How to Become a Training and Development Specialist
Design and deliver the programs that help employees learn new skills and organizations perform better. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $69,280 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$69,280/yr
Middle half
$50,110 to $95,050
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
43,900
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Instructional Design
- Facilitation
- Learning Strategies
- Speaking
- Program Evaluation
Helpful certifications
- APTD/CPTD (ATD talent development)
- SHRM-CP
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
62/100
Work-life balance
59/100
Stress level
49/100
Related careers
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Training and Development Specialist make?
The median pay for a Training and Development Specialist is $69,280 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $50,110 and $95,050 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Training and Development Specialist?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Human Resources, Education, Communications, Psychology, and Business Administration.
Is Training and Development Specialist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 43,900 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Training and Development Specialist use most?
Common skills for this role are Instructional Design, Facilitation, Learning Strategies, Speaking, and Program Evaluation.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).