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Training & Development Manager

$133,000
median / year
$79,550 – $233,600
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Set employee-learning strategy, lead trainers, choose programs, and evaluate whether training improves performance.

You may also see this posted as: L and D Director (Learning and Development Director), Learning Manager, Training Director, Training Manager, Education and Development Manager, Organizational Development Manager (OD Manager).

Where you work

Corporate, government, healthcare, and education offices.

The hours

Usually full-time with regular schedules.

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Analyze training needs to develop new training programs or modify and improve existing programs.
  • Evaluate instructor performance and the effectiveness of training programs, providing recommendations for improvement.
  • Plan, develop, and provide training and staff development programs, using knowledge of the effectiveness of methods such as classroom training, demonstrations, on-the-job training, meetings, conferences, and workshops.
  • Confer with management and conduct surveys to identify training needs based on projected production processes, changes, and other factors.
  • Conduct orientation sessions and arrange on-the-job training for new hires.

Good fit if you like…

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

DependabilityInnovationLeadership OrientationAdaptability

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Learning management system LMSMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointAdobe Acrobat

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$133,000
per year
Hourly median
$63.94
per hour
What most earn
$79,550–$233,600
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~3,800
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+5.8%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
48,050
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree plus experience in training, HR, or management.

Related work experience: 5 years or more.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Learning strategyLeadershipProgram evaluationCommunication

The honest take

Plans how an organization teaches skills, develops leaders, and measures whether employee training works.

Standard Occupational Classification 11-3131. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.