TL; DR: The Scrum Master Salary Report 2024 — How Do You Compare?
The Scrum Master Salary Report 2024 is the fifth edition of the industry survey after 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023. This free report is based on the answers of 1,114 participants globally. If you are considering a career decision this year, maybe whether you should join the industry as a junior Scrum Master, move to a new organization, or go independent, you will find the report’s information beneficial.
By the way, the average salary of the participants in the survey is $87,800, with a standard deviation of about $46,400. In the complete report, you will find more detailed information; just download your copy of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2024 by clicking the banner below.
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A Brief Summary of the Findings of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2024
How We Collected the Data, Demographics, Experience
We collected the data for the 2024 edition from September 2023 to December 2023. Overall, 1,114 Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches participated in the survey. We employed an online questionnaire via Google Forms to gather the contributors’ answers.
The main acquisition channel was the Food for Agile Thought newsletter. Additionally, we distributed the survey link via blog posts and various social media postings.
The participants are 60.1% male and 38.3% female; another 1,6% are either diverse or prefer not to reveal their gender. Most participants are between 30 and 39 years old (37.0%) or between 40 and 49 (31.9%.) Another 20.1% belong to the age group between 50 and 59 years.
The participant’s educational levels and backgrounds haven’t changed much compared to last year’s results. Most of them either have a bachelor’s degree (38.8%), a master’s degree (36.0%), or a diploma (8.2%), although the proportion of post-graduates is a little bit higher than in previous years (7.7%).
Most of the participants of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2024 either have practical experience of more than four years (64.5%) or at least two to four years (24.1%). In addition, they indicated significant transition experience (72.6%), and at least 52.4% of them experienced or initiated a transition kickoff.
Education, Certifications, and Experience Have Significant Impact on the Remuneration
Your salary increases with the number and sophistication of the certificates you obtain. The median difference between having no certification and having an advanced-level certification, for example, the PSM II, is as much as $16,000 annually. Additional qualifications, such as SCM, ICP-ACC, and PMI-ACP that fit your organization’s needs add up to another $35,000 annually to your paycheck; the differences more than doubled compared to the two previous reports.
Unsurprisingly, the salary increases as Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches gain experience and reach intermediate and senior levels. From our point of view, what is surprising is the median difference between junior-level income and senior-level income. A median difference of roughly $22,000 is a valid argument to cope with the troubles that may stress you in your day-to-day business.
We also identified the top ten earners in our dataset and their characteristics. Their annual income is evenly distributed between $220,000 and $300,000.
The Conclusion
What are the most interesting findings of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2024? My pick is as follows:
- Experience Over Education: Practical experience and agile certifications have more impact on salary than formal education levels.
- Specialize and Certify: Obtaining advanced agile certifications can significantly increase your salary.
- Career Background Matters: Previous roles, especially in technical or project management, influence your earning potential as a Scrum Master.
- Geographical Location: Relocating to countries like the United States, Australia, or Switzerland can increase salaries.
- Sector Selection: Working in high-paying sectors like finance, insurance, or technology can enhance salary prospects.
- Freelancing Benefits: Freelancers often earn more, though it requires significant agile experience and a suitable professional background.
- Gender Pay Gap: The report indicates a closing gender pay gap, suggesting equalizing salary trends.
- Job Satisfaction: Factors beyond salary, including job satisfaction and self-realization, play a crucial role in career progression.
- Top Earners’ Profile: High earners often have specific traits such as agile coaching roles, employment in the US, and diverse sector experience.
- New Entrants: Newcomers to the Scrum Master role come from a variety of backgrounds and have competitive starting salaries.
If you found the Scrum Master Salary Report 2024 useful, please consider forwarding it to a friend or colleague.
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The article The Scrum Master Salary Report 2024 first appeared on Age-of-Product.com.