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The average salary for a Career Development Specialist is approximately $46,744 per year, translating to about $22 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include the individual's experience level, geographic location, and specific industry sector. For instance, specialists in urban areas may earn significantly more than those in rural locations.
Entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with several years of experience command higher salaries. Professionals can advance their careers through additional training and certifications, which can lead to roles in management or specialized areas.
States such as California and New York tend to offer the highest salaries for career development specialists. Understanding where to focus your job search can maximize your earning potential in this field.
Considering the demand for skilled professionals in career development, opportunities abound across various sectors, including education, corporate training, and non-profit organizations. By staying informed about salary trends and job openings, you can effectively navigate your career path as a specialist.
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The average career development specialist salary in California, Washington, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average career development specialist salary states are Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Idaho.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $49,943 | $24.01 |
| 2 | Texas | $46,762 | $22.48 |
| 3 | Nevada | $47,009 | $22.60 |
| 4 | Montana | $43,631 | $20.98 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $49,302 | $23.70 |
| 6 | Kansas | $43,056 | $20.70 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $54,454 | $26.18 |
| 8 | California | $54,714 | $26.30 |
| 9 | Mississippi | $45,468 | $21.86 |
| 10 | Washington | $50,997 | $24.52 |
| 11 | Michigan | $42,119 | $20.25 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $50,684 | $24.37 |
| 13 | Delaware | $46,308 | $22.26 |
| 14 | Virginia | $48,017 | $23.09 |
| 15 | Georgia | $43,808 | $21.06 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $40,445 | $19.44 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $43,574 | $20.95 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $40,734 | $19.58 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $43,964 | $21.14 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $40,532 | $19.49 |
| 21 | New York | $46,229 | $22.23 |
| 22 | Maryland | $46,579 | $22.39 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $39,979 | $19.22 |
| 24 | Ohio | $40,115 | $19.29 |
| 25 | Alabama | $40,575 | $19.51 |
| 26 | Arizona | $38,956 | $18.73 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $38,413 | $18.47 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $37,054 | $17.81 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $44,261 | $21.28 |
| 30 | Maine | $41,909 | $20.15 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $37,629 | $18.09 |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,698 | $18.60 |
| 33 | Missouri | $38,570 | $18.54 |
| 34 | Colorado | $42,178 | $20.28 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $37,476 | $18.02 |
| 36 | Florida | $38,145 | $18.34 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | $41,785 | $20.09 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $37,416 | $17.99 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $39,773 | $19.12 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $33,418 | $16.07 |
| 41 | Iowa | $36,405 | $17.50 |
| 42 | Illinois | $39,839 | $19.15 |
| 43 | Oregon | $38,570 | $18.54 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $34,056 | $16.37 |
| 45 | Utah | $35,812 | $17.22 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $35,165 | $16.91 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $32,905 | $15.82 |
| 48 | Alaska | $27,223 | $13.09 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $29,711 | $14.28 |
| 50 | Idaho | $33,157 | $15.94 |
| 51 | Vermont | $34,509 | $16.59 |
The highest-paying cities for career development specialists are San Francisco, CA, Olympia, WA, and Willingboro, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $57,993 | $27.88 |
| 2 | Olympia, WA | $52,083 | $25.04 |
| 3 | Willingboro, NJ | $51,577 | $24.80 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $50,577 | $24.32 |
| 5 | Greenville, NC | $50,329 | $24.20 |
| 6 | Richmond, VA | $47,839 | $23.00 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $46,925 | $22.56 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $46,691 | $22.45 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $46,681 | $22.44 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge, LA | $43,672 | $21.00 |
| 11 | Wichita, KS | $43,547 | $20.94 |
| 12 | Dartmouth, MA | $43,538 | $20.93 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $42,371 | $20.37 |
| 14 | Huntsville, AL | $40,293 | $19.37 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $39,936 | $19.20 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $39,096 | $18.80 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $38,703 | $18.61 |
| 18 | Kansas City, MO | $38,264 | $18.40 |
| 19 | Miami, FL | $37,903 | $18.22 |
| 20 | Salt Lake City, UT | $35,583 | $17.11 |
A career development specialist's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $67,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $46,744 | $3,895 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
The highest paying types of career development specialists are senior training specialist, development officer, and training specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training Coordinator | $46,698 | $3,891 | $22.45 | 54,796 |
| Training Consultant | $56,760 | $4,730 | $27.29 | 52,054 |
| Training Facilitator | $51,968 | $4,331 | $24.98 | 39,523 |
| Facilitator | $44,851 | $3,738 | $21.56 | 30,474 |
| Epic Credentialed Trainer | $75,929 | $6,327 | $36.50 | 41,467 |
| Training Developer | $62,974 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 108,369 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for career development specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Raina Gandhi
Assistant Dean of Career Services, American University
Top companies hiring career development specialists now:
Career development specialist salaries at Boston Consulting Group and University of Baltimore are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average career development specialist salary at companies like Brookhaven National Laboratory and Harvard University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston Consulting Group | $76,550 | $36.80 |
| 2 | University of Baltimore | $68,820 | $33.09 |
| 3 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $67,322 | $32.37 |
| 4 | Harvard University | $61,750 | $29.69 |
| 5 | Northwell Health | $57,299 | $27.55 |
| 6 | UC Santa Barbara | $55,822 | $26.84 |
| 7 | Stevens Institute of Technology | $55,112 | $26.50 |
| 8 | Hackensack Meridian Health | $54,456 | $26.18 |
| 9 | UMass Dartmouth | $51,382 | $24.70 |
| 10 | BronxWorks | $51,356 | $24.69 |
| 11 | University of Michigan | $51,001 | $24.52 |
| 12 | International Rescue Committee | $50,161 | $24.12 |
| 13 | Arizona State University | $49,049 | $23.58 |
| 14 | Party City | $48,059 | $23.11 |
| 15 | University of Houston | $47,547 | $22.86 |
| 16 | Apis | $45,653 | $21.95 |
| 17 | New Door Ventures | $45,046 | $21.66 |
| 18 | Mrci Worksource | $45,043 | $21.66 |
| 19 | HyperScience | $44,472 | $21.38 |
| 20 | Res-Care Premier | $44,196 | $21.25 |
The average career development specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $48,124 | $23.14 |
| 2 | Government | $47,385 | $22.78 |
| 3 | Professional | $45,545 | $21.90 |
| 4 | Health Care | $45,003 | $21.64 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $39,712 | $19.09 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $31,228 | $15.01 |
The average career development specialist salary has risen by $5,629 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average career development specialist earned $41,115 annually, but today, they earn $46,744 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for career development specialists over the last decade.
Compare career development specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare career development specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,700 | $22.47 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $45,600 | $21.94 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $45,400 | $21.82 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $45,000 | $21.63 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $44,000 | $21.15 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodwill | Career Development Specialist | Rockford, IL | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Hamline University | Career Development Specialist | Saint Paul, MN | 06/24/2025 | $50,000 |
| Goodwill Industries of Middle Ga | Career Development Specialist | Macon, GA | 06/15/2025 | $42,000 |
| The New York Foundling | Career Development Specialist | New York, NY | 06/15/2025 | $52,350 |
| Tallahassee Community College | Career Development Specialist-Cross City CI | Tallahassee, FL | 06/05/2025 | $41,200 |
| EDSI | Bilingual Career Development Specialist | Lancaster, PA | 05/09/2025 | $45,000 |
| Balance of Nature | Career Development Specialist | Hurricane, UT | 04/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| EDSI | Career Development Specialist | Lancaster, PA | 04/27/2025 | $45,000 |
| University of Texas at Dallas | Career Development Specialist | Richardson, TX | 04/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| Balance of Nature | Career Development Specialist | Hurricane, UT | 03/15/2025 | $31,305 |
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