Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035 (about 2,600 more jobs), with about 2,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $82,890 a year ranks 201st of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +9.7%
- Openings a year
- 2,400
- Median pay
- $82,890
- Pay rank
- 201st of 825
Is employment of agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes to rise 9.7% (about 2,600 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +5.5% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 business and financial operations occupations with a projection. That change ranks 64th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 26,900 |
| Employment, 2035 | 29,500 |
| Projected change | +9.7% |
| Openings a year | 2,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 26,900 jobs here differ from the 12,620 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 2,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 510th most of 830 occupations. About 89% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 260 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes rank?
The median of $82,890 a year ranks 201st of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners | +5.8% | 16,800 | $61,160 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | +7.0% | 82,000 | $78,760 |
| Fundraisers | +5.5% | 10,000 | $72,550 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | +1.4% | 17,100 | $105,070 |
| Producers and Directors | +4.0% | 12,100 | $90,360 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | -7.2% | 7,800 | $64,820 |
| Public Relations Specialists | +1.8% | 23,000 | $74,750 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | -3.7% | 2,300 | $133,660 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.