Is the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) worth it? What 167 job postings say
167 open job postings from 118 employers name Certified ScrumMaster (CSM). 40% require it; the rest list it as a nice-to-have. It's asked for most in project & program management jobs, where 3% of postings name it.
40% of the 167 postings that name it require it. It signals experience: 92% of the postings that state a level are senior or above.
- Employers name it
- 11821st of 40 we track
- Require it
- 40%of postings that name it
- Level
- Entry levelour classification
- Exam fee
- $250–$2,495 with courseofficial price
- Valid for
- 2 yearsthen renew
Who should take it?
Built from what the 167 postings ask for, not from opinions.
Take it if you…
- target employers that screen for it40% of the postings that name it require it
- already have years in the field92% of these postings are senior or above
Skip it (for now) if you…
- want it to land your first jobOnly 5% of the postings that name it are junior or intern roles
Recognition: recognised by a narrower set of employers, 21st of 40 by the number of employers that name it (118). We can't yet measure whether Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) gets a particular person hired: that needs outcomes from people who earned it.
How much it counts in each kind of job
Share of each job family's postings that name Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), and how many of those require it.
Job titles
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) shows up most in Project Manager, Technical Project Manager and Scrum Master postings. Ranked by the number of different employers, so one big hirer can't fill the list.
| Job (level and location removed) | Employers | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Manager | 19 | 24 |
| Technical Project Manager | 12 | 13 |
| Scrum Master | 10 | 11 |
| Technical Program Manager | 5 | 8 |
| Delivery Manager | 5 | 5 |
| Program Manager | 5 | 5 |
| Agile Scrum Master | 3 | 3 |
| Product Manager | 3 | 3 |
Required or a plus?
How the 167 postings that name Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) ask for it.
Who it's for: seniority
Level stated in the job title, 60 postings.
Who asks for it
Employers with the most postings
- Brillio · 8
- Appian Corporation · 7
- Netskope · 7
- Agile Defense · 3
- Computer World Services · 3
- GovTech · 3
- iCapital · 3
- Pointr · 3
- Rubrik Job Board · 3
- Shield AI · 3
Where the jobs are
42% are fully remote (of 71 postings that say).
67% of the postings are in the United States: the job boards we read lean towards US tech companies, so other markets are under-represented.
What these jobs pay
Advertised US base pay in postings that name Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and publish a salary range (70 postings).
Often asked for together
Other certifications named in the same postings as Certified ScrumMaster (CSM).
Share of the postings that name Certified ScrumMaster (CSM). Postings often list several certifications as alternatives (“CISSP, CISM or equivalent”).
Compared with similar certifications
PMP and PRINCE2 are named by more employers.
| Certification | Level | Exam fee | Employers | Required | Senior or above | Junior or intern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMP | Professional | $405–$655 | 802 | 25% | 92% | 5% |
| PRINCE2 | Entry level | – | 127 | 35% | 98% | 1% |
| Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) | Entry level | $250–$2,495 with course | 118 | 40% | 92% | 5% |
| SAFe certification | – | – | 49 | 36% | – | – |
| Professional Scrum Master (PSM) | – | – | 44 | 37% | – | – |
Exam and requirements
From the official Scrum Alliance pages, checked 14 November 2026. Formats change: confirm before you book.
What it costs
- Exam
- Set by the trainer; Scrum Alliance reports public course prices from $250 to $2,495, exam included
Official prices only. Courses, practice tests and retakes come on top; their prices vary too much between providers to average.
Sources: Scrum Alliance: CSM.
How we count
- Source. 199,799 unique open postings from company job boards on Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, crawled November 2026.
- Named only. A posting counts when it names Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), not the bare word “certified”. Certifications offered as a benefit (“we pay for your exam”) don't count.
- Required or a plus. Read from the section and the sentence the mention sits in.
- Checked by hand. In 150 random matches the extractor had never seen, 148 named the right certification and 147 had the right type.
- Minimum sample. Seniority, locations and pay are shown only with at least 30 postings behind them.
- Limits. A posting is what an employer asks for, not who they hire. The boards lean towards tech companies and the US.
FAQ
Is Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) worth it in 2026?
It depends on the job you're aiming at. 118 employers name it in 167 open postings, most often in project & program management (3% of that family's postings). 40% require it. For those jobs it can decide whether your application gets past the first screen.
Will Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) help me get an entry-level job?
Rarely on its own. Only 5% of the postings that name it and state a level are junior or intern roles; 92% are senior, lead or staff. Employers treat it as a mark of experience, not a way in.
How much do jobs that ask for Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) pay?
US postings that name it and publish a salary advertise a median base pay of $160K (middle half $128K–$184K, 70 postings). That's what the jobs pay, not what the certificate adds.
Which certifications are asked for together with Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)?
Most often PMP (named in 75% of the same postings), Professional Scrum Master (PSM) (named in 27% of the same postings) and SAFe certification (named in 13% of the same postings).
Does Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) expire?
Renewed every 2 years with continuing education units.
How much does Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) cost?
Set by the trainer; Scrum Alliance reports public course prices from $250 to $2,495, exam included, according to the official page as of 14 November 2026. Prices change, so check before you pay.
Not sure a certification is your gap?
See all 40 certifications side by side, or check the skills employers in your target role ask for.