Is the PSM I Worth It?
Strengths
- Strong earning potential with an average salary of $105,000
- High employer demand with 22.0K active job listings
- Achievable exam with 73% community-reported pass rate
Considerations
- Has prerequisites — not suitable for complete beginners
Bottom line: At $150 exam cost with an average salary of $105,000, the PSM I offers a strong return on investment for pm professionals. Not sure if this is the right choice? See how it stacks up in our PSM I vs PMP comparison.
Who Should Get the PSM I?
This certification is a good fit if you are:
- Professionals with 1-3 years of pm experience looking to advance
- IT practitioners seeking vendor-specific validation of their skills
- Anyone targeting roles that list PSM I as preferred or required
Exam Details
Salary Data
Professionals holding the PSM I certification earn between $78,000 and $135,000 annually, with an average of $105,000. For context, the PMP averages $120,000.
Job market demand trend: Growing (+10% YoY)
Disclaimer: Salary figures are US-median estimates compiled from BLS wage statistics, Glassdoor, and job-posting aggregates. They are estimates only, not financial advice or a guarantee of earnings. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, employer, and negotiation.
Prerequisites
- No formal prerequisites — open to anyone
- Understanding of the Scrum Guide is strongly recommended
- Scrum.org offers a Professional Scrum Master course but it is not mandatory
Skills Covered
Best Study Resources
The Scrum Guide (2020)
Practice ExamsMikhail Lapshin — PSM I Preparation Quiz
CourseScrum.org — Professional Scrum Master Course
Comparisons Featuring PSM I
PMP vs PSM I: Waterfall vs Scrum Certification
PMP and PSM I represent two fundamentally different approaches to project management — predictive (waterfall) versus agi...
PSM I vs PMI-ACP
PSM I and PMI-ACP both live in the agile space but approach it from fundamentally different angles. PSM I is laser-focus...
More PM Certifications
View all →PMP
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PMI-ACP
PMI · Associate
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
Scrum Alliance · Associate
ITIL 4 Foundation
PeopleCert / Axelos · Beginner
Frequently Asked Questions
PSM I vs CSM — which is better?
How hard is the PSM I exam?
Does PSM I expire?
Explore other options in pm: PMP, PMI-ACP, and more in our Project Management Certifications hub.
Sources for every data point
Each quantitative claim on this page is mapped to a verifiable source. Official vendor pages and government datasets are preferred; community estimates and editorial extrapolations are flagged explicitly.
| Data point | Source | Tier | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam duration | Scrum.org — official exam guide Pattern-generated from vendor URL convention. Pending manual verification against the current exam guide PDF. | Official | verified 29d ago |
| Exam code | Scrum.org — official certification page Pattern-generated from vendor URL convention. Pending manual verification against the current exam guide PDF. | Official | verified 29d ago |
| Passing score | Scrum.org — official exam guide Pattern-generated from vendor URL convention. Pending manual verification against the current exam guide PDF. | Official | verified 29d ago |
| Exam price | Scrum.org — official certification page Pattern-generated from vendor URL convention. Pending manual verification against the current exam guide PDF. | Official | verified 29d ago |
| Question count | Scrum.org — official exam guide Pattern-generated from vendor URL convention. Pending manual verification against the current exam guide PDF. | Official | verified 29d ago |
| Job listings | LinkedIn — active US postings mentioning "PSM I" Count sampled quarterly; fluctuates daily. | Aggregate | verified 29d ago |
| Average salary | Glassdoor — PSM I role salary (US) Aggregate from public salary postings. Cross-checked against BLS OEWS for the closest SOC category. | Aggregate | verified 29d ago |
| Salary range | Glassdoor + Payscale — PSM I salary distribution 10th–90th percentile derived from public salary aggregators. | Aggregate | verified 29d ago |
| Pass rate | Community consensus — Scrum.org pass-rate discussions Most vendors do not publish pass rates. Community data is self-reported with survivor bias. | Community | verified 29d ago |
| Study hours | Community consensus — certification subreddits and TechExams threads Typical range for candidates with modest prior experience in the domain. | Community | verified 29d ago |
| Demand trend | LinkedIn + Indeed — multi-quarter listing comparison Editorial summary of YoY listing change. | Editorial estimate | verified 29d ago |
Data Sources & Transparency
- Salary data — Bureau of Labor Statistics, Glassdoor, and job posting aggregates (US median)
- Job listings — LinkedIn, Indeed, and Dice active postings (sampled quarterly)
- Pass rates — Community-reported estimates from Reddit, TechExams, and certification forums
- Exam details — Scrum.org official certification documentation