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Training and Development Managers

Summary

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Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ds5MUyF6Lw.
Quick Facts: Training and Development Managers
2023 Median Pay $125,040 per year
$60.12 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation 5 years or more
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2023 43,200
Job Outlook, 2023-33 7% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2023-33 3,200

What Training and Development Managers Do

Training and development managers plan, coordinate, and direct skills- and knowledge-enhancement programs for an organization’s staff.

Work Environment

Training and development managers work in nearly every industry. They typically work full time, spending much of their day with people. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become a Training and Development Manager

Training and development managers typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree and related work experience.

Pay

The median annual wage for training and development managers was $125,040 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of training and development managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 3,600 openings for training and development managers 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 managers.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of training and development managers with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about training and development managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Training and Development Managers Do About this section

Training and development managers
Training and development managers teach training methods to specialists.

Training and development managers plan, coordinate, and direct skills- and knowledge-enhancement programs for an organization’s staff.

Duties

Training and development managers typically do the following:

  • Oversee training and development staff
  • Assess employees’ needs for training
  • Align training with the organization’s goals
  • Create and manage training budgets
  • Develop and implement training programs
  • Review and select training materials from a variety of vendors
  • Update training programs to ensure that they are relevant
  • Teach training methods and skills to instructors and supervisors
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and instructors

Training and development managers oversee training programs, staff, and budgets. They are responsible for creating or selecting course content and materials for training programs. Training may be in the form of a video, self-guided instructional manual, or online application and delivered in person or through a computer or other hand-held electronic device. Training also may be collaborative, with employees informally connecting with experts, mentors, and colleagues, often through social media or other online medium. Managers must ensure that training methods, content, software, systems, and equipment are appropriate.

Training and development managers typically supervise a staff of training and development specialists, such as instructional designers, program developers, and instructors. Managers teach training methods to specialists who, in turn, instruct the organization’s employees—both new and experienced. Managers direct the daily activities of specialists and evaluate their effectiveness. Although training and development managers primarily oversee specialists and program operations, some also conduct training courses.

Training and development managers often confer with managers of other departments to identify training needs. They may work with top executives and financial managers to identify and match training priorities with overall business goals. They may also prepare training budgets and ensure that expenses stay within budget.

Work Environment About this section

training and development managers image
Training and development managers may meet with training vendors to choose training materials.

Training and development managers held about 43,200 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of training and development managers were as follows:

Management of companies and enterprises 13%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12
Educational services; state, local, and private 11
Healthcare and social assistance 9
Finance and insurance 9

Training and development managers typically work in offices. Some travel between a main office and regional offices or training facilities. They spend much of their time working with people and overseeing training activities.

Work Schedules

Most training and development managers work full time during regular business hours. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become a Training and Development Manager About this section

Training and development managers
Most candidates need a combination of education and related work experience to become a training and development manager.

Candidates typically need a combination of education and related work experience to become a training and development manager. Although many positions require a bachelor’s degree, some jobs require a master’s degree.

Education

Many positions require training and development managers to have a bachelor’s degree, but some jobs require a master’s degree. Although training and development managers come from a variety of educational backgrounds, these workers commonly have a bachelor’s degree in business, communications, social science, or a related field.

Some employers prefer or require training and development managers to have a master’s degree with a concentration in training and development, human resources management, organizational development, or business administration (MBA).

Training and development managers may also benefit from studying instructional design, behavioral psychology, or educational psychology.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Related work experience is essential for training and development managers. Many positions require work experience in management, teaching, or training and development or another human resources field. For example, some training and development managers start out as training and development specialists. Some employers also prefer experience in the industry in which the company operates.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although it is not required for training and development managers, certification may show professional expertise. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have certification, and some positions require it.

Many professional associations for human resources professionals offer classes to enhance the skills of their members. Some associations, including the Association for Talent Development and the International Society for Performance Improvement, specialize in training and development and offer certification programs. The Society for Human Resource Management offers general human resources certification.

Important Qualities

Business skills. Training and development managers must understand business operations in order to match training with business goals. They also need to be able to plan and adhere to budgets.

Collaboration skills. Training and development managers need strong interpersonal skills for working with staff, trainees, subject matter experts, and organization leaders. They accomplish much of their work through teams.

Communication skills. Training and development managers must clearly convey information to diverse audiences. They also must be able to effectively instruct their staff.

Critical-thinking skills. Training and development managers use critical-thinking skills when assessing classes, materials, and programs. They must identify the training needs of an organization and make changes and improvements as required.

Decision-making skills. Training and development managers must select or create the best training programs to meet the needs of an organization. For example, they must review available training methods and materials and choose those that best fit each program.

Collaboration skills. Training and development managers need strong interpersonal skills because delivering training programs requires working in concert with staff, trainees, subject matter experts, and the organization’s leaders. They also accomplish much of their work through teams.

Instructional skills. Training and development managers need to understand the fundamentals of teaching and lesson planning. In addition to developing training, they may lead courses or seminars.

Leadership skills. Managers are often in charge of a staff and programs. They must be able to organize, motivate, and instruct those working for them.

Pay About this section

Training and Development Managers

Median annual wages, May 2023

Operations specialties managers

$136,170

Training and development managers

$125,040

Total, all occupations

$48,060

 

The median annual wage for training and development managers was $125,040 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 $73,410, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $220,060.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for training and development managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services $149,700
Management of companies and enterprises 133,640
Finance and insurance 127,160
Healthcare and social assistance 108,060
Educational services; state, local, and private 105,660

Most training and development managers work full time during regular business hours. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

Job Outlook About this section

Training and Development Managers

Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33

Operations specialties managers

12%

Training and development managers

7%

Total, all occupations

4%

 

Employment of training and development managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 3,600 openings for training and development managers 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

In many occupations, employees are required to take continuing education and skill development courses throughout their careers, creating demand for workers who develop and provide training materials.

Innovations in training methods and learning technology are expected to continue throughout the decade, particularly for organizations with remote workers. Organizations use social media, visual simulations, mobile learning, and social networks in their training programs to engage and train employees in the most cost-effective way. Training and development managers need to continue modifying training programs, allocating budgets, and integrating these features into training programs and curriculums.

Employment projections data for training and development managers, 2023-33
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2023 Projected Employment, 2033 Change, 2023-33 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Training and development managers

11-3131 43,200 46,400 7 3,200 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

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 OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

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.org. 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 About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of training and development managers.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2023 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Career and technical education teachers 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

Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.

Bachelor's degree $136,380
compensation benefits and job analysis specialists image 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

Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization.

Bachelor's degree $136,350
Human resource specialists 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

Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop instructional material, implement it, and assess its effectiveness.

Master's degree $74,620
Postsecondary education administrators Postsecondary Education Administrators

Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities.

Master's degree $102,610
School and Career Counselors 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 specialists image Training and Development Specialists

Training and development specialists plan and administer programs that improve the skills and knowledge of their employees.

Bachelor's degree $64,340
Labor Relations Specialists

Labor relations specialists resolve employee-management disputes and negotiate labor contracts.

Bachelor's degree $89,980
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Training and Development Managers,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/training-and-development-managers.htm (visited October 08, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2023

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2023, which is the base year of the 2023-33 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2023-33

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033. The average growth rate for all occupations is 4 percent.

Employment Change, 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.