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Corporate trainer: 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.

$69,280median pay per year, or $33.31 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,760lowest 10% earn less
  2. $50,11025th percentile
  3. $69,280median
  4. $95,05075th percentile
  5. $123,250top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Training and development specialists, the official BLS category that covers a corporate trainer, earned a median of $69,280 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow faster than the rate for all occupations over the next ten years[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+10.8%[2]
Openings per year
46,000[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do corporate trainers make?

BLS groups corporate trainers under Training and Development Specialists. O*NET lists job titles such as Learning and Development Specialist and Leadership Development Specialist[8]. In May 2025 the median wage was $69,280 a year, or $33.31 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $75,550 a year, or $36.32 an hour[9]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,760 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $123,250[4]. BLS says a percentile is a boundary and that it does not publish a starting salary[10].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][11] $38,760 $18.64
25th[4][11] $50,110 $24.09
Median[1] $69,280 $33.31
75th[4][11] $95,050 $45.70
90th[4][11] $123,250 $59.26

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms, and they do not count bonuses or benefits[12]. About 0.6% of these specialists were self-employed in 2025[13].

Pay by state and city

BLS published median wages for 50 states and DC[14]. Delaware was first at $88,570, followed by New Hampshire at $86,050[14]. Alaska and Washington were tied next at $81,860[14]. Arkansas was last at $52,290[14].

Texas had the most jobs, with 46,630, just ahead of California with 46,530[15]. Florida had 34,130, New York 27,460 and North Carolina 20,220[15].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Dothan, AL had the highest median at $120,020, followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $104,770 and Kennewick-Richland, WA at $98,280[16]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, with 22,190 and a median of $79,840[17].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Delaware[14]$88,5701,590
New Hampshire$86,050n/a
Alaska$81,860530
Washington$81,8608,130
District of Columbia$80,9801,900
Massachusetts$80,27012,190
Connecticut$78,0803,650
Vermont$77,800750
Virginia$77,69015,570
New Jersey$77,0209,210
Minnesota$76,7109,650
Maryland$76,3709,800
Oregon$76,3605,190
New York$76,08027,460
Rhode Island$75,9101,130
California$75,79046,530
Colorado$75,79012,100
Florida$71,99034,130
Pennsylvania$71,35014,780
Wisconsin$70,7709,360
Wyoming$69,380550
Illinois$67,38015,140
Georgia$67,32016,200
Arizona$67,140n/a
Iowa$66,1104,670
Nebraska$65,7003,650
Maine$65,6801,600
North Carolina$65,25020,220
West Virginia$64,9601,710
Ohio$64,78017,690
Alabama$64,4903,000
Michigan$64,35010,640
North Dakota$63,260670
South Carolina$63,0706,960
New Mexico$62,9002,190
Montana$62,880900
Texas$62,86046,630
Tennessee$62,2809,370
Kansas$62,0105,150
Idaho$61,7202,430
South Dakota$61,570520
Kentucky$61,3906,090
Nevada$61,3503,440
Indiana$61,0508,450
Oklahoma$61,0405,440
Hawaii$60,9601,200
Utah$60,9006,140
Missouri$58,670n/a
Louisiana$58,0703,030
Mississippi$53,6802,820
Arkansas$52,2903,880

How to become a corporate trainer

People without a bachelor's degree sometimes qualify if they have experience developing and delivering training. Employers may want a lot of that experience, in their own industry[21]. Employers may hire a candidate with a master's degree instead of work experience[22].

In an O*NET survey of 23 workers, 78% said a bachelor's degree is required[23].

With several years of experience, specialists may advance to training and development manager or human resources manager[24].

What training and development specialists do

O*NET says they design or run work-related training programs to improve skills or organizational performance[25]. Typical tasks include:

The handbook lists analytical, communication, collaboration and creativity skills as important qualities[27][28][29][30].

Where they work

These specialists spend a lot of their hours with other people, presenting and leading training sessions[31]. They may need to travel to training sites[31]. Full-time work during regular business hours is typical[32]. Healthcare and social assistance was the largest employing industry, with 12% of jobs[33].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 10.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 472,500 to 523,700 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[3]. The projection counts self-employed workers, while the wage survey counted about 458,300 wage and salary jobs[34][2].

About 46,000 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year 3.1% of workers leave the labor force and 5.1% move to a different occupation[35]. BLS names growing demand for ongoing training, driven by fast technology change such as AI, as a factor[36].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe an occupation that typically needs a bachelor's degree and some related work experience[7]. Median pay is above the all-occupations median, though the spread between the lower and upper ends is wide[1][5][4]. Growth is projected to be faster than average[2][3]. The work involves a lot of time with people, presenting and leading sessions[31].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[37].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a corporate trainer make a year?
Training and development specialists had a median wage of $69,280 a year in May 2025, and the average was $75,550[1][9].
How much does a corporate trainer make an hour?
The median hourly wage was $33.31 and the average was $36.32[1][9].
What degree do you need to be a corporate trainer?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7]. The handbook says it is often in a business field such as human resources[18].
Are training and development specialists in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 10.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 46,000 openings a year[2][3][6].
What is the highest paying state for training and development specialists?
Delaware had the highest median among states, at $88,570[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Training and Development Specialists in the US was $69,280 per year and $33.31 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Training and Development Specialists is projected to grow 10.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 472,500 to 523,700 jobs (a change of +51,100). 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 Specialists: 10th percentile $38,760, 25th percentile $50,110, 75th percentile $95,050, 90th percentile $123,250. 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 46,000 openings for Training and Development Specialists 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 Specialists: 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. O*NET 13-1151.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Computer Training Specialist, Corporate Trainer, Job Training Specialist, Leadership Development Specialist, Learning and Development Consultant, Learning and Development Specialist (L and D Specialist), Management Development Specialist, Trainer. O*NET OnLine
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Training and Development Specialists was $75,550 per year and $36.32 per hour. 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, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Training and Development Specialists: 10th percentile $18.64, 25th percentile $24.09, 75th percentile $45.70, 90th percentile $59.26. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. BLS Employment Projections: 0.6% of Training and Development Specialists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  14. Median annual wage for Training and Development Specialists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Training and Development Specialists jobs: Texas 46,630; California 46,530; Florida 34,130; New York 27,460; North Carolina 20,220. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Training and Development Specialists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Dothan, AL $120,020; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $104,770; Kennewick-Richland, WA $98,280; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $95,050; Lexington Park, MD $94,440; Casper, WY $94,070; Decatur, AL $93,230; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $89,550. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Training and Development Specialists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 22,190 (median $79,840); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 15,030 (median $71,990); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 12,930 (median $71,010); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 11,490 (median $82,400); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 10,940 (median $67,050); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 10,280 (median $71,330). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 13-1151.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 78%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 9%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 9% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. O*NET description of Training and Development Specialists. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Training and Development Specialists. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of training and development specialists in 2025: Healthcare and social assistance 12%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 458,300 people were employed as Training and Development Specialists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Training and Development Specialists: 3.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Training and Development Specialists: Demand change - share increases as demand for continuous training increases due to accelerating technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) in the labor market. BLS Employment Projections
  37. 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.