Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
How much should a Training and Development Manager expect to earn? If you're going by the national average of $139,667, you're missing the plot. The real answer depends on where you work, how long you've been at it, and what the local market can bear. Across 288 tracked cities, we found a $97,767 range from entry to senior-level pay — and a geographic spread that's equally dramatic.
Positioned in Management within the broader Leadership & Operations industry, Training and Development Managers typically hold Bachelor's degree. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is hybrid. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$154,800 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Training and Development Manager in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $254,400 — $154,800 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($99,600). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Training and Development Managers average $100,560, the median sits at $139,667, and senior earners pull in $198,327. That $97,767 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $59,300 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) averages $237,600, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) averages $100,400. The $137,200 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Training and Development Manager in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $254,400 — $154,800 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($99,600). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Training and Development Manager is $100,560, while senior-level (P90) earners average $198,327. That $97,767 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Training and Development Managers at $168,570 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $148,200) is $20,370.
At the 90th percentile, Training and Development Managers pull in an average of $198,327. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $100,560 | $139,667 | $198,327 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £58,287 | £80,954 | £114,955 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$78,160 | CA$108,555 | CA$154,148 |
| Australia | 13 | A$93,550 | A$129,930 | A$184,500 |
| Sweden | 24 | 533,845 kr | 741,452 kr | 1,052,861 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $121,371 | $168,570 | $239,370 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $117,288 | $162,900 | $231,318 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $116,640 | $162,000 | $230,040 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $108,000 | $150,000 | $213,000 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $106,704 | $148,200 | $210,444 |
| Washington | 8 | $104,652 | $145,350 | $206,397 |
| New York | 5 | $98,496 | $136,800 | $194,256 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $98,496 | $136,800 | $194,256 |
| Florida | 22 | $97,750 | $135,764 | $192,784 |
| Colorado | 11 | $96,061 | $133,418 | $189,454 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $95,904 | $133,200 | $189,144 |
| Nevada | 5 | $95,731 | $132,960 | $188,803 |
| Arizona | 12 | $95,256 | $132,300 | $187,866 |
| Oregon | 5 | $95,040 | $132,000 | $187,440 |
| Idaho | 3 | $94,752 | $131,600 | $186,872 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $94,003 | $130,560 | $185,395 |
| Utah | 4 | $93,744 | $130,200 | $184,884 |
| Virginia | 7 | $92,201 | $128,057 | $181,841 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $91,008 | $126,400 | $179,488 |
| Alaska | 1 | $90,720 | $126,000 | $178,920 |
| Illinois | 5 | $89,683 | $124,560 | $176,875 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $87,456 | $121,467 | $172,483 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $86,400 | $120,000 | $170,400 |
| Montana | 1 | $86,400 | $120,000 | $170,400 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $86,112 | $119,600 | $169,832 |
| Texas | 40 | $85,687 | $119,010 | $168,994 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $85,536 | $118,800 | $168,696 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $85,104 | $118,200 | $167,844 |
| Georgia | 6 | $84,816 | $117,800 | $167,276 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $84,672 | $117,600 | $166,992 |
| Kansas | 4 | $84,240 | $117,000 | $166,140 |
| Michigan | 6 | $83,952 | $116,600 | $165,572 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $82,944 | $115,200 | $163,584 |
| Maryland | 1 | $82,944 | $115,200 | $163,584 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $82,080 | $114,000 | $161,880 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $82,080 | $114,000 | $161,880 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $79,920 | $111,000 | $157,620 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $79,488 | $110,400 | $156,768 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $78,408 | $108,900 | $154,638 |
| Missouri | 4 | $78,408 | $108,900 | $154,638 |
| Alabama | 5 | $78,106 | $108,480 | $154,042 |
| Indiana | 3 | $76,896 | $106,800 | $151,656 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $76,896 | $106,800 | $151,656 |
| Iowa | 2 | $76,032 | $105,600 | $149,952 |
| Ohio | 6 | $75,888 | $105,400 | $149,668 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $72,576 | $100,800 | $143,136 |
The state salary map for Training and Development Managers: California at $168,570, Massachusetts at $162,900, Hawaii at $162,000 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($100,800), Ohio ($105,400), Iowa ($105,600) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $67,770.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($254,400 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $120,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $254,400 | 212 | $120,000 | $141,688 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $237,600 | 198 | $120,000 | $134,104 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $220,800 | 184 | $120,000 | $126,200 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $217,200 | 181 | $120,000 | $124,506 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $213,600 | 178 | $120,000 | $122,812 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $212,400 | 177 | $120,000 | $122,248 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $212,400 | 177 | $120,000 | $122,248 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $207,600 | 173 | $120,000 | $119,989 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $207,600 | 173 | $120,000 | $119,989 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $202,800 | 169 | $120,000 | $117,731 |
The $97,767 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Training and Development Manager career. Senior-level earners make 2.0× what entry-level professionals do — a solid progression that justifies the upfront investment. In the Leadership & Operations sector, growing, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Training and Development Managers is $139,667 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $100,560, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $198,327.
The highest-paying city for Training and Development Managers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $254,400. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($254,400), Santa Clara ($237,600), Irvine ($220,800). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Training and Development Manager salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $99,600. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Training and Development Managers (10th percentile) average $100,560 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $183,168. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Training and Development Managers average $198,327 nationally — $97,767 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Training and Development Managers can earn up to $361,248.
The top-paying states for Training and Development Managers are California ($168,570 median), Massachusetts ($162,900 median), Hawaii ($162,000 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Training and Development Manager involves Bachelor's degree. The field is in the Leadership & Operations sector (Management), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically hybrid.
With a national median of $139,667 and representation across 288 metro areas, Training and Development Manager offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $97,767 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.