CSM or PMP, Which Cert Earns You More Money?

Let’s put aside the ethical arguments about certifications for a moment and look at the salary data behind Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

A Certified ScrumMaster earns 3% more money than a ScrumMaster.

A PMP Certified Project Manager earns 12% more money than a Project Manager.

A Certified ScrumMaster earns 6% more money than a PMP Certified Project Manager.

A search for “PMP CSM” over on Indeed.com’s salary data does not yield any additional gains in salary. At the time of this post it returns $112,000 a year, which is identical to the CSM salary listed above.

It isn’t a surprise that a Certified ScrumMaster earns more than a Project Manager, however it will be interesting to see how the new PMI Agile Certifications impact these numbers going forward.