Dive Brief:
- Most talent development professionals are veterans in the field, if Jan. 8 data from the Association for Talent Development is any indication: More than half of L&D professionals surveyed have 10 or more years in the field and more than half have a postgraduate degree.
- The majority of respondents said they work at large or extra-large organizations with 2,500 employees or more.
- Overall, the average salary for an L&D professional was $101,229 in 2025, with the median salary being $95,000, ATD said.
Dive Insight:
The portrait of the L&D professional will be ripe for evolution in 2026, thanks to artificial intelligence. In a survey conducted by Go1, the majority of L&D professionals seemed bullish regarding AI’s role in upskilling: 69% of respondents agreed “this is where AI can deliver the most value.”
However, who owns AI innovation at an organization remains unclear. Twenty-three percent of those surveyed by Go1 said AI ownership is “very clear,” while a quarter said that AI ownership is “mostly” or “completely” unclear.
Still, per the Go1 report, L&D professionals are uniquely positioned to create the kind of frameworks and guidance to drive learner-centric AI adoption strategies.
L&D professionals can bridge the gap between leadership and employees, Go1 said, building “the AI confidence employees need while meeting the expectations leadership has established.”