Instructional Designer Salary Report 2024


ANNUAL SALARY SURVEY 2024


One of the most common questions that any aspiring Learning and Development (L&D) professional wants to know is, “How much will I earn?” In some cases, this very common question is not a very welcome one either. Nevertheless, we at LXD Guild understand it is a valid question and have got your back.

With our “Annual Salary Survey,” we aimed to bring to your understanding the salary of L&D professionals across different ages, experience levels, roles, and organizations. Over a period of one month, we received responses from 51 L&D professionals. This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the survey results, highlighting key findings, the salary levels, working hours in a typical week, and the different kinds of organizational sectors. The insights derived from this analysis will provide a clearer picture of the L&D industry and ensure that every member of the community is on the right track toward success.

Survey Overview

  • Objective – To paint a comprehensive portrait of L&D salary compensation.
  • Methodology – Online questionnaire that was distributed via e-mail.
  • Respondents – 51
  • Period – From 12 th July, 2024 – 5 th August, 2024

AN OVERVIEW OF L&D PROFESSIONAL’S SALARY

The average salary of L&D professionals between Rs. 5L to Rs. 10L, covering 41.2% of the respondents. This indicates that most L&D professionals fall in the middle income bracket. There is a significant representation of L&D professionals in lower and higher income brackets as well.

  • 17.6% of the respondents fall between Rs. 0L to Rs. 5L range.
  • 23.5% of the respondents fall between Rs. 10L – Rs. 20L range,
  • 17.6% of the respondents fall between Rs. 20L – Rs. 40L range.

There are L&D professionalsno who fall in the extreme income bracket range, as 0% of the respondents reported earning more than Rs. 40L per year.

SALARY HIKES RECEIVED BY L&D PROFESSIONALS

However, what is also important to keep in mind that most of the respondents (26.5%) reporting that they experienced 11-15% salary hike in the last 12 months, while 24.5% and 22.4% of the respondents reporting that they experienced 6-10% and 1-5% salary hikes, respectively.

On the flip side, only 38.8% of the L&D professionals received a cash bonus this year, with 21.2% of the respondents saying they received only a cash bonus of Rs. 5,000/-.

In an age of diversification, upskilling is the first stepping stone toward a salary hike.

Check out LXD Guild’s Capstone Project to upskill yourself and get that salary hike you deserve!

JOB SATISFACTION AMONG L&D PROFESSIONALS

When we asked L&D professionals whether or not their job position/responsibility is relative to the salary paid to them:

  • 47.9% respondents reported that they felt it was fair.
  • 41.7% respondents reported that their salary is relatively lower compared to their responsibilities.
  • 10.4% respondents reported that they are well-paid.
CHOOSING SAME/DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS FOR L&D PROFESSIONALS

On a more interesting note, majority of the respondents (63.6%) reported that if they were given a chance to do it all over again, they would choose another career. Only 36.4% of the respondents reported that they would choose the same career path for themselves. This indicates that a certain level of job satisfaction is lacking in the L&D field, so it can be implied that a fairer compensation can contribute to greater job satisfaction.

Job satisfaction is among the most important things for a L&D professional to be at their best, professionally and personally. So, if you think that the L&D field needs a push in the right direction, then…

Attend the LXD Guild Meet-Up for an opportunity to shape the future of L&D. Register now!

LXD GUILD UPCOMING EVENTS

Certified Learning Experience Designer (CLXD) Bootcamp - Looking to advance your career in the L&D field? Well, the CLXD Bootcamp is specifically crafted for L&D professionals! It is perfect for you whether you are into education, training, or instructional design, and other related fields

Certified Learning Experience Designer (CLXD) Capstone - Looking to get that salary hike you deserve, but you are unable to get the perfect training program for the same? With CLXD Capstone, you don't have to worry. You will get to not just learn but apply what you have learned in real-life settings, and stay ahead of the curve in more ways than one!

Attend the LXD Guild Meet-Up for an opportunity to shape the future of L&D. Register now!

WORKING HOURS IN A TYPICAL WEEK FOR L&D PROFESSIONALS

Moreover, majority of the respondents (49%) reported working for 30-40 hours a week, while a substantial portion of the respondents (28.6%) reported working for 20-30 hours a week, and some other respondents (20.4%) reported working for more than 40 hours a week. This indicates that standard and flexible working arrangements are the most prevalent options for L&D professionals. Having the best of both worlds can also contribute to job satisfaction.p>

NO. OF TRAINEES BUSINESSES PROVIDE TRAINING TO IN THE L&D FIELD

One more thing that can add to job satisfaction is training. Majority of the respondents (33.3%) reported that their organization offers training to less than a 100 employees. Training is one of the most essential aspects of a job, as it provides direction, detail, and reduces confusion as well as disorientation, thereby increasing job satisfaction.

The main reasons for a lack of training were cited as lack of time (38.3%), bandwidth capacity (31.9%), corporate culture (27.7%), and cost to implement (21.4%), among others. This indicates that organizations need to afford more time, resources, and also create a culture that fosters training, as training is the first step to nurturing and honing talents.

If your organization is among those that is not providing you the training you deserve, do not worry, LXD Guild has got you covered.

Check out LXD Guild’s Certified Learning Experience Designer (CLXD) Bootcamp to stay ahead.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF L&D PROFESSIONALS EMPLOYED

The largest age demographic for L&D professionals is between the 25-34 age bracket, with 60.8% respondents falling within the same. 18-24 and 35-44 age brackets, meanwhile, comprise 15.7% and 13.7% of the respondents, respectively. This means that there is a significant presence of experienced professionals as well as the scope for younger talent in the field, making it applicable to a diverse range of people.

GENDER DISTRIBUTION IN THE L&D FIELD

The most interesting and perhaps even exciting thing about L&D is that it is female-dominated field. 68.6% of the respondents were female, while 31.4% of the respondents were male.

IN WHICH SECTOR AND ROLES ARE L&D PROFESSIONALS MOSTLY EMPLOYED?

Finance is the dominant sector in which L&D professionals are employed, with 17.6% of the respondents belonging to this sector. Meanwhile, the other top sectors are as follows:

  • Education (13.7%)
  • Consulting (11.8%)
  • Transportation/Utilities (9.8%)
  • Manufacturing (7.8%)
  • Communications (7.8%) and more

Remember, while certain fields like finance dominate when it comes to employment in the L&D field, the chances of career diversification are also high as the remaining sectors are more or less evenly distributed, thereby implying that there is a consistent demand for L&D professionals across different industries and roles.

DIFFERENT ENTERPRISES IN WHICH L&D PROFESSIONALS ARE EMPLOYED

What is also interesting to note is that most of the industries that L&D professionals are employed in organizations that have lower than $1 million gross sales every year. Small enterprises (19.6%), within the gross sales of $1 million to $.4.9 million, come next. Meanwhile, medium enterprises (13.7%) and large enterprises (9.8%) are more or less evenly distributed. Now, this may be a bit of a disheartening statistic to look at first, however, what needs to be kept in mind is that there is a chance for growth for the industries employing L&D professionals.

Coming to the roles, 29.4% of the respondents were in training and development roles, while 15.7% of the respondents are in sales and marketing management roles. Meanwhile, other roles like human resource, accounting, finance, and customer services are evenly distributed at 9.8% each. This indicates that there is scope for L&D professionals to get into diverse roles and functions.

METHODOLOGY

The survey ran from July 12th, 2024 to August 5th, 2024. To collect the responses, the survey was distributed via LXD Guild’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Whatsapp community channels. The survey accrued 51 respondents from different countries, which are as follows:

  • India – 33.6%
  • USA – 30.7%
  • Germany – 11.5%
  • UK – 9.5%
  • Canada – 3.8%
  • France – 1.9%
  • Greece – 1.9%
  • Hong Kong, China – 1.9%
  • Malaysia – 1.9%
  • South Africa – 1.9%
  • Trinidad & Tobago – 1.9%

CONCLUSION

Overall, our survey shows that there is enormous scope for L&D professionals out there, whether one is starting out or more experienced. Private enterprises are still the highest paying ones in the L&D field, whereas opportunities in government field, the opportunities are almost negligible. So, if you are wanting to begin your career in L&D, salary wise, there is a great career trajectory you can aim for and never look back.

However, as our survey also said, training is something that is lacking in the L&D field. But do not worry, we got your back. To start your journey in L&D, especially the happening learning experience design field, you can begin by enrolling in LXD Guild’s Certified Learning Experience Designer (CLXD) Bootcamp/Capstone.

Register now for our upcoming Chapter Meet-ups in Hyderabad & Bangalore this September—limited seats available!

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