Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 13-1011 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$82,888
$39.85/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes is $82,888 per year ($39.85/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $63,669 and $146,432 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $284,565 per year. There are approximately 12,620 agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Represent and promote artists, performers, and athletes in dealings with current or prospective employers. May handle contract negotiation and other business matters for clients.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+8.7%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
21K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
9% from new growth91% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures
NAICS 711400
10K
$95,570
Performing Arts Companies
NAICS 711100
440
$52,850
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events
NAICS 711300
440
$88,100
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
NAICS 711500
270
$64,380
Motion Picture and Video Industries
NAICS 512100
240
N/A
Wage range across top 5 industries: $52,850 to $95,570 (81% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$23.08
$48,006
P25
$30.61
$63,669
P50MEDIAN
$39.85
$82,888
P75
$70.40
$146,432
P90
$136.81
$284,565
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · finance sector
Hot
Openings Rate
6.0%
Quits Rate
1.2%
Finance and Insurance openings surged to 428K (+98K) in March, pushing the openings rate to 6.0% -- the highest in any major sector. Quits ticked up to 1.2%. Demand for finance talent has reaccelerated sharply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes salary?
The national median salary for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes is $82,888 per year ($39.85/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $63,669 and $146,432 annually.
How much do top-earning agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes make?
The 90th percentile salary for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes is $284,565 per year ($136.81/hr). The 75th percentile is $146,432 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes?
Entry-level Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (10th percentile) earn approximately $48,006 per year ($23.08/hr). The 25th percentile is $63,669 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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