Top Agile Certifications: 2023 Report
15 April 2023 10:01
Agile Workflows
A PDF of this article — Top Agile Certifications: 2023 Report — is available here.
Introduction
There's no substitute for experience. However, certifications can be a valuable tool for propelling one's career. Employers want candidates and employees with up-to-date knowledge and skills, and certifications demonstrate a person’s mastery of the respective subject. This article takes a look at Agile related certifications.
Top Agile Certifications
We compiled and analyzed data from multiple sources — including CIO¹, Forbes², Indeed³, Monday.com⁴, LogicMonitor⁵, BMC⁶, and LeanWisdom⁷ — to determine the general consensus on the top Agile certifications. Seven emerged. Here they are:
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
- Certified SAFe Agilist (SA)
- Certified SAFe Product Owner and Product Manager (SAFe POPM)
- PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
- Certified Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1)
- Certified Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO 1)
Details follow. Note: Prerequisites, costs, and other data are subject to change by the governing organizations.
Profile of Each Certification
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
- Certification: Certified ScrumMaster
- Abbreviation for certification: CSM
- Governing organization – name: Scrum Alliance
- Governing organization – website: https://www.scrumalliance.org
- Short description of certification: Validates a solid understanding of Scrum including practical ways to apply it on one’s team and organization
- Exam – prerequisites: Completion of a two-day course by an authorized trainer
- Exam – cost: Course (referenced above) includes the cost of the exam. Cost ranges from about $500 to $1,200 depending on the location, delivery format (in-person or online), provider, and other factors
- Exam – delivery: Online
- Exam – number of questions: 50
- Exam – time to complete: 1 hour
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): 74%
- Credential expiration: 2 years
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): 20 SEUs
- Credential renewal – cost: $100
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
- Certification: Certified Scrum Product Owner
- Abbreviation for certification: CSPO
- Governing organization – name: Scrum Alliance
- Governing organization – website: https://www.scrumalliance.org
- Short description of certification: Demonstrates a deep understanding of Scrum principles and practices, as well as the role and responsibilities of a Product Owner in the Scrum framework
- Exam – prerequisites: Certification is awarded after the successful completion of the required two-day course delivered by an authorized trainer (there is not a separate exam)
- Exam – cost: Certification is awarded after the successful completion of the required two-day course delivered by an authorized trainer (there is not a separate exam); course cost ranges from about $500 to $1,200 depending on the location, delivery format (in-person or online), provider, and other factors
- Exam – delivery: Certification is awarded after the successful completion of the required two-day course delivered by an authorized trainer (there is not a separate exam)
- Exam – number of questions: Certification is awarded after the successful completion of the required two-day course delivered by an authorized trainer (there is not a separate exam)
- Exam – time to complete: Certification is awarded after the successful completion of the required two-day course delivered by an authorized trainer (there is not a separate exam)
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): Certification is awarded after the successful completion of the required two-day course delivered by an authorized trainer (there is not a separate exam)
- Credential expiration: 2 years
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): 20 SEUs
- Credential renewal – cost: $100
Certified SAFe Agilist (SA)
- Certification: Certified SAFe Agilist
- Abbreviation for certification: SA
- Governing organization – name: Scaled Agile
- Governing organization – website: https://scaledagile.com
- Short description of certification: Demonstrates knowledge of how to: establish Team and Technical Agility and organize around the flow of value; align organizations around clear, common objectives; participate successfully in SAFe events; and adopt a customer-centric mindset
- Exam – prerequisites: Completion of a two-day course by an authorized trainer
- Exam – cost: Course (referenced above) includes the cost of the exam. Cost ranges from about $500 to $1,200 depending on the location, delivery format (in-person or online), provider, and other factors
- Exam – delivery: Online
- Exam – number of questions: 45
- Exam – time to complete: 1.5 hours
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): 80%
- Credential expiration: 1 year
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): 10 PDUs
- Credential renewal – cost: $100
Certified SAFe Product Owner and Product Manager (SAFe POPM)
- Certification: Certified SAFe Product Owner and Product Manager
- Abbreviation for certification: SAFe POPM
- Governing organization – name: Scaled Agile
- Governing organization – website: https://scaledagile.com
- Short description of certification: Demonstrates knowledge of how to: perform the role of a Product Owner (PO) and a Product Manager (PM); put the customer at the center of the design, build, and test process; prepare for and lead Program Increment (PI) Planning; decompose Epics to Features, and Features to Stories; and collaborate with Agile teams to forecast work
- Exam – prerequisites: Completion of a two-day course by an authorized trainer
- Exam – cost: Course (referenced above) includes the cost of the exam. Cost ranges from about $500 to $1,200 depending on the location, delivery format (in-person or online), provider, and other factors
- Exam – delivery: Online
- Exam – number of questions: 45
- Exam – time to complete: 1.5 hours
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): 80%
- Credential expiration: 1 year
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): 10 PDUs
- Credential renewal – cost: $100
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
- Certification: PMI Agile Certified Practitioner
- Abbreviation for certification: PMI-ACP
- Governing organization – name: Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Governing organization – website: https://www.pmi.org
- Short description of certification: Demonstrates knowledge of the PMI's standardization of Agile across multiple methodologies (such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean)
- Exam – prerequisites: 2,000 hours of project management experience; 1,500 hours of Agile experience; and 21 hours of training in Agile
- Exam – cost: $435 for members of the PMI, $495 for those not a member of the PMI
- Exam – delivery: In-person in an assessment center
- Exam – number of questions: 120
- Exam – time to complete: 3 hours
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): Passing score is not disclosed (it is estimated to be 80%)
- Credential expiration: 3 years
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): 30 PDUs
- Credential renewal – cost: $60 for PMI members, $150 for those not members of the PMI
Certified Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1)
- Certification: Certified Professional Scrum Master
- Abbreviation for certification: PSM 1
- Governing organization – name: Scrum.org
- Governing organization – website: https://www.scrum.org
- Short description of certification: Validates knowledge of the Scrum framework, the Scrum Master accountabilities, and how to apply Scrum
- Exam – prerequisites: A course is recommended but not required
- Exam – cost: $150
- Exam – delivery: Online
- Exam – number of questions: 80
- Exam – time to complete: 1 hour
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): 85%
- Credential expiration: Certification does not expire
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): Not applicable
- Credential renewal – cost: Not applicable as certification does not expire
Certified Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO 1)
- Certification: Certified Professional Scrum Product Owner
- Abbreviation for certification: PSPO 1
- Governing organization – name: Scrum.org
- Governing organization – website: https://www.scrum.org
- Short description of certification: Validates knowledge of the Scrum framework and one’s ability to support and enable value creation and delivery
- Exam – prerequisites: A course is recommended but not required
- Exam – cost: $200
- Exam – delivery: Online
- Exam – number of questions: 80
- Exam – time to complete: 1 hour
- Exam – pass rate (minimum % that must be correct to pass exam): 85%
- Credential expiration: Certification does not expire
- Credential renewal – required continuing education units (CEUs) or professional development units (PDUs) or Scrum educational units (SEUs): Not applicable
- Credential renewal – cost: Not applicable as certification does not expire
Conclusion
Certifications can provide significant value for professionals looking to enhance their skills and credibility in the marketplace. Employers often prefer to hire certified professionals, and those who invest in professional credentials typically enjoy larger salaries. Informed by data from multiple sources, this article identified and profiled the top Agile certifications: Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Certified SAFe Agilist (SA), Certified SAFe Product Owner and Product Manager (SAFe POPM), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Certified Professional Scrum Master (PSM 1), and Certified Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO 1). Those interested in securing one or more Agile certifications can leverage the information presented in this article to assist in their decision-making.
Select References/Sources:
- CIO (2022, October 4). Top 16 Agile Certifications Available Today. Available at: https://www.cio.com/article/230223/7-agile-certifications-to-take-your-career-to-the-next-level.html.
- Forbes (2023, March 22). Five Agile Certifications for Project Management Professionals. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-agile-certifications.
- Indeed (2022, December 12). Twelve Valuable Agile Certifications to Advance Your Career. Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/agile-certifications.
- Monday.com (2023, March 26). Agile Project Management Certification: A Complete Guide. Available at: https://monday.com/blog/project-management/agile-project-management-certification.
- LogicMonitor (2022, June 5). Best Agile Certifications for IT Professionals in 2022. Available at: https://www.logicmonitor.com/blog/best-agile-certifications-for-it-professionals-in-2022.
- BMC (2020, August 17). Top Agile Certifications. Available at: https://www.bmc.com/blogs/agile-certifications.
- LeanWisdom (2022, September 9). The List of Best Agile Certifications in 2022. Available at: https://www.leanwisdom.com/blog/the-list-of-best-agile-certification.
How to Cite this Article:
Graffius, Scott M. (2023, April 15). Top Agile Certifications: 2023 Report. Available at: https://ExceptionalAgility.com. Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.13140/RG.2.2.22468.09609. DOI link: https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22468.09609.
About Scott M. Graffius

Scott M. Graffius, Founder of Exceptional Agility, is an expert practitioner and thought leader in agile, project, program, portfolio, and PMO management. He has generated over $1.9 billion of business value in aggregate for Global Fortune 500 companies and other organizations he has served. Graffius is a multi-award-winning author and highly sought-after international keynote speaker, having presented at 84 conferences and other events across 25 countries. Businesses, professional associations, governments, and universities have used and featured him and his content. Select examples include Microsoft, Oracle, Broadcom, Cisco, Gartner, EY, Project Management Institute, IEEE, SANS Institute, National Academy of Sciences, United States Department of Energy, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Yale University, Tufts University, and many others.
Visit https://ScottGraffius.com to learn more, and connect with Scott on:
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