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Training & Development Specialist

$69,280
median / year
$38,760 – $123,250
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Design and run training programs that teach employees new skills and onboard new hires.

You may also see this posted as: Corporate Trainer, Job Training Specialist, Learning and Development Specialist (L and D Specialist), Training Specialist, Computer Training Specialist, Leadership Development Specialist.

Where you work

Corporate offices and training rooms.

The hours

Regular full-time weekday schedule

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • 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.

Good fit if you like…

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

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

DependabilitySocial OrientationInnovationCooperation

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
$69,280
per year
Hourly median
$33.31
per hour
What most earn
$38,760–$123,250
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~43,900
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+10.8%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
458,300
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.

BLS estimates 0.5% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

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.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years.

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

Curriculum designPresentingAssessmentCommunication

The honest take

A growing role as employers keep reskilling staff, and a bridge into HR leadership.

Standard Occupational Classification 13-1151. 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.