Works one-on-one with executives and managers to strengthen their leadership, communication and decision-making. BLS does not publish separate figures for training and development specialists; it counts them within training and development specialist (SOC 13-1151), whose median pay is $69,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-1151
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Executive Coach in four numbers
- Median pay
- $69,280a year, or $33.31/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $123K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +10.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+10.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +10.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 46,000472,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025472.5K
- Projected 2035523.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 472.5K Projected 2035 523.7K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school8.7%
- Some college4.4%
- Associate's8.7%
- Bachelor's78.3%
Highest education held by training and development specialists Segment Value High school 8.7% Some college 4.4% Associate's 8.7% Bachelor's 78.3%
Also advertised as: Leadership Coach, Certified Executive Coach, Professional Coach, Leadership Development Coach, Business Coach.
Pay
How much do Training and Development Specialists make?
Every executive coach in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$69,280
Middle half earn $50,110 to $95,050
- 10th
- $38,760
- 25th
- $50,110
- 75th
- $95,050
- 90th
- $123,250
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,760 |
| 25th | $50,110 |
| Median | $69,280 |
| 75th | $95,050 |
| 90th | $123,250 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $69,280
- Median hourly wage
- $33.31/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $75,550
- People employed
- 458,300
Versus all US occupations
At $69,280, Training and Development Specialists earn 36% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $18,300 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 14% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $123,250 or more while the bottom 10% earn $38,760, a gap of 3.2×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 44% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Delaware pays the most at $88,570, and still leads at $88,740 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Training and Development Specialists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Delaware | $88,570 | $88,740 | 1,590 |
| 2New Hampshire | $86,050 | $82,609 | N/A |
| 3Alaska | $81,860 | $79,973 | 530 |
| 4Washington | $81,860 | $76,495 | 8,130 |
| 5District of Columbia | $80,980 | $73,684 | 1,900 |
| 6Massachusetts | $80,270 | $75,900 | 12,190 |
| 7Connecticut | $78,080 | $75,360 | 3,650 |
| 8Vermont | $77,800 | $79,422 | 750 |
| 9Virginia | $77,690 | $76,842 | 15,570 |
| 10New Jersey | $77,020 | $70,787 | 9,210 |
Job outlook
Is Executive Coach a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +10.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Training and Development Specialists | +10.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Training and Development Specialists to change 10.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.1× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 51,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 46,000 openings are projected each year, 9.7% of the 472,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Executive Coach
There is no license to be a coach, but credentials matter to corporate buyers. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) offers three levels, Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC), based on accredited training hours, documented coaching experience and a performance evaluation and exam. The Center for Credentialing and Education offers the Board Certified Coach (BCC).
Most executive coaches have a bachelor's degree, and many hold a master's in organizational psychology, counseling or business. Corporate buyers usually look for coaches who have held leadership roles themselves. Many people build a practice after careers in HR, consulting or management, starting with internal coaching or associate work for coaching firms.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as training and development specialists.
- Bachelor's Degree78.3%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)8.7%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree8.7%
- Some College Courses4.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 78.3% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 8.7% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 8.7% |
| Some College Courses | 4.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Executive Coach do?
Executive coaches help leaders get better at leading. Companies hire them for newly promoted executives, high-potential managers, leaders struggling with a specific issue, and founders scaling a business. A typical engagement lasts several months and begins with assessment: interviews with the leader's boss, peers and team, 360-degree feedback and personality or leadership instruments.
From there, the coach and client set goals and meet regularly. Coaches ask questions, give candid feedback, help clients practice difficult conversations, and track progress with the sponsoring organization. Some coaches specialize in areas such as executive presence, career transitions, women in leadership or team coaching, and many also design and facilitate leadership programs.
Day-to-day tasks
- Interview stakeholders and run 360-degree feedback assessments
- Administer and debrief leadership and personality assessments
- Set development goals with clients and their sponsors
- Hold regular one-on-one coaching sessions
- Help clients rehearse difficult conversations and presentations
- Track progress and report themes to sponsoring organizations
- Design and facilitate group leadership programs
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Executive coaches work independently, for coaching firms or as internal coaches within large companies. Sessions happen by video, phone or in person at client offices, so a mix of remote work and travel is common. Schedules are flexible but built around busy executives' calendars. Business development takes significant time for independent coaches.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.4
- Learning Strategies4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing4.4
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Service Orientation3.6
- Time Management3.6
- Systems Evaluation3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Executive Coach?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SEA) built on O*NET's Training and Development Specialist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Executive Coach |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Social5.8
- Enterprising4.2
- Investigative4.0
- Conventional3.8
- Artistic3.7
- Realistic2.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Executive Coach
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Management
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Business and Financial Operations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Community and Social Service
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor
$64,330median a year
Most earn $45K to $105K
+2.9%Master's
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with training and development specialists highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Executive Coach$69,280
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Executive Coach | $69,280 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Executive Coach appears on
Questions
Executive Coach: frequently asked questions
How much do Training and Development Specialists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for training and development specialists. It counts them within training and development specialist, whose median pay is $69,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $50,110 and $95,050, and the top 10% earn $123,250 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Executive Coach?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Training and Development Specialists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 78.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Executive Coach a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 10.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 46,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Executive Coach do?
Executive coaches help leaders get better at leading. A typical task: interview stakeholders and run 360-degree feedback assessments. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Data base management system software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Training and Development Specialists the most?
The highest state medians for Training and Development Specialists are Delaware ($88,570), New Hampshire ($86,050), Alaska ($81,860) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Executive Coach?
O*NET scores Training and Development Specialists highest on the Social, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ENFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.