Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: salary, outlook & degrees
Represent and promote artists, performers, and athletes in dealings with current or prospective employers. May handle contract negotiation and other business matters for clients.
Middle half $63,670–$146,430. 12,620 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
74% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $65,067.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 2,400 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| General Business | 8% | Business |
| Communications | 8% | Communications · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other |
| Business Management And Administration | 7% | Business Administration |
| Music | 5% | Music |
| English Language And Literature | 5% | English |
| Psychology | 4% | Psychology |
| Marketing And Marketing Research | 4% | Marketing · Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations |
| Film Video And Photographic Arts | 4% | Film and Photography |
| Journalism | 3% | Journalism |
| Drama And Theater Arts | 3% | Theatre · Arts and Entertainment Management |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Florida | $98,200 |
| California | $98,110 |
| Colorado | $95,530 |
| Texas | $82,920 |
| Michigan | $82,440 |
| New Hampshire | $81,690 |
| Connecticut | $81,470 |
| New Jersey | $81,190 |
| New York | $79,620 |
| Arkansas | $78,560 |
| Ohio | $76,790 |
| Tennessee | $75,390 |
| Wisconsin | $74,990 |
| Washington | $74,620 |
| Virginia | $73,400 |
| Arizona | $60,340 |
| Illinois | $56,560 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$100,650
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$83,360
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$97,750
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$103,730
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$98,930
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge used
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Fine Arts
Work styles
- Social Orientation
- Self-Confidence
- Perseverance
- Dependability
- Leadership Orientation
People in this job tend to have Enterprising (leading), Social (helping), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: questions
How much do agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes make?
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes earn a U.S. median $82,890 a year; the middle half earn $63,670 to $146,430 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $60,328 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 9.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,400 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be an agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athlete?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 58% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is general Business (8%).
How much do agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $98,200 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $82,890 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 13-1011. Method
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Cite this: “Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/agents-and-business-managers-of-artists-performers-and-athletes.