Scrum Master vs Project Manager: Similarities & Differences

Did you know the demand for project managers is booming? By 2027, organizations will need approximately 87.7 million project management professionals globally. On the other hand, despite rumors of the agile business market declining, 95% of professionals say scrum masters are still majorly relevant.

As one project management role is growing and the other is in (alleged) distress, it’s more important than ever to understand why one benefits the other.

In this scrum master vs project manager guide, I’ll give you a breakdown of how the scrum master and project manager are similar and different and why businesses need both to stay profitable.

5 Insights: Scrum Master vs Project Manager

• Scrum isn’t an Acronym: (Or a weird lunch special)—it’s a rugby-inspired agile framework based on teamwork, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
• Same Team, Different Plays: Both roles prioritize communication, collaboration, and risk management. While they may have different missions, they work toward the mutual goal of delivering successful projects with minimal setbacks.
• Who Does What?: Scrum Masters focus on keeping teams aligned with agile methodologies and “running sprints”. Project managers oversee the big picture—budgeting, risk assessment, and stakeholder coordination.
• Can One Replace the Other? Not a Chance: A project manager can’t juggle scrum responsibilities on top of what they already do. We need both roles.
• The Future is Bright for Both: With demand for project management skyrocketing and scrum methodologies becoming even more relevant, both careers are promising.

Scrum? Master? Explain

Before we jump into the scrum master vs project manager comparison, you might be wondering what scrum is. It isn’t the most appetizing word, so luckily, we aren’t eating it. I also wouldn’t normally create an entire section for one word, but scrum has an interesting backstory worth sharing.

What is scrum?

In 1995, The Scrum Guide was introduced as a way for development teams to better solve complex project management problems. This specific role is actually inspired by rugby, the sport where people toss a ball and slam into each other’s bodies for fun. Contrary to what some may believe, scrum is not an acronym. In rugby, the team comes together to create a scrum in efforts to move the ball forward.

In project management, scrum symbolizes the importance of courage, focus, commitment, respect, and openness. The scrum project team includes a scrum master, a product owner and multiple developers. The master is responsible for making sure the scrum methodology is continuously adhered to during the project.

It’s kind of a big deal.

Scrum Master & Project Manager: Cut from the Same Cloth

Now that you know a little more about scrum masters, are you wondering how they relate to project managers?

I sure hope so, because we’re diving into the thick of it. Before we compare, I’ll give you a general overview of each role.

Scrum Master

The scrum master is responsible for making sure their scrum project team is following the correct framework. They lead project management training to discuss goals, coach the team on best practices, and support individuals by answering questions or resolving issues.

Project Manager

The project manager organizes and oversees a team to make sure projects are completed on time, within budget, and within scope. They also lead meetings, but do a lot more “side missions”, like monitoring project progress, setting budgets and goals, communicating with stakeholders, creating schedules, and managing risks.

Here are the ways scrum masters and project managers are similar:

• They are both expected to collaborate and communicate effectively with stakeholders.
• In the project development stage, they both help reduce the potential of errors. Both of them mitigate risks, taking feedback, and working accordingly.
• Both roles require the same level of dedication, and neither of them is “superior” to the other. The Scrum master must report to the product owner and the project manager reports directly to stakeholders.
• The scrum master and project manager will both fail to deliver high-quality projects if they don’t work according to their principles.

Both scrum masters and project managers work in numerous sectors, and often together, managing different tasks within a project. Sectors they collaborate together include (but aren’t limited to): financial services, product and software development, advertising and marketing, consulting firms, government offices, construction, IT, and tech.

Scrum Master vs Project Manager: How the Roles Differ

This section is where you’ll start to see why these two positions are important in their own respects. If scrum masters could be categorized as project managers, they would be, and there would be no purpose for the role. However, there are many tasks scrum masters carry out that are specific to their role and can’t be replaced.

Do We Need Scrum Masters in Project Management?

Yes, scrum masters are indispensable, and there’s zero question about it.

First off, agile methodologies, like scrum, lean, and kanban are essential in the modern world for project efficiency. They teach teams to work in short cycles, adapt to change, and deliver more value to customers faster.

These project management skills are valuable in fast-paced, compliance-based industries like healthcare, law, and finance. Businesses in areas like logistics, manufacturing, and even government agencies are also turning to agile frameworks like scrum. While project managers can learn agile methodologies, their roles involve more of a range of skills, while scrum masters focus on ‘mastering’ a few project management skills.

To put it in perspective:

Multitasking is typically seen as a positive thing, but if project managers had to take over the scrum master’s position, it would be complete chaos. Project managers focus on enough as it is, and adding more duties (especially if they don’t necessarily even understand them) would only create pressure, stress, and anxiety. From there, projects would severely lack the quality they need to be successful. Imagine what would also happen to risk management.

So, yeah, we need scrum masters.

Scrum or Project Management? Why Not Both?

As you can see, the roles of a scrum master and project manager are both incredibly important for project management. Scrum masters mainly work on team management and help guide them to develop high-quality products, whereas project managers manage the entire project from start to finish.

Based on the evidence we’ve seen regarding the modern world embracing agile practices, I think project managers and scrum masters are headed for growth. Salaries and demand are steadily increasing for both, so the future is looking bright. We need them, and they need us to vouch for them.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in either of these fields, I hope this guide helped!

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