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Business & 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 salary (BLS)

$69,280

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$39k – $123k

Job outlook

+11% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $112,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Training and Development Specialists

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

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How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$40,500–$153,000

Time to qualify

4.5 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Industry certification (optional for many roles)

    Certification

    Role-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.

    $500–$3,000 · 6 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Training and Development Specialists" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Training and Development Specialists Intern

    Internship

    $36,000

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Training and Development Specialists

    Entry / Junior

    $38,760

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Training and Development Specialists

    Established

    $69,280

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Training and Development Specialists

    Senior

    $96,265

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Business & Finance

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.