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Job outlook for international business developers in the United States
International business developer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected international business developer job growth rate is 19% from 2018-2028.
About 150,300 new jobs for international business developers are projected over the next decade.
International business developer salaries have increased 5% for international business developers in the last 5 years.
There are over 58,614 international business developers currently employed in the United States.
There are 117,926 active international business developer job openings in the US.
The average international business developer salary is $54,629.
Are international business developer jobs in demand?
International business developer job and salary trends over time
International business developer jobs over time
International business developer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 58,614 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 6,837 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 6,676 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 60,263 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 56,897 | 0.02% |
Average international business developer salary over time
International business developer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,629 | $26.26 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $52,952 | $25.46 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $52,396 | $25.19 | --0.2% |
| 2022 | $52,487 | $25.23 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $51,931 | $24.97 | +0.7% |
International business developer jobs by state
Most common states for international business developers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 324 | 52% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 458 | 34% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 240 | 32% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 173 | 30% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 294 | 28% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,460 | 26% |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 498 | 26% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 225 | 26% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 194 | 26% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 2,555 | 25% |
| 11 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 332 | 25% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,990 | 23% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 685 | 22% |
| 14 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 646 | 22% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 629 | 22% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,241 | 21% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,240 | 19% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 389 | 19% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 205 | 19% |
| 20 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,150 | 18% |
Most common cities for international business developers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $59,260 |
International Business Developer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of international business developer experts
Georgia State University
Drexel University
Utah State University
Portland State University
Washington College
Wayne State University
Purdue University Northwest
University of Saint Mary
The Pennsylvania State University
Arizona State University
Augsburg University
Northeastern University
What general advice would you give to an International Business Developer?
Andrew Spicer: Resiliency is a particularly important skill for international business and career progression. Resiliency – the ability to recover quickly in the face of obstacles and failures – has always been a critical part of successful international assignments. The only constant of working abroad is that there will be miscommunication and mistakes. Successful international business careers depend on the ability to learn from these inevitable setbacks to improve over time. The constant change in the global business environment also leads to the demand for resiliency among international business specialists. An important role for those with a global mindset is to help companies adapt to the massive disruption to the global business environment for international trade and investment presently taking place across the world.
What will help International Business Developers increase their earning potential?
Andrew Spicer: My first piece of advice for a graduating college student who wishes to pursue a career in international business is to ask lots of questions about the potential for international assignments before accepting a job. Does the company send people abroad for work assignments? For how long? To which places? How do international assignments fit into long-term career progression in the company? Besides talking to the company recruiter, I would also advise to talk directly to people who have already completed an international assignment with the company.
What will help International Business Developers increase their earning potential?
Salomao De Farias: Likes: IB analysts often see a direct impact of their work on company decisions and strategy, which can be highly satisfying. IB roles offer varied problems to solve, which can make every day interesting and intellectually stimulating. Working with international markets offers exposure to different cultures and business practices, enhancing personal and professional growth. Travelling internationally, getting to know different countries, cities and cultures around the globe. Dislikes: I wouldn’t call dislikes, rather challenges. I will start pointing that the stakes are high, as incorrect analysis could lead to poor strategic decisions. This pressure can be stressful. Also, navigating various international regulations, economic conditions, and cultural nuances can be daunting and complex. Depending on the markets covered, working hours might be irregular to overlap with different time zones.
Parfait Kouassi PhD.
Associate Teaching ProfessorDrexel University
Bilingual, Multilingual, And Multicultural Education
What general advice would you give to an International Business Developer?
Parfait Kouassi PhD.: In the next 3-5 years, bilingual and multicultural skills will likely become as indispensable as having access to transportation. Just as individuals without access to a personal vehicle can rely on public transit or ridesharing services, those lacking multilingual abilities will find themselves at a severe disadvantage in their careers. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and the ability to communicate across languages and navigate different cultural contexts will be essential for professional growth, success, and mobility.
What International Business Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Parfait Kouassi PhD.: Maximizing your salary potential when starting your career with multilingual and multicultural skills requires a strategic approach. While some companies offer language incentives, the true value of these skills extends far beyond financial compensation. Multilingual and multicultural individuals enjoy a wealth of social fulfillment by fostering connections, building bridges, and gaining deeper insights into diverse perspectives and ways of life. If you want to maximize your financial gain and your chosen field does not directly reward language proficiency, you should be aware that numerous opportunities exist across various industries that actively seek out and compensate individuals with your unique skill set. Fields such as international business, diplomacy, education, healthcare, and tourism highly value bilingual and multicultural individuals for their ability to facilitate communication, build bridges, and drive innovation in diverse contexts.
What will help International Business Developers increase their earning potential?
Parfait Kouassi PhD.: My advice would be to embrace these valuable competencies as a competitive edge. Research shows that individuals with multilingual and multicultural backgrounds possess enhanced cognitive abilities, including improved working memory and mental flexibility for solving problems in innovative ways. They should actively seek out opportunities that allow them to leverage these unique strengths and pursue their passions while making meaningful contributions to their chosen field.
What general advice would you give to an International Business Developer?
Barbara Ribbens: It is important to develop your story about your skills and competencies to sell yourself to potential employers. Not many companies list jobs as International Business openings, but almost every company is happy to consider IB grads for their openings. IB grads are particular desired in rotational leadership development programs and in logistics/customs kinds of roles, but we have IB graduates go to work in many different companies and settings. We have found that IB grads tend to promote more quickly than average because they know a second language (which often results in improved communication skills) and they have studied abroad so they tend to be more confident and flexible than many other business graduates.
Brent Allred
Professor of International Business and Strategic ManagementUtah State University
Marketing
What International Business Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Brent Allred: I get this question often from my students that wish to have international careers and job opportunities. One of the reasons we suspended our International Business (IB) major was that we found that not a single company was coming to campus to specifically recruit students with IB degrees. At the undergraduate level, companies are more focused hiring students with function skills from degrees like Accounting, Finance, Operations, Marketing, Data Analytics, etc. Few companies are looking for fresh undergraduates to come advise in creating and implementing high level international strategies. Instead, they look to those in the company and industry that have extensive experience. Due to the expense of sending employees abroad, fresh undergraduates are also not the prime candidates for international assignments. While Executive Ex-patriot assignments are declining (due to expense and the increased availability of local national talent), companies that wish to have employees acquire international experience are sending more mid-level managers for international assignments. This allows them to send high potential employees that have developed the understanding and talent of the company/industry/specific field to enhance their value to the company with international experience. So, the advice that I give my students is to first focus on the functional business degree that interests them most and complement this with an International Business Minor or our new Certificate. They should then seek out companies that have a global reach and provide international opportunities to employees. Once on the job, excel at that job, while also seeking out opportunities that will expose them to global projects and managers that can result in international opportunities.
What will help International Business Developers increase their earning potential?
Brent Allred: As stated above, I feel that students should focus first on establishing a solid job/career within a company, typically an American company for US students. International assignments and experience within a company will only enhance your value. Pursuing international jobs directly in countries that pay as locals is not a recommended path for maximizing salary. It could be a good path for gaining experience, but many countries do not pay as well as the US and the cost of living may be high. I led a student experience to London this past March and while the students came away with a sense that they could pursue jobs there, they also learned that they would not be paid as well in a very expensive city. A colleague of mine taught at the London Business School and told me that his salary paid for rent and his consulting paid for food. It is wonderful to live and work in places like London for a couple of years, but that may not help you get ahead financially. On the other hand, the experience may prove invaluable for a career and future opportunities. It should also help make you a better global citizen, which may be the most important thing to be.
Becky Sanchez
Executive Director of Career & Academic ServicesPortland State University
The School of Business
What skills stand out on International Business Developer resumes?
Becky Sanchez: Skills that are directly tied to the particular job the company is hiring for. Having a certain set of skills matters less than having the exact skills the employer needs. See below for common critical skills in business.
What soft skills should all International Business Developers possess?
Becky Sanchez: -Conflict resolution
-Interpersonal relationship building
-Team player mentality
-Willingness to jump in and get the work done and focus on living into the company mission
What hard/technical skills are most important for International Business Developers?
Becky Sanchez: -Microsoft Excel & Tableau - data visualization skills
-Data analysis skills
-Presentation skills
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
Becky Sanchez: -The ability to concisely and effectively communicate your point
-Negotiation skills
-Understanding of data analysis and how to leverage data to do your job more effectively
-Leadership skills and an interest in managing others
Dr. Michael Harvey
Provost and Dean, John Toll Professor of Business ManagemenWashington College
Business Department
What skills stand out on International Business Developer resumes?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Above all, good Business Developers must have excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills. Their work centers on meeting prospective customers and building relationships with them. Their communication skills, in particular, must include good listening skills so that they can truly understand customer needs.
What soft skills should all International Business Developers possess?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Across the business, the soft skills most in demand are the "3 C's": collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Employers are especially interested in evidence of projects, experiential learning, and internships, not simply majors and minors.
What hard/technical skills are most important for International Business Developers?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Quantitative skills and computer coding skills, plus any expertise in a specific technical area, like logistics or GIS.
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Quantitative skills and computer coding skills are in the highest demand and shortest supply-and people who can combine them with strong, soft skills end up going the furthest.
Attila Yaprak Ph.D.
Professor of Marketing and International Business, Director, Doctoral ProgramsWayne State University
Mike Ilitch School of Business
What soft skills should all International Business Developers possess?
Attila Yaprak Ph.D.: Humility, tolerance, appreciation for diversity, empathy, cultural adaptability.
What hard/technical skills are most important for International Business Developers?
Attila Yaprak Ph.D.: Functional area knowledge, i.e., in (international) marketing, finance, strategic management, etc.; world area knowledge, i.e., expertise in West Africa and digital facilities.
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
Attila Yaprak Ph.D.: Portfolio of the above three with different weights depending on context.
Pat Obi Ph.D.
White Lodging Professor of Finance, Director, Executive MBA ProgramPurdue University Northwest
Finance Department
What soft skills should all International Business Developers possess?
Pat Obi Ph.D.: Communication, negotiation, writing, and professional conduct, especially on virtual platforms.
What hard/technical skills are most important for International Business Developers?
Pat Obi Ph.D.: Data analysis and presentation skills - spreadsheet, statistical software, presentation software.
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
Pat Obi Ph.D.: Data analytics, accounting, risk management, and business analytical skills, especially as they relate to financial data.
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, Coordinator of All-University Honors ProgramUniversity of Saint Mary
Division of Business and Information Technologies (DBiT)
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: One consideration is, does the position pay commission? If so, the soft skills listed above are extremely important because the more you apply those skills, the more likely you are to grow your business.
When a manager is not on commission, there's little correlation between skills and pay while doing the job. The employer will hire you at a given salary level, and it is your job to negotiate to the best position. Once they have chosen you-that's the moment when you have the most leverage. You will never get a raise that is as substantial as what you might be able to ask for upon hire. After that, most raises are not going to be tied mechanically to performance and skills. Your next chance at a raise will be when you move or are promoted to a new position. Thus, those soft skills can affect your ability to negotiate.
I will repeat a previous theme: education and experience are probably more important than skills in terms of making more money. An employer can't really tell what your skills are from your resume. Just because you say you have a skill doesn't mean that you really do. They can reasonably guess that somebody with a degree is responsible enough to have accomplished something big. Somebody who makes it through a graduate program is probably very good at what they know. And somebody who has been in the industry and/or in a similar job is more likely to be able to walk in with little orientation and know what they are doing. Employers take risks on employees and hope that they can deliver. Thus, with more education and more experience, you are able to apply for higher-level jobs, which usually come with higher salaries.
What skills stand out on International Business Developer resumes?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: Resumes are hard. It is very difficult to predict what any employer is looking for on any resume. The "skills" section of a resume is probably not the first thing most employers are looking at. The first consideration is probably education. Those with a bachelor's degree will be sorted first in fields-such as those who have business degrees, or particularly sales and marketing majors. Those with MBAs will be placed on the top. Those who have MBAs and marketing concentrations will likely be valued the most. The second consideration would probably be experience. Someone with several years of experience in business development or sales and marketing will be moved to the top. Someone with a bachelor's degree who has a lot of experience might beat out a fresh MBA. However, MBA plus experience beats almost everything. Someone with an MBA going for an entry-level position with little experience needed will likely beat out all bachelor challengers. For new graduates, getting some kind of internship in sales and marketing can differentiate them from those who do not.
Most hiring managers will probably assume that somebody who has sales and marketing education and/or experience probably has the skills necessary to do the job. An interviewer may probe on specific skills. I'll comment more specifically on other kinds of skills below, but it's also fair to say that a candidate's soft skills should shine in the interview. Simply saying that you have certain skills on a resume doesn't mean that you actually have them.
I think that the best thing a candidate can do is to research the company they hope to work for and tailor their resume to that employer. What does the business do? What kinds of things do you think that development manager is going to do in that particular industry? How do your skills as a candidate match what you guess they're looking for? The more you customize your resume, the better chances you have of resonating with the company. Employers are impressed when you already know something about the job and the industry.
What soft skills should all International Business Developers possess?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: First, critical and creative thinking. Employers value problem solvers. A Business Development Managers' problem usually is finding growth opportunities. Candidates need to learn to take the initiative to figure out how to solve problems like those.
Second, writing. The best employees know how to communicate in writing. More and more communication occurs through email and other forms of social media and apps, and as such, this skill is absolutely critical. You don't need to be a creative writing genius, but you do need to know how to write in a professional tone, present your ideas in an organized way, get to the point, and avoid errors. There is a direct line between a student's ability to write an academic essay with a clear thesis and an employee's ability to write a good email or proposal. If you can't do those things, then you risk embarrassment and possibly limited options for promotion.
Third, speaking. The American business world discriminates against introverts-sometimes at their own peril. Everyone needs to know how to give a quality speech, but more importantly, you need to sound confident and assertive in a board room during meetings. You need to be confident in front of clients. Fake it if you have to. The way you present yourself is absolutely critical.
Fourth, social skills. You need to be friendly. Get to know co-workers and clients. Find out what they like and show an interest. Find common ground. Your undergraduate degree hopefully exposed you to a wide diversity of topics you may have thought were irrelevant at some point. Now is the time to remember that stuff and use it to connect with people. Nearly everything you learned will have some application someday. It will help you connect with others. In addition, put away your cell phone when you are at work or on social occasions. To some people, a preoccupation with a cell phone communicates a lack of interest in the person you are with. It can alienate bosses, co-workers, and clients.
James Wilkerson Ph.D.
Business Program Coordinator, Project and Supply Chain Management Program CoordinatorThe Pennsylvania State University
Business Department
What skills stand out on International Business Developer resumes?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Skills, experience, knowledge, and abilities that matter especially strongly include target market analysis (including market research skills and knowledge), product/service positioning within competitive field, project work or coordination with sales staff, major client relationship management, and enough general business and industry knowledge to be able to relate business development to operational/production realities.
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Skill at rapidly learning market trends, relating business development to product development, and persuading major prospective clients when brought in to help with closing sales. Bottom line: the business development manager must be on the cutting edge of new market conditions and new business opportunities to help the firm organically grow its sales, especially in new markets or product/service lines.
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.
Professor of Supply Chain ManagementArizona State University
W. P. Carey Supply Chain Management
What skills stand out on International Business Developer resumes?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: Effective communication, leadership, critical thinking skills. Can you be entrepreneurial in the face of adversity? Demonstrating situations where the candidate has been able to persevere and solve problems in the face of diversity would be very attractive to employers.
What soft skills should all International Business Developers possess?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: In general, people skills: leadership, effective communication and negotiation skills, the ability to work effectively with people in different cultures and in a team environment.
What hard/technical skills are most important for International Business Developers?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: Data analytics skills are currently in high demand, so is understanding the impact of emerging technologies and digitization on business
What skills will help International Business Developers earn the most?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: Imagine the perfect candidate that possesses the combination of all the skills mentioned above. But in truth, some combination of good people skills and appreciation of the digital environment and its impacts will help.
George Dierberger
MBA Director, Associate ProfessorAugsburg University
Business Administration
What general advice would you give to an International Business Developer?
George Dierberger: Early on, it is all about getting international experience. Once you have completed 3-5 years then you can look at maximizing your earning potential and becoming an expert in a certain field like medical devices. I believe it is really important to become a subject expert in a given field like medical devices; that will create plenty of opportunities with high returns on investment.
What general advice would you give to an International Business Developer?
Ravi Sarathy Ph.D.: Around 75% of the global market lies outside the US, so firms that want to grow sales need to understand and market to foreign customers. Similarly, with the restructuring of supply chains formerly concentrated in China, firms need to analyze alternative sources of supply in other counties such as India, Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, Morocco and elsewhere, find and qualify suppliers, and negotiate supply contracts with them, taking into account transportation and logistics, customs duties, economic and political stability, and so forth. Students who graduate with an understanding of how IB affects a business based in the US will be able to offer additional analytical and decision-making skills which will be helpful to their potential employers. In a complex technological world, firms will often seek overseas alliance and joint venture partners, and new recruits who have an understanding of and can help manage economic, political and cultural differences will be invaluable.
What International Business Developer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ravi Sarathy Ph.D.: I am unaware of such a position - International Business Analyst. IB is intertwined with most business functions in companies that do international manufacturing or marketing, conduct R&D; with overseas partners, acquire human resource talent from outside the US or depend on global supply chains. Thus, students who work in one of the functional disciplines mentioned above, as well as in support functions, such as Finance or Accounting, will need to have some understanding of how IB affects their responsibilities and assignments. For example, firms marketing overseas will need to understand currency fluctuations, hedge receivables and payables, adjust pricing in local currencies and assess longer-term trends in currency fluctuations in making foreign investment and foreign borrowing decisions.