PSM I · ● Active · Associate · Scrum.org
Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) — industry-recognized Associate-level certification validating fundamental Scrum framework mastery, Scrum Master role accountabilities, and practical application of the Scrum Guide. Owned and issued by Scrum.org, founded by Ken Schwaber (Scrum co-creator). Lifetime credential, no renewal required.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | USD $200 (one-time, no expiry) |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Questions | 80 (multiple-choice, multiple-answer, true/false) |
| Passing | 85% (68 out of 80 correct) |
| Format | Online, not proctored, self-paced |
| Delivery | Scrum.org assessment platform (browser-based) |
| Languages | English (primary); translations available in Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean |
| Valid | Lifetime (no renewal, no CE credits required) |
| Renewal | N/A — credential does not expire |
| Prerequisites | None; course attendance recommended but not mandatory |
| Released | 2011 (original); refreshed continuously with Scrum Guide editions (2020, 2024) |
| Retiring | N/A — Scrum.org maintains PSM I indefinitely as foundational cert |
Vendor source — Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master Certifications ↗
Official PSM I page — Professional Scrum Master I Certification ↗
Scrum Guide (free) — Scrum Guide 2024 Edition ↗
Suggested Reading — Scrum.org Recommended Resources ↗
About
The Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is Scrum.org's foundational Associate-level certification, demonstrating that you understand the Scrum framework as described in the Scrum Guide and can apply it in team contexts. Created by Ken Schwaber (Scrum co-inventor) and maintained by Scrum.org, PSM I validates knowledge of Scrum roles (Product Owner, Development Team, Scrum Master), events (Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective, Refinement), and artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment). Unlike the CSM (Certified Scrum Master) from the Scrum Alliance, PSM I requires no course prerequisite and is assessed entirely online without proctoring. The exam is demanding (85% passing threshold is high industry standard) and focuses on scenario-based judgment rather than memorization. First released in 2011, PSM I remains the most widely recognized entry-level Scrum credential and a common requirement in job postings for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Agile Project Managers.
Domain context — Agile / Scrum
Agile and Scrum represent the dominant iterative, incremental software development and product-delivery paradigm adopted by enterprises across all industries (not just software). Scrum is the most popular Agile framework globally (>80% adoption among Agile teams). The Scrum Master role sits at the intersection of team enablement, coaching, and organizational change; PSM I is the entry-level credential for this role.
Read full deep dive — Agile / Scrum Domain → (file not yet created)
Topics covered
Based on Scrum Guide 2024 and official Scrum.org exam syllabus.
Core Scrum Framework (60% of exam)
- Scrum roles: Product Owner, Development Team (Developers), Scrum Master accountabilities and interactions
- Scrum events: Sprint Planning (goal + scope), Daily Standup (transparency + impediment identification), Sprint Review (inspect increment + gather feedback), Sprint Retrospective (inspect process + commit to improvement)
- Sprint Refinement / Backlog Grooming: Product Owner involvement, team preparation, story sizing, Definition of Done
- Scrum artifacts: Product Backlog (prioritized, emergent), Sprint Backlog (committed forecast + pull mechanism), Increment (potentially shippable, done work)
- The Scrum Values: Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, Courage — and how they guide team interaction
Scrum Master Accountabilities & Servant Leadership (25% of exam)
- Scrum Master as servant-leader, not command-and-control manager
- Coaching the Product Owner: refining backlog, stakeholder engagement, value maximization
- Coaching the Development Team: self-organization, technical excellence, Definition of Done evolution
- Removing impediments and blockers; escalation vs. problem-solving mindset
- Facilitating Scrum events without dominating or prescribing solutions
- Protecting the team from mid-sprint scope changes and interruption
- Organizational change facilitation: working with management, HR, other teams; advocating for Scrum adoption
Common Challenges & Practical Judgment (15% of exam)
- Handling partial team attendance, understaffing, technical debt accumulation
- Difficult conversations: with Product Owners over unrealistic commitments, with management over quarter-end disruptions
- Multi-team coordination (Scrum of Scrums, cross-team dependencies)
- Working with distributed / remote teams; asynchronous daily standups, time zone challenges
- Metrics that matter: velocity trends, cycle time, burndown interpretation (what burndown does NOT tell you)
- When and how to break Scrum (minimal acceptable subset) vs. when NOT to compromise on roles/events/artifacts
Source: Scrum Guide 2024 ↗
Common skills at Agile / Scrum · Associate
Shared competencies for Agile and Scrum professionals at Associate level — not specific to PSM I.
- Iterative / incremental delivery mindset (Agile Manifesto values)
- Empirical process control: transparency, inspection, adaptation
- Backlog prioritization and value-driven delivery
- Sprint planning and estimation (story points, velocity)
- Daily standup facilitation and impediment tracking
- Retrospective running and process improvement
- Stakeholder communication and expectation management
- Cross-functional team collaboration
- Basic Agile metrics (velocity, burndown, cycle time interpretation)
- Introduction to Scrum scaling (Scrum of Scrums, SAFe, Nexus, LeSS concepts)
Recommended courses at Agile / Scrum · Associate
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrum.org | Professional Scrum Master™ (PSM) Training (2-day live/virtual) | EUR 999–$1,499 | ↗ |
| Coursera | Scrum Master (PSM I) Certification Prep Specialization | Free (auditable) / ~$50/month | ↗ |
| Udemy | Scrum Master Certification Training (comprehensive PSM I prep) | $15–$100 | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | Professional Scrum Master (PSM I) Path | $300–$500/year | ↗ |
| LinkedIn Learning | Scrum Master Foundations (conceptual intro) | $30–$40/month | ↗ |
| A Cloud Guru / Linux Academy | Scrum Master Essentials | $300–$500/year | ↗ |
| YouTube | Free Scrum Guide Walkthrough (various channels) | Free | Ditectrev Scrum Q&A ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Most effective prep combines (1) Scrum Guide deep read (free PDF, ~20 pages), (2) a structured course for context (Coursera free audit or Udemy), and (3) heavy practice exams (see below). Official Scrum.org course is gold-standard but expensive and not strictly required.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrum.org | Open PSM I Assessment (free official practice) | Free | ↗ |
| Mikhail Lapshin | PSM I Practice Exam (highly respected community resource) | Free | ↗ |
| MeasureUp | Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) Practice Tests | $150–$200 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | Scrum Master (PSM I) Practice Exams | $99–$149 | ↗ |
| Management Plaza | PSM I Exam Simulator | $79–$99 | ↗ |
| ExamTopics Community | PSM I Free Q&A Forum | Free (community contributions) | ↗ |
Recommendation: Start with Scrum.org's free Open Assessment to benchmark your current level. Then cycle through Mikhail Lapshin's practice exam (free, high fidelity) 2–3 times until you consistently score 90%+. Use MeasureUp or Whizlabs for final polish. The free Scrum.org resource is often sufficient if you have strong self-study discipline.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrum Guide | Ken Schwaber, Jeff Sutherland | Scrum.org | 2024 | N/A (free PDF) | ↗ |
| Mastering Professional Scrum | Stephanie Ockerman, Simon Reindl | Addison-Wesley | 2020 | 978-0-13-633820-6 | ↗ |
| Professional Scrum Master™ | Mark Layton | Packt Publishing | 2020 | 978-1-80107-202-5 | ↗ |
| Essential Scrum | Kenneth Rubin | Addison-Wesley | 2012 | 978-0-13-704329-4 | ↗ |
| The Scrum Master's Handbook | various Scrum.org contributors | Scrum.org | 2019 | N/A (free resource) | ↗ |
| Coaching Agile Teams | Lyssa Adkins | Addison-Wesley | 2010 | 978-0-321-53737-7 | ↗ |
Book rule: The Scrum Guide (free, 2024 edition) is THE primary source and is sufficient for exam prep. Mastering Professional Scrum and Essential Scrum provide deeper practical context and are recommended for post-cert role preparation. Do not rely on older PSM prep books (pre-2020) as Scrum has evolved; the Guide is the canonical reference.
Typical job titles at Agile / Scrum · Associate
Scrum Master · Junior Agile Coach · Agile Project Manager · Team Lead (Agile) · Agile Delivery Lead · Release Train Engineer (RTE, SAFe) · Product Delivery Manager (if also PSPO-certified) · Agile Facilitator · Agile Team Lead
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings (Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Indeed) that list PSM I or "Scrum Master" as required or preferred, May 2026.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $99K–$162K (typical), up to $200K+ (top 10%) | Glassdoor ↗ · PayScale ↗ · Robert Half Tech Salary Guide ↗ |
| ZAR | R460K–R770K (typical Scrum Master), R670K–R1.2M (senior) | Glassdoor ZA ↗ · PayScale ZA ↗ |
| GBP | £75K–£95K (typical), varies by region (London higher) | Reed.co.uk ↗ · CiscoJobs ↗ · IT Jobs Watch ↗ |
Salary rule: PSM I does NOT automatically confer a specific salary; salary depends on industry (fintech/FAANG higher), experience (0–2 yrs post-cert vs. 5+ yrs), location (London/San Francisco >30% premium), and company size. Scrum Masters at startups may earn $80K–$110K; at Fortune 500 enterprises, $120K–$180K+. The credential is table-stakes in most Agile teams but is bundled with experience and context.
Skills validated
Cert-specific — concrete Scrum knowledge and judgment this exam validates.
- Scrum Guide mastery: All three roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Developers), five events, three artifacts, Scrum Values, Definition of Done, Sprint mechanics
- Servant leadership & coaching: Facilitating without directing, removing blockers, helping teams self-organize, addressing conflict, stakeholder management
- Event facilitation: Sprint Planning (goal + forecasting), Daily Standup (impediment focus), Sprint Review (feedback gathering), Sprint Retrospective (process improvement commitment)
- Backlog management: Product Backlog ownership (not SM job, but SM understands), Sprint Backlog pull mechanism, estimation, refinement process
- Scrum in practice: Handling team absences, mid-sprint changes, stakeholder interruptions, velocity/burndown interpretation, common anti-patterns
- Organizational context: Working with managers, HR, other teams, advocating for Scrum without being dogmatic, incremental adoption
Related certifications
- Stacks with: Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) ↗ — complementary Product Owner cert
- Prerequisite for: Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) ↗ · Professional Scrum Master III (PSM III) ↗ — recommended progression (not mandatory but strongly advised)
- Peer certs at Associate level: Professional Scrum Developer (PSD) ↗ · Professional Agile Leadership (PAL I) ↗
- Competitive entry-level Agile certs: Certified Scrum Master (CSM, Scrum Alliance) ↗ — both widely recognized; CSM requires 2-day course, PSM I does not
- Vendor overview: Scrum.org Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master Certifications: https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-certifications/professional-scrum-master-assessments
- Scrum.org PSM I Assessment Page: https://www.scrum.org/assessments/professional-scrum-master-i-certification
- Scrum Guide 2024 (free PDF): https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
- Scrum.org Suggested Reading: https://www.scrum.org/resources/suggested-reading-professional-scrum-master
- Glassdoor Scrum Master Salary (US): https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/scrum-master-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm
- PayScale Scrum Master Salary (US): https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=ScrumMaster/Salary
- Glassdoor Scrum Master Salary (Cape Town, ZA): https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cape-town-south-africa-scrum-master-salary-SRCH_IL.0,22_IM1026_KO23,35.htm
- Reed.co.uk Scrum Master Salary (UK): https://www.reed.co.uk/
- Coursera PSM I Certification Specialization: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/professional-scrum-master
- Udemy Scrum Master Certification Training: https://www.udemy.com/course/scrum-certification/
- Pluralsight Professional Scrum Master Path: https://www.pluralsight.com/paths/professional-scrum-master-psm-i
- Mikhail Lapshin PSM I Practice Exam: https://www.scrum.org/forum/scrum-forum/4991/psm-i-practice-exam-updated
- Ditectrev PSM I Q&A GitHub: https://github.com/Ditectrev/Scrum-Master-I-PSM-I-Practice-Tests-Exams-Questions-Answers
- ExamTopics PSM I Community: https://www.examtopics.com/exams/scrum/psm-i/
- Mastering Professional Scrum (Addison-Wesley): https://www.informit.com/books/mastering-professional-scrum/
- Essential Scrum (Addison-Wesley): https://www.informit.com/books/essential-scrum/
- How to Pass Scrum.org Certifications Blog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/how-pass-scrumorgs-psm-i-psm-ii-and-psm-iii-scrum-master-certification
Last verified: 2026-05-01 Parent domain: Agile / Scrum Domain Vendor overview: Scrum.org Vendor Overview