What is PSPO Certification?- An Overview

PSPO is a well-known Scrum product owner certification, which is offered by Scrum.org. The responsibility of a product owner is to understand the product requirements and develop the product in a Scrum setting.

As more and more organizations are looking to increase the value for their customers, employers are looking for professionals with the right expertise and qualifications. And this is where the PSPO certification comes into light.

In this guide, we will take a look at everything you need to learn about PSPO Certification.

What is PSPO Certification?

PSPO stands for Professional Scrum Product Owner, which is a certification offered to individuals who are looking to excel or grow their career in the Scrum product ownership domain. The accreditation body Scrum.org was founded by Scrum co-creator Ken Schwaber. This certification aims to provide the knowledge and fundamentals of Scrum product ownership to lead several projects efficiently.

The PSPO exam is considered a little difficult to clear, but it is regarded as the best in class when it comes to product ownership certificates. Moreover, the certification is valid for a lifetime.

Types of PSPO Certification

Here are the types of PSPO certifications that you should know about:

Professional Scrum Product Owner™ I Certification

The Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO I) certification is a good option for people who are looking for entry -level or a beginner level certification that verifies their knowledge of the Scrum framework. By earning PSPO I, the candidate can demonstrate that they are able to use Scrum to produce valuable products while bridging the gap between strategy and agile product management.

Details of Certification

Cost	$200 USD for each try
Passing Mark	85%
Exam Duration	60 minutes
No. of Questions	80
Exam Format	True/False, Multiple Choice and Multiple Answers
Renewal Fees	Lifetime Certification - no need for yearly renewal fees
Validity of Passwords	Passwords are valid for only one attempt

Professional Scrum Product Owner™ II Certification

The Professional Scrum Product Owner II (PSPO II) certification is a slightly higher level certification as compared to the previous one. This certification helps in demonstrating to the employer about your proficiency with Professional Scrum Product Ownership, the Scrum framework, and creating useful products.

One must hold prior Product Owner experience and a good understanding of Scrum's foundations before taking PSPO II.

Details of Certification

Cost	$250 USD for each try
Passing Mark	85%
Exam Duration	60 minutes
No. of Questions	40
Exam Format	Multiple Choice and Multiple Answers
Renewal Fees	Lifetime Certification - no need for yearly renewal fees
Validity of Passwords	Passwords are valid for only one attempt

Professional Scrum Product Owner™ III Certification

The Professional Scrum Product Owner level III (PSPO III) is an advanced level certification that is ideal for candidates with a high level of scrum knowledge and expertise. Moreover, one should also have considerable experience as a Scrum product owner if they wish to take up this certification.

PSPO III demonstrates to the employer that you have the necessary capacity to utilize the Scrum framework in the real world to address the problems and focus on product development.

Details of Certification

Cost	$500 USD for each try
Passing Mark	85%
Exam Duration	120 minutes
No. of Questions	35
Exam Format	15 essay, 20 multiple answer
Difficulty	Expert
Renewal Fees	Lifetime Certification - no need for yearly renewal fees
Validity of Passwords	Passwords are valid for only one attempt

Also read What Is a Product Owner Certification?

How much does PSPO Certification Cost?

The price to earn a Scrum.org PSPO certification varies by country to country. Refer to the below table to learn about the cost differences in different countries.

Country	Cost
Australia	1199 AUD
Canada	1099 CAD
India	23,998 INR
UK	899 GBP
USA	999 USD

People also look for How Much Does A Scrum Master Certification Cost?

PSPO Exam Retake Fee

There is no restriction on the number of times you can attempt the exam after you pay the exam fee. However, Scrum.org has mentioned that one can take the PSPO 1 exam at no cost for the first 2 attempts.

Is PSPO Certification Worth It?

Here are some benefits of PSPO certification that you should take a look at:

• There is no better way to learn Scrum than a Scrum certification. It helps you discover fundamentals, agile principles and best practices effectively. For beginners, it helps to fully understand product development using Scrum framework.
• Gaining the PSPO Certification will verify your knowledge and expertise of Scrum and product ownership.
• You will gain a competitive edge in the job market after getting PSPO certified.
• You will be up-to-date about the new trends and happenings in the industry.
• You will be able to enjoy good networking opportunities. Other certified product owners or aspirants may connect with you to learn about your experience or journey.

There may be several other benefits to doing PSPO certification, but most importantly, a PSPO Certification will enable you to grasp the concepts of Scrum, its framework, and product development. Having the right knowledge will enable you to be more confident in your pursuit of a good career.

PSPO Certification Jobs by Salary

Here is a salary range for candidates with a PSPO certification working in different job roles.

Job Role	Average Base Salary (INR)
Product Owner	₹1,597,382/ year
Product Manager,Software	₹1,758,596/ year
Agile Coach	₹2,316,854/ year
Business Analyst, IT	₹620,342/ year
Senior Business Analyst	₹1,039,036/ year
Scrum Master	₹1,276,851/ year
Project Manager, General	₹1,327,275/ year

How to Earn PSPO Certification?

Below is the step-by-step process to become a Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO).

• Enroll in a PSPO training course offered by Scrum.org.
• Take the 2-day online PSPO course offered by Professional Scrum Trainers (PST).
• After completing the course, Scrum.org will email you a password to take the exam.
• Take the 1-hour online PSPO exam consisting of 80 multiple-choice questions (MCQ), multiple-answer, true-false questions.
• After completing the course, pass the PSPO assessment with a score of at least 85%.
• Finally, you will earn the PSPO 1 certification.

Who can be Benefited by This Certification?

Here are some individuals who can benefit after attaining the PSPO Certification.

• Scrum team members such as developers and product owners
• Teams who wish to adopt Scrum
• Leadership Team
• Product Managers
• Business Analysts
• Anyone who wants to get into Scrum and take up on a Product Owner career

Comparison between CSPO and PSPO Certification

Here is what you need to know about PSPO and CSPO Certification and how they differ from one another.

Bases	PSPO	CSPO
Body of Accreditation	Scrum.org	Scrum Alliance
Focus Area	Here the main focus is on understanding the role of the product owner so that they enhance and maximize the value of their products/applications.	The main focus is on understanding the Scrum working model and the role of the PO in a scrum team.
Level of Difficulty	Intermediate	No exam
Certification Process	To pass the PSPO Certification, one has to simply clear the PSPO exam.	To get the CSPO Certification, you need to attend a two-day training course offered by the Scrum alliance certified trainer. And on successful completion, one will gain the CSPO Certification.
Renewal of Certification	No renewal required as PSPO has lifetime validity	CSPO is valid for 2 years. Post that, one must earn 20 Scrum educational units and pay a renewal fee of $100
Passing Marks	85%	No marks
Validity of Membership	Lifetime membership	2-year membership
When will you get the Certification?	On successfully passing the PSPO exam	On successfully completing the CSPO Certification
Format of the Exam	MCQs, Multiple answers, and True and False	No exam
Exam Duration	60 minutes	No exam
Number of Questions	80	No exam

Conclusion

So, in this guide, we have discussed the PSPO Certification and how it can be beneficial for you in the Scrum Product management/ownership roles. Since scrum is a growing domain, it is highly recommended to get yourself certified to have a competitive edge in the market over non-certified professionals. This will allow you to gain the maximum benefits and get good job opportunities in your desired scrum roles.

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