Middle School Teacher
Median wage · national
$64,370
Range: $59K – $80K
Employed
620K
Openings/yr
39K
Typically: bachelor's degree
Training & Development Specialist
Projected to grow +10.8% through 2035, Training & Development Specialist is expanding faster than most occupations. Median pay is $69,280, and early movers in a growing field often advance faster.
About Training & Development Specialist
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a training & development specialist: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Teacher Education (K-12) and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.
- Median Wage
- $69,280
- Employed Nationally
- 458K
- Openings / Year
- 46,000
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Applications Trainer
Apprenticeship and Training Representative
Auxiliary Personnel Inservice Coordinator
Bilingual Trainer
Certified EPIC Trainer (Certified Electronic Privacy Information Center Trainer)
How Much Do Training & Development Specialists Make?
Most training & development specialists take home around $69,280 a year, about what a typical college graduate makes. Half earn somewhere between $50,110 and $95,050, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$69,280
National Median (Annual)
Near the national median for college graduates.
$50K–$95K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$50,110
Entry-level
$69,280
Median
$95,050
Experienced
What Do Training & Development Specialists Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Present information with a variety of instructional techniques or formats, such as role playing, simulations, team exercises, group discussions, videos, or lectures.
- Obtain, organize, or develop training procedure manuals, guides, or course materials, such as handouts or visual materials.
- Evaluate modes of training delivery, such as in-person or virtual, to optimize training effectiveness, training costs, or environmental impacts.
- Offer specific training programs to help workers maintain or improve job skills.
- Assess training needs through surveys, interviews with employees, focus groups, or consultation with managers, instructors, or customer representatives.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Speaking
Instructing
Learning Strategies
Social Perceptiveness
Active Listening
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
Where Do Training & Development Specialists Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Training & Development Specialists?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +10.8%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 46,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +10.8%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Faster than average.
46,000
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
458K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Training & Development Specialist professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $69,280 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 46,630 | $62,860 | -9.3% |
| 2 | California | 46,530 | $75,790 | +9.4% |
| 3 | Florida | 34,130 | $71,990 | +3.9% |
| 4 | New York | 27,460 | $76,080 | +9.8% |
| 5 | North Carolina | 20,220 | $65,250 | -5.8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 5 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Counseling Psychology program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teacher Education (K-12) | 106,652 | $47,382 | 1,894 |
| 2 | Counseling Psychology | 39,326 | $50,523 | 799 |
| 3 | Human Resources | 25,350 | $68,069 | 812 |
| 4 | Public Relations | 20,666 | $63,560 | 608 |
| 5 | Educational Assessment | 8,912 | $55,308 | 385 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Training & Development Specialists
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 6 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Training & Development Specialist, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Training & Development Specialist pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Training & Development Specialist Pros & Cons
The data on Training & Development Specialist shows 3 measurable strengths and 3 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Competitive salary $69,280 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- Fast-growing field At +10.8% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
- Wide job market 458K professionals are employed in this field, large enough to offer geographic flexibility and multiple entry paths.
CONS
- High earnings variance The gap between the 25th ($50,110) and 75th ($95,050) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, location, and specialization.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $69,280 median while building the experience employers require.
- Entry-level pay well below the national median The 25th percentile wage of $50,110 is considerably below the $69,280 median. Early-career workers typically spend 5 or more years building toward typical pay. Factor this into any program ROI calculation.
Training & Development Specialist Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Training & Development Specialist professionals earn?
Around $69,280 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $50,110 and $95,050. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Training & Development Specialist a good career?
For people genuinely interested in the work, yes. At $69,280 median, with +10.8% projected growth through 2035, there is a real financial case and a stable market for new entrants. Compare program net price against local salary outcomes (not just the national median) before committing.
How long does it take to work as Training & Development Specialists?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Teacher Education (K-12) are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $69,280 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Training & Development Specialist?
Employment is projected to change by +10.8% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 46,000 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 458K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Training & Development Specialist professionals need?
Mainly Speaking, Instructing, Learning Strategies, Social Perceptiveness, and Active Listening. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Colleges
Discover 3,811 verified US colleges and universities. Compare admissions, costs, outcomes, and earnings across every accredited institution nationwide.
Majors
Explore 38 fields of study spanning STEM, health, business, and the humanities. See earnings, top programs, and demand.
Programs
Browse 375 specific degree programs. See completion counts, earnings outcomes, and the colleges awarding the most graduates each year.
Careers
Look up 395 BLS occupations. Get median wages, growth projections, education requirements, and the majors leading to each career.