Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Also called: Acquisition Agent, Advance Agent, Agent, Artist Manager, Artist Representative, Artist's Manager, Artist's Representative, Athlete Manager
Represent and promote artists, performers, and athletes in dealings with current or prospective employers.
What Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Confer with clients to develop strategies for their careers, and to explain actions taken on their behalf.
- Develop contacts with individuals and organizations, and apply effective strategies and techniques to ensure their clients' success.
- Schedule promotional or performance engagements for clients.
- Arrange meetings concerning issues involving their clients.
- Manage business and financial affairs for clients, such as arranging travel and lodging, selling tickets, and directing marketing and advertising activities.
- Hire trainers or coaches to advise clients on performance matters, such as training techniques or performance presentations.
- Prepare periodic accounting statements for clients.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes salary
The median annual wage for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes is $82,890 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $48,010 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $284,570. The mean annual wage is $141,580.
The mean hourly wage of $68.00 is 9.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $82,890 → in 3 years $91,200 → in 5 years $97,100 → in 10 years $113,900 (10-year range $97,900–$132,200). The model assumes pay growth of +3.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.