### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Training and Development Specialists Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			training and development specialists imageTraining and development specialists often lead educational sessions.							
						Quick Facts:     Training and Development Specialists2023     Median Pay
            						$64,340     per year
										$30.94     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Bachelor's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    Less than 5 yearsOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    385,800Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    6% (Faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    24,200What Training and Development Specialists Do
                                                
                        
                        
Training and development specialists plan and administer programs that improve the skills and knowledge of their employees.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Training and development specialists work in nearly every industry. They spend much of their time working with people, giving presentations, and leading training activities.
            
                                                How to Become a Training and Development Specialist
                                                
                        
In addition to a bachelor’s degree, training and development specialists also need work experience and strong communication skills.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for training and development specialists was $64,340 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of training and development specialists is projected to grow							 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 35,400 openings for training and development specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for training and development specialists.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of training and development specialists with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about training and development specialists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Training and Development Specialists Do 
            

			training and development specialists imageTraining and development specialists guide employees through exercises.			
Training and development specialists plan and administer programs that train employees and improve their skills and knowledge.
Duties
Training and development specialists typically do the following:
Assess training needs through surveys, interviews with employees, or consultations with managers or instructors
Design and create training manuals, online learning modules, and course materials
Review training materials from multiple sources and choose appropriate materials
Deliver training to employees using a variety of instructional techniques
Assist in evaluating training programs
Perform administrative tasks such as monitoring costs, scheduling classes, setting up systems and equipment, and coordinating enrollmentTraining and development specialists help create, plan, and run training programs for businesses and organizations. To do this, they must first assess the needs of an organization. They then develop custom training programs that may take place online, in classrooms, or in training facilities.
Training and development specialists organize or run training sessions using lectures, team exercises and other formats. Training also may be in the form of a video, a self-guided instructional manual, or an online application. Training may be collaborative, allowing employees to connect informally with colleagues, experts, and mentors.
 Work Environment
			training and development specialists imageThey spend much of their time working with people, giving presentations, and leading training activities.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Training and development specialists held about 385,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of training and development specialists were as follows:
        Educational services; state, local, and private
                12%Professional, scientific, and technical services
                11Healthcare and social assistance
                11Finance and insurance
                9Administrative and support services
                8Training and development specialists spend much of their time working with people, giving presentations, and leading training activities. They also may need to travel to training sites.
Work Schedules
Most training and development specialists work full time during regular business hours.
 How to Become a Training and Development Specialist

			training and development specialists imageTraining and development specialists must have strong instructional skills to meet the learning needs of a particular group.			
Training and development specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree and related work experience. However, candidates who do not have a bachelor’s degree sometimes qualify for jobs if they have relevant experience.
Education
Training and development specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree, often in a business field such as organizational development or human resources. Other fields of degree include education, social science, psychology, and communications.
Candidates who do not have a bachelor’s degree sometimes qualify for jobs if they have experience developing and delivering training. The experience may need to be extensive and specific to the employer’s industry.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Related work experience is important for most training and development specialists. Positions may require work experience in areas such as staff development or instructional design or in related occupations, such as human resources specialists or teachers.
Employers also may prefer to hire candidates who have work experience in a relevant industry or with virtual learning, mobile training, and technology-based tools. However, employers may hire candidates who have a master’s degree instead of work experience.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Although not usually required, certification shows professional expertise and credibility. However, some employers prefer to hire certified candidates, and some positions require certification. The Association for Talent Development (ATD) and International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) are among the organizations that offer certification programs in training and development.
Advancement
Training and development specialists may advance to training and development manager or human resources manager positions. Workers typically need several years of experience to advance.
Important Qualities
***Analytical skills.*** Training and development specialists must evaluate training programs, methods, and materials and choose those that best fit each situation.
***Collaboration skills.*****Specialists need strong interpersonal skills because delivering training programs requires coordinating with instructors, subject-matter experts, and trainees. Specialists accomplish much of their work through teams.
***Communication skills.*****Training and development specialists must convey information clearly and facilitate learning to diverse audiences.
***Creativity.***Specialists should be resourceful when developing training materials. They may need to think of and implement new approaches when considering training methods.
***Instructional skills.*** Training and development specialists deliver employee training programs. They must have strong training skills to meet the learning needs of a particular group.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Training and Development SpecialistsMedian annual wages, May 2023Business operations specialists$78,500  Training and development specialists$64,340  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for training and development specialists was $64,340 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,050, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $116,140.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for training and development specialists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Professional, scientific, and technical services
                $79,150Finance and insurance
                74,260Educational services; state, local, and private
                72,520Healthcare and social assistance
                61,920Administrative and support services
                53,470Most training and development specialists work full time during regular business hours.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
               Training and Development SpecialistsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Training and development specialists6%  Business operations specialists6%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of training and development specialists is projected to grow				 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 35,400 openings for training and development specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Employees in many occupations are required to take continuing education and skill development courses throughout their careers, creating demand for workers who lead training activities.
Employment of training and development specialists is projected to grow in many industries as companies develop and introduce new media and technology into their training programs. Innovations in training methods and learning technology should continue throughout the next decade.
In addition, some organizations meet their employees’ needs by outsourcing instruction to firms that specialize in training and development.
			

                        Employment projections data for     training and development specialists, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Training and development specialists**
			13-1151
			385,800
			409,900
			6
			24,200
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Training and development specialists **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of training and development specialists. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Career and Technical Education Teachers**
            Career and technical education teachers instruct students in various technical and vocational subjects, such as auto repair, healthcare, and culinary arts.
            Bachelor's degree
            $63,580**Compensation and Benefits Managers**
            Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.
            Bachelor's degree
            $136,380**Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists**
            Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists oversee wage and nonwage programs that an organization provides to its employees in return for their work. They also evaluate position descriptions to determine details such as classification and salary.
            Bachelor's degree
            $74,530**Human Resources Managers**
            Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization.
            Bachelor's degree
            $136,350**Human Resources Specialists**
            Human resources specialists recruit, screen, and interview job applicants and place newly hired workers in jobs. They also may handle compensation and benefits, training, and employee relations.
            Bachelor's degree
            $67,650**Instructional Coordinators**
            Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, implement it, and assess its effectiveness.
            Master's degree
            $74,620**Labor Relations Specialists**
            Labor relations specialists resolve employee-management disputes and negotiate labor contracts.
            Bachelor's degree
            $89,980**Project Management Specialists**
            Project management specialists coordinate the budget, schedule, staffing, and other details of a project.
            Bachelor's degree
            $98,580**School and Career Counselors and Advisors**
            School counselors help students develop academic and social skills. Career counselors and advisors help people choose a path to employment.
            Master's degree
            $61,710**Training and Development Managers**
            Training and development managers plan, coordinate, and direct skills- and knowledge-enhancement programs for an organization’s staff.
            Bachelor's degree
            $125,040
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about training and development specialists, visit
Association for Talent Development (ATD)
International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI)

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Training and Development Specialists
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Training and Development Specialists, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/training-and-development-specialists.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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