In today's era of digital transformation and rapidly evolving technological trends, it is imperative for IT professionals to keep up with the latest know-how about the subject matter, tools, and skills. Other than pursuing career-oriented courses and certifications, there is no better way for professionals to achieve this objective. Certifications are like stepping stones for professionals guiding their career journey and learning paths to progress ahead and stay in vogue with job demands as well as sharpening their skill-set.
In today's article we will talk about two popular agile certifications - Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Professional Scrum Master (PSM) to understand, how these two fare against each other i.e. PSM vs CSM, granularities about each of them, tips to choose the right certification and a lot more. Let us have a deep dive.
| Parameters | Certified Scrum Master (CSM®️) | Professional Scrum Master (PSM™) |
| Exam Pattern | 50 multiple-choice questions, usually with four possible answers | Number of Questions: 80 Format: Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer and True/False |
| Passing Grade | 74% | Minimum 85% |
| Exam Duration | 60 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Certification Renewal Duration | Every 2 years | No expiration (Lifetime certification) |
| Certification Cost | Fee: Approx. $1000 (cost of training and 1 attempt) |
PSM I- $150 |
| Level of the Exam | The exam is easy once you attend the two-day CSM®️ training program. Also, you can practice with the CSM®️ practice test/mock test to know which areas you need to improve and pass the test with a good score. |
Difficulty: Intermediate |
| Prerequisites | Attending a 2-day CSM®️ course taught by a Scrum Alliance's Certified Scrum Trainer (CST)®️ | No prerequisite for taking the test |
| Salary | $119,040 per year | $100,500 per year |
| What is Next? | Certified Scrum Master (CSM) Advanced CSM Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master Certified Team Coach or Certified Enterprise Coach or Certified Scrum Trainer |
Professional Scrum Master I |
Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) offered by the Scrum Alliance® is the oldest and widely recognized industry credential that attests understanding of the scrum framework, its principles and practices, and the application of abilities to lead agile teams at a superlative level. Candidates learn the foundations of the scrum, the ceremonial cadence, roles, events, and artifacts along with abilities to handle impediments or challenges and work effectively as a servant-leader. CSM offers flexibility to attendees in understanding the conceptual substructure with ease; attendees need to enroll in the training and appear for the exam to get certified. The overall curriculum of the exam includes building candidate specialization in four core areas of agile project management:
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Apart from being the constitutional and prominent certification for gaining structural clarity of scrum concepts, a CSM certification is a harbringer of a lot of benefits, viz:
Professional Scrum Master (PSM™) is a three-tiered specialization credential that aims to build expertise and skill-set for candidates looking to effectively drive and mentor scrum teams. Candidates enrolled with the PSM certification are equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle scrum decorum and transformations, and mentor teams and individuals to adopt, accept, and embark on their journey on the agile bandwagon. Not only does this certification aim to build a foundational and structural understanding of the scrum concepts, but also looks at avenues to provide hands-on training to candidates on the real-life project crunch and chaos to handle such situations effectively. For the Foundational Level-I of the professional scrum master certification, there is no pre-requisite course/training; if you have learned the scrum concepts, you can go-ahead and appear for PSM-I, though attending the course effectively sets the tone and boosts candidate confidence to clear it in the first attempt.
Unlock the myths and facts around scrum practices, transformations and a lot more by getting an understanding about the Professional Scrum Master (PSM™) course/training from KnowledgeHut.
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A recent article published by Forbes Magazine says that IT professionals with certifications are earning an average of $17,000 more per year than the median IT certification salary. From an employee perspective, certifications let you demonstrate additional qualifications on your resume in addition to getting hired faster.
The Scrum Master tutorial will give you a better understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and skills involved.
The demand for certified Scrum professionals is on the rise, and the Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) and Professional Scrum Master (PSMTM) are the two industry-recognized certifications that can add value to your Scrum career.
Know more about CSM vs PSM.
Let’s understand what the differences between the two are, so that you can make an informed choice between the two.
The Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) is a credential from Scrum Alliance®; a non-profit organization that provides guidance on agile practices, principles, and values. The Professional Scrum Master (PSM™) is offered by Scrum.org, an organization that was founded by Ken Schwaber, the co-creator of Scrum; and seeks to improve professionalism in Scrum training across the world.
Both CSM and PSM training courses have a duration of 2 days (14 to 16 hours) each. The CSM course is led by a Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST®), while the PSM course is led by a Professional Scrum TrainerTM (PST).
The CSM credential has one level only, while the PSM is offered at two levels; PSM I and PSM II.
As a CSM, you will be well equipped to help the Scrum team perform at their maximum capability, overcoming obstacles and guiding them on the Scrum framework. A CSM is considered a ‘servant leader’ who leads through example and essentially facilitates the team members to achieve project success.
People who have successfully achieved the PSM I demonstrate a foundational level of Scrum mastery and are well-versed in the terminology and approach to Scrum. Passing the PSM II acknowledges a deeper understanding of Scrum principles and the ability to apply Scrum in complex situations.
To pass the CSM exam, you must secure at least 37 out of 50 possible marks. This is considered to be easier to achieve than a passing grade in the PSM exam.
In PSM I, the passing criteria are quite tough, as you will have to complete 80 questions and achieve at least 85% (this is not accurately defined by Scrum.org) to get the Professional Scrum Master certificate.
While CSM contains multiple-choice questions, the PSM certifications are a mix of multiple-choice questions, multiple-answer questions, and some true/false questions. The PSM I will test you on the facts of Scrum as well as some scenario-based questions.
Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct CSM Certification Training Course Online
Take a deep dive into the trending Agile Category Courses
| CSM Certification | CSPO Certification | Leading SAFe Certification |
| PSM Certification | SAFe Scrum Master Certification | SAFe SPC Certification |
| SAFe RTE Certification | SAFe POPM Certification | ICP-ACC Certification |
It is generally understood that the Certified ScrumMaster test is relatively easier than the PSM 1 and PSM 2. To appear for the CSM, attending a 2 day training is mandatory and you will get adequately prepared to sit the exam and achieve a passing score. However, PSM does not have a mandatory requirement of attending training classes, and many students who have not attended a training workshop therefore find that their preparation is inadequate.
There is no standard fee for the CSM exam, as typically the exam attempt is clubbed with the course. However, the fee range for the course is typically from 1000 USD to 1400 USD.
The PSM costs $150 USD per exam attempt. If you join a training course, your first exam attempt is free.
The CSM program content varies from trainer to trainer, as Scrum Alliance only provides broad guidelines for the Curriculum, and trainers are free to interpret it in their own ways. PSM comes with a standard agenda that must be followed across all training institutes.
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Having seen the above list of differences and technicalities of each certification, I am sure the next question popping into your mind is, csm or psm, which is better? Now, the answer to this can get very subjective as it entirely depends on the individual choice, whether they want to pursue a training course and take up CSM to start with the basic foundations or they want to get the required scrum knowledge and appear for the relatively advanced PSM. To make this election easier between psm or csm which is better, here are a few key and quick tips one must keep in mind:
To make a rightful choice or decide whether psm or csm which is better, you as a candidate need to make a careful effort to visualize your future career path; remember, the CSM certification opens the doors to elevated certifications and career paths, such as CSPO - Certified Scrum Product Owner, or Advanced CSPO, or CSD - Certified Scrum Developer. PSM on the other hand, will lead you towards the Professional Scrum Trainer roles and involves extensive learning and application of theoretical strategies and solutions to solve real-time problems. To add a word of caution, candidates should avoid looking only at certification costs, csm vs psm salary and instead make their decisions based on a collective and objective consideration of the above listed factors.
Knowledge of Scrum is one of the most sought-after skills in recent times, and both the CSM and PSM are highly respected credentials in the Scrum world. While the CSM is preferred by many as it is considered an easier exam to pass, it requires renewal of the credential every two years. The PSM, though it comes with a slightly more difficult assessment, is valid for a lifetime.
We hope we’ve helped you to make an informed choice! If you still can’t make up your mind, connect with any of our counselors by filling out our contact form and getting the answers you seek. Either way, you can’t go wrong. Good luck on your Agile journey!
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How to Prepare for and Pass the Professional Scrum Master Exam
Cracking the Scrum Code: PSM vs. PSPO Explained
How Does A PSM™ Certification Help Your Management Career?
The History of Professional Scrum Master (PSM)
5 Things To Consider While Choosing A Professional Scrum Master Certification
No, CSM and PSM are both certifications provided by globally recognized accreditation bodies. Both the certifications have their unique advantages. CSM is offered by Scrum Alliance while PSM is offered by Scrum.org. There are other organizations as well that offer similar certifications in Scrum. The major difference between the two certifications is that CSM certification is valid for two years, after which it will need to get renewed, while the PSM certification comes with a lifetime validity.
No, CSM and PSM are both certifications targeting Scrum masters, however these certifications are offered by different certification bodies. CSM certification requires the candidate to undergo training and pass a qualifying exam, whereas training is optional for PSM certification.
Yes, CSM is one of the most popular Scrum certifications around the world. It provides a solid understanding of how to perform the Scrum role in a team. It is recognized globally, and it adds value to your profile if you work or intend to work in Scrum teams.
Yes, PSM is an in-demand certification that will help you in understanding Scrum concepts and the role of a Scrum master. The certification also comes with a lifetime validity.
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