How Much Do Subject Matter Experts Make?
Having a clear understanding of earnings potential is important, especially if you are researching career paths or considering changing jobs. If you're one of those people, and you're curious what kind of salary subject matter experts make, you've come to the right place.
Using data from Lightcast,™ the Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled rich information about salary for subject matter experts and related jobs, including details about average compensation, salary trends and job growth. We've also gathered advertised salaries from actual job postings to provide insight into what employers of subject matter experts are offering as compensation.
Keep reading to learn more about how much subject matter experts can expect to make in the United States.
At a Glance: Salary & Jobs for Subject Matter Experts
According to data from 2023, there were about 59,704 positions for subject matter experts in the United States. In terms of salary, the national median salary for subject matter experts was reported to be $134,701. Additionally, when examining job demand, employers across the country posted 90,030 job postings related to positions for subject matter experts.
How Much Money Do Subject Matter Experts Make?
Median salary is just one data point. To build a better understanding of how much money subject matter experts and related positions can expect to make in the United States, it can be helpful to look at the full range of compensation for those jobs.
Let's look more deeply at data that was reported to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for detail into the lowest and highest salary earnings for subject matter experts.
Annual Salary for Subject Matter Experts
According to the BLS, the lowest earners for subject matter experts and related professions earned about $76,003 per year in 2023. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the highest earners made about $194,958 annually.
As mentioned previously, the median salary for subject matter experts in the United States in 2023 was $134,701.
Annual Salary Range For Subject Matter Experts In 2023
Hourly Salary for Subject Matter Experts
The BLS also breaks down compensation for subject matter experts by hourly salary, and the median average hourly pay for subject matter experts in 2023 was $65. Lowest hourly earners took home $37 while the highest reported hourly salaries for subject matter experts was $94.
Hourly Salary Range For Subject Matter Experts In 2023
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Advertised Compensation for Subject Matter Experts
Data from the BLS is one way to dig into compensation for subject matter experts, but another way to build a more real-time understanding of salary is to look at actual job postings and see what compensation organizations are currently providing to fill open positions for subject matter experts.
Keep in mind that salary data is not included in every job posting, so the information compiled here is reflective of the data available through Lightcast.™
Annual Salary from Job Postings for Subject Matter Experts
Advertised Annual Salary
During a review of 111,022 job postings related to subject matter experts, advertised salary was included in 39,152 of them, which was 35%. Based on those postings, the median advertised salary for subject matter experts was $114,048 per year.
Hourly Salary from Job Postings for Subject Matter Experts
Advertised Hourly Salary
A similar analysis of job postings provides insight into advertised hourly salary for subject matter experts. Based on 43% of postings with advertised compensation, the median hourly salary for open positions for subject matter experts in the United States is about $55.
Salary Trend for Subject Matter Experts
If you're thinking about pursuing a career in the field, you may want to understand how compensation has changed over time for subject matter experts. The chart below provides a snapshot of advertised salaries over the past three years.
Based on compensation data that was included in job postings for subject matter experts dating back to September 2020, advertised salaries for subject matter experts have increased 34%.
Advertised Wage Trend For Subject Matter Experts
What's the Job Growth for Subject Matter Experts?
Another data point that someone thinking about a career path should consider is whether or not jobs are expected to see growth in the future. The chart below looks at projected employment for subject matter experts over the next 10 years.
According to the data obtained through Lightcast,™ there were 59,775 jobs for subject matter experts in the United States in 2023. By 2033, it is expected that about 8,305 jobs will be added. That's a 13.9% increase over the next 10-year period.
Employment Projections For Subject Matter Experts
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about subject matter experts? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for subject matter experts.
What do subject matter experts do?
Subject Matter Experts: How do you become one?
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