What is the salary and career path for a organizational development specialist?
Organizational development specialists are reported under Training and Development Specialists (SOC 13-1151), the closest BLS code for OD and change work. Its OEWS May 2025 median is $69,280 a year ($33.31 an hour), from $38,760 at the 10th percentile up to $123,250 at the 90th. BLS projects this code up about 10.8% over 2024–2034, much faster than average, with roughly 43,900 openings a year across the broad specialist group. A bachelor's degree, often with a master's in OD or industrial-organizational psychology, plus change-management credentials such as Prosci is typical.
- Organizational Development Specialists earn a national median $69,280/yr ($33.31/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1151); the top 10% clear $123,250.
- The role sits under Training and Development Specialists (13-1151), the closest BLS code for OD and change work.
- BLS projects the code up about 10.8% through 2034, much faster than average, with around 43,900 openings a year.
- Pay runs from an OD coordinator near $38,760 to a director of org effectiveness at the $123,250 top decile, with Prosci a common lever.
Career Path
How do you become an organizational development specialist?
OD / HR coordinator
Supporting surveys, workshops and change logistics starts near the $38,760 10th percentile.
Organizational Development Specialist
Running diagnostics, org design and change initiatives earns around the $69,280 specialist median.
Senior OD specialist / consultant
Leading enterprise change and effectiveness work lifts pay toward the $95,050 75th percentile.
OD manager / director of org effectiveness
Owning the OD function and transformation strategy reaches the $123,250 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays organizational development specialists the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1151. National median: $69,280. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does organizational development specialist pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles organizational development specialists most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: organizational development specialists rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +10.8% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly organizational development specialists clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1151 (organizational development specialists) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do organizational development specialists need?
The typical foundation; a master's in OD or I-O psychology is common. See all state licences →
The widely recognized credential for structured change-management practice.
ATD's credential validating development, learning and org-effectiveness expertise.
SHRM credentials reinforcing the people-strategy side of OD work.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do organizational development specialists use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1151
Salary Levers
How do organizational development specialists earn above the $69,280 BLS median?
Move from coordinator to specialist
Owning diagnostics and change work instead of logistics lifts pay off the $38,760 band toward the median.
Lead enterprise change programs
Running large transformation and org-design efforts lifts pay toward the $95,050 upper band.
Reach director of org effectiveness
Owning the OD function and strategy reaches the $123,250 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an organizational development specialist worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1151. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Organizational Development Specialist Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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