Business and finance
Training and development specialists
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 pay
$69,280
Growth to 2035
+11%
faster than average
Openings a year
46,000
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Training and development specialists
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
Calculate your switch to training and development specialists
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Training and development specialists: 39% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Monitor, evaluate, or record training activities or program effectiveness.
- Design, plan, organize, or direct orientation and training programs for employees or customers.
- Develop alternative training methods if expected improvements are not seen.
Also called: 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
Outlook and AI
Training and development specialists held 472,500 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 523,700 by 2035 (+11%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as demand for continuous training increases due to accelerating technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) in the labor market.
Compare with
- Training and development specialists vs. Training and development managers
- Training and development specialists vs. Instructional coordinator
- Training and development specialists vs. Management analyst
- Training and development specialists vs. Industrial-organizational psychologist
- Training and development specialists vs. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Training and development specialists vs. Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Training and development specialists vs. Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
- Training and development specialists vs. Human resources specialist
- Training and development specialists vs. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Training and development specialists vs. Personal service managers, all other