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Development manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$133,000median pay per year, or $63.94 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $79,550lowest 10% earn less
  2. $101,85025th percentile
  3. $133,000median
  4. $176,87075th percentile
  5. $233,600top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Training and development managers earned a median of $133,000 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects 6.4% job growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+6.4%[2]
Openings per year
4,100[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do development managers make?

The median wage for training and development managers was $133,000 a year, or $63.94 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $148,370 a year, or $71.33 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $79,550 a year, and the 90th percentile was $233,600[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][10] $79,550 $38.24
25th[4][10] $101,850 $48.97
Median[1] $133,000 $63.94
75th[4][10] $176,870 $85.04
90th[4][10] $233,600 $112.31

These figures cover wage and salary workers, part time and full time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 47 states and DC with published data, Delaware had the highest median wage at $172,340[12]. New York followed at $171,400[12] and Washington at $163,360[12]. Mississippi had the lowest at $88,030[12].

The most jobs were in California (6,680), Texas (6,190) and Florida (3,550)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $230,020[14]. Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT ($175,470) and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ($173,810) came next[14]. The New York area also had the most jobs at 3,520, then Dallas-Fort Worth at 2,150[15].

Show median pay in 47 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Delaware[12]$172,34070
New York$171,4003,500
Washington$163,360720
New Jersey$160,5401,540
California$156,2606,680
Connecticut$145,070630
District of Columbia$141,710210
New Hampshire$141,360260
Colorado$139,980850
Virginia$137,5201,050
Georgia$132,1201,480
Minnesota$131,680760
Illinois$130,6101,830
Kansas$130,330230
Alabama$128,750150
Ohio$128,440990
Idaho$128,120190
Oregon$126,570510
North Carolina$126,2002,020
Arizona$125,7701,190
Vermont$124,990n/a
New Mexico$124,290180
Texas$124,2806,190
South Dakota$124,15050
Wisconsin$123,640600
Utah$122,630450
Pennsylvania$122,1501,480
Maryland$121,9201,250
Tennessee$121,030840
South Carolina$119,460610
Michigan$118,630900
Florida$118,2903,550
Maine$117,170130
Rhode Island$116,590100
North Dakota$114,02050
Hawaii$113,400160
Kentucky$112,750460
Missouri$109,250400
Iowa$108,330290
Louisiana$107,670330
Nebraska$105,710440
Alaska$105,43080
Indiana$105,130690
Oklahoma$104,020400
Arkansas$101,830210
Nevada$99,110620
Montana$98,95070
Mississippi$88,030200

How to become a development manager

In an O*NET survey of 28 workers, 71% said a bachelor's degree was required and 21% said a master's degree[19]. Because the survey is small, treat these as survey answers, not a count of all workers.

Certification is not required. It may show expertise, and some employers prefer it or require it for certain positions[20]. Skills the Handbook stresses include business knowledge, working with teams, clear communication and critical thinking[21][22][23][24].

What development managers do

O*NET describes the job as planning, directing and coordinating an organization's training and development activities and staff[25]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report titles such as Learning Manager, Training and Development Director and Organizational Development Manager[27].

Where they work

Training and development managers typically work in offices, and some travel between a main office and regional offices or training facilities[28]. Full-time work during regular business hours is typical, and some work more than 40 hours a week[29]. Professional, scientific and technical services is the largest employer, at 13% of jobs[30]. Only 0.4% were self-employed in 2025[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 50,200 jobs to 53,500[2]. These counts include self-employed workers. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[3].

BLS projects about 4,100 openings a year[6]. These include jobs left by people who stop working or switch occupations, not only new jobs. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5% move to a different occupation[32].

For comparison, training and development specialists are projected to grow 10.8% and human resources managers 5.5%[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a well-paid job, with a median of $133,000 against $50,980 for all occupations[1][5]. Getting in takes a bachelor's degree and 5 years or more of related experience[7], so it is more often a step up than a first job. Growth is projected to outpace the national rate[2][3]. The work centers on analyzing training needs and running programs[26].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a training and development manager make an hour?
The median was $63.94 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $71.33[1][8].
What degree do you need to be a training and development manager?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical entry education[7]. Some jobs ask for a master's degree[18].
How much experience do you need?
BLS lists 5 years or more of related work experience as typical[7].
Is training and development management in demand?
BLS projects 6.4% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 4,100 openings a year are projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for training and development managers?
Delaware, with a median of $172,340, followed by New York at $171,400[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Training and Development Managers in the US was $133,000 per year and $63.94 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Training and Development Managers is projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 50,200 to 53,500 jobs (a change of +3,200). 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 Training and Development Managers: 10th percentile $79,550, 25th percentile $101,850, 75th percentile $176,870, 90th percentile $233,600. 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 4,100 openings for Training and Development Managers 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 Training and Development Managers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: 5 years or more; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Training and Development Managers was $148,370 per year and $71.33 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. 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
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Training and Development Managers: 10th percentile $38.24, 25th percentile $48.97, 75th percentile $85.04, 90th percentile $112.31. 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. Median annual wage for Training and Development Managers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Training and Development Managers jobs: California 6,680; Texas 6,190; Florida 3,550; New York 3,500; North Carolina 2,020. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Training and Development Managers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $230,020; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $175,470; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $173,810; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $173,530; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $170,050; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $168,240; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $148,860; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $144,370. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Training and Development Managers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,520 (median $173,810); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,150 (median $128,110); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,080 (median $142,180); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,440 (median $133,800); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,230 (median $126,890); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 1,110 (median $173,530). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. O*NET 11-3131.00 survey of workers (28 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 71%, Master's Degree 21%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. O*NET description of Training and Development Managers. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Training and Development Managers. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET 11-3131.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Education and Development Manager, L and D Director (Learning and Development Director), Learning Manager, Organizational Development Manager (OD Manager), Staff Development Director, Staff Training and Development Manager, Training and Development Coordinator (T and D Coordinator), Training and Development Director (T and D Director). O*NET OnLine
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of training and development managers in 2025: Professional, scientific, and technical services 13%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections: 0.4% of Training and Development Managers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Training and Development Managers: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. 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.