TL; DR: Three Data Points Pointing to the Decline of the Scrum Master’s Role
If you hang out in the “Agile” bubble on LinkedIn, the dice have already been cast: Scrum is out (and the Scrum Master), and the new kid on the block is [insert your preferred successor framework choice here.] I’m not entirely certain about that, but several data points on my side suggest a decline in the role of the Scrum Master.
Read on and learn more about whether the Scrum Master is a role at risk.
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My Data Points: Downloads, Survey Participants, Scrum Master Class Students
Here are my three data points regarding the development:
Decline in Download Numbers of the Scrum Master Interview Questions Guide
Years ago, I created the Scrum Master Interviews Question Guide on behalf of a client to identify suitable candidates for open Scrum Master positions. It has since grown to 83 questions and has been downloaded over 28,000 times.
Interestingly, the number of downloads in 2022 (2,428) and 2024 (1,236) practically halved. I would have expected the opposite, with newly unemployed Scrum Masters preparing for new rounds of job interviews. Unless, of course, the number of open positions also drops significantly, and fewer candidates need to brush up their Scrum knowledge before an interview.
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Decline in the Number of Participants in the Scrum Master Salary Report
Since 2017, I have published the Scrum Master Salary Report more or less regularly. The statistical model behind the survey is built on a threshold of 1,000 participants, as the survey addresses a global audience.
It has never been easy to convince so many people to spend 10 minutes supporting a community effort, but I have managed so far. For the 2024 edition, we had 1,114 participants. In 2023, we had 1,146 participants; in 2023, there were 1,113.
But this time, it is different. Before an emergency newsletter on December 26, 2024, there were fewer than 400 valid data sets; today, there are still fewer than 650. (Likely, there won’t be a 2025 edition.)
Decline in Scrum Master Class Students
As a Professional Scrum Trainer, I run an educational business that offers Scrum.org-affiliated classes, such as those for Scrum Masters.
In 2020, the entry-level Scrum Master classes—public and private—represented 49% of my students. In 2021, that number dropped to 26%, but I also offered more different classes. In 2022, the number was stable at 24%, and it fell to 17% in 2023. In 2024, however, that number was less than 5%, and I decided to stop offering these classes as public offerings altogether in 2025.
Are those student numbers representative? Of course not. However, they still point to the declining perception of how valuable these classes are from the career perspectives of individuals and corporate training departments. (By the way, the corresponding Product Owner classes fare much better.)
Conclusion
Of course, in addition to those mentioned above, there are other indicators: Google trends for the search term “Scrum Master,” the number of certifications passed, or job openings on large job sites.
Nevertheless, while the jury is still out, it seems that the love affair of many organizations with the Scrum Master role has cooled significantly.
What is your take: is the Scrum Master a role in decline? Please share your observations with us via the comments.
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