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Founded in 2001, the Scrum Alliance is a leader in promoting Agile methodologies, striving to make Agile practices the norm in the workplace. As the only non-profit organization funded by the agile community, the Scrum Alliance is dedicated to advancing agile through education, advocacy, research and fostering community connections.
The Scrum Alliance offers three main tracks for Scrum certification: the Scrum Master Track, the Product Master Track, and the Developer Track. Each track consists of three certifications, detailed below. Additionally, there is a two-certification track designed to cover agile leadership skills, a three-certification track aimed at Scrum trainers/guide-level trainers, and two additional stand-alone certifications: one for a certified leader and one for agile skills, based on the concept of scaling.
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Scrum Master Track
The Scrum Master Track offers a range of certifications for Scrum Masters. Starting with Basic Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), progress to Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) and then to Certified Scrum Professional ScrumMaster (CSP-SM), each deepening Scrum knowledge and skills. The track can culminate in a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) and a Certified Scrum Trainer (CSC) for those who want to teach or train Scrum at an expert level.
Certified ScrumMaster
In a software development environment, Scrum Masters encourage productivity and help team members understand Scrum values and practices. Scrum masters should possess strong emotional intelligence and people skills. The CSM course aims to promote these abilities and is an ideal choice for aspiring Scrum Masters, people in organizations adopting Scrum or those who want to learn more about agile tools. The certification provides a comprehensive understanding of Scrum and practical application techniques for teams, project managers and organizations.
- Level: Introductory course for Scrum Masters or Scrum team members
- Prerequisites: No
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $350
Advanced Certified ScrumMaster
Advanced Certified ScrumMaster is considered the next step after passing the CSM certification. The A-CSM certification seeks to improve your skills in facilitating team communication, resolving resistance to change, increasing engagement and accountability, and applying Scrum and Agile practices across multiple teams.
- Level: Advanced course for Scrum Masters with one or more years of relevant work experience
- Prerequisites: CSM certificate
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $650
Certified Scrum professional – ScrumMaster
Certified Scrum Professionals (CSPs) are known to improve their teams’ Scrum and Agile practices by applying hands-on knowledge and experience in project management environments. Scrum masters looking to advance their career and skill set should consider taking the CSP-SM certification. It focuses on practical solutions designed to improve the implementation of Scrum in software development environments and beyond.
- Level: A high-level course for professionals who want to develop and demonstrate mastery of the Scrum Master track
- Prerequisites: A-CSM certificate
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $550
Product Owner Tracking
The Product Owner Track begins with the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification, which focuses on product owner fundamentals, backlog management, and value maximization. The certification progresses to Certified Scrum Professional – Product Owner (CSP-PO), which covers advanced principles such as product vision and strategy. The track prepares product owners for effective leadership in agile environments.
Certified Scrum Product Owner
The CSPO class teaches the basics of the Scrum framework, Scrum principles and critical skills for product ownership. The course covers concepts such as managing stakeholder needs, how to develop a product vision, and how to understand customer preferences. CSPO is a widely recognized certification that can increase your demand in the industry. Additionally, membership in the Scrum Alliance gives you access to a large community for networking, events, resources and coaching, all of which support continuous development outside the classroom.
- Level: An introductory course for those who want to better understand the Scrum framework and its principles
- Prerequisites: No
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $299
Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner
The Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) certification builds on the skills you learned in CSPO, focusing on how to manage project initiatives, prioritize backlogs, define product vision, and improve stakeholder communication and collaboration. It further aims to improve the project manager’s ability to identify opportunities, validate business value and establish your expertise as a product expert.
- Level: An advanced course for product owners who have a year of experience in a Scrum team
- Prerequisites: CSPO certificate
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $650
Certified Scrum Professional Product Owner
The CSP-PO certification enhances product ownership skills, focusing on product validation, positive customer interaction, and backlog management. CSP-PO benefits include exclusive access to events, improved career prospects with higher earning potential and a pathway to higher level Scrum certifications such as CST, CEC or CTC. CSP-PO recipients also receive a free premium subscription to Comparative Agility, an Agile assessment tool.
- Level: A high-level course for professionals who want to master the Product Owner track
- Prerequisites: A-CSPO certificate
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $899
Development path
Introduced in 2023, the Scrum Alliance Developer Track series is a certification for developers that focuses on agile skills. It starts with Certified Scrum Developer (CSD), progresses to Advanced Certified Scrum Developer (A-CSD) and culminates with Certified Scrum Professional for Developers (CSP-D).
Certified Scrum developer
The CSD certification seeks to improve agile development skills and understanding of Scrum methodologies, especially for developers in Scrum or Agile environments. It focuses on critical Agile programming methods and an iterative approach to software creation. Benefits of certification include better career prospects, increased Scrum expertise, and access to a community of Scrum experts dedicated to continuous improvement.
- Level: An introductory course focused on collaborative product development for Scrum team members and developers
- Prerequisites: No
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $719
Advanced Certified Scrum Developer
The A-CSD certification enhances agile development skills for certified Scrum developers through training and hands-on practice. Emphasizes advanced Scrum tools and collaboration. This certification can benefit your career by improving your technical skills, teaching you how to work more effectively in teams, and increasing your knowledge of Scrum. It also provides access to a community of Scrum professionals and insights for Agile career advancement.
- Level: Advanced course for developers in the Scrum environment
- Prerequisites: CSD certificate
- Price: Varies by host, but starts at $795
Certified Scrum Expert for Developers
Certified Scrum Professional Developers can demonstrate advanced skills in Scrum and Agile development environments. This certification, which is different from CSP-SM or CSP-PO, certifies participants as experienced Scrum professionals. CSP-D benefits include access to exclusive events, better job prospects with higher earning potential, a stepping stone to elite Scrum roles such as CST, CEC or CTC and a free subscription to Comparative Agility, the popular Agile tool.
- Level: A high-level course for expert developers who want to master Scrum product development
- Prerequisites: A-CSD certificate
- Price: It depends on the host, there are currently no offers to compare
The bottom line
The Scrum Alliance offers customized certification tracks for Agile and Scrum roles. The Scrum Master Track, from CSM to CSP-SM, is best for those seeking Scrum Master skills. The Product Owner Track, ranging from CSPO to CSP-PO, is perfect for those who want to focus on business skills. The Developer Track ranges from CSD to CSP-D. It is best for developers who want to thrive in Scrum and Agile software development environments.
Looking for additional project management certifications? Check out our top 7 certifications for project managers.