Average Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes is $96,310 per year. The middle 50% earn between $63,100 and $168,850, with 14,220 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 26 states and 24 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $48,530
- 25th
- $63,100
- Median
- $96,310
- 75th
- $168,850
- 90th
- ≥$239,200
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Values marked ≥$239,200 are at or above the BLS wage cap. BLS does not publish an exact figure above this threshold.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Some agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes earn above the BLS wage cap of $239,200, so the top percentiles shown here are BLS's minimum. Actual top-end earnings go higher but are not published in detail.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes from 2024 to 2034. Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes are projected to grow much faster than average, more than double the roughly 4% growth rate for all US occupations. Demand is strong and outpacing most of the labor market.
- Projected growth
- +8.7%
- 1,900 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 2,200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes.
Where Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Wisconsin at $114,210, about 18.6% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $126,560.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $114,210 | 40 |
| Georgia | $100,880 | 310 |
| Connecticut | $94,830 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $83,410 | 300 |
| New York | $81,470 | 2,660 |
| Nevada | $78,370 | N/A |
| Tennessee | $77,490 | 630 |
| Minnesota | $75,080 | 70 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $126,560 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $107,370 | 290 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $102,530 | 220 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $99,970 | 160 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $93,400 | 2,520 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $84,150 | N/A |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $82,160 | 50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $81,190 | 130 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes rose from $73,740 to $96,310, a gain of +30.6% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $73,740 would need to be worth $90,478 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $96,310 is $5,832 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +6.4% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 6.4%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +30.6%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- +6.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $73,740
- 2020
- $75,420
- 2021
- $78,410
- 2022
- $82,530
- 2023
- $84,900
- 2024
- $96,310
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Labor Relations Specialists
- $93,500
- Project Management Specialists
- $100,750
- Logisticians
- $80,880
- Compliance Officers
- $78,420
- Cost Estimators
- $77,070
- Buyers And Purchasing Agents
- $75,650
Common salary questions for Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Agents And Business Managers Of Artists, Performers, And Athletes workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.