7 In-Demand Scrum Master Certifications in 2025

What is a Scrum master certification—and do I need one?

A Scrum master certification, or Scrum certification, is a qualification that recognises your competency in Scrum project management principles. It can qualify candidates to become Scrum masters—a type of project manager who uses Scrum to complete projects.

Though Scrum certifications aren’t always necessary to become a project manager, they’re often requested—and sometimes required—in positions that heavily emphasise Scrum. So which Scrum certifications are worth getting?

If you're just getting started in project management, some introductory courses might help. Check out the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate—it'll introduce you to the basics of project management, including Agile and Scrum concepts.

Scrum master certifications

Here are seven of the most popular Scrum certifications as of September 2025.

1. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

The Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification is administered by the Scrum Alliance, the first organisation to offer a Scrum certification. It’s recommended for current and aspiring Scrum team leaders across industries—or anybody who expects to work on cross-functional teams and solve complex problems [1].

More advanced certifications from the Scrum Alliance on the Scrum Master track include the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) and Certified Scrum Professional ScrumMaster (CSP-SM) certifications.

• Cost: It depends on the course. As of September 2025, offerings can range from around £185 to as high as £1,850. Courses include exam costs.

• Requirements: Becoming a CSM entails taking a course of at least sixteen hours of training and passing an exam at the end.

2. Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

The Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification, also offered by the Scrum Alliance, validates your training and knowledge in being a product owner. You’ll learn the basics of Scrum in the CSPO, plus receive product-specific training, like how to balance multiple stakeholders’ requests and create a product vision. The CSPO is recommended for product owners and project managers, as well as business analysts and data analysts [2].

On the product owner track, you can go on to become an Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) or Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner (CSP-PO).

• Cost: It depends on the course. As of September 2025, offerings can range from around £185 to as high as £1,850. Courses include exam costs. 

• Requirements: You’ll have to take a Scrum Alliance-approved CSPO course to become certified.

3. Professional Scrum Master (PSM I)

The Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is Scrum certification offered by Scrum.org, an organisation founded by one of the co-creators of Scrum Alliance, Ken Schwaber. The PSM I validates your understanding of the Scrum framework, as well as how to apply it [3]. 

The PSM I is the first level of Scrum certification offered by Scrum.org. You can go on to take the PSM II or PSM III, which will test you on more complex Scrum processes.

• Cost: Approximately £148 (exam only)

• Requirements: You’ll need to pass the PSM I assessment to get certified. Courses are available but aren’t required. 

4. Certified Scrum Professional ScrumMaster(CSP-SM)

The Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) is the highest-level certification on the product development track offered by the Scrum Alliance. The CSP-SM is for professionals who will be launching new Scrum teams, scaling Scrum across teams and organizations, and coaching organizations to be more Agile [4].

You can start on the path to becoming a CSP-SM by becoming an Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) first.

• Cost: It depends on the course. As of September 2025, offerings can range from around £370 to as high as £1,250. Courses usually include exam costs.

• Requirements: In order to be CSP certified, you’ll have to have an active CSD certification, a minimum of thirty-six months of Agile or Scrum work experience in the last five years, and seventy Scrum Education Units from the last three. You’ll then complete an application, which will then have to be approved.

5. SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)

If you’re considering being a Scrum master in an organisation where Agile, Lean, or DevOps concepts are practiced at a large scale, getting SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) certified might be what you’re looking for. The certification is administered by Scaled Agile, the organisation that oversees Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). In addition to getting acquainted with Scrum, you’ll learn the tools you need to work with teams that are fully remote [5]. 

• Cost: The exam cost starts at around £130. The cost of training varies depending on where it is obtained. A sampling of courses in September 2025 ranged from £341 to £860. Course fees generally include exam fees.

• Requirements: You can take the exam without any training, but it is recommended that you take a two-day course approved by Scaled Agile.

6. Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I)

The Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO) certification from Scrum.org will certify your ability to maximise the value of a product created by a development team [6]. The certification tests your understanding of the Product Owner Learning Path ascribed by Scrum.org, as well as your capacity to apply and interpret the Scrum Guide.

If you want to advance your credentials, you can go on to get the PSPO II and PSPO III from Scrum.org. 

• Cost: Approximately £148 (exam only)

• Requirements: To earn the credential, you must pass the PSPO I exam. A course is not required but highly recommended.

7. Certified Scrum Developer (CSD)

The Scrum Alliance’s Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) is designed for product developers working in Scrum environments. Through the training required to become a CSD, you’ll familiarise yourself with the core concepts of Scrum and Agile in the context of product development [7]. 

The CSD is a prerequisite for both the Advanced Certified Scrum Developer (ACSD) and the Certified Scrum Professional (CSP). The Professional Scrum Developer (PSD) is a similar offering from Scrum.org. 

• Cost: It depends on the course. As of September 2025, offerings were around £595. 

• Requirements: Becoming a CSD requires you to take a Scrum Alliance-approved CSD course of at least two days. 

Getting started in Scrum

Learning Scrum concepts can be beneficial to project managers, product owners, business analysts, and any number of other professionals who work on Scrum teams. If you want a basic introduction to Scrum, consider enrolling in the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate. It has an entire course dedicated to Agile project management, where you’ll go over Scrum concepts as well.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)