# Training and Development Managers

US SOC code 11-3131. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/11-3131

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **48,050** US training and development managers, with median pay of **$133,000** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2012, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [a BLS Current Population Survey count](https://www.bls.gov/cps/detocc19902002.pdf) of **56,000** from 1990, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for training and development managers: Modern LMS ecosystem, 2005 to 2020.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay, highest count); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-3131&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

### AI exposure studies

- **47.7%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv) (Official statistic)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Training and Development Managers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1872
- Latest US employment: 48,050 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [2]
- Latest US median pay: $133,000 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Outlook: +6.4% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [15]

### All 17 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1990 | 56,000 | n/a | BLS CPS 1990 [1] |
| 2010 | 28,070 | $89,170 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [2] |
| 2011 | 27,150 | $91,740 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [2] |
| 2012 | 27,350 | $95,400 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [2] |
| 2013 | 28,340 | $98,810 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [2] |
| 2014 | 29,870 | $101,930 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [2] |
| 2015 | 31,430 | $102,640 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [2] |
| 2016 | 32,880 | $105,830 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [2] |
| 2017 | 34,500 | $108,250 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [2] |
| 2018 | 35,690 | $111,340 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [2] |
| 2019 | 38,510 | $113,350 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [2] |
| 2020 | 38,710 | $115,640 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [2] |
| 2021 | 35,830 | $120,130 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [2] |
| 2022 | 39,550 | $120,000 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [2] |
| 2023 | 41,540 | $125,040 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [2] |
| 2024 | 44,960 | $127,090 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [2] |
| 2025 | 48,050 | $133,000 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [2] |

## Sources (57)

### Employment series

1. [BLS CPS annual averages 1990: "Personnel, Training, and Labor Relations Managers" (predecessor category to SOC 11-3131); training director share estimated at approximately 15-20% of the broader HR management cluster](https://www.bls.gov/cps/detocc19902002.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics
2. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

4. [AllenComm -- "The History and Development of Customized Corporate Training" (2021): Hoe and Company 1872 factory school as first documented workplace training classroom](https://www.allencomm.com/2021/04/customized-corporate-training/), AllenComm
5. [CorporateTrainingMaterials.com -- "Looking Back: A Brief History of the Corporate Training Industry": NCR 1887 first sales training manual and Allen four-step model](https://corporatetrainingmaterials.com/blogs/using-our-materials/looking-back-a-brief-history-of-the-corporate-training-industry), CorporateTrainingMaterials.com
6. [Wikipedia -- Training Within Industry: history, J-programs, "over 1.6 million workers in over 16,500 plants" certification, post-WWII legacy in Japan and Toyota Production System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Training_Within_Industry), Wikipedia
7. [Lean.org -- Training Within Industry (TWI) lexicon entry: founding under War Manpower Commission 1940, three J-programs, Job Instruction card, kaizen inheritance](https://www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/training-within-industry-twi/), Lean Enterprise Institute
8. [Instructional Design Central -- "Instructional Design History": Robert Glaser 1962, behaviorism, cognitive science integration into corporate training design](https://www.instructionaldesigncentral.com/instructional-design-history), Instructional Design Central
9. [Gyrus.com -- "History and Evolution of Learning Management Systems": CD-ROM CBT in 1980s-90s, early web-based LMS, corporate LMS adoption in 2000s, SCORM standard](https://www.gyrus.com/blogs/the-history-and-evolution-of-learning-management-systems/), Gyrus
10. [Research.com -- "History of eLearning: Evolution from Stenography to Modern 2026 LMS Platforms": e-learning term coinage, Skillsoft, Cornerstone, LMS market evolution from 1990s to 2000s](https://research.com/education/history-of-elearning), Research.com
11. [HRTech Edge -- "2024 State of the Industry Report: Workplace Learning Spending Increases and Key Insights": ATD 2024 data, $1,283/employee average spend in 2023, 17.4 average formal learning hours](https://hrtechedge.com/employee-engagement/2024-state-of-the-industry-report-workplace-learning-spending-increases-and-key-insights/), HRTech Edge / ATD
12. [Josh Bersin -- "The $340 Billion Corporate Learning Industry Is Poised For Disruption" (2024): LMS market scale, LinkedIn Learning acquisition of Lynda.com, modern L&D platform landscape](https://joshbersin.com/2024/03/the-340-billion-corporate-learning-industry-is-poised-for-disruption/), Josh Bersin Company
13. [WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025: "59 out of 100 workers expected to need training by 2030"; skill gaps identified as the single largest barrier to business transformation by 63% of employers](https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf), World Economic Forum
14. [eLearning Industry -- "How Generative AI is Shaping the Future of L&D in 2025": AI course authoring, hyper-personalized learning experiences, AI copilots for learners and L&D teams](https://elearningindustry.com/how-generative-ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-ld-in-2025), eLearning Industry

### Forecasts and exposure studies

15. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 11-3131 Training and development managers (2025: 50.2 thousand; 2035: 53.5 thousand; +6.4%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-3131&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
16. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 11-3131.00, human-rated β 0.477)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

17. [AllenComm -- "The History and Development of Customized Corporate Training" (2021): Hoe and Company 1872 factory school](https://www.allencomm.com/2021/04/customized-corporate-training/), AllenComm
18. [CorporateTrainingMaterials.com -- "Looking Back: A Brief History of the Corporate Training Industry": NCR 1887 first sales training manual](https://corporatetrainingmaterials.com/blogs/using-our-materials/looking-back-a-brief-history-of-the-corporate-training-industry), CorporateTrainingMaterials.com
19. [Wikipedia -- Training Within Industry: founding, J-programs, 1.6 million certifications, post-WWII Japan influence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Training_Within_Industry), Wikipedia
20. [Wikipedia -- Association for Talent Development: founding 1943 Baton Rouge, first board meeting, name changes 1964 and 2014, 120-country membership](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_for_Talent_Development), Wikipedia
21. [Gyrus.com -- "History and Evolution of Learning Management Systems": early LMS in higher education late 1990s, SCORM standard, corporate adoption in 2000s](https://www.gyrus.com/blogs/the-history-and-evolution-of-learning-management-systems/), Gyrus
22. [ATD press release -- "ASTD Announces Name Change" (May 6, 2014): rebrand from American Society for Training and Development to Association for Talent Development](https://www.td.org/content/press-release/astd-announces-name-change), Association for Talent Development
23. [Training Industry -- "Learning and Development, Reimagined in a Post-COVID World: Challenges and Opportunities": over half of L&D professionals retooled programs in response to pandemic; virtual pivot, remote learning expansion](https://trainingindustry.com/articles/strategy-alignment-and-planning/learning-and-development-reimagined-in-a-post-covid-world-challenges-and-opportunities-cptm/), Training Industry

### Predecessors & successors

24. [AllenComm -- "The History and Development of Customized Corporate Training" (2021): Hoe and Company 1872 factory school origin of workplace training profession](https://www.allencomm.com/2021/04/customized-corporate-training/), AllenComm
25. [Wikipedia -- Training Within Industry: 1.6 million certified workers, WWII-era corps of professional trainers who transitioned to peacetime corporate training roles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Training_Within_Industry), Wikipedia

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.