Designs online courses, simulations and blended training programs that help employees or students learn a skill and actually use it. 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
Learning Experience Designer 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: LX Designer, LXD, Learning Designer, eLearning Designer, Digital Learning Designer.
Pay
How much do Training and Development Specialists make?
Every learning experience designer 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 Learning Experience Designer 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 a Learning Experience Designer
Most learning experience designers hold a bachelor's degree, and many add a master's or graduate certificate in instructional design, learning technologies or educational technology. Former teachers make up a large share of the field, since lesson planning and assessment transfer directly. Knowing adult learning models such as ADDIE and backward design, plus at least one authoring tool, is expected.
A portfolio matters more than a credential: hiring managers want to see a sample module, a storyboard and a short write-up of the problem it solved. The Association for Talent Development offers the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) for people who want a recognized credential. Many people break in through contract work, nonprofit projects or an internal move from training or teaching.
- 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 a Learning Experience Designer do?
Learning experience designers build the courses people take at work or in school: onboarding programs, compliance modules, product training, leadership academies and university online classes. They start by interviewing subject matter experts and learners, define what people should be able to do afterward, and then design the sequence of videos, scenarios, practice activities and assessments that gets them there.
The role borrows from instructional design and from UX design. Designers write scripts and storyboards, prototype interactions in authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline or Rise, test drafts with real learners, and revise based on completion data and feedback. Many also manage a learning management system, write job aids and coach facilitators who deliver live sessions.
Day-to-day tasks
- Interview subject matter experts and learners to define performance goals
- Write learning objectives, outlines and storyboards for courses
- Build interactive modules and scenarios in eLearning authoring tools
- Design quizzes, simulations and practice activities that measure skill
- Test prototypes with pilot learners and revise based on feedback
- Publish and maintain courses in a learning management system
- Analyze completion and assessment data to improve programs
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Learning experience designers work for corporations, universities, healthcare systems, government agencies and training vendors. The work is computer-based and often fully remote or hybrid. Schedules are regular office hours, with deadline pushes around product launches or semester starts. Collaboration with subject matter experts, video producers and developers takes up much of the week.
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 a Learning Experience Designer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code AIS) built on O*NET's Training and Development Specialist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Learning Experience Designer |
|---|---|
| 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 investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social5.6
- Investigative4.4
- Artistic4.0
- Conventional3.8
- Enterprising3.7
- 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 Learning Experience Designer
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
- Learning Experience Designer$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 |
| Learning Experience Designer | $69,280 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Learning Experience Designer appears on
Questions
Learning Experience Designer: 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 a Learning Experience Designer?
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 Learning Experience Designer 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 a Learning Experience Designer do?
Learning experience designers build the courses people take at work or in school: onboarding programs, compliance modules, product training, leadership academies and university online classes. A typical task: interview subject matter experts and learners to define performance goals. 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 a Learning Experience Designer?
O*NET scores Training and Development Specialists highest on the Social, Investigative and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.