The 5 Best Scrum Master Certifications of 2022

Best Overall · Scrum Alliance. Scrum Alliance ; Best Interactive Class · Scrum Inc. Scrum Inc ; Best Agile Scrum Certification · Project Management ... Management&Leadership Skills BestScrumMasterCertifications Increaseyourknowledgeandearningpotential By MichaelKurko FullBio MichaelKurkoawriterandeditorforTheBalance.Heisanexpertinsmallbusinessmarketing,finance,wealthmanagement,andbusinesstechnology. HehasdeepexperiencereviewinginsuranceproductsandhasworkedwithbrandsincludingSoftwareAdvice,FitSmallBusiness,andFastCapital360. Learnaboutour editorialpolicies UpdatedonMay09,2022 Factcheckedby TishaCollins Factcheckedby TishaCollins FullBio TishaCollinsisafact-checkerwithafocusonpersonalfinance.ShebeganherprofessionalcareeratVocusMediaResearchGroupwheresheestablishedthequalityassuranceroleofDatabaseEditor.SheiscurrentlyanAnalystatKinetiq,amediaintelligenceplatform.Priortothis,TishaservedWashington,D.C.familiesasamanageratCollegeNannies,Sitters,andTutors. Learnaboutour editorialpolicies Werecommendthebestproductsthroughanindependentreviewprocess,andadvertisersdonotinfluenceourpicks.Wemayreceivecompensationifyouvisitpartnerswerecommend.Readouradvertiserdisclosureformoreinfo. Scrumisanincreasinglypopularprojectmanagementframeworkthathelpscompaniesandorganizationsmanagelargeprojects,increaseteamaccountability,andreducecosts. AScrumMasterisatrainedprofessionalwhohelpsorganizeandscaleteamsofanysizetoutilizetheScrummethodology.BecomingacertifiedScrumMasternotonlyaddscredibility;italsomakesScrummastersmoresought-afterandincreasestheirearningpotential. WereviewedthetwobestScrumMastercertifications—theCertifiedScrumMaster(CSM)andtheProfessionalScrumMaster(PSM)—andothervaluableScrumcertifications,aswellasthetoptrainingandcertificationprovidersforeach. The5BestScrumMasterCertificationsof2022 BestOverall: ScrumAlliance Runner-Up,BestOverall: Scrum.org BestInteractiveClass: ScrumInc. BestAgileScrumCertification: ProjectManagementInstitute BestforSAFeScrumMasterCertification: ScaledAgile BestScrumMasterCertifications ViewAll BestScrumMasterCertifications ScrumAlliance Scrum.org ScrumInc. ProjectManagementInstitute ScaledAgile WhatIsaScrumMasterCertification? WhatDoesaScrumMasterCertificationInclude? WhatIstheCostofaScrumMasterCertification? HowMuchDoScrumMastersEarn? IsBecomingaCertifiedScrumMasterWorthIt? Methodology BestOverall : ScrumAlliance ScrumAlliance SignUpNow Foundedin2001bytheco-creatorofScrum,KenSchwaber,ScrumAllianceisthelargestprofessionalorganizationintheagilecommunity.TheyoffertheCertifiedScrumMaster(CSM)designation.WechosetheCSMofferedbyScrumAllianceasthebestoverallscrumcertificationbecauseitisawidelyrecognizedcertificationprogramforScrumMasters. ScrumAlliancefocusesitscertificationtrainingoninteractionswithcertifiedtrainersandcoaches,followedbyastructuredexam.EveryCSMgraduateoftheScrumAlliancemustcompletetheCSMtrainingprograminordertotakethecertificationexam. ScrumAllianceoffersbothin-personandliveonlinetrainingaroundtheworld.Onlinecoursesspantwodays,lastanywherefromseventoeightandahalfhoursandcosts$495perperson.There'soptionstotaketheclassoverthreedaysatfourandahalfhoursaday.In-persontrainingprogramsaretwo,eight-hourdaysandtypicallystartat$1,199,witha10%discountforgroupsofthreeormore.Allcoursefeesincludethecostoftheexam,whichcanbetakenattheendofeachcourse. ScrumAlliancerequiresindividualstorenewtheirCSMcertificationeverytwoyears.Thefeeforrenewalis$100.ScrumAlliancerequires20ScrumEducationUnits(SEUs)forCSMrecertification. Runner-Up, BestOverall : Scrum.org Scrum.org SignUpNow In2009,Scrumco-founderKenSchwaberleftScrumAllianceandfoundedScrum.orgtoprovidetrainingthathethoughtwasmoreconsistentwithScrumfundamentals.Intheprocess,hecreatedanalternativetotheCertifiedScrumMaster,calledtheProfessionalScrumMaster(PSM).Wechoseitasourrunner-upsinceitoffersScrumcertificationrecognizedsecondonlytoScrumAlliance. ThemaindifferencebetweenScrumAllianceandScrum.orgisinhoweachapproachescertification.WhileScrumAlliancerequiresindividualstocompleteScrumtrainingbeforetakingthecertificationexam,Scrum.orgfocusesontheexamitself.TheorganizationislessinterestedinthetypeofclassortrainingScrumMastersreceiveratherthantheknowledgetheydevelop. Scrum.orgoffersthreelevelsofPSMcertification:PSMI,PSMII,andPSMIII.Accordingtothecoursedescriptions,thePSMIcertificationfocusesonhavinga"highlevelofScrumknowledge,understandingofthe ScrumGuide andhowtoapplyScrumwithinScrumTeams.”ThePSMIIcertificationfocusesonhaving“advancedScrumknowledge,in-depthScrumexperience"orhavingalreadytakenaProfessionalScrumMasterCourse.ThePSMIIIcertificationfocusesona“deepunderstandingoftheapplicationofScrum,Scrumpractices,theScrumValues,and havetheabilitytoapplyScruminavarietyofcomplexteamandorganizationalsituations." Scrum.orgdoesn’trequireindividualstohaveanytrainingtotakethePSMexam.Nevertheless,itdoesofferScrumtrainingcoursesaswell.Scrum.orgalsodoesnotrequirerecertificationofitsPSMtraining. PricingforthePSMassessmentsisasfollows: PSMI $150perperson60-minutelength PSMII $250perperson90-minutelength PSMIII $500perperson150-minutelength BestInteractiveClass : ScrumInc. ScrumInc SignUpNow In2006,Scrumco-founderJeffSutherlandstartedScrumInc.togetbacktoteachingCSMcourses.ScrumInc.alsooffersleadershipworkshopsandotherenterprisecoachingandconsultingservices.Wechoseitasthebestinteractiveclasssinceitfocusesontrainingcertificationwithdynamicandinteractive,hands-onexercises. ScrumInc.’sLicensedScrumMastertrainingcombineslectureswithvariousgamesandexercisestogiveattendeestheexperienceoftheScrumMasterrolefirst-hand.ClassparticipantsorganizeintoScrumteamsandlearnhowtocreateandprioritizeproductbacklogs,manageburndowncharts,andreviewreal-worldcasestudiesacrossavarietyofindustries. TherearenoprerequisitesforLicensedScrumMastertrainingandalllevelsofScrumexperiencearewelcome.Coursesstartat$1,995includingtheexamfeesandtakeplaceonlineovertwoorthreedays.StudentswhosuccessfullycompletethecourseandpasstheexamwillearntheirRegisteredScrumMastercredentialsignedbyJeffSutherland. BestAgileScrumCertification : ProjectManagementInstitute ProjectManagementInstitute SignUpNow Foundedin1969,ProjectManagementInstitute(PMI)hasbecomearecognizedleaderincertifyingprojectmanagementprofessionals,withnearly700,000globalmembersandmorethan300localchaptersinternationally.WechoseitasthebestforAgileScrumcertificationbecauseitoffersfourAgilecertifications,includingseveralthatparticularlyenhancethecredibilityofScrumMasters. PMIoffersanAgileCertifiedPractitioner(PMI-ACP)certificationthat,inadditiontoprovidingScrumMastercertification,alsoincludesKanban,extremeprogramming(XP),Lean,andtest-drivendevelopment(TDD)andAgilecertification.PMI-ACPcertificationispopularamongScrumMastersandemployerssinceitcoversseveralAgileandScrumpracticesandprinciples. Ratherthanasimplesetoftraining,PMI-ACPcertificationhasafewprerequisites: HighschooldiplomaorBachelor'sdegreeand21contacthoursoftraininginAgilepractices12monthsofgeneralprojectexperiencewithinthelastfiveyears.AcurrentProjectManagementProfessional(PMP)orProgramManagementProfessional(PgMP)certificationwillsatisfythisrequirement.8monthsofAgileprojectexperiencewithinthelastthreeyears ThePMI-ACPcertificationexamhas120multiple-choicequestionsandoffersthreehourstocompleteit.Theexamcanbedoneonline. ThecostofPMI-ACPcertificationis$435forPMImembersand$495fornon-members.PMImembershipis$129peryearplusaone-time$10applicationfee.Additionally,PMI-ACPcertificationholdersmustearnfourprofessionaldevelopmentunits(PDUs)involvingAgiletopicseveryyeartorenewthecertification.Renewalcosts$20forPMImembersand$50fornon-members. BestforSAFeScrumMasterCertification : ScaledAgile ScaledAgile SignUpNow Foundedin2011,ScaledAgilewascreatedtoprovideScaledAgileFramework(SAFe)certification,aframeworkintendedtoscaleAgile,Lean,andDevOpspracticesforenterprises.SAFeScrumMastercertificationcanenhanceaScrumMaster’squalificationswhenlookingforplacementinanenterprise-levelorganization.WechoseScaledAgileasthebestforSAFeScrumMastercertificationbecauseitisthegoldstandardforSAFetrainingandevendevelopedtheframework. ScaledAgile’sSAFeScrumMastercertificationfocusesonthefundamentalsofteam-levelScrumandhowtobuildhigh-performingAgileteamstodeliverthemaximumbusinessvalueatscale.Coursesareavailableonsiteoronline.Pricingvariesbytheinstructorandtypicallystartsaround$600to$700,whichincludesthecostoftheexam.Examscanberetakenifnecessary,witheachattemptcostinganadditional$50. Whiletherearenoprerequisitesforthecertification,ScaledAgilerecommendsattendeeshavefamiliaritywithAgileconceptsandprinciples,anawarenessofScrum,Kanban,andExtremeProgramming(XP),andworkingknowledgeofsoftwareandhardwaredevelopmentprocesses.Allcourseattendeesgetaprintedworkbook,preparationandeligibilitytotaketheSAFeScrumMaster(SSM)exam,aone-yearmembershiptotheSAFeCommunityPlatform,andacertificateofcompletion. WhatIsaScrumMasterCertification? Inadditiontoprovidingdedicatedtraininginmanaginglargeteamsacrossmultipledepartments,ScrummastercertificationshowsemployersthatanindividualhastheexperienceandskillstosuccessfullyleadAgileteams.ThecertificationalsogivestheScrummasteranedgeovertheircounterpartsandincreasestheirearningpotential. WhatDoesaScrumMasterCertificationInclude? CSMandPSMcertificationsdifferintheirfocusonhowcertificationisdelivered.However,bothfocusonhavingaScrumMasterprovetheirknowledgeandmasteryofScrumprinciplesandpracticalapplicationsthrougharigorousexam.NotethatScrumMastertrainingisseparatefromaScrumMasterexam.CSMtrainingtypicallytakesplaceovertwoorthreedays,witheachdaylastinganywherefrom4to8.5hrsTrainingisoftenavailableonlineinadditiontoonsite.AlthoughScrumtrainingisrequiredinordertotaketheCSMexam,therearenoprerequisitestotakethePSMcertificationexam.AgileandSAFeScrumcertificationprerequisitescanbefoundinthereviewsoftheProjectManagementInstituteandScaledAgile. WhatIstheCostofaScrumMasterCertification? CSMtrainingandcertificationcancostbetween$500to$2,000,whichincludesthecostoftheexam.Individualsarerequiredtogetrecertifiedeverytwoyearswitha$100recertificationfee.Inadditiontothefee,ScrumAlliancerequires20SEUsforCSMrecertification.Fortunately,therearemanyfreewaystoearnSEUs. PSMcertificationthroughScrum.orgcosts$150forPSMIcertification,$250forPSMII,and$500forPSMIII.PSMcertificatesrequirenorenewalsorcontinuingeducationcredits.RenewalcostsandrequirementsforthePMI-ACPandSAFeScrumMastercertificationscanbefoundinthereviewsoftheProjectManagementInstituteandScaledAgileabove. HowMuchDoScrumMastersEarn? ScrumMastersintheUnitedStatesearnanaverageof$111,252annually,withmostsalariesrangingfrom$28,000to$537,000.Bycomparison,aconventionalprojectmanagerwithnocertificationearnsanaverageof$98,061annually,withsalariesrangingfrom$43,679to$231,768. IsBecomingaCertifiedScrumMasterWorthIt? AsmoreandmorecompaniesareadoptingAgileandScrummethodologyforprojectmanagement,thedemandfortrainedandexperiencedScrumMastersisgrowing.Duetotheirtraininginspecificprovenmethodologies,ScrumMastersprovideexpertisebeyondthatofconventionalprojectmanagers.Noamountoftrainingcansubstitutehands-onexperience,butcertificationaddsanextralayerofcredibilityandprofessionalismtoaScrumMaster’sexperienceandmakeshimorhermoredesirabletopotentialemployers. HowWeChosetheBestScrumMasterCertifications WhiletherearemanyorganizationsthatofferScrumMastertraining,thereareonlyahandfulthatoffercertification.Wereviewedtheprovidersofthemostsought-afterandrecognizedScrumcertificationsandbrokedownthecost,requirements,andattendanceoptionsforeach. ArticleSources Glassdoor."ScrumMasterSalary." Glassdoor."ProjectManagerSalaries." 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