Post job

What is a learning design specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Mary Collins

To be a learning design specialist, you need analytical skills, artistic ability, and visualization skills. You will also need to be a subject manager specialist and know the fundaments of eLearning. The field of learning design specialists is wide open, and you may find a job in the professional or technology industry.

You will also communicate design concepts, collaborate with internal customers and employees around the world, develop materials, communication plans, and develop documentation to oversee critical activities. You will also need to know Photoshop and develop design templates for mobile applications, plus coordinate design information, conduct lectures, guide discussion, and lead classroom practical training exercise to help students with testing methodologies and requirements.

You may need a bachelor's degree in business or curriculum and instructions. You may also need a degree in education to round out your specialty. Your median salary as a learning design specialist is about $59,000 per year.

What general advice would you give to a learning design specialist?

Mary CollinsMary Collins LinkedIn profile

Professor, Creative Writing/Nonfiction, Program Coordinator, Writing Minors, Career/Internship Advisor, Central Connecticut State University

The main point: your career STARTS IN COLLEGE. The one best place to secure good skills is at the university itself. You can take on tasks at the Student Center that no company would hire you for because you are so inexperienced. So edit the literary journal, write for the newspaper, work for the radio station. Take an internship for course credit. Those that do these things and secure a good faculty mentor do much better when they get out than students who do not. Indeed, national studies show that these factors are more important than the school you go to by far.
ScoreLearning Design SpecialistUS Average
Salary
5.7

Avg. Salary $72,967

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.5

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 5.91%

Black or African American 10.86%

Hispanic or Latino 16.36%

Unknown 6.32%

White 60.04%

Gender

female 65.74%

male 34.26%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
5.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a learning design specialist

  1. Explore learning design specialist education requirements

    Most common learning design specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    63.7 %

    Master's

    24.5 %

    Associate

    5.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific learning design specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Blended Learning11.01%
    Instructional Design10.77%
    Subject Matter Experts9.88%
    Led Training5.64%
    Project Management4.56%
  3. Complete relevant learning design specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New learning design specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a learning design specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real learning design specialist resumes.
  4. Research learning design specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Mentore designers and manage a portfolio of design projects including classroom, elearning, blend and virtual projects.
    • Lead experiential learning in supervisory skills, conflict management, leadership, team building and organization process effectiveness.
    • Collaborate with internal SMEs and customers around the world.
    • Work with various faculty, SMEs, trainers and program managers.
  5. Prepare your learning design specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your learning design specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a learning design specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable learning design specialist resume templates

    Build a professional learning design specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your learning design specialist resume.
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
    Learning Design Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for learning design specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a learning design specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first learning design specialist job

Berril Siu

Learning Design Specialist

I worked as a technical writer for several years. Then, I started training other technical writers. In my work, I also worked a lot with UX writing, as well as turning technical documentation into training material. That got me into a job as an eLearning developer. Did that for a few years and then, since I initiated a number of developments in the educational portfolio, I advanced to a Learning Design Specialist.

Average learning design specialist salary

The average learning design specialist salary in the United States is $72,967 per year or $35 per hour. Learning design specialist salaries range between $58,000 and $91,000 per year.

Average learning design specialist salary
$72,967 Yearly
$35.08 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do learning design specialists rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Learning design specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

First of all, i'll say that i like the routine. I have had amazing health benefits because of waking up early and go to school because i live quite far. In the school, i like the working mechanism and how everyone is committed and dedicated for the job. The most important thing i like is that how i am able to make my place in the room of young, enthusiast children who see me as their mentor. I love being the change maker and i's always love to be a professional learning specialist because this is what angels would do.

Cons

I do not like if any of my students is getting punished by any senior colleague or even his or her parents. I believe the change might occur if we just listen to the concerns of the young lot.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

Sharing your experience for the benefit of others. Making the learners feel enriched with their take always from your session. Are able to execute and apply their learnings, successfully.


Working as a learning design specialist? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse business and financial jobs