Certified ScrumMaster® CSM

CSM stands for “Certified ScrumMaster”. It is the world’s most widely recognised certification in Scrum and Agile generally. Earning a CSM certification requires:

1. familiarity with foundational Scrum concepts before
2. participating in an interactive CSM training course, and
3. passing the online CSM Exam.

Scrum Alliance is the global organisation that awards CSM certification. CSM training is provided by a separate training provider with a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) who is accredited to Scrum Alliance’s very high-quality standards. Scrum WithStyle has been an accredited training provider since 2008.

Scrum Alliance is the only member-driven nonprofit certifying body in the Agile space. Their vision is to be a trusted ally for members as they create a world of work that is joyful, prosperous and sustainable.

To become a Scrum Master you need to follow the below steps:

Step 1: Scrum training to understand Scrum and the Scrum Master role
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) covers the practical application of Scrum as well as knowledge about the Scrum framework. It teaches you what good Scrum looks like and what the Scrum Master role involves. As such it is excellent first training if you are interested in the Scrum Master role or trying to decide whether to pursue it. It also provides you with the most sought-after certification globally in the Agile-related jobs market.

Step 2: Gain experience on a Scrum Team
Apply what you learned on CSM training as a member of a Scrum Team. If you play a role other than Scrum Master initially, observe how an experienced Scrum Master operates. Ideally seek mentoring toward becoming a Scrum Master from your Scrum Master or an Agile Coach.

Step 3: Look for opportunities to serve as a Scrum Master
Be creative about how you explore opportunities to serve as a Scrum Master or servant leader outside of work. For example with a charity or community organisation, coaching your kid’s sports team or using visual management and Scrum Master skills to help your family to self-organise. The initiative-taking and ability to apply Scrum principles to varied contexts are likely to be particularly compelling to employers.

If your organisation is pursuing an Agile adoption, find out how Scrum Masters are recruited and make it known that you are interested. Finding an opportunity to work as a Scrum Master within your organisation for a year or two will increase your employability as a Scrum Master in the job market.

Step 4: Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) training to deepen your skills and advance your career
Your employment prospects, as well as confidence and effectiveness as a Scrum Master, will be greatly enhanced by earning an Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) certification. The ideal time to do this is 12 months after you begin serving in a Scrum Master role. A-CSM provides an expanded toolkit to lead Scrum Teams to be increasingly effective, even in a challenging environment.

Scrum Masters earn differently based on their location. In Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) Scrum Master earn an average of AUD $196,000 annually (based on USD $149,507) according to the 2019 Scrum Master Trends report.

No, Scrum Master’s test is not difficult for a candidate who has paid attention during their CSM training and read The Scrum Guide carefully. It is not something that requires weeks of study.


The CSM exam is a multiple-choice test taken online within 90 days of completing a CSM training course. The questions in the CSM Exam focus on understanding the Scrum framework and the basics of the Scrum Master role.


Participants on Scrum WithStyle’s CSM courses have the opportunity to practice for the CSM Exam through multiple quizzes and discussion of answers during the course. These quizzes are more difficult than the CSM Exam and help participants to do exceptionally well at the CSM Exam.


The pass mark for the current CSM Exam is 37 out of 50. Scrum WithStyle’s CSM graduates have an average score of over 49 out of 50 and a pass rate of over 99% since the CSM Exam was introduced.

Of all the Scrum certification bodies that have emerged in recent years, only Scrum Alliance and scrum.org are both widely recognised and held in high regard by experienced Scrum professionals. One reason for this is the material taught in programs by these organisations is aligned to true Scrum as per The Scrum Guide by the creators of Scrum. Organisations that use their own definitions of Scrum teach something that is not considered Scrum by Scrum’s creators.

The Scrum Master certification programme from Scrum Alliance starts with: Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and progresses through Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) to Certified Scrum Professional-ScrumMaster (CSP-SM).

The Scrum Master certification programme from scrum.org starts with Professional ScrumMaster (PSM I) and progresses through PSM II to PSM III.

The CSM and PSM I certifications differ in several ways including the following.

Practical application
CSM certification emphasises the demonstration of learning, including through practical application. PSM I certification emphasises passing a knowledge-based multiple-choice test. If you are seeking practical techniques for enacting Scrum then CSM is the best choice.

Interactive training requirement
CSM certification requires interactive training, PSM I certification does not. You can attain a PSM I without doing any Scrum training and without meeting anyone who has practised Scrum. CSM certification indicates to employers that you have participated in Scrum training with a highly qualified Certified Scrum Trainer.

Trainer teaching skill variability
An optional PSM I test preparation training can be taught by anyone whereas CSM can only be taught by a highly skilled trainer who has been awarded a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) designation by Scrum Alliance.

Many PSM I preparation courses are taught by Professional Scrum Trainers (PSTs) vetted by scrum.org, however, these credentials differ in the level of training experience and adult learning skills required to achieve them.

Becoming a CST who teaches CSM courses is widely considered to be considerably more difficult than becoming a PST who teaches optional PSM I test preparation courses.

Ongoing professional development
CSM certification requires an active pursuit of further professional development to remain active, PSM I does not. You can retain a PSM I for life without ever practising Scrum or doing any Scrum or Agile related training. To retain a CSM beyond its initial term of 2 years you must log a minimum of 20 Scrum Education Units worth of professional development activity over that period. This demonstrates to employers and others a more significant commitment to ongoing learning than a PSM I.

Scrum beyond software
CSM certification addresses the use of Scrum in varied contexts including those outside of software development. PSM I is focused on the use of Scrum in software development.

Where your money goes
A financial investment in CSM goes to a not-for-profit organisation to reinvest in the Agile community. A financial investment in PSM I goes to the shareholders of a for-profit company.

CSM cost varies per country. In Australia, the market rate for an in-person public CSM course has for many years been approximately AUD $1,600 inc. GST. In New Zealand, this has been NZD $1,800 inc. GST.

In 2020, Scrum Alliance began permitting CSM courses to be offered online as live interactive virtual training experiences. The pricing for this is around AUD $1,300 – $1,400 inc. GST since costs are lower. Online CSMs cover the same learning objectives as in-person courses and use state-of-the-art collaboration tools extensively.

Early bird discounts may be available for booking multiple weeks prior to the course and when booking multiple participants together. If there are many people in your organisation interested in CSM training then having everyone learn together on a private course just for your organisation may be a choice.