PSM vs CSM : How to Choose the Right Scrum Master Certification?

Fortune 500 companies started adopting Agile and Scrum. Scrum master is one of the most demanding job profiles in the IT industry nowadays. Chances of getting hired increase up to 60-70% if the candidate has any Scrum Master certification recognized by a well known certifying body. 

There are multiple certifying bodies for scrum master certification. Out of those, only CSM & PSM are more popular and preferred by candidates & companies as well. While only these two certifications are in demand by companies and candidates. The situations create a decision making question for candidates that is - 

PSM vs CSM 

Should I go for CSM or PSM? Most of the candidates are confused about what certification course to go for - CSM or PSM?

To find the best answer or suggestion, they are searching on google, asking their friends/peers/ colleagues, referring quora answers, ask the same question in Reddit communities & Facebook groups, referring random YouTube videos, and so on. Based on the responses or majority of votes, they go for either CSM or PSM.

The questions are, 

• Did they choose the right certification for themselves? 

      OR

• They picked any certification as they went through some random posts/videos/blogs/quora answers about any of the certifications and took the decision.

Most of us decide on the basis mentioned above. Is that the right way to choose when it's related to your career & learnings? If not, who can give the best suitable answer/suggestion for your question? One can find out by answering the questions below. 

• Why do you want to go for certification?
• Where are you today, and what do you need to achieve the goal?
• Only if a certificate can help me, what would be the appropriate one?

Before we get into details, here is a quick overview of these certificates.

Certifying body:

Certified Scrum Master (CSM)- 

Scrum Alliance is the certifying body for Certified Scrum Masters, which is popularly known as CSM. Scrum Alliance is a non-profit organization started by Jeff Sutherland, Ken Schwaber, Mike Cohn, and many others in 2001. CSM certification began in 2002. 

Professional Scrum Master (PSM) -

Scrum.org is the certifying body for Professional Scrum Master(PSM). It is a for-profit organization founded by Ken Schwaber in 2010. PSM started somewhere around that time.

Certification Process:

Process for CSM Certification:

There are three steps to get a CSM certificate

1. You need to attend at least two full-day workshops from a Certified Scrum Trainer(CST). If not, you need to get coached for 40 hours by a Certified Enterprise Coach (CEC) at your workplace. The purpose behind this is to ensure that you understand Scrum well.
2. Trainers and coaches assess your knowledge and then recommend your name to Scrum Alliance by enabling your test. 
3. You take the test, and if you pass the test, you get the certificate immediately. 

The Certified Scrum Master certification process fulfils the first principle of the Agile Manifesto, individuals, and interaction over processes and tools.

Process for PSM Certification:

There is just one step for getting PSM certification. You can buy an assessment on scrum.org and take it online from anywhere. There is no need to attend any workshop or get coached. Although there are programs run by Scrum.org for PSM. 

Exam/Test Structure:

CSM Exam structure- 

For CSM, there are 50 questions that you need to answer in 60 minutes. 

So you get a little more than a minute to think and respond. You need to answer 37 questions right to pass the test.

PSM Exam structure-

For PSM, you need to answer 80 questions in 60 minutes. Unfortunately, you get less than a minute to read, comprehend, and answer a question. 

Certification Validity:

CSM Certification Validity-

• CSM certificate Expires after two years, and you need to renew it. 
• CSM is an entry-level certificate that indicates your knowledge of Scrum and not your experience. 
• Once you have the experience, you can go to the next level. Or you can renew the certificate by showing that you continue to learn by gaining 20 Scrum Education Units. 
• There are many Scrum Alliance Supported User Groups that provide learning opportunities for free. Once you have 20 SEUs, you can renew the certificate by paying $100.

PSM Certification Validity-

PSM certificate doesn't expire. So there is no need for renewal.

Next level of certificates:

What Next after CSM Certification-

Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM):-

Once you have one year of experience in playing the role of  Scrum Master after your CSM, you can go for Advanced-Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM). A-CSM requires at least 16 hours of interaction with a CST or CEC.

Certified Scrum Professional - Scrum Master (CSP-SM):-

After two years of playing the role of Scrum Master, you can go for Certified Scrum Professional-Scrum Master (CSP-SM). CSP-SM also requires at least 16 hours of interaction with a CST or CEC.

If you introduced Scrum at a team level on two occasions, you could apply for Certified Team Coach(CTC). CTC requires getting a recommendation from the team, stakeholders, and an interview process with a panel. 

If you introduced Scrum at an Enterprise Level, either a Business Unit or a Company on two occasions, you could apply for Certified Enterprise Coach(CEC). CEC requires getting a recommendation from the team, stakeholders, and an interview process with a panel. 

What Next after PSM-I Certification:

There are three levels PSM-I, PSM-II, and PSM-III. All three levels have online tests and assessments. 

 
Professional Scrum Master-I (PSM-I):-

Professional Scrum Master (PSM) is an entry-level certification for Scrum Masters. It is a 2-day course that covers the Agile Manifesto, Principles, Scrum Framework, and the role of Scrum Master in Scrum. 

One can attend the 2-day classroom training conducted by a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) but isn't mandatory. You can take up the examination directly if you are well-versed in Scrum and the role of Scrum Master.

There are mock quizzes for PSM-I that one can take up before attempting the PSM exams. These quizzes will help the participants to clear up PSM-I exams. Leanpitch has mock quizzes for PSM certification, which helps aspirants to try several quizzes before taking up the actual PSM exams. PSM-I Mock test & Quizzes can be found here. 

Professional Scrum Master-II (PSM-II):-

This certification is for the Scrum Masters who wish to demonstrate their ability to apply the Scrum framework to solving advanced, complex problems in the real world. One needs to have advanced knowledge in Scrum, Scrum Master, and experience. 

PSM-II is advanced compared to PSM-I. For those who are attempting PSM-II, PSM-I is mandatory. Just like PSM-I, attending a classroom session is not compulsory. If you think you are at an advanced level in Scrum and ScrumMaster, you can directly take up PSM-II. 

Professional Scrum Master-III (PSM-III):-

This certification is for those who have a distinguished level of understanding of Scrum and Mastery in it. Those who have completed PSM-III can mentor and coach people and teams who are adopting Scrum. Clearing PSM-III needs in-depth knowledge and understanding of Scrum. 

Those who clear PSM-III have a deeper understanding of the Scrum framework, values, and ability to implement Scrum in complex product contexts. Just like PSM-II, it is not mandatory to attend a classroom session to appear for the exam. 

Scrum Master Certificate Recognition in the market:

If you search for top-ranked IT certificates and look at the results, you find CSM listed in all of them, but you may not find PSM at this time.

We also did a search of job listings with the requirement of a CSM or PSM certificate, here is how the results stack up.

You can see the latest results here:

PSM vs CSM: LinkedIn Worldwide Searches- 

LinkedIn Worldwide Searches for CSM:

LinkedIn Worldwide Searches for PSM:

PSM vs CSM - LinkedIn searches in the USA

LinkedIn Searches for CSM in the USA:

LinkedIn Searches for PSM in the USA:

PSM vs CSM - LinkedIn searches in India

LinkedIn Searches for CSM in India:

LinkedIn Searches for PSM in India:

PSM vs CSM - searches on leading Job portal in India

PSM vs CSM Search on Naukari.com:

PSM vs CSM Search on Indeed:

Note:- All the above data research was done by Leanpitch Data Lab Team in Jan 1st week of 2020.

Note:- So CSM gets listed in more job listings than PSM.

Now that you understand both certificates well, let's get back to the original question: 

First answer the question:   

Why do I want to go for the Scrum Master certification?

Possible reasons could be:

• You are curious about Scrum, and you want to learn.
• You are looking for a job, and you want your profile to be shortlisted.
•  You want to pursue the Scrum Master's role, and you want to learn about it.
• You are looking for a job, and you want to make your profile stand out.
• Your employer wants you to have a certificate.

2. Understand how you can achieve your goal

Goal 1: 

You are curious about Scrum, and you want to learn:

• Go through online videos available at Scrum Alliance or Leanpitch Youtube or any credible source.
• Attend meetups like Agility Thinking meetups in India.
• Attend our online Spirit of Scrum eLearning course.
• Interact with one of the Scrum Masters in your organization 

Goal 2: 

If you want your profile to be shortlisted, then look for what kind of certificates the recruiters mention in their job postings. CSM gets listed quite often than PSM. Please remember that you can get a step inside the organization with a certificate; you need the skills to succeed. So if you just have this goal today, maybe you want to revisit that goal.

Goal 3:

If your intent is learning, then don't choose a certificate, choose the trainer. There are good trainers from Scrum Alliance as well as Scrum.org. 

Some Scrum Alliance (CSTs) trainers work with you to validate your learning, run small workshops, and have built continuous learning platforms, some CSTs just train for two days with 60-80 people in the room selling at a throwaway price and give you a certificate at the end of day 2. 

Similarly, some Professional Scrum Trainers (PSTs) are practitioners and willing to go the extra mile to help you in your journey, and some Scrum.org trainers Professional Scrum Trainers (PSTs) optimize the class for tests and be done with it. 

How to Choose a trainer for your Scrum Master Certification Goal:-  

• Who intends to help you learn about  Scrum Master, not just Scrum?
• Who is a practitioner and is part of the product development teams. 
• People who would have developed products long back and only trains now may not be abreast with the current challenges.
• Who is active in the community and is available to answer your questions?

Look for someone who can be a mentor in your journey of becoming a Great Scrum Master. It's not a two-day course that matters. What matters is carrying the concepts from workshop to workplace and having someone to bounce off your ideas and challenges with.

So ultimately, the decision rests with you.

PSM vs CSM - How to choose the best Scrum Master Certification in 2020 - Video