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Talent agent: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$82,890median pay per year, or $39.85 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $48,010lowest 10% earn less
  2. $63,67025th percentile
  3. $82,890median
  4. $146,43075th percentile
  5. $284,570top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Talent agents and business managers had a median pay of $82,890 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2035[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+9.7%[2]
Openings per year
2,400[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do talent agents make?

BLS counts talent agents in the category Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes. In May 2025 the median pay was $82,890 a year, or $39.85 an hour[1]. Half the workers were paid more than that and half were paid less. For all occupations the median was $50,980[5].

The average (mean) wage was $141,580 a year, or $68.07 an hour[8]. The median and the average count different things. The median is the middle worker. The average adds up all wages and divides by the number of workers.

Pay varies a lot in this job. Here is the spread:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][9] $48,010 $23.08
25th[4][9] $63,670 $30.61
Median[1] $82,890 $39.85
75th[4][9] $146,430 $70.40
90th[4][9] $284,570 $136.81

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,010[4]. A percentile wage is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. That matters here, because 45.4% of these workers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

BLS published median pay for 17 states[13]. Florida came first at $98,200, followed by California at $98,110 and Colorado at $95,530[13]. Colorado had only 80 jobs[13].

The most jobs were in California (4,860), New York (2,660), Florida (870) and Tennessee (730)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the top median at $103,730, followed by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach at $100,650[15]. The most jobs were in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (4,120) and New York-Newark-Jersey City (2,490)[16].

Show median pay in 17 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Florida[13]$98,200870
California$98,1104,860
Colorado$95,53080
Texas$82,920320
Michigan$82,440n/a
New Hampshire$81,69040
Connecticut$81,470170
New Jersey$81,190170
New York$79,6202,660
Arkansas$78,56030
Ohio$76,790100
Tennessee$75,390730
Wisconsin$74,99040
Washington$74,620120
Virginia$73,400110
Arizona$60,340160
Illinois$56,560n/a

How to become a talent agent

BLS describes this typical path[7]:

In an ONET survey of 22 workers, 41% said a bachelor's degree is required, 38% said a high school diploma or equivalent and 17% said a master's degree[17]. ONET places the job in Job Zone Four, which means a considerable amount of preparation is needed[18].

Our sources do not list a required license or exam for this job.

What talent agents do

Workers in this group represent and promote artists, performers and athletes with employers[19]. Some also handle contracts and other business matters for clients[19]. Job titles that workers report include booking agent, literary agent and athlete marketing agent[20]. Typical tasks include[21]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 26,900 to 29,500 jobs[2]. For all occupations the projected growth is 3.5%[3]. These counts include the self-employed. The OEWS count of 12,620 jobs covers only wage and salary jobs[22].

BLS expects about 2,400 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that appear when workers retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year 2.7% of workers leave the labor force and 4.8% move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with a median above the all-occupations median and a very wide pay range[1][5][4]. The typical entry path is a bachelor's degree plus some related experience[7]. Growth is projected to be faster than for all occupations[2][3]. Nearly half of workers are self-employed, so published wage figures describe only part of the field[12][11]. Our sources do not say how long it takes to qualify.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a talent agent make an hour?
The median was $39.85 an hour in May 2025[1]. The average was $68.07 an hour[8].
What degree do you need to be a talent agent?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7].
Is talent agent work in demand?
BLS projects 9.7% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 2,400 openings a year are expected[6].
What is the highest paying state for talent agents?
Among 17 states with published data, Florida had the top median at $98,200, just ahead of California at $98,110[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes in the US was $82,890 per year and $39.85 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes is projected to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 26,900 to 29,500 jobs (a change of +2,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: 10th percentile $48,010, 25th percentile $63,670, 75th percentile $146,430, 90th percentile $284,570. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,400 openings for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes was $141,580 per year and $68.07 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: 10th percentile $23.08, 25th percentile $30.61, 75th percentile $70.40, 90th percentile $136.81. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 45.4% of Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes jobs: California 4,860; New York 2,660; Florida 870; Tennessee 730; Texas 320. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $103,730; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $100,650; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $98,930; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $97,750; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $83,820; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $83,360; Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $75,390; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $74,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,120 (median $97,750); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,490 (median $83,820); Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 630 (median $75,390); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 500 (median $100,650); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 320 (median $57,410); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 180 (median $103,730). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 13-1011.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 41%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 38%, Master's Degree 17% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 13-1011.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET description of Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 13-1011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Agent, Athlete Marketing Agent, Booker, Booking Agent, Entertainment Specialist, Literary Agent, Print Agent, Talent Agent. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET task list for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes. O*NET OnLine
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,620 people were employed as Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: 2.7% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.