Career
Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes
Represent artists and athletes, and negotiate their careers.
$82,890
Median pay
+9.7%
Job growth, 2025–35
2,400
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Collect fees, commissions, or other payments, according to contract terms.
- Send samples of clients' work and other promotional material to potential employers to obtain auditions, sponsorships, or endorsement deals.
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on persuasion & leadership, then people & care?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Collect fees, commissions, or other payments, according to contract terms.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Negotiation.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $82,890 a year and 2,400 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Business AdministrationSee the degree →
- Public Relations and AdvertisingSee the degree →
- Sports CommunicationCIP 09.0906
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, GeneralCIP 50.1001
- Fine and Studio Arts ManagementCIP 50.1002
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, OtherCIP 50.1099
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Talent Directors
- Advertising Sales Agents$64,820 · -7.2%
- Public Relations Specialists$74,750 · +1.8%
- Advertising and Promotions Managers$133,660 · -3.7%
- Writers and Authors$76,910 · -0.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.