Business Continuity Planners
Develop, maintain, or implement business continuity and disaster recovery strategies and solutions, including risk assessments, business impact analyses, strategy selection, and documentation of business continuity and disaster recovery procedures. Plan, conduct, and debrief regular mock-disaster exercises to test the adequacy of existing plans and strategies, updating procedures and plans regularly. Act as a coordinator for continuity efforts after a disruption event.
Also called: Business Change Advisor, Business Consultant, Business Continuity Administrator (Business Continuity Admin), Business Continuity Analyst, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Consultant, Business Continuity And Disaster Recovery Specialist
Median pay
$83,050
Pay for the broader BLS group “Business Operations Specialists, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$47,880 – $150,010
People employed
1,087,090
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ECI
Enterprising · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 2.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 3.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
Business Continuity Planners pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Business Operations Specialists, All Other”.
What business continuity planners do
- 01Develop emergency management plans for recovery decision making and communications, continuity of critical departmental processes, or temporary shut-down of non-critical departments to ensure continuity of operation and governance.
- 02Conduct or oversee collection of corporate intelligence to avoid fraud, financial crime, cyber attack, terrorism, and infrastructure failure.
- 03Test documented disaster recovery strategies and plans.
- 04Develop disaster recovery plans for physical locations with critical assets, such as data centers.
- 05Establish, maintain, or test call trees to ensure appropriate communication during disaster.
- 06Identify opportunities for strategic improvement or mitigation of business interruption and other risks caused by business, regulatory, or industry-specific change initiatives.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from business continuity planners
- Information Technology Project Managers92% · group pay
- Compliance Managers92% · group pay
- Emergency Management Directors91% · —
- Security Managers87% · group pay
- Document Management Specialists85% · group pay
Change into business continuity planners
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Emergency Management Directors90% · $93,330
- Loss Prevention Managers88% · $141,900
- Security Managers87% · $106,660
- Information Technology Project Managers86% · $116,580
- Compliance Managers82% · $141,900
Majors that lead here
- Business Administration and Management, General
- E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce
- Business Operations Support and Secretarial Services, Other
- Hotel/Motel Administration/Management
- International Business/Trade/Commerce
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.