6 Agile Certifications For Project Management Professionals

The PMI-ACP certification is best for those with early-career project management experience who wish to cement their knowledge of agile principles and advance their careers.

The PMI-ACP certification covers agile principles and approaches, including scrum, kanban, lean, extreme programming (XP) and test-driven development (TDD). This distinction shows employers that you have the experience and knowledge to contribute to an agile team. As you master each approach, you’ll also learn how to lead more versatile and productive teams.

To apply for a PMI-ACP certification, you must have a secondary degree, 21 contact hours of training in agile practices, 12 months of general project experience in the past five years and at least eight months of agile project experience in the past three years. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you must pass an exam to earn your certification.

The SAFe framework is built around 10 core competencies of business agility meant to offer a competitive advantage in the global marketplace. SAFe practices are designed to enhance project workflow and organization.

Earning a SAFe agile certification will enhance your skills and enable you to play a vital role in your company’s development. Certifications in the SAFe framework include SAFe Agilist, SAFe Practice Consultant, Agile Product Manager and SAFe Scrum Master.

Consider the AgilePM Foundation certification if you want to improve your agile project management skills, prepare for a leadership role or pursue the AgilePM Practitioner distinction.

The AgilePM Foundation certification explores the DSDM project management framework, an iterative, repeatable approach that focuses on taking incremental steps while maintaining flexibility. After completing the AgilePM Foundation exam, practitioners will be able to assign roles and responsibilities within an agile project and measure progress effectively.

Exam applicants do not need to complete any prerequisites, but APMG recommends taking an accredited training course. Agile project managers make a median annual salary of about $130,000 in the U.S., according to Glassdoor.

Anyone who wants to enhance their knowledge of agile concepts in the workplace or wants to move into a leadership role can benefit from becoming a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM).

The certification training helps project managers and cross-disciplinary team members improve their leadership skills and expand their career opportunities. Scrum masters ensure each role is properly assigned, keep project deadlines on track and help members grow as they complete their tasks.

The initial certification requires completing 14 to 16 hours of training and passing an exam. After earning their certification, CSMs can join the Scrum Alliance community and pursue more advanced titles. Certified scrum masters earn a median salary of about $122,000, according to Glassdoor.

Product owners have a say in what teams create and how those projects benefit the company’s customers. However, Scrum Alliance’s CSPO certification can also benefit project managers, business analysts and engineers who want to learn more about the scrum framework.

There are no prerequisites required to earn the Certified Scrum Product Owner title. CSPOs need to complete a 14- to 16-hour course through a certified Scrum Alliance instructor. The course focuses on product strategy, understanding customers and users, defining value, and working through product backlogs.

There is no exam requirement. After completing the course, CSPOs receive their certificate, gain access to training materials and can continue to advanced certifications. Certified scrum product owners are well-compensated. They make a median wage of about $146,000 per year in the U.S., according to Glassdoor.

Managers, team leaders and executives looking to implement agile principles within their organizations stand to benefit from the SAFe Agilist certification. This certification introduces participants to the SAFe organizational framework, derived from core concepts outlined in agile, lean, systems thinking and product development flow. A certified SAFe Agilist understands how to apply SAFe principles within the agile framework.

To earn the SAFe Agilist certification, you must enroll in a Leading SAFe course and pass the certification exam. If your company uses the scrum framework, you can also take a SAFe Scrum Master course and earn the related certification after passing an exam.

SAFe Agilists and SAFe scrum masters earn a median salary of around $141,000 per year, according to Glassdoor.