PMI-ACP vs CSM: which fits your agile experience?
PMI-ACP vs CSM: take the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), a Scrum course plus test, if agile is new to you. Take the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) after two years of agile work and 21 training hours. Of 946 US Scrum-master job ads on Adzuna in October 2026, certified scrum master appeared in 210 and pmi-acp in 179.
Agile describes teams that deliver work in short, repeated cycles and adjust the plan between them. Scrum is one set of rules for doing that, and a Scrum master is the team member who keeps the team working by those rules. The CSM is the foundational Scrum-master certification of Scrum Alliance, a body that certifies Scrum practitioners. The PMI-ACP is the agile certification of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the body behind the Project Management Professional (PMP).
Who should take which · Job ads · Rules side by side · Cost · Difficulty · Order
Show the numbers
| Country | CSM | PMI-ACP |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 22% | 19% |
| India | 32% | 9% |
| United Kingdom | 9% | 1% |
| Germany | 2% | 0 of 116 |
| France | 0 of 232 | 0 of 232 |
CSM or PMI-ACP: which do employers name more?
Instant answer from October 2026 job ads. No email needed.
CSM is named in more job ads in the United States.
Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.
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CSM or PMI-ACP: which should you take?
Take the CSM if you are starting out, and the PMI-ACP once your work history meets PMI's experience rule. Your first step is the same either way: open ten ads for the job you want (no target job yet? search "scrum master" on any job site) and search each one for certified scrum master, CSM and PMI-ACP.
- New to agile work, or a new Scrum master whose employer pays for training: the CSM. It has no prerequisite beyond the course, which a Certified Scrum Trainer (a trainer Scrum Alliance has certified to teach it) must deliver. The course runs about 16 hours (Scrum Alliance lists classes of two to three days), and the test fee is part of the course price.
- Two or more years of agile work in the past five years: the PMI-ACP is open to you after 21 hours of formal agile training.
- One year of agile work and no PMP: the PMI-ACP also needs a degree from a PMI-accredited program or an active agile certification from another body, earned over a year ago. Without either, the CSM is the route open now.
- Active PMP holder working with agile or mixed agile and traditional teams: PMI counts the PMP as meeting the PMI-ACP experience rule, so you need only the training and the exam. Our PMI-ACP vs PMP comparison covers that path.
- Paying for it yourself: compare the course quotes you get for the CSM with the PMI-ACP exam fee of $435 or $495 (PMI prices, dated in the cost section) plus a training course; the cost section gives every line.
- Wanting fewer renewal dates: the PMI-ACP renews every three years (30 PDUs), the CSM every two (20 SEUs). We do not know the PMI renewal fee, so this compares frequency, not cost.
- Applying for project-manager jobs: we count the PMI-ACP in US project-manager ads, not the CSM; the figure is in the job-ad section.
What do US job ads name?
In October 2026, both phrases appeared in the US Scrum-master ads we counted on Adzuna. Our counts show what employers write in their ads. They do not show which credential employers prefer.
| US Scrum-master ads, October 2026 | Ads checked | Phrase counted | Ads with the phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSM | 946 | certified scrum master |
210 |
| PMI-ACP | 946 | pmi-acp |
179 |
Source: Adzuna API, US job ads found by the search "scrum master" in October 2026, matched by the phrases certified scrum master and pmi-acp. Analysis: CertWorthIt. How we count.
Each count is a minimum for its phrase. An ad that writes only "CSM" is missed by the first count, and an ad that spells out "PMI Agile Certified Practitioner" without the abbreviation is missed by the second. Other spellings of the CSM name may also be missed. One phrase is a full name and the other an abbreviation, so the two rows do not measure demand the same way, and we do not rank the two certifications on them. One ad can contain both phrases. Both credentials appear in these US Scrum-master ads, so the ads for your own target job are the better guide to which one to get.
The PMI-ACP is also counted against a separate group of ads. In October 2026, the phrase pmi-acp appeared in 673 of the 59,273 US project-manager ads on Adzuna. We do not count the CSM in project-manager ads. Our pages on Scrum-master ads by country and project-manager ads by country give the other countries we count.
Scrum Alliance says certification is not required for a Scrum-master job, though some employers ask for the CSM (CSM page, read October 5, 2026).
How do requirements, exam and renewal compare?
The CSM is a course followed by a short online test, renewed every two years. The PMI-ACP is an exam you qualify for with experience and training, renewed every three years.
| CSM (Scrum Alliance) | PMI-ACP (PMI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can take it | Anyone who completes the course; no exam-only route, and experience or other certifications do not replace the course | Secondary diploma (high school diploma, GED (General Educational Development, the US high school equivalency test) or equivalent), plus one of: 2 years of agile experience in the past 5 years; 1 year plus a degree from a program accredited by PMI's Global Accreditation Center (GAC); 1 year plus an active agile certification from another body, earned over a year ago; or an active PMP |
| Required training | About 16 hours with a Certified Scrum Trainer | 21 hours of formal agile training |
| Exam | 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes | 120 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours (100 scored, 20 unscored trial questions) |
| Passing score | 37 of 50 (74%) | Not published |
| Delivery | Online, not proctored (no supervisor), open book | Pearson VUE test center (a third-party exam site) or online proctored (a remote supervisor watches) |
| Attempts | Two attempts within 90 days, then $25 per attempt | Up to three in one year |
| Renewal | Every 2 years: $100 and 20 Scrum Education Units (SEUs, one hour of learning equals one SEU) | Every 3 years: 30 professional development units (PDUs, PMI's credits for learning), at least 18 in education, plus a fee |
Source: Scrum Alliance CSM page, Scrum Alliance renewal page, PMI-ACP page, PMI-ACP exam outline (March 2026) and PMI renewal handbook. Dates under Sources.
PMI's earlier handbook rule of 12 months on project teams plus 8 months on agile teams no longer applies; the March 2026 outline lists the routes in the table. Scrum Alliance says that, at this time, a CSM is never revoked for a missed renewal.
Show the numbers
| Item | CSM | PMI-ACP |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 50 questions | 120 questions |
| Exam time | 60 minutes (1 h) | 180 minutes (3 h) |
| Format | Multiple choice | Multiple choice, drag-and-drop |
CSM vs PMI-ACP cost: what do you pay?
The CSM costs one course fee plus $100 every two years. The PMI-ACP costs $435 to $495 for the exam plus a training course, and its renewal fee depends on PMI membership and region. Prices are in US dollars. PMI prices and the CSM range were read October 3, 2026, and the CSM's $25 retake fee October 5, 2026.
| Cost item | CSM | PMI-ACP |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Course, $250 to $2,495 (range Scrum Alliance publishes; set by trainers) | 21 hours; the provider sets the price, which we did not collect |
| Exam | Included in the course, two attempts | $495 non-members, $435 PMI members |
| Retake | $25 per attempt after the two included or after 90 days | $395 non-members, $335 members |
| Membership | Two years of Scrum Alliance membership included | PMI membership $139 (regular price) |
| Renewal | $100 per two-year cycle | Fee set by membership and region |
| Six years certified | $250 to $2,495 + 2 × $100 = $450 to $2,695 | Exam + training + renewal fees: no total possible |
Source: Scrum Alliance and PMI fees above. Analysis: CertWorthIt.
The CSM range comes from Scrum Alliance's page, which says it rests on public course prices as of October 2023 and that Scrum Alliance does not control them. Read it as a guide, then compare current course quotes. If you pass within the two included attempts, the course plus renewals at months 24 and 48 keeps you certified for six years for $450 to $2,695 at today's renewal fee. That total leaves out any cost of earning the 20 SEUs per cycle.
For the PMI-ACP, a non-member pays $495 for the exam. Joining PMI for $139 and paying the $435 member price comes to $574, which is $79 more for a single attempt. The exam fee buys no training, so the 21 hours are a second purchase. The CSM is one purchase, the course; the PMI-ACP is two, training plus exam, so get a training quote before you compare totals.
Show the numbers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Join PMI first: Membership, 1 year | $139 |
| Join PMI first: Exam, member price | $435 |
| Join PMI first: One retake (optional) | $335 |
| Without membership: Exam | $495 |
| Without membership: One retake (optional) | $395 |
Is the CSM easier than the PMI-ACP?
The CSM test is shorter and needs no experience, only the course, so it is the easier one to reach. We found no pass rate for either exam, so this section compares the published format only and cannot say which test is harder.
The CSM gives you 60 minutes for 50 questions, or 72 seconds each, and you may look at the Scrum Guide (the short document that defines Scrum) and your course materials. You need 37 correct answers. The test comes in 13 languages.
The PMI-ACP gives you 3 hours for 120 questions, or about 90 seconds each, with a supervisor watching. Its outline weights four areas: Mindset 28%, Leadership 25%, Product 19% and Delivery 28%. To qualify you must meet the experience and training rules above. The exam comes in 10 languages. Our PMI-ACP page has more on the exam.
Should you get both, and in which order?
Get both only if the ads for the jobs you want name both, or an employer pays for one. If you do, the order that fits the rules is the CSM first, because it has no experience rule, and the PMI-ACP once your agile work meets one of PMI's routes.
PMI's one-year route accepts an active agile certification from another body, earned more than a year ago. Whether PMI accepts the CSM for that route, or counts a CSM course toward the 21 training hours, we did not verify; ask PMI before you plan on either.
For Scrum Alliance's next level after the CSM, the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM), see the section on a second Scrum credential on our CSM page. For SAFe, the framework for running many agile teams together, read our CSM vs SAFe comparison. For the Professional Scrum Master (PSM) from Scrum.org, read CSM vs PSM and PMI-ACP vs PSM.
What we did not check
- The PMI-ACP renewal fee, which PMI sets by membership and region.
- The price of training courses for the PMI-ACP's 21 hours.
- Pass rates for either exam.
- How many ads write the CSM name in other spellings, such as "ScrumMaster" as one word.
- Job markets outside the US, where our Scrum-master samples are small.
Sources
PMI pages were read October 3, 2026. Scrum Alliance's CSM and renewal pages were read October 3 and 5, 2026, its help-center articles October 5, 2026, and the price-range footnote again on October 12, 2026.
- Adzuna job-ad counts, US Scrum-master and project-manager ads, phrases
certified scrum masterandpmi-acp, October 2026; analysis: CertWorthIt. - Scrum Alliance: CSM page, renewing certifications; help-center articles on the required course, the CSM test, test preparation, retakes, what the course includes and the renewal grace period.
- PMI: PMI-ACP page, PMI-ACP exam outline, renewal handbook and PMI store prices in US dollars for the exam, retake and membership.
Questions people ask
PMI-ACP or CSM: which should you take?
Take the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) from Scrum Alliance if you are new to agile work (teams that deliver in short, repeated cycles): it is a course of about 16 hours with the test included and no other prerequisite. Take the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI) once you meet its experience rule (two years of agile work in the past five years, or another route PMI accepts, such as an active PMP) and have 21 hours of agile training. In October 2026, Adzuna, a job-ad search site, held 946 US Scrum-master ads; the phrase certified scrum master appeared in 210 of them and the phrase pmi-acp appeared in 179. Ads that write only CSM, or spell out PMI Agile Certified Practitioner without the abbreviation, are not counted, so both figures are minimums for those phrases.
CSM or PMI-ACP after the PMP: which comes next?
For a Project Management Professional (PMP) holder, the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) has the shorter path to eligibility: PMI counts an active PMP as meeting the PMI-ACP experience rule, so you need only 21 hours of agile training and the exam. Choose the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) instead if the Scrum-master ads you want name it. The PMI-ACP exam costs $435 for PMI members or $495 for non-members (PMI, checked October 3, 2026). The CSM needs a course whose price trainers set; Scrum Alliance publishes a range of $250 to $2,495 based on course prices as of October 2023. In October 2026, the phrase pmi-acp appeared in 673 of 59,273 US project-manager ads on Adzuna, a job-ad search site. For the Professional Scrum Master (PSM), see our PMI-ACP vs PSM and CSM vs PSM comparisons.
Can you take the PMI-ACP without the PMP?
Yes. An active Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is one of four ways to meet the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) experience rule; the other three do not need it. The first is two years of agile experience in the past five years. The others are one year plus a degree from a program accredited by PMI's Global Accreditation Center (GAC), or one year plus an active agile certification from another body, earned more than a year ago. Every route also needs a secondary diploma (a high school diploma, GED or equivalent) and 21 hours of formal agile training (PMI exam outline, March 2026, read October 3, 2026).
Is the CSM easier than the PMI-ACP?
On published format, the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) test is the shorter one: 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, online, open book and not proctored (no supervisor watches you), with 37 correct answers needed to pass. The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) exam has 120 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, taken at a Pearson VUE test center (a third-party exam site) or online under a remote supervisor. PMI does not publish its passing score (Scrum Alliance and PMI pages, checked October 3 to 5, 2026). We found no pass rate for either exam.
How much do the CSM and the PMI-ACP cost?
The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) costs whatever the trainer charges for the required course; Scrum Alliance publishes a range of $250 to $2,495, based on course prices as of October 2023, with two test attempts included. Renewal is $100 every two years, so six years certified comes to $450 to $2,695. The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) exam costs $495, or $435 for PMI members (membership $139), and a retake costs $395 or $335 (PMI, checked October 3, 2026). Its 21 hours of training and its renewal fee come on top; PMI sets the renewal fee by membership and region, so we give no multi-year PMI-ACP total.