As Agile becomes more ubiquitous and more widely accepted, new practitioners are naturally curious about how much money they can make if they choose it as a career. While the answer actually varies widely, we can take a look at some basic salary ranges that will give one a good idea how much can be made as you gain more experience.
Average Salary for Scrum Masters
According to Talent.com, the average annual salary of a Scrum Master in the United States in 2024 is right around $119,403. This equates to $57.41 per hour. However, the salary of a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) can vary widely based on factors like location, experience level, industry, and company size.
So you have an idea, here are some general estimates:
- Entry-Level Scrum Master (0-2 years of experience): Around $70,000 - $90,000 annually.
- Mid-Level Scrum Master (2-5 years of experience): Typically between $90,000 - $115,000 annually.
- Senior-Level Scrum Master/Agile Coach (5+ years of experience): Ranges from $115,000 to $150,000+ annually, with experienced Scrum Masters at top-tier tech firms potentially earning even more.
In high-cost areas like San Francisco, New York, Chicago, or Seattle, salaries are often on the higher end of these ranges or even exceed them. In lower-cost areas or smaller companies with lower budgets, Scrum Masters may see salaries slightly below the national averages.
One thing to remember when calculating salary is the addition of bonuses, profit-sharing, and other benefits that can contribute significantly to your overall compensation. This is especially the case in large companies or high-growth industries.
There are a few other considerations to keep in mind as well. Often a Scrum Master will fulfill a dual role for an organization such as Project Manager/Scrum Master or Scrum Master/Agile Coach. In these cases, since the person is fulfilling a dual role within the organization, the salary will be commensurate with the work and role involved. All of these factors are taken into consideration when negotiating salary for a Scrum Master.
Studies on Scrum Master Salaries
Several studies and surveys have been conducted to analyze Scrum Master salaries across different regions and industries.
Here are some of the most notable ones:
Annual Scrum Salary Survey by Scrum.org
Scrum.org, a leading organization for Scrum certification, regularly conducts surveys and publishes reports on various Agile roles. These surveys cover factors like industry, experience, and certification level, and offer insights into salary trends for Scrum Masters.
Their reports typically highlight salary variations based on location, years of experience, and certification types, including Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Professional Scrum Master (PSM). In their 2024 report, they found the average salary of the participants in the survey was $87,800, with a standard deviation of about $46,400.
Glassdoor and PayScale Data
Glassdoor regularly compiles salary data for Scrum Masters based on user-submitted data. This allows for easy comparison of salary ranges across regions, company sizes, and experience levels. In recent years, many Scrum Masters in the U.S. have reported salaries between $140,000 and $227,000 annually, with some variance based on certification level.
Their research is shown in the image below with the average Scrum Master salary being $177,000:
Project Management Institute (PMI) Salary Survey
While the PMI survey mainly targets project management roles, it often includes Agile practitioners, including Scrum Masters. The PMI's “Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey” offers insights into compensation for Agile roles by industry, especially for those with PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) credentials.
LinkedIn Talent Insights Reports
LinkedIn sometimes publishes talent insights reports that cover hiring trends, demand for Agile roles, and salary information for positions like Scrum Masters. These reports may be regional or global, offering a snapshot of hiring trends in specific industries.
They published an interesting article here on salaries for Scrum Masters in 2024. The data was based on a survey they conducted in the US and Australia, and found the average salary of the participants in the survey is $87,800, with a standard deviation of about $46,400.
These studies show that while average salaries for Scrum Masters tend to fall in the $90,000 - $115,000 range in the U.S., other factors like industry (tech and finance usually pay more), location, and company size can significantly influence earnings.
Scrum Master Salary By State
Here is a breakdown of Certified Scrum Master average salaries by state:
| State | Average Salary ($) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 90,000 |
| Alaska | 97,000 |
| Arizona | 95,000 |
| Arkansas | 88,000 |
| California | 125,000 |
| Colorado | 110,000 |
| Connecticut | 108,000 |
| Delaware | 102,000 |
| Florida | 93,000 |
| Georgia | 99,000 |
| Hawaii | 97,000 |
| Idaho | 92,000 |
| Illinois | 104,000 |
| Indiana | 95,000 |
| Iowa | 91,000 |
| Kansas | 93,000 |
| Kentucky | 89,000 |
| Louisiana | 91,000 |
| Maine | 87,000 |
| Maryland | 105,000 |
| Massachusetts | 118,000 |
| Michigan | 96,000 |
| Minnesota | 102,000 |
| Mississippi | 87,000 |
| Missouri | 97,000 |
| Montana | 85,000 |
| Nebraska | 89,000 |
| Nevada | 96,000 |
| New Hampshire | 103,000 |
| New Jersey | 110,000 |
| New Mexico | 88,000 |
| New York | 131,000 |
| North Carolina | 98,000 |
| North Dakota | 88,000 |
| Ohio | 97,000 |
| Oklahoma | 92,000 |
| Oregon | 100,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 97,000 |
| Rhode Island | 104,000 |
| South Carolina | 94,000 |
| South Dakota | 88,000 |
| Tennessee | 93,000 |
| Texas | 115,000 |
| Utah | 95,000 |
| Vermont | 88,000 |
| Virginia | 106,000 |
| Washington | 140,000 |
| West Virginia | 86,000 |
| Wisconsin | 95,000 |
| Wyoming | 85,000 |
This table provides an overview of estimated salaries, reflecting variations based on cost of living, industry presence, and demand.
