How much does a training specialist make?
a year · about $33 an hour
A typical training specialist in the United States makes $69,280 a year, about $33 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They ask managers and workers what they need to learn, then build slides, videos, or hands-on exercises. They lead a classroom or online session, watch people practice, and check whether the lesson worked.
Did you know? A training specialist’s “classroom” can be a pretend scenario: O*NET lists role-playing and simulations as ways to teach workers, not just lectures.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $38,760 and $123,250How do you become one?
In the US, most earn a bachelor’s degree in HR, business, education, psychology, or communications and gain related experience in teaching or HR. Some employers accept extensive training experience instead; certificates are usually optional.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can differ with experience and useful certificates, though certificates are usually optional. The employer’s industry and location matter too, and most specialists work regular business hours.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Delaware ($88,570), lowest in Arkansas ($52,290).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $38,760 | $69,280 | $123,250 | about 458,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $88,570 | about 2,000 |
| Alaska | $81,860 | about 530 |
| Washington | $81,860 | about 8,000 |
| District of Columbia | $80,980 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $80,270 | about 12,000 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary” (25-1194) and “Other Teachers and Instructors” (25-3000). Flight instructors are included with “Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers” (53-2010).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/training-and-development-specialists.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1151.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes131151.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY