Best Scrum Master Certifications? Top 10 In-Demand Scrum Certifications in 2023

A Scrum Master Certification is a professional credential that validates an individual’s knowledge, skills, and expertise in Agile project management and Scrum practices. It signifies that the certified individual has a thorough understanding of the Scrum framework and its application in real-world scenarios. Obtaining a Scrum Master Certification demonstrates a commitment to professional development and enhances career opportunities in the field of Scrum

What is a Scrum Master Certifications. Why its Important?

Scrum Master Certifications are credentials that recognize your competency in Scrum project management principles. They can qualify candidates to become Scrum masters, who are project managers that use Scrum to complete projects.

Although Scrum certifications are not always necessary to become a project manager, they are often requested—and sometimes required—in positions that heavily emphasize Scrum. So, which Scrum certifications are worth getting?

We researched popular Scrum certifications to see how many times each was mentioned in job postings across the United States via Monster, CareerBuilder, and Dice. The results show the 10 most-mentioned Certifications in job listings, ranked in order from most popular in the country.

Top 10 In-Demand Scrum Certifications in United States

As you can see, the CSM  certification is the most popular Scrum certification in the US, followed by the PSM1 certification. These two certifications are offered by different organizations, but they both cover the same basic principles of Scrum.

The CSPO and PSPO1 certifications are also popular, but they are more specialized in the roles of Scrum Product Owner and Scrum Master, respectively.

The PSM II, CSP-Advanced, and PSM III certifications are less popular than the other certifications, but they are still valuable certifications for experienced Scrum practitioners.

Overall, these certifications are a great way to demonstrate your knowledge of Scrum and to improve your chances of getting a job in the agile development field

Scrum Master Certifications

Here are the top 10 most-mentioned Scrum certifications from various job search sites as of July 2023

1.Certified Scrum Master (CSM)

Cost: With an average cost of $899-$1299. Course fees generally include the exam fees.
Training: You will have to take a  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum Alliance and Delivered by CST(Certified Scrum Trainer).

Prerequisite For CSM Certification: There is no formal prerequisites for the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) course. However, the Scrum Alliance recommends that you have some experience with Scrum before taking the course

Certification Body: Scrum Alliance
Certification validity and Renewal: Your certification is valid for 2 years. For the renewal of your CSM Certification, Pay  $100/- fee to Scrum Alliance  and  Submit 20 SEUs.

Exam and Passing Score: Certified Scrum Master (CSM) exam is a 50-question multiple-choice exam. The exam is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese.

Passing score for the CSM exam is 75%. You must answer 37 of the 50 questions correctly to pass the  CSM exam

Salary of Certified Scrum Master: The average salary for a CSM in the United States is $100,000 per year.

Also Read: https://careermaker.us/what-is-the-difference-between-csm-psm/

2.Professional Scrum Master (PSM I)

Cost: All Training Provider have different Cost, with an average cost of $899-$1299. Course fees generally include the exam fees.
Training: Just take a  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum.org  and Delivered by PST(Professional Scrum Trainer).

Prerequisite For PSM I Certification: There is no formal prerequisites for the PSM I  course. But, Scrum.org recommends that you have some Basic Knowledge of  Scrum Framework before taking this course

Certification Body: Scrum.org
Certification validity and Renewal: Never Expired ,No Need to renew. Valid For life-Time.

Exam and Passing Score: Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) assessment is a 60-minute exam.

Passing score for the PSM Certification: You need to score over 85% to pass  the PSM I certification. The assessment have 80 questions in English of multiple choice type.

Salary of PSM 1 : The average salary for a PSM I in the United States is $90,000 per year.

3.Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

Cost: Training Cost depends on which Provider You Choose , Starts from $899-$1299. Course fees generally include the exam fees.
Training: Take a  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum Alliance and Delivered by CST(Certified Scrum Trainer) In-Person or Live Online.

Prerequisite For Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) Certification: There are no eligibility requirements set for CSPO certification, but having prior Scrum knowledge and  topics like Agile Manifesto, Agile Framework will be beneficial.

Certification Body: Scrum Alliance
Certification validity and Renewal: The Certified Scrum Product Owner certification is only valid for 2 years. You can renew the certificate by earning 20 PDUs during the two years and paying a renewal fee of USD 100 to Scrum Alliance.

Exam and Passing Score: Currently, there is no exam for the CSPO certification. After Completing Your 2 Days Training. You will be Get CSPO Certification.

Passing score for the CSPO exam : As Mentioned Above. Currently, there is no exam for the CSPO Certification

Salary of CSPO : The average salary for a CSPO in the United States is $110,000 per year.

4.SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)

Cost: Training on an average costs $699-$999. Course fees also include the exam fees.
Training: Enroll in  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scaled Agile and Delivered by SPC(SAFe Program Consultant).

Prerequisite For SSM Certification: Attendees should have experience working in a lean-Agile environment.

Certification Body: Scaled Agile
Certification validity and Renewal: Validity of your Certification is 1 Years from the date of issue. Renewal cost is USD 295 for one year. Cost Covers $100 for certification renewal and $195 for your SAFe community membership

Exam and Passing Score: Exam consist of 45 multiple Choice Questions. Exam  Can be  taken Online. You have 90 Min. to complete the exam. Closed-book, web-based exam

Passing score for the SSM exam :Passing score of the SAFe® Scrum Master Certification exam is 75% Means, Out of 45 questions choose 34 Correct.

Salary of SSM: Average salary for a SSM in the United States is $88,000 – $103,000

5.Certified Scrum Professional (CSP)

Cost: On an average training provider, Charge $899-$1299. Course fees covers your exam fee.
Training: 2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum Alliance and Delivered by CST(Certified Scrum Trainer).Remote sessions or Physical Classroom.

Prerequisite For CSP Certification: In order to Become  the CSP-SM certified, Kindly attend the CSP-SM training course, complete the online pre-course preparation homework, Show a Scrum Alliance Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) certificate and Provide at least 2 years of work experience specific to the role of Scrum Master (from within the past five years)

Certification Body: Scrum Alliance
Certification validity and Renewal: Your certification is valid for 2 years. For the renewal of your CSM Certification, Pay  $$250 /- fee to Scrum Alliance  and  Submit 40 SEUs.

Exam and Passing Score: There is No examination for Certified Scrum Professional- Scrum Master® (CSP-SM®) Certification. Once you complete the 2 days  training .complete your Profile on Scrum Alliance and accept the License agreement. You will have your CSP-SM Certification Ready.

Passing score for the CSP exam: As of now, There is  No formal examination for Certified Scrum Professional- Scrum Master® (CSP-SM®) Certification.

Salary of CSP: You can Earn Up to a average salary of  $106,642 per year in the United States

6.Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I)

Cost: Training Provider May cost you $899-$1299. Course fees includes the exam fees.
Training: Take 2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum.org and Delivered by PST(Professional Scrum Trainer) Via online mode or Traditional Classroom.

Prerequisite For PSPO I Certification: There is no prerequisites for  the Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO1) Course. Any professional who wants to advance their career in Product development, delivering projects, using Agile and Scrum can join this program

Certification Body: Scrum.org
Certification validity and Renewal: PSPO 1 certificate are lifelong and do not require any additional payments or renewals.

Exam and Passing Score: The assessment contains 80 questions in English of multiple choice type.

Passing score for the PSPO I exam You need to score over 85% to pass and gain the PSPO I certification.

Salary of PSPO1: Average salary $102,092 per year.

7.CSD(Certified Scrum Developer)

Cost: Every Training Provider have a different cost , Generally between  $899-$1299. Also, Includes the exam voucher
Training: You will have to take  2 days of formal training taught by a Scrum Alliance-approved CSD Educator.

Prerequisite For (Certified Scrum Developer) Certification: There is no formal prerequisites for the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) course. However, the Scrum Alliance recommends that you have some experience with Scrum before taking the course

Certification Body: Scrum Alliance
Certification validity and Renewal: 20 Scrum Education Credits (SEUs) need to be earned every two years in order to renew the CSD certification. $100 is the Renewal Fee.

Exam and Passing Score: Demonstrate your understanding to the trainer through an assessment
Accept your CSD® license and become a Certified Scrum Developer

Salary of CSD (Certified Scrum Developer): $92,386

8.Professional Scrum Master (PSM) II

Training: Attend  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum.org and Delivered by PST(Professional Scrum Trainer).

Prerequisite For PSM II Certification: PSM I is a prerequisite for taking the PSM II assessment.

To take the PSM II exam, you must first pass the PSM I assessment. The PSM II level builds on the knowledge and skills assessed at the PSM I level.

Certification Body: Scrum.org
Certification validity and Renewal: PSM II certification has lifelong validity.

Exam and Passing Score: The PSM II assessment is structured in a similar way to PSM I. It is comprised of 30 multiple-choice questions. You have 90 minutes to answer 30 multiple-choice questions and must score at least 85% to pass the assessment and earn the certification

Passing score for the (PSM) II exam is 85%. It means  you must answer 37 of the 50 questions correctly to pass the (PSM) II exam

Salary of (PSM) II : $92,189 to $115,119

Read Also:https://careermaker.us/difference-between-psm1-and-psm2-explained-in-detail/

9.Professional Scrum Master (PSM) III

Cost: You can get training anywhere between  $899 to $1299 depend on provider. Course fees also covers the exam fee.
Training: Take a  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scrum.org and Delivered by PST(Professional Scrum Trainer).

Prerequisite For (PSM) III Certification: PSM I and PSM II certifications are not mandatory, but they can be helpful in demonstrating your knowledge and skills as a Scrum Master

Certification Body: Scrum.org
Certification validity and Renewal: Lifetime certification – no annual renewal fee required

Exam and Passing Score: Passing score: 85%
Time limit: 150 minutes
Number of Questions: 30
Format: 80% essay, 20% multiple answer. All responses must be typed – no pasting of prepared responses

Passing score for the (PSM) III exam is 85%.

Salary of (PSM) III: You can Earn  $110,935 -$135,628. per year.

10.SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (SAFe POPM)

Cost: Get Training somewhere  $899-$1299 check with Training provider. Training fee mostly includes the exam fee.
Training: You will have to take a  2-days(16 Hours) Training course approved by Scaled Agile and Delivered by SPC( SAFe Program Consultant).

Prerequisite For (SAFe POPM) Certification: There are no prerequisites to attend this course and Prior experience with Lean, Agile, or other relevant certifications is recommended

Certification Body: Scaled Agile.
Certification validity and Renewal: To renew your SAFe certification, you can purchase a bundled product that includes membership and certification. The cost is $295, which includes $100 for renewal and $195 for membership

Exam and Passing Score:

The test comes with 45 multiple-choice questions which you are required to answer within 90-minutes (exam duration).

The exam consists of 45 multiple-choice questions that must be answered within 90 minutes. To pass, you must answer 33 out of 45 questions correctly, which is a passing score of 74%

Passing score for the (SAFe POPM) is 74%. Answer 33 of the 45 questions correctly to pass the (SAFe POPM) Exam

Salary of (SAFe POPM): SAFe POPM in the United States is $95,000 to $134,000 per year, according to PayScale.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a Scrum Master Certification holds significant value for individuals and organizations venturing into Agile project management. By gaining a thorough understanding of the Scrum framework and developing essential skills, certified Scrum Masters become catalysts for successful Agile transformations. They empower teams, drive project performance, and position themselves as valuable assets in the job market. Embracing the Scrum Master Certification journey is a strategic step towards achieving project success in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What are the prerequisites for obtaining a Scrum Master Certification?

A: There are no specific prerequisites for obtaining a Scrum Master Certification. However, it is beneficial to have some experience working in Agile environments and familiarity with Scrum principles.

Q2: How long does it take to become a certified Scrum Master?

A: The duration to become a certified Scrum Master varies depending on the training program chosen. Typically, it involves attending a two-day training course followed by an online examination.

Q3: Are there different types of Scrum Master Certifications?

A: Yes, there are several Scrum Master Certifications available in the market. The most widely recognized and respected certification is the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) offered by the Scrum Alliance.

Q4: How can a Scrum Master benefit an organization?

A: A Scrum Master brings several benefits to an organization, including improved project delivery, enhanced team collaboration, increased customer satisfaction, and the ability to adapt to changing market demands effectively.

Q5: Can a Scrum Master Certification be helpful for non-IT projects?

A: Absolutely! While Scrum originated in the software development industry, its principles and practices can be applied to any project or domain. A Scrum Master Certification equips professionals with transferable skills that can benefit a wide range of projects.

Q6: How long is a Scrum Master Certification valid?

A: A Scrum Master Certification is typically valid for two years. To maintain certification, individuals are required to earn continuing education units (SEUs) and pay a renewal fee.