TL; DR: The Scrum Master Salary Report 2023 — How Do You Compare?
The Scrum Master Salary Report 2023 is the fourth edition of the industry survey after 2017, 2019, and 2022. This free report is based on the answers of 1,143 participants globally. If you are considering a career decision this year, maybe, whether you should join the industry as a junior Scrum Master or 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 US-$80,995, with a standard deviation of about US-$53,700. In the complete report, you will find more detailed information; download your copy below.
🇩🇪 Zur deutschsprachigen Version: Scrum Master Gehalt 2023 — die Umfrageergebnisse.
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Download the Scrum Master Salary Report 2023
Download your free copy of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2023 here and compare where you stand:
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Download the 2022 edition here: Scrum Master Salary Report 2022.
Download the 2019 edition here: Scrum Master Trends Report 2019.
Download the 2017 edition here: Scrum Master Salary Report 2017.
A Brief Summary of the Findings of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2023
How We Collected the Data, Demographics, Experience
We collected the data for the 2023 edition from September 2022 to December 2022. Overall, 1,143 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 62.5% male and 35.8% female; another 1,7% are either diverse or did prefer not to reveal their gender. Most participants are between 30 and 39 years old (43.8%) or between 40 and 49 (29.0%.) Another 15.4% 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 (33.7%), or a diploma (9.2%). In addition, our participants usually start their agile careers with technical/engineering backgrounds (45.1%) or business degrees (20.3%).
Most of the participants of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2023 either have practical experience of more than four years (53.5%) or at least two to four years (28.5%). In addition, they indicated significant transition experience (71.4%), and at least 52.0% 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 $5,000 annually. Additional qualifications, such as SCM, ICP-ACC, and PMI-ACP that fit your organization’s needs add up to another US-$26,000 annually to your paycheck.
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 US-$30,000 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 US-$250,000 and US-$500,000.
The Conclusion
What are the most interesting findings of the Scrum Master Salary Report 2023? My pick is as follows:
- For Scrum Masters and agile coaches, hands-on experience trumps a Ph.D. concerning your career.
- Continuing your education in the form of earning industry-acknowledged certificates pays well.
- Your previous work experience impacts your remuneration as Scrum Master or agile coach.
- There is a small but statistically significant gender pay gap: As a female Scrum Master or agile coach, you earn an average of $6,000 less than your male colleagues.
- Of the juniors in our sample with less than two years of professional experience, 52% are male and 47% female, which means significantly more female professionals enter the field than a couple of years ago.
- The average salary of the participants in the survey is US-$80,995, with a standard deviation of about US-$53,700.
If you found the Scrum Master Salary Report 2023 useful, please consider forwarding it to a friend or colleague.
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