Find Professional Associations & Organizations by Industry!

Find Professional Associations & Organizations by Industry!

Professional Associations & Organizations are typically not-for-profit with the mission of furthering the advancement of a particular profession and the interests of the people in that profession.

I recommend joining one or more Professional Associations & Organizations. Becoming a member is usually straight-forward. Most associations require an application and annual membership dues. You also may need to undergo specialized training and re-certification to stay active.

Make sure to conduct your due diligence and find associations that are a match based on your industry specialization, experience level, and geographic location. After you become a member, remember to include this information on your Resume and LinkedIn profile for all to know!

Here’s the list of Professional Associations & Organizations:

Accounting

• View the compilation of Accounting Professional Associations & Organizations.

Administrative

• American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) provides professional development, training, and resources for administrative professionals and executive assistants.
• Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals (AEAP) helps members stay informed of advances and changes in professional practice and technology.
• International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) is a professional association for office professionals with approximately 20,000 members and affiliates.

Animal Care / Veterinary

• View the compilation of Animal Care Professional Associations & Organizations.

Appraisal

• American Society of Appraisers (ASA) is an international organization of appraisal professionals and others interested in the appraisal profession.

Architecture

• View the compilation of Architecture Professional Associations & Organizations.

Associations

• Center for Association Leadership (ASAE) is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession.

Astronomy

• American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) is a non-profit worldwide scientific and educational organization of amateur and professional astronomers.
• American Astronomical Society (AAS) membership (~7,000) includes physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers and others whose research interests lie within astronomy.

Aviation

• Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) is the largest aviation association in the world.
• American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) is the largest professional organization for airport executives, representing thousands of management personnel at public use airports.
• Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) is the world’s leader in advancing the flight attendant profession.
• National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) is dedicated to raising and maintaining the professional standing of the flight instructor in the aviation community.

Botany

• American Botanical Council (ABC) is a leading international member-based organization providing education to promote the responsible use of herbal medicine.
• American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) is a professional society devoted to the advancement of the plant sciences.
• Botanical Society of America (BSA) is the home for all botanists and plant scientists and supports the breadth and diversity of botanical research and education.

Career Services

• View the compilation of Career Services Professional Associations & Organizations.

Child Care

• Association for Early Learning Leaders is a nonprofit organization committed to excellence by promoting leadership development and enhancing program quality.
• National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care.

Construction

• View the compilation of Construction Professional Associations & Organizations.

Counseling

• View the compilation of Counseling Professional Associations & Organizations.

Criminal Justice

• View the compilation of Criminal Justice Professional Associations & Organizations.

Dental

• American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is a global resource for knowledge, research and education for the profession, members and the public.
• American Dental Association (ADA) is the nation’s largest dental association, representing 157,000 dentist members.
• American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) is the largest group representing professional dental assistants.

Design

• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is a professional association of designers committed to advancing the impact of interior design on the human experience.
• Professional Association for Design (AIGA) is a global community of design advocates and practitioners.

Diversity

• View the compilation of Diversity Professional Associations & Organizations.

Economics

• National Association for Business Economics (NABE) is the global professional association for business economists.

Education

• View the compilation of Education Professional Associations & Organizations.

Emergency Management

• National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) is dedicated to improving the nation’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from national emergencies, disasters, and threats.
• International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) is a worldwide organization dedicated to promoting the principles of emergency management.
• International Association for Preparedness and Response (DERA) links professionals, volunteers and organizations in disaster preparedness and emergency management.

Engineering

• View the compilation of Engineering Professional Associations & Organizations.

Entertainment

• National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is the voice for the nation’s radio and television broadcasters.

Events

• Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA) is dedicated to elevating the event and convention service profession.
• National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) represents the interests of legitimate ticket sellers worldwide, all while promoting consumer protection and industry education.

Facilities

• Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE) is the oldest and most experienced facilities maintenance and engineering association.
• International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals.
• Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) is the only organization dedicated specifically to retail multi-site facilities management professionals.

Finance

• View the compilation of Finance Professional Associations & Organizations.

Food Service / Nutrition

• View the compilation of Food Service Professional Associations & Organizations.

Fundraising

• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is the professional association of individuals and organizations that generate philanthropic support for charitable institutions.
• Grant Professionals Association (GPA) builds and supports a community of grant professionals committed to serving the greater public good.

Funeral

• National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 19,700 individual members.

Genealogy

• Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) represents more than 2,700 genealogists, librarians, writers, historians, instructors, and others involved in genealogy-related businesses.

Government

• View the compilation of Government Professional Associations & Organizations.

Healthcare

• View the compilation of Healthcare Professional Associations & Organizations.

Horticulture

• AmericanHort unites, promotes, and advances the horticulture industry through advocacy, collaboration, connectivity, education, market development, and research.
• American Horticultural Society (AHS) is one of the oldest member-based national gardening organizations in North America.
• American Public Gardens Association (APGA) is the leading professional organization for the field of public horticulture.

Human Resources

• View the compilation of Human Resource Professional Associations & Organizations.

Insurance

• View the compilation of Insurance Professional Associations & Organizations.

Information Technology

• View the compilation of IT Professional Associations & Organizations.

Interior Design

• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is a leading professional association of interior designers, industry leaders, educators and students.

Jewelry

• Jewelers of America (JA) was founded by jewelers for jewelers, with a desire to advance the professionalism and ethics of the jewelry industry.

Journalism

• The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to improving and protecting journalism.

Landscaping

• National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) is the national trade association representing an industry of nearly 1 million professionals.

Legal

• View the compilation of Legal Professional Associations & Organizations.

Library

• American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world.

Logistics

• View the compilation of Logistics Professional Associations & Organizations.

Marketing

• View the compilation of Marketing Professional Associations & Organizations.

Management

• American Management Association (AMA) is a world leader in professional development, advancing the skills of individuals to drive business success.

Manufacturing

• American Society for Quality (ASQ) is the world’s leading global community of people passionate about quality.
• Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) is the premier not-for-profit organization dedicated to the journey of continuous improvement and enterprise excellence.
• Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA) is a professional organization with 2,500+ individual and company members working together to improve metal forming and fabricating.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every sector and in all 50 states.

Occupational Safety & Health

• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is one of the largest international associations serving the needs of industrial hygienists and OEHS professionals.
• American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) sets the standard for OSH excellence and ethics while providing professional development, advocacy and standards development.
• National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) provides training, consultative services, and third-party certifications in the area of workplace safety.

Optometry

• American Optometric Association (AOA) represents the profession of optometry (America’s family eye doctors) who take a leading role in an individual’s overall eye and vision care.

Performing Arts

• American String Teachers Association (ASTA) is a membership organization for string and orchestra teachers and players.
• American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) is the only national association of professional theatre critics.
• Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) is the national service, advocacy and membership organization for the performing arts presenting field.
• Audio Engineering Society (AES) is the leading professional association worldwide for professionals and students involved in the audio industry.

Pharmaceutical

• View the compilation of Pharmaceutical Professional Associations & Organizations.

Physical Fitness

• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a membership organization for elite strength coaches, personal trainers and dedicated researchers and educators.

Plumbing

• American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is the international organization for professionals skilled in the design, specification and inspection of plumbing systems.

Politics

• American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) is a multi-partisan organization of political and public affairs professionals dedicated to improving democracy.

Postal

• National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) is the union of city letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service.
• National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS) is the only management organization that represents supervisors, managers and postmasters.

Productivity

• National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) is dedicated to helping organizing and productivity professionals bring order to individuals and businesses.

Psychology

• American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States.

Real Estate

• View the compilation of Real Estate Professional Associations & Organizations.

Recruiting

• National Association of Executive Recruiters (NAER) represents a membership dedicated to the highest level of ethical standards and practices.

Religious

• Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) is 5,000+ members serving chaplains in all types of health and human service settings.

Retirement Planning

• American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) is the premier national organization for career retirement plan professionals.

Sales

• View the compilation of Sales Professional Associations & Organizations.

Science

• View the compilation of Science Professional Associations & Organizations.

Security

• International Bodyguard Association (IBA) is the oldest and largest bodyguard association, with sites of protective service and education worldwide.
• International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) is dedicated to providing meaningful and cost effective security training for security guards and protection officers.

Sociology / Social Work

• American Sociological Association (ASA) is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession serving the public good.
• National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world.

Sports

• View the compilation of Sports Professional Associations & Organizations.

Staffing

• American Staffing Association (ASA) is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry.
• National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) is the premier educational association representing the search, recruiting and staffing industry.

Statistics

• American Statistical Association (ASA) has a proud tradition of service to statisticians, quantitative scientists, and users of statistics across a wealth of academic areas and applications.

Tax

• Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is the internal audit profession’s global voice, recognized authority, acknowledged leader, chief advocate, and principal educator.
• National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) provides its members the support, education, products and services needed to succeed in the tax profession.

Training & Development

• Association for Talent Development (ATD) is the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations.
• International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs.
• Life Sciences Trainers & Educators Network (LTen) is dedicated to supporting the professional goals of trainers in the life sciences.

Volunteer

• Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE) is a national membership organization of leaders and professionals in volunteer engagement.

Writing

• National Association of Memoir Writers (NAMW) is a membership organization for memoir writers from all over the world.
• Professional Writers Association (PWA) fosters a sense of community, inspiration, and achievement in the field of professional writing.