Business and Finance · Career brief

Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$82,890

Above the middle on pay

2025 national median. Top quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

9.7%

Strong projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top 10% for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

2,400

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree + related experience. Related work experience is typically required.

5The work

Persuasive / leading

Influence, decisions, and results matter

Collect fees, commissions, or other payments, according to contract terms.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is growth; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if persuasive or leadership-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Before choosing, compare:Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Fundraisers Labor Relations Specialists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes with another field Explore rankings in Business and Finance Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$82,890

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

9.7%employment growth2,400openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: less than 5 years

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

26,900

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes (13-1011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Collect fees, commissions, or other payments, according to contract terms.
Keep informed of industry trends and deals.
Conduct auditions or interviews to evaluate potential clients.
Negotiate with managers, promoters, union officials, and other persons regarding clients' contractual rights and obligations.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.
Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Getting Information4.5
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.1
Thinking Creatively4.0
Communicating with People Outside the Organization4.0
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.9

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Enterprising6.5
Social4.1
Conventional3.7
Artistic3.6
Investigative1.8
Realistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Sales and Marketing Fine Arts Communications and Media Personnel and Human Resources

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Work through a realistic case with incomplete information: make a recommendation, show the numbers behind it, and defend the tradeoffs.
Ask someone doing this job which feeder role built the required experience, what that earlier job paid, and how long the transition actually took.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

Prior related experience: less than 5 years. Look for the preceding roles and promotion route before treating this as a first job.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options