Guidehouse$209k median pay
9 postings
View jobs ↗ at Guidehouse matching SA
SAFe Agilist
Validates knowledge of leading with SAFe, including Lean-Agile mindset, team agility, product flow, portfolio management and leading change.
Summary
SAFe Agilist (SA) is Scaled Agile's foundational certification for leaders and coaches in organizations that use SAFe. The proctored exam has 45 questions with an 80% pass score, and the certification renews every year.
Good fit if
- Your organization runs or is adopting SAFe
- You lead or coach product work and need SAFe vocabulary
- Job postings you target ask for a SAFe certification
Salary & jobs
176 US job postings ask for SA, with Program Manager as the most common job title. The median pay is $166k a year; most fall between $130k and $188k.
Top-paying job titles
Most common job titles
| Job title |
|---|
Top-paying employers
Guidehouse
Leidos$184k median pay
19 postings
View jobs ↗ at Leidos matching SA
Peraton$146k median pay
9 postings
View jobs ↗ at Peraton matching SA
CACI$127k median pay
12 postings
View jobs ↗ at CACI matching SA| Job title | ||
|---|---|---|
| Program Manager | - | 5 |
| Financial Analyst | - | 4 |
| Scrum Master | - | 4 |
| Technical Program Manager | - | 4 |
| Enterprise Architect | - | 3 |
| IT Project Manager | - | 3 |
| Oracle Fusion Cloud Hcm Functional Consultant | - | 3 |
| Project Manager | - | 3 |
| Release Train Engineer | - | 3 |
| Agile Product Owner | - | 2 |
| Chief Systems Architect | - | 2 |
| Director Program Management | - | 2 |
| Release Deployment Manager Federal Health | - | 2 |
| Release Manager | - | 2 |
| Scrum Master Clearance Required | - | 2 |
Top employers
Leidos19 postings
$184k median pay
Most common title: Chief Systems Architect
View jobs ↗ at Leidos matching SACACI12 postings
$127k median pay
Most common title: Oracle Fusion Cloud Hcm Functional Consultant
View jobs ↗ at CACI matching SAGuidehouse9 postings
$209k median pay
Most common title: IT Solutions Architect
View jobs ↗ at Guidehouse matching SAPeraton9 postings
$146k median pay
Most common title: Iam Icam Full Stack Developer
View jobs ↗ at Peraton matching SA
RTX5 postings
Most common title: Technical Product Manager Service Management Platform Service Catalog Request
View jobs ↗ at RTX matching SA
Accenture Federal Services4 postings
Most common title: Release Train Engineer
View jobs ↗ at Accenture Federal Services matching SA
General Dynamics Information Technology4 postings
Most common title: Deploy Automation Engineer
View jobs ↗ at General Dynamics Information Technology matching SA
Booz Allen3 postings
Most common title: Technical Training Integrator
View jobs ↗ at Booz Allen matching SAPrerequisites
Cost
What holders say
Gets you past the resume screen; real SAFe experience decides the rest
The certification can get you in front of a hiring manager at a SAFe organization, but experience running SAFe decides it. Candidates without it say they lost out despite knowing the material.
The payoff depends on the employer
Some SAFe organizations expect the certification and weigh it in hiring. Others never check for it, which explains why opinions on its value vary so widely.
Many agile practitioners are skeptical of SAFe
Threads about SAFe certification often draw criticism of the framework and its yearly fees. Several holders say they stopped renewing because no employer asked to see an active certificate.
Renewal
SAFe Agilist is valid for one year and renews every year.
- Validity
- 1 year
- Renewal requirement
- 12 CEUs a year
- Renewal fee
- $195 USD a year
The $195 Foundational renewal covers all your Foundational SAFe certifications, such as SAFe Agilist and POPM, and keeps your SAFe Studio access. You do not retake the exam. You can renew up to 270 days early or after expiry, with no late fee. Active holders can upgrade to AI-Native SAFe at no extra cost.
Scaled Agile certification tiers ↗Alternatives
CSM$399 required · Entry
A Scrum Alliance credential for team-level Scrum rather than SAFe at scale.
PSM I$200 required · Entry
An exam-only Scrum credential with no course and no renewal fee.
POPM$495 required · Entry
The SAFe certification for Product Owners and Product Managers.
PMI-ACP$525 required · Intermediate
A broader agile credential covering several frameworks.
FAQ
Do I have to take Leading SAFe to get SAFe Agilist?
No. You can buy the proctored exam for $495, which includes two attempts within 60 days. A Leading SAFe class includes two exam attempts and a year of SAFe Studio access.
Is Leading SAFe the same as SAFe Agilist?
Leading SAFe is the two-day course. SAFe Agilist is the certification you earn by passing the exam.
How hard is the SAFe Agilist exam?
It has 45 closed-book multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, and you need 80% to pass. Product Development Flow is the largest domain.
How long does SAFe Agilist last?
One year. You renew by paying $195 a year and earning 12 continuing education units. You do not retake the exam.
Last updated October 2026