Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Also called Agent, Booking Agent, Talent Agent, or Theatrical Agent
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes do
You find the work, cut the deals, and handle the business side so an actor, musician, or athlete can focus on performing.
Agents and business managers represent people whose talent is their livelihood. You pitch your clients to the people who hire, book, or sponsor them, then negotiate the terms and make sure the money arrives. That means sending samples of a client's work, lining up auditions or endorsement deals, where a company pays your client to promote its product, scheduling performances, and reading contracts closely enough to catch what matters.
The other half is the relationship. You sit with clients to plan what their career should look like in a year, and you explain the choices you made for them, including ones they did not like. You also keep a network warm: promoters, the people who organize and pay for shows; managers; casting people; and union officials, who represent performers' rights. Much of the day is email, calls, and meetings.
A day in the life
You start with email, because overnight someone has moved a date or sent a contract. You read it carefully, mark the terms that need pushing back, and call the other side to negotiate. Midmorning you sit face-to-face with a client to talk through a decision you made on their behalf. Then you send promotional material to a contact who might book them, and follow up on a payment that has not landed yet. In the afternoon you sit in on an audition to evaluate someone who wants you to represent them. You are at a desk a lot, working alongside colleagues but owning your own list of clients. Deadlines stack up, and something usually needs an answer today.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Enjoy persuading people and closing a deal
- ✓Read contracts and fine print without your eyes glazing over
- ✓Can hear what someone means, not just what they say
- ✓Like following an industry closely, from trends to who signed with whom
- ✓Stay organized when several clients need you at once
You might not like it if you…
- –Want a job with few deadlines or little time pressure
- –Dislike phone calls and messages that cannot wait
- –Prefer physical, on-your-feet work over sitting at a desk and in meetings
- –Find it draining to deliver bad news or handle disappointed clients
How people get in
- 1Finish a bachelor's degree, the usual entry point here. Programs in arts, entertainment, and media management, sports communication, or contracts management line up well.
- 2Get close to the business early through internships at agencies, venues, teams, or with the people who organize shows, and by helping local performers find work.
- 3Learn how contracts work, along with commissions, the share of a client's earnings an agent is paid, since collecting those payments is a core task.
- 4Build a contact list on purpose. Most people enter through assistant or coordinator roles where you support experienced agents and learn who calls whom.
- 5Expect to spend a few years building experience before running your own client list; many employers look for under five years of related work.
Who tends to enjoy it
Leading
People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.
Helping
People who like teaching, caring for, and working closely with people.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Official task list
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes represent and promote artists, performers, and athletes in dealings with current or prospective employers. May handle contract negotiation and other business matters for clients. (O*NET)
- 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.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Persuasion
- Negotiation
- Social Perceptiveness
What you'll need to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Fine Arts
How much Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes make
The median pay for Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes in the U.S. is $82,890 a year ($39.85 an hour). Most earn between $48,010 and $284,570. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in Florida ($98,200) and lowest in Illinois ($56,560).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $60,340 | 160 |
| Arkansas | $78,560 | 30 |
| California | $98,110 | 4,860 |
| Colorado | $95,530 | 80 |
| Connecticut | $81,470 | 170 |
| Florida | $98,200 | 870 |
| Illinois | $56,560 | — |
| Michigan | $82,440 | — |
| New Hampshire | $81,690 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $81,190 | 170 |
| New York | $79,620 | 2,660 |
| Ohio | $76,790 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $75,390 | 730 |
| Texas | $82,920 | 320 |
| Virginia | $73,400 | 110 |
| Washington | $74,620 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $74,990 | 40 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Purchasing, Procurement / Acquisitions and Contracts Management 61 colleges
- Sports Communication 98 colleges
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management 103 colleges
- Fine and Studio Arts Management 107 colleges
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other 21 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 13-1011.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 13-1011. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.