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Job outlook for senior training specialists in the United States
Senior training specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior training specialist job growth rate is 8% from 2018-2028.
About 28,900 new jobs for senior training specialists are projected over the next decade.
Senior training specialist salaries have increased 6% for senior training specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 25,814 senior training specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 43,627 active senior training specialist job openings in the US.
The average senior training specialist salary is $78,852.
Are senior training specialist jobs in demand?
Senior training specialist job and salary trends over time
Senior training specialist jobs over time
Senior training specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25,814 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 24,531 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 24,109 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 22,479 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 21,631 | 0.01% |
Average senior training specialist salary over time
Senior training specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $78,852 | $37.91 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $76,979 | $37.01 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | $76,551 | $36.80 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | $75,910 | $36.50 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $74,224 | $35.68 | +1.4% |
Senior training specialist jobs by state
Most common states for senior training specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 237 | 34% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 499 | 16% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 213 | 16% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 209 | 16% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 158 | 16% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,242 | 15% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 818 | 15% |
| 8 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 443 | 15% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 287 | 15% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 942 | 14% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 396 | 14% |
| 12 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 104 | 14% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 83 | 14% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 711 | 13% |
| 15 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 393 | 13% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 393 | 13% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 269 | 13% |
| 18 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 141 | 13% |
| 19 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 702 | 12% |
| 20 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 532 | 12% |
Most common cities for senior training specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $98,201 |
| 2 | Sierra Vista | 3 | 7% | $64,635 |
| 3 | Chino | 2 | 2% | $86,654 |
| 4 | Lansing | 2 | 2% | $80,910 |
| 5 | Washington | 4 | 1% | $89,487 |
| 6 | Colorado Springs | 3 | 1% | $72,618 |
| 7 | Arlington | 2 | 1% | $81,790 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $74,260 |
| 9 | Little Rock | 2 | 1% | $51,217 |
| 10 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $85,265 |
| 11 | Dallas | 3 | 0% | $66,889 |
| 12 | Denver | 3 | 0% | $71,901 |
| 13 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $77,177 |
| 14 | Austin | 2 | 0% | $70,249 |
Senior Training Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior training specialist experts
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Indiana University Bloomington
Robert Morris University
Armstrong State University
Illinois State University
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Richmond
University of Denver
Colorado State University
Rocky Mountain College
Alverno College
Monmouth University
Marshall University
Montclair State University
Rowan University
North Carolina Central University
Forsyth County, Georgia
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Michael Menchaca: Funny you should ask. Artificial Intelligence is not over-hyped even though it may feel that way from the barrage of media and articles about it. If graduates don't at least have a working understanding of AI, especially as it relates to education, then they are behind. I especially advise that ed tech graduates practice prompt engineering and research AI as it relates to their specific areas of interest and expertise. In addition, complex problem-solving and understanding of cognition and neurosciences will be key.
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.
Department Chair of Learning, Design, and Adult Education, LDAE, Associate Professor of Instructional Systems Technology, ISTIndiana University Bloomington
Educational/Instructional Media Design
What general advice would you give to a Senior Training Specialist?
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.: Experience may help with maximizing salary potential as one enters the career in my field. Generally, degree programs offer various options for that, e.g., Indiana University has a studio-based option for a residential MS program, or course projects with clients (both in online and residential programs), internships, service learning, being involved in research projects. If a starting job candidate can show evidence from various experiences in their graduation portfolio (website), it may help them maximize the salary potential as they start their career.
What Senior Training Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.: Adaptability, flexibility, and being open to continuously learning (after the degree completion). Technology, learning environments, learning needs, and content to be mastered by the learners are constantly changing. The educational technologist has to be open to learn continuously and change and adapt to the changes happening in these areas. Additionally, soft skills such as being a team member and clear communication are very important, as educational technologists work in a team or lead a team.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Gamze Ozogul Ph.D.: Everyone needs to start somewhere. Learn most from each experience in the field and build your resume, experiences, and skills.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Training Specialist?
Dr. Richard Fuller: AI is growing and becoming more and more part of the lexicon of teaching and learning in all areas of prek-12, higher education, and corporate training and development. This will need to be understood on both the offensive side, which is using AI as pedagogy as well as the defensive side to combat academic integrity issues. Online teaching and learning, in both synchronous and asynchronous modalities in addition to more traditional f2f methodologies and pedagogies, will become more and more important as Universities look for more sustainable tools. Much was learned during the pandemic lock-down and this knowledge and skill are being used in a post-pandemic world. Keep an open mind to new innovations in curriculum design and different theories and methods to map, align, and develop curriculum. This ever-changing dynamic is grounded, however, in the fundamentals that were learned through your degree. Additionally, stay up on all the technology that is advancing. This is key in the C&I; and the instructional design world. Tech moves very fast and what you know today is outmoded tomorrow. C&I; must stay current and active to assist others through teaching and design. Knowing how to use tech and different software is tantamount to success as an instructional designer or teacher.
What Senior Training Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Richard Fuller: Be open to opportunities that will present themselves in Prek-12, higher education or corporate training and development. Many places will see the value in hiring employees with the knowledge and skills that come with a Curriculum and Instruction (C&I;) degree and will create positions accordingly. Most organizations see the value of a training and development department with specific uses. Hospitals, k-12 schools, for profit organizations and nonprofit organization incorporate instructional designers with a curriculum and instruction degree. Even higher education (HE) hire instructional designers to work with faculty. HE faculty are subject matter experts but don’t know about instruction or curriculum or how to teach online or in person f2f. They also don’t understand the value or how to design and develop curriculum and transfer that to the classroom. PreK-12 utilize C&I; grads as both trainers and as coordinators of curriculum. This may require an advanced degree (graduate or doctoral), but nonetheless, it is an opportunity and something to think about as you progress through your career. Training and Development is an obvious opportunity in many corporations and organizations as C&I; prepared graduates have a body of knowledge and skills that align with training needs in designing and delivering training for corporate and organizational initiatives in all areas. There are those with a C&I; degree who also hold teaching certificates in some area of Prek-12. This may open other doors for them in teaching in the classroom but with the degree may present additional opportunities in an organization’s administrative capacity or training.
What Senior Training Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kymberly Harris PhD: In the coming years, proficiency in educational technology is expected to become increasingly important. Graduates should focus on honing their skills in integrating digital tools into the curriculum, leveraging data for informed decision-making, and staying abreast of advancements in online and blended learning environments. Additionally, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in education will be crucial for educators to create inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Training Specialist?
Dr. Kymberly Harris PhD: New graduates entering the field of Curriculum & Instruction should prioritize building a diverse skill set, staying current with educational trends, and actively seeking opportunities for professional development. Cultivating strong verbal and written communication skills will enhance collaboration with colleagues, parents, and students. Adapting to evolving educational methodologies, such as culturally relevant pedagogies, will contribute to long-term success.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Training Specialist?
Anthony Piña Ed.D.: If you have not done so already, become active in professional associations that align to your career interests. Attend (and consider presenting at) their professional conferences. This will be a source of professional development, networking, and future employment opportunities. Look for opportunities to gain practical experience-even as a volunteer. For example, if you have an interest in instructional design, you may check out Designers for Learning (designersforlearning.org), which can match you with service-learning opportunities. You should become familiar with the instructional designer competencies from the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (ibstpi.org) and work on those in which you might have less training or experience.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Anthony Piña Ed.D.: Working with and leading people-including managing conflict-is undertaught in our current ed tech programs. Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning will continue to rise in importance. Those going into industry (and increasingly in academe) are expected to have skills in multimedia/video production and interactive authoring, e.g., Articulate, Adobe Captivate. Of course, an ed tech professional will be expected to be up-to-speed in the use and affordances of AI.
What Senior Training Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jaunelle Celaire: Leadership - the world needs more of these; the ability to lead, craft and grow. Digital literacy - this world is definitely turning digital and virtual is the new trend. Emotional intelligence - there is a vast number of personalities in our world today; individuals grow and it is our job to stay emotionally connected, so we can operate more effectively.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Jaunelle Celaire: Learn from everything. Remember every moment is a learning opportunity from everyone around you, no matter their title. Pay attention when things go well and clue in and pay extra attention when they do not; watch how people react to it. Build relationships and network with the people who face problems by being their solution.
Allison Brenning
Director of Special Education and Elementary InstructionUniversity of Richmond
Teacher Education And Professional Development, Specific Levels And Methods
What Senior Training Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Allison Brenning: My first piece of advice pertains to the process of searching for a teaching position. I would advise recent graduates to approach career searching with an open mind as they consider their options.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Allison Brenning: First, I would suggest doing some initial research into the states and cities/counties that pay a higher starting salary while also factoring in overall cost of living. While some states or areas pay more than others, that salary difference may not have an impact if the overall cost of living offsets the difference in pay. In addition, obtaining an advanced degree will nearly always result in a higher salary than what a teacher would earn without that degree. Some new teachers choose to pursue a Master's or Doctoral degree while they begin their teaching career (your school may even provide some financial assistance!) and others prefer to complete the advanced degree before entering the profession. There are benefits and challenges to each of these approaches, but they both typically result in a pay bump for that teacher once the degree is conferred. Last, new teachers could connect with their district about potential special projects that may be available. While I would advise a new teacher to not take on any big projects during their first year, there may be some small opportunities to assist with school- or district-related duties (such as test scoring, tutoring, curriculum development, etc.) that offer a stipend. In addition, many districts offer summer school to eligible students and this can be another opportunity to earn some extra cash.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Training Specialists?
Maria Salazar Ph.D.: The coronavirus will have an enduring impact on higher education graduates. In the field of education, graduates have experienced first hand the deep and lasting inequalities that the coronavirus has had on youth and families from Communities of Color. The have seen educational gaps widen into education chasms. They have witnessed the struggles, successes, and resiliency of families as they navigate the impact of the virus. Graduates leave education programs with their eyes wide open to the systemic racism and other isms that impact youth and their families, from education, to healthcare, and beyond.
In teacher education programs, our graduates have had a front row seat to inequality. They have witnessed children and adolescents disengage from schooling and life. They have struggled to support their students' mental and physical health. They ache to be with their students in classrooms, yet fear the repercussions of close contact due to the virus. Yet, they persist, and they keep believing they can make a difference.
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Training Specialist?
Maria Salazar Ph.D.: A day at work for a recent graduate in the field of education is unknown, yet it is known. Schools will certainly change. We will definitely see greater use of technology. Innovation may impact the school day and approach to schooling. Yet, traditional schools may eventually revert to what is known. The factory model of schooling is engrained in U.S. Society. The school enterprise may eventually go back to the "normal" disengaging and alienating model that existed before the virus. And yet, a work day may look radically different. Innovative options for schooling may arise that push beyond the boundaries of what is known. The potential for change is everywhere, in all sectors of the economy. Why not education?
What technical skills for a Senior Training Specialist stand out to employers?
Maria Salazar Ph.D.: Technical skills that stand out to employers in the education sector during and after the time of COVID include interpersonal skills, ability to navigate change and challenges, and commitment to educational equity. Interacting with colleagues, students, and families online is challenging. This requires a set of interpersonal skills that involve a tolerance for uncertainty, risk-taking, creativity, and innovation. The ability to navigate change and challenges is essential during uncertain times. In schools, the landscape is alway changing, and more so in a global pandemic.
It is important to foster a growth-mindset in oneself, and also in one's school community. Employers are also looking for a commitment to educational equity. With emerging consciousness of racial inequality and the need for systems that promote racial justice, employers want to hire people who are culturally competent and can move beyond statements of the value of diversity, to the enactment of educational environments that promote equity for those who are marginalized. This skill set includes: cross-cultural communication, culturally responsive teaching, and strength-based practices.
Dr. Ann Sebald
Assistant Professor, Co-DirectorColorado State University
Center for Educator Preparation
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Training Specialists?
Dr. Ann Sebald: Not sure what is meant by 'enduring'. However, if you are asking if there will be a long/longer term impact of the pandemic on recent graduates entering the teaching profession, I would say yes. As the state continues to work through the fiscal impact of the pandemic, schools will need to identify their priorities. As it relates to in-person learning, educators have done an amazing job at continuous adjustments during the past year. Teacher candidates have learned along-side veteran educators how best to adapt the learning environment for all students and their needs. What we've learned over this past year is being applied in schools around the globe moving forward.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Ann Sebald: Within the field of P-12 education, the question that should be asked is what will help people in our field improve student learning. Professional development opportunities, supported by what we have learned from recent and on-going research, is what will support teachers and leaders within the field of P-12 education. The goal remains the same, how can we best prepare future children and youth to be well prepared to address the challenges and opportunities they will face as they graduate and move out into the workforce and world.
Dr. Stevie Schmitz
Director of EducationRocky Mountain College
Leadership and Distance Education Program
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Training Specialists?
Dr. Stevie Schmitz: I believe that there will be an enduring impact on the entire education system due to the pandemic. Students may experience gaps in their education due to remote learning which will have to be addressed by educational leaders and their faculty members as well as parents. Social emotional stress is bound to be a factor as students return to school. Leaders need to support students and staff with this transition. Educational technology will occupy a new role in public education and we need to embrace and support it. Financial impact will also be a reality for newly graduated educational leaders. Money spent or needing to be spent on safety measures will continue as more students return to school. All of these situations (and others not yet imagined) will impact new leaders.
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Training Specialist?
Dr. Stevie Schmitz: It will be stressful and rewarding...complicated by the impact of the pandemic and yet still rewarding because of working with young people and helping them reach their full potential.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stevie Schmitz: The demand for more leaders may increase earning potential, but it will be tempered by the additional expenses incurred and the stagnant revenue stream to meet those demands.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Training Specialists?
Randa Suleiman Ph.D.: The pandemic had an impact on all of us including our students. In education, the shift from face to face teaching to online pushed our teacher candidates to show their skills. As an Alverno graduate, our teachers tend to be ore versed in technology integration and comfortable teaching in multi-media classrooms.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Training Specialists?
Randa Suleiman Ph.D.: Are you asking about my job as a faculty? If yes, here is my answer: As a faculty, I worked diligently to model best practices teaching in a virtual environment. I believe in modeling my expectations. As education faculty, we have to walk the talk. I created effective learning environment for my teacher candidates that they can take ideas and strategies to implement in their own teaching.
What will help Senior Training Specialists increase their earning potential?
Randa Suleiman Ph.D.: As more teachers are leaving the field, there is a teacher shortage. All teaching licenses are needed. Some of the areas with immediate needs are special education and bilingual
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Training Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Antonio Estudillo Ph.D.: A range of considerations come to mind, all of which are interconnected and speak to sustainability in the field of education. Generally speaking, there is a teacher shortage where specific endorsements are concerned (e.g., STEM, Special Education, ESL/working with Multi-Lingual Leaners as well as historically underrepresented students). Of immediate interest is the recruitment and retention of our teaching force that cannot simply pivot how they approach teaching pedagogy, but actually how prospective teacher-educators can change their practices to be more learner-centered, equity-minded, and intentional moving forward (i.e., namely, concentration in quality of technology applications and usage; online learning/blended learning/hybrid intruction).
Specific to the pandemic, this is perhaps most pressing when considering how to better differentiate within and across learning environments/spaces to offer a personalized student experience-facilitating and cultivating meaningful engagement, especially having incoming teachers bring with them an increased/enhanced sense of self and awareness-knowledge of the backgrounds and representation of children of color (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and in particular Latinx and Black/African-American students. In addition too, per job market and the current pandemic, there is still a tremendous need to increase and diversify the ethnic-racial representation of the teaching force.
What technical skills for a Senior Training Specialist stand out to employers?
Antonio Estudillo Ph.D.: I may not have an exact estimation, but I do foresee pre-service teacher educators who enter into the profession with technical skills that are integrative and flexible as being most favorable. Per our times in COVID-19 and beyond, the increased saliency in willingness to be both mindful and continuously learn newer skills even after one graduates will be critical to one's success. This may also include some awareness and practice in underscoring an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning/curriculum development and assessment.
Meaning, as far as one's experience in teaching pedagogy-skill development prior to entering the profession ought to be open to increased experiences in such areas as collaboration/encouraging professional learning (e.g., team-based approaches), independent project management, and continuous means of self-reflection (i.e., reflective artifacts or representation of works that signal an aim to increase competencies in all things related to the profession; spotlighting research and informed decision making; culturally sustaining practices).
What's a good job out of college for Senior Training Specialists?
Antonio Estudillo Ph.D.: One where an individual out of college has the opportunity to gain access to critical mentorship, professional learning (e.g., professional development), a greater sense of autonomy, and the presence of a community (e.g., sense of belonging as a professional). These combined considerations may be aspirational, but in the context of schools, a recognition for school leadership also matters. Therefore, those seeking a position should aim to consider the present and ongoing investments that are in motion/developing within an institution and how these investments may become increasingly comprehensive, forward-thinking, and accessible over time and after one is hired.
Dr. E.Del Chrol
Chair of Humanities, Professor of ClassicsMarshall University
Humanities Department
What soft skills should all Senior Training Specialists possess?
Dr. E.Del Chrol: Useful soft skills are definitely those that Classical languages produce: ability to look closely at a body of work and pay attention to cultural context, ability to articulate complex ideas through speech and writing, deep focus to understand the fiddly bits of syntax.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Training Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Nicole Barnes: Although the abrupt changes that occurred to K-12 schooling in the Spring of 2020 have given way to more detailed reopening plans and a vaccine is now available, the use of hybrid and remote learning remains with the ongoing influence of COVID-19. Therefore, it seems essential that teacher educators, researchers, and K-12 school districts rethink what good teaching looks like for K-12 education's changed landscape. Teachers more then ever will need to be prepared to teach in virtual environments and garner the same academic, social, and emotional student outcomes that they would face to face.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Training Specialists?
Dr. Nicole Barnes: The two areas where current teachers appear to be struggling are how to motivate and assess students in a virtual environment. In our Certificate Program in Educational Assessment at MSU, for example, we provide teachers will the knowledge and skills to do this well, and administrators with the tools to scaffold their teachers' development in these areas.
What's a good job out of college for Senior Training Specialists?
Dr. Nicole Barnes: Our graduates are obviously looking for teaching, counseling, or administrative positions in K-12 schools. What I hope for them is that they are in an environment that supports their future learning, and puts kids (all kids) at the forefront of their decision making processes.
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural education
How would you rate the starting salaries for Senior Training Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.: Educators are not paid nearly enough. However, working in a state with strong teachers' unions helps to ensure a starting salary that recent graduates can live off of and growth opportunities, albeit modest, over their careers.
Elisha Blankson
Program Director NCCU, Assistant ProfessorNorth Carolina Central University
Communication Disorders Department
What type of skills will young Senior Training Specialists need?
Elisha Blankson: Graduates will need a skill set about the field in which they received training and additional skills useful to the job market. For example, with the changing demographics in the United States, extra skills in information technology and foreign languages will be a plus when entering the job market.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior Training Specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola: This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.