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CSM vs. CSPO: Which Scrum Certification to Choose?

CSM vs. CSPO: Which Scrum Certification to Choose?

Updated on 16 February, 2017

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• 10 min read

Table of Contents

What is CSM?
What is CSPO?
CSM vs CSPO: Detailed comparison matrix
CSM vs CSPO: Eligibility comparison
CSM vs CSPO: Benefits comparison
CSM vs CSPO: Cost comparison
CSM vs CSPO: Exam comparison
CSM vs CSPO: Steps to get certified
CSM vs CSPO: Training Comparison

If you are a Scrum/Agile professional, then you are in the right place! Scrum roles such as Scrum Master and Product Owner have consistently topped the job ranking surveys and are among the highest paid jobs in the industry right now. Scrum certifications are valuable additions to your existing experience and go a long way in elevating your career. To know the difference in psm vs csm certifications, click here.

Here, we look at two of the most popular Scrum certifications-- the Certified ScrumMaster® and the Certified Scrum Product Owner®, both guaranteed to add to your skills, open up employment opportunities and make you eligible for higher salaries.

Find out which one suits you best by looking at the eligibility, skills you can gain, the key learning outcomes of each and their respective training and exam costs. Unlock your future in Scrum with KnowledgeHut CSM certification training.

Scrum Alliance

Insider Tips to Land Your Dream Scrum Master Job

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Both the CSM and the CSPO are offerings of the world-renowned certification body Scrum Alliance® (SA).

Founded in 2001 by Ken Schwaber, the co-creator of Scrum, Scrum Alliance is the largest and most established professional certification body in the Agile community. Its vision is to promote Agile by guiding individuals and professionals in the practices, values and principles of Agile.

What is CSM?

CSM is the most widely recognised Scrum Master certification. This entry level credential is a great way to start and maintain your career in Scrum. It validates your expertise in Scrum values, principles and practices and empowers you to lead a Scrum team that is primed for agile success. The CSM certification training journey helps you understand the Scrum team accountabilities, Scrum event, Scrum artifacts and everything else that you can apply immediately in the real world.

What is CSPO?

The CSPO is undoubtedly the most popular Product Owner certification. Through CSPO certification training you learn the intricacies of Scrum, the scope of the Product Owner’s role and become empowered to maximise value and your team’s work. This credential is the perfect opportunity for you to expand your horizons, seek better job opportunities and begin your journey of continuous improvement.

CSM vs CSPO: Detailed comparison matrix

	Certification Provider, Trainer Credentials, Training Mode	Cost, Renewal, Validity	Eligibility	Learning Objectives, Curriculum	Benefits of Certification
Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®)	Certification Provider www.scrumalliance.org Instructor-Led Virtual Training by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST).	Training cost: INR 23999 in India, USD 1295 in US and CAD 1195 in Canada Exam fee included in training cost Renewal: Certificate valid for 2 years; 20 SEUs required; renewal cost: $100	Training: No prerequisites. Basic knowledge of Scrum in real-world context helpful, though not mandatory. Exam Prerequisites: 2-day in-person or 14 hours of live-online training by authorized training provider mandatory	Learning Objectives Learn to become a good facilitator and coach, and enable high team performance Learn to lead change in any environment or industry and drive results by applying Scrum principles and techniques in the right way Improve efficiency at your workplace and motivate others to support your Scrum efforts. Curriculum Agile and Scrum overview The three roles in Scrum Scrum ceremonies Scrum artifacts Sprint execution Daily Scrum and Sprint Retrospective Definition of Done and Acceptance criteria Definition of ready Release planning Sprint burndown chart Release burn-up chart Product planning User stories Agile estimation Planning poker	Validates your commitment to continued excellence and quality Demonstrates your proficiency in Scrum Helps you get noticed at interviews or for promotions Command a higher salary than your non-certified peers Network with industry leaders and Agile professionals Qualify for the A-CSM® certification
CSPO	Certification Provider www.scrumalliance.org Instructor-Led Virtual Training by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST).	Training cost: INR 24999 in India, USD 1295 in US and CAD 1495 in Canada Renewal: Certificate valid for 2 years; 20 SEUs required; renewal cost: $100	Training: No prerequisites. Basic knowledge of Scrum in real-world context helpful, though not mandatory. Attend a 14 hour live online or 16 hours of in-person training with a CST, or 25 hours of face-to-face interaction with a Certified Agile Coach.	Learning Objectives: Understand the core concepts of Scrum, Scrum flow, etc. and enhance your skills as a Product Owner Understand the scope of Product Owner and Scrum Master and lead, motivate Agile teams and team members. Facilitate transparent, smooth communication channels between the stakeholders and the Scrum team Learn how to improve on the implementation of Scrum functionality like Sprint. Learn how one can create practical efficiency-oriented plans and schedules and work better. Learn about methods to mitigate risks through predictive pre-planning. Learn ways and methods to improve business value and ROI and how to implement them. Learn ways to ensure maximum high-velocity within time and budget frames. Understand and learn Scrum foundations and the role of the Product Owner on a high-performing team Curriculum: Scrum Basics Roles & Responsibilities Product Vision Estimating Product Backlog Prioritizing Release Management Sprints	Widen the scope of your career with the knowledge of popular Agile practices. Gain in-demand Scrum skills and demonstrate your Scrum knowledge. Actively engage with the community of Agile practitioners dedicated to continuous Scrum practice and improvement. Create a better product by leading and implementing Scrum in the team.

CSM vs CSPO: Eligibility comparison

Parameter	CSM	CSPO
Can anyone take this course	This course can be taken by: Software Engineers Product Managers Project Managers Team Leaders Business Analysts Development team members Testers Anyone who would like to build a career as a Scrum Master	This course can be taken by: Project Managers Developers Product Owners Managers-Software development Architects-Software development Product Managers Software developers Software testers Team leads/Team members interested in learning Scrum
Can I take the certification exam directly without taking the course?	No. Attending a 2-day in-person/14 hours of live-online training from a Certified Scrum Trainer is mandatory to appear for the exam	No. CSPO has no exam but attending a 2-day in-person/14 hours of live-online training from a Certified Scrum Trainer is mandatory to get certified
Is prior knowledge of Agile, Scrum or any other methodology necessary?	It is recommended that you have basic knowledge of using Scrum in a real-world context, in order to get the most from the training.	Although not mandatory, having a good command over Scrum basics will prove effective in understanding the Product Owner’s role at an enterprise level.
Is prior work experience mandatory?	No, this is an entry level certificate and does not require prior work experience	No, this certification does not require you to have prior work experience

CSM vs CSPO: Benefits comparison

CSM	CSPO
Helps you gain Scrum Master skills par excellence	Validates your expertise as a Product Owner who can manage stakeholders and drive value
The CSM is your first step towards becoming an Agile coach and mentor	Helps you gain conflict resolution skills to manage situations or escalations that may arise with stakeholders or development team members.
Helps you gain organizational skills to manage teams and allocate work to smoothen processes	Helps you gain prioritization skills so that you can ably prioritise items on the backlog
Helps you understand Scrum in its entirety so that you can guide teams and promote Scrum in the enterprise	Helps you understand Scrum values, principles and processes so that you can guide the development team and help stakeholders understand the value of Scrum
Helps you qualify for Qualify for the A-CSM® certification	Helps you qualify for Qualify for the A-CSPOSM and Certified Scrum Professional®-Product Owner (CSP®-PO) certification
Opens you up to new opportunities and lucrative salaries	Displays your commitment to continued excellence and helps you land lucrative job roles
Makes you eligible for high salaries. CSM salary: in India: ₹1,450,000. In USA: $97319.  In Canada: CAD 85,000	Makes you eligible for high salaries. CSPO salary: in India: ₹1,760,015. In USA: $105,845.  In Canada: CAD 87,716
Gets you a  2-year membership with Scrum Alliance	Gets you a  2-year membership with Scrum Alliance

CSM vs CSPO: Cost comparison

Training costs can vary based on region and the training provider.

Region	CSM	CSPO
India	INR 23999	INR 24999
United States of America	USD 1295	USD 1295
Canada	CAD 1195	CAD 1495

CSM vs CSPO: Exam comparison

Certification	Certifying Body	Exam/Certification Eligibility	Exam Format, duration and passing mark	Process to get exam results	Renewal	Exam/Certifying fee
CSM	Scrum Alliance	2-day in-person/14 hours of live online training by authorized training provider mandatory	Exam Type: Online, Closed Book Test Question Type: MCQs Total Questions: 50 MCQs Passing Score: 74% Time Limit: 60 min	On passing the CSM test, instantly download the CSM® certificate.	Certificate valid for 2 years; 20 SEUs required; renewal cost: $100	Included in training cost
CSPO	Scrum Alliance	Attend a 14 hour live online or 16 hours of in-person training with a CST, or 25 hours of face-to-face interaction with a Certified Agile Coach	No exam	On successfully completing the course with a CST, you will receive the CSPO credential from Scrum Alliance	Certificate valid for 2 years; 20 SEUs required; renewal cost: $100	Included in training cost

CSM vs CSPO: Steps to get certified

CSM

CSPO

Step 1: Register with a Global REP of Scrum Alliance (SA).
Step 2: Take the 2-day in-person/14 hrs live-online CSM course and get instructed by Certified Scrum Trainers® (CSTs).
Step 3: SA will send you a link to create login credentials on successful completion of course.
Step 4: Click on the link received from Scrum Alliance and create your own login credentials.
Step 5: Take the 1-hour online CSM® test which comprises of 50 MCQs by using those credentials.
Step 6: Get 37 out of the 50 questions right, within the 60-minute time limit.
Step 7: Once the test is cleared, you will be requested to accept a license agreement.
Step 8: After accepting it, you will receive CSM designation & a 2-year membership from SA. Also, refer to our getting started guide: How To Become A Certified Scrum Master.
Step 9: You have to renew the certification once every two years.

Step 1: Sign up with a Registered Education Provider (REP) of Scrum Alliance.
Step 2: To understand fundamental Scrum concepts and terminology go through the Scrum Guide and Agile Manifesto to prepare yourself for training.
Step 3: Attend the 2-day in-person/14-hrs live-online CSPO course and get instructed by Certified Scrum Trainers® (CSTs).
Step 4: After completing the course, the Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) will update your details to the Scrum Alliance website.
Step 5: Scrum Alliance will send a welcome email to log in to your Scrum Alliance account and accept your CSPO license.
Step 6: Login through this link to reset your Login credentials and accept your license.
Step 7: Download your CSPO certificate by accepting your license.

CSM vs CSPO: Training Comparison

Parameter	CSM	CSPO
Training Type	In-person or live online	In-person or live online
Instructor	Certified Scrum Trainer (CST)	Certified Scrum Trainer (CST)
Duration	2 days/14 hrs	2 days/14 hrs
Training Cost	In India: INR 23999 In Canada: CAD 1195 In USA: $1295	In India: INR 23999 In Canada: CAD 1495 In USA: $1295
Training Eligibility	No prerequisites. Basic knowledge of Scrum in real-world context helpful, though not mandatory.	No prerequisites. Basic knowledge of Scrum in real-world context helpful, though not mandatory.

Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct CSM Certification Training Course Online

CSM Certification in Bangalore	CSM Certification in Sydney	CSM Certification in Chennai
CSM Certification in New York	CSM Certification in London	CSM Certification in Chicago
CSM Certification in Singapore	CSM Certification in Pune	CSM Certification in Washington
CSM Certification in Toronto	CSM Certification in Dubai	CSM Certification in Los Angeles
CSM Certification in Hyderabad	CSM Certification in Melbourne	CSM Certification in Atlanta

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Summary

CSM vs CSPO: which is the right choice for you? This question may plague your mind when you are looking at enhancing your career prospects with a credential. What certification to pursue will depend on where your interest lies, the job role you are currently pursuing and the trajectory you wish your career would take as you grow. But what is certain is that both the CSM and the CSPO can elevate your career and maximise opportunities that come your way.