_from_git_url_explicit
   input:
     name: "git://github.com/plack/Plack.git"
@@ -208,6 +307,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, "git://github.com/plack/Plack.git@1.7"]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -222,6 +328,13 @@
     changed: true
   mocks:
     run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""
     - command: [/testbin/cpanm, "git://github.com/plack/Plack.git@2.5"]
       environ: *env-def-true
       rc: 0
@@ -236,4 +349,11 @@
     failed: true
     msg: operator '~' not allowed in version parameter when installing from git repository
   mocks:
-    run_command: []
+    run_command:
+    - command: [/testbin/cpanm, --version]
+      environ: *env-def-true
+      rc: 0
+      out: |
+        cpanm (App::cpanminus) version 1.7047 (/usr/local/bin/cpanm)
+        perl version 5.041005 (/usr/local/bin/perl)
+      err: ""