OVERVIEW
What’s a Certified Scrum Product Owner?
Ìý
A Scrum pro duct owner is a leader of Agile teams who decides what the team will create to deliver more value to their customers. For reference, Agile is a project management method that breaks full projects into discrete development cycles. An Agile team is typically a small, high-performing group of five to 10 people with complementary skills.
ÌýThe Scrum product owner manages the framework, principles, and values that make Scrum work, including the skills and tools needed for it to be effective. They’re also accountable for efficient product backlog management. To do all this, Scrum product owners must possess a deep understanding of their Scrum team, customers, the marketplace, competitors, and current business trends. Many professionals transition into the product owner role from positions such as Scrum master, business analyst, project manager, or software developer.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Certified Scrum Product Owner Do?
In general, product owners wear many hats and are responsible for the success of a product in the market. They may engage in anything from market research to customer relationship management.
ÌýScrum product owners see that the products they create reach their maximum value by representing stakeholders during projects, communicating project goals to team members, and ensuring that the project backlog is sufficiently organized. The product owner role also encompasses translating and communicating the product vision to development teams using the Scrum framework.
Common day-to-day responsibilities of Scrum product owners include:
- Defining the vision and communicating it to customers, business managers, and the development team.
- Providing a product road map to the Scrum team, including all goals related to the vision.
- Creating the product backlog and prioritizing items according to business objectives and overall strategy.
- Being accountable for project dependencies that can affect the sequence of development.
- Overseeing product development through all its stages, including planning, refinement, and review for each event.
- Working with stakeholders to set the steps required for the next iteration.
- Meeting with the Scrum team to refine the process, answer questions, and define areas for improvement.
- Handling communication between stakeholders and development teams.
- Understanding client requirements to better manage the development process.
- Evaluating the product’s progress through each iteration.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
How Do I Become a Certified Scrum Product Owner?
Consider the following steps as you prepare to become a professional Scrum product owner.
1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
While Scrum certifications do not require formal degrees, a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or IT management serves as a solid foundation to becoming a CSPO. These degrees grant fundamental IT skills that can position you to influence and lead teams. After earning a degree, you’ll have a firm knowledge of computer terminology, applications, systems, and programming languages that are essential in preparing you for a role as a product owner.
2. Earn a Master’s Degree
Because a CSPO is a senior role, some jobs may require an advanced degree, such as aÌýmaster’s degree in IT managementÌýor anÌýMBA in IT management. While not always required, a master’s degree can confer the skills needed to make strategic decisions based on data and may also increase your earning potential.
3. Become Certified
The CSPO is an ideal Scrum certification for anyone looking to become familiar with Scrum foundations and the community. Provided by Scrum Alliance, the CSPO teaches product owner hopefuls how to own an idea, execute it, and bring it to the relevant audience. The CSPO has continuing education credit requirements every two years and is a renewable credential.
4. Keep Learning
Taking on the role of a Scrum product owner typically requires around five years of experience in the relevant area as an individual contributor. Ideally, you can use this time to gain additional knowledge as a Scrum master and stay on top of your professional development by attending Scrum conferences, taking online courses and exams, or completing additional training. Beyond product owner certification, gaining experience with Agile tools like Jira, Trello, or Azure DevOps can help you stand out to employers.
CSPO Degree Options
Technology
Information Technology – B.S.
Award-winning coursework and value-add certifications make this online...
Award-winning coursework and value-add certifications make this online program a top choice.
- Time:Ìý61% of graduates finish within 39 months.
- Tuition:Ìý$3,760 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 36 total courses in this program.
Certifications included in this program at no additional cost:
- CompTIA A+Ìý
- CompTIA Network+Ìý
- CompTIA Security+Ìý
- CompTIA Project+Ìý
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure SpecialistÌý
- Amazon AWS Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL®*^ Foundation Certification
- LPI Linux Essentials
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Scripting and programming
- Networking and security
- Systems and services
- Data management
- Business of IT
Business
MBA Information Technology Management
Earn the online college degree that can move your career into IT upper...
Earn the online college degree that can move your career into IT upper management:
- Time:ÌýGraduates can finish in 12 months
- Tuition:Ìý$4,805 per 6-month term
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Management
- Project Management
- Leadership
- Innovation
- Communications
- Information Systems Security
Learn to navigate emergencies, execute strategies, and optimize systems with the competencies within this specialty MBA.
Technology
Information Technology Management – M.S.
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead....
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead.
- Time:Ìý67% of graduates finish within 19 months.
- Tuition:Ìý$4,080 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program.
Included in your program—at no extra cost—is the opportunity to earn the valuableÌýPMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.
- Technology operations and integration
- Sourcing and planning
- Risks and influence
- Solutions development
- Project management
Maximize the opportunities that your IT career path has afforded you—earn your master's and keep moving up.Ìý
Technology
Computer Science – B.S.
ABET-accredited. AI-focused. Computer science that counts....
ABET-accredited. AI-focused. Computer science that counts.
Lay the groundwork for the computing breakthroughs that will enable tomorrow's technologies.ÌýUtilize your previous college courses or IT experience to help you complete your degree faster.
- Time:Ìý62% of graduates in similar programs finish within 25 months.
- Tuition:Ìý$4,125 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 37 total courses in this program.
You'll have the opportunity to earn these certifications:
- Linux Essentials
- Axelos ITIL Foundation
You can also accelerate your program and complete both a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.S. in Computer Science together, requiring less courses overall and saving you time and money. Learn more about this option.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Artifical Intelligence (AI)
- Machine Learning
- Logic
- Architecture and systems
- Data structures
- Computer theory
- Version Control
- Linux
Technology
Computer Science – M.S.
Harness AI. Drive innovation. Lead with a master's in computer science....
Harness AI. Drive innovation. Lead with a master's in computer science.
- Time:Ìý61% of graduates finish similar programs within 20 months.
- Tuition:Ìý$4,385 per 6-month term.
- Courses:Ìý10 total courses in this program.
The M.S. in Computer Science at WGU has three specializations for students to choose from, giving them the opportunity to focus on an area that is meaningful for their career and life. The specializations areÌýComputing Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, and Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. You can also accelerate your program and complete both a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.S. in Computer Science together, requiring less courses overall and saving you time and money.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in the computer science programs include:
- Programming and Logic
- Architecture and Systems
- Data Structures
- AI
- Project Management
How Much Does a Certified Scrum Product Owner Make?
$91,722
According to Salary.com, certified Scrum product owners earn an , with the lowest 10% earning $75,405 and the highest 10% earning $100,323. Salaries vary depending on factors such as education, certifications, skills, and experience.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
15%
As organizations accelerate digital transformation, demand for skilled product owners is rising across industries—from technology to healthcare, finance, and education. Companies are increasingly adopting Agile frameworks like Scrum to stay adaptable and competitive. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of computer and information systems managers—which often includes CSPOs—is from 2024 to 2034.Ìý
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Certified Scrum Product Owner Need?
Scrum product owners need excellent technical abilities for the majority of their work. They should also develop strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with Scrum masters and team members as well as solid organizational skills to effectively manage multiple projects at once. Leadership and stakeholder management skills are also crucial, as CSPOs often balance competing priorities across departments.
Essential skills include:
- Thorough knowledge of Scrum
- Understanding of Agile software development
- Familiarity with business analytics
- Robust project management and product ownership skills
- Proven success in releasing products and meeting business objectives
- Subject expertise in relevant products and markets
- Cross-functional team management skills
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