Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,090 | $18.79 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $72,080 | $34.65 |
| Mean (average) | $82,530 | $39.68 |
| 90th percentile | $137,550 | $66.13 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,140 | $38,090 | $127,370 | 20,470 | 1.22 |
| Alaska | $56,830 | $41,600 | $100,500 | 910 | 0.35 |
| Arizona | $72,390 | $39,260 | $139,250 | 19,400 | 0.75 |
| Arkansas | $55,120 | $29,630 | $132,200 | 12,740 | 1.23 |
| California | $76,490 | $43,200 | $152,760 | 134,800 | 0.93 |
| Colorado | $79,250 | $47,620 | $149,890 | 27,530 | 1.2 |
| Connecticut | $75,570 | $46,340 | $126,430 | 9,870 | 0.73 |
| Delaware | $62,280 | $43,420 | $123,260 | 2,920 | 0.76 |
| District of Columbia | $80,010 | $46,500 | $157,920 | 560 | 0.1 |
| Florida | $62,490 | $36,780 | $127,960 | 92,920 | 1.18 |
| Georgia | $63,860 | $35,830 | $134,350 | 43,630 | 1.12 |
| Guam | $29,460 | $22,510 | $60,920 | 210 | 0.39 |
| Hawaii | $59,010 | $37,700 | $124,990 | 3,280 | 0.66 |
| Idaho | $64,840 | $36,380 | $119,240 | 7,210 | 1.06 |
| Illinois | $73,510 | $44,130 | $134,030 | 51,310 | 1.06 |
| Indiana | $71,330 | $37,810 | $136,120 | 32,350 | 1.27 |
| Iowa | $66,760 | $39,960 | $124,590 | 16,990 | 1.37 |
| Kansas | $68,960 | $39,990 | $131,620 | 12,630 | 1.1 |
| Kentucky | $64,280 | $36,030 | $133,090 | 15,550 | 0.98 |
| Louisiana | $63,290 | $34,380 | $122,050 | 19,120 | 1.24 |
| Maine | $63,960 | $42,690 | $107,460 | 3,320 | 0.65 |
| Maryland | $73,080 | $44,170 | $135,160 | 9,070 | 0.41 |
| Massachusetts | $79,810 | $47,940 | $157,000 | 22,700 | 0.78 |
| Michigan | $72,980 | $39,740 | $136,050 | 40,960 | 1.17 |
| Minnesota | $76,750 | $46,680 | $136,840 | 31,230 | 1.33 |
| Mississippi | $59,320 | $30,930 | $110,080 | 7,000 | 0.76 |
| Missouri | $61,940 | $35,110 | $125,280 | 21,960 | 0.94 |
| Montana | $61,670 | $39,060 | $107,800 | 3,510 | 0.86 |
| Nebraska | $64,030 | $40,830 | $118,560 | 8,550 | 1.05 |
| Nevada | $68,150 | $36,500 | $133,600 | 8,970 | 0.73 |
| New Hampshire | $72,790 | $42,490 | $138,460 | 4,940 | 0.91 |
| New Jersey | $79,410 | $47,910 | $169,820 | 34,360 | 1.01 |
| New Mexico | $61,320 | $37,010 | $115,060 | 3,660 | 0.53 |
| New York | $79,590 | $47,070 | $156,400 | 61,500 | 0.8 |
| North Carolina | $70,990 | $38,200 | $144,310 | 49,110 | 1.25 |
| North Dakota | $74,250 | $45,060 | $131,750 | 4,180 | 1.22 |
| Ohio | $73,960 | $39,850 | $149,870 | 58,740 | 1.33 |
| Oklahoma | $62,160 | $29,240 | $134,360 | 14,220 | 1.05 |
| Oregon | $74,180 | $45,360 | $123,780 | 15,020 | 0.96 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,130 | $38,980 | $132,420 | 51,270 | 1.06 |
| Puerto Rico | $34,870 | $21,980 | $79,680 | 5,150 | 0.69 |
| Rhode Island | $82,420 | $44,550 | $190,140 | 4,870 | 1.22 |
| South Carolina | $64,250 | $36,250 | $142,370 | 22,010 | 1.2 |
| South Dakota | $77,210 | $49,070 | $125,590 | 5,220 | 1.43 |
| Tennessee | $61,630 | $34,350 | $128,130 | 23,850 | 0.91 |
| Texas | $65,970 | $36,380 | $137,020 | 95,670 | 0.85 |
| Utah | $61,980 | $35,770 | $125,390 | 13,900 | 1.01 |
| Vermont | $76,840 | $50,620 | $127,400 | 1,890 | 0.78 |
| Virgin Islands | $45,980 | $26,930 | $79,900 | 80 | 0.33 |
| Virginia | $63,400 | $37,800 | $148,700 | 22,570 | 0.69 |
| Washington | $79,830 | $51,260 | $148,610 | 27,340 | 0.97 |
| West Virginia | $63,560 | $36,960 | $122,190 | 3,220 | 0.58 |
| Wisconsin | $65,930 | $39,060 | $130,510 | 37,700 | 1.61 |
| Wyoming | $72,530 | $44,790 | $166,850 | 1,480 | 0.66 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 99,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Agricultural/Farm Supplies Retailing and Wholesaling CIP 01.0105
- Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General CIP 52.1801
- General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations, Other CIP 52.1899
- Fashion Merchandising CIP 52.1902
- Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations CIP 52.1904
- Special Products Marketing Operations CIP 52.1909
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
- Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
- Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
- Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
- Prepare sales contracts and order forms.
- Provide customers with product samples and catalogs.
- Monitor market conditions, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales.
- Perform administrative duties, such as preparing sales budgets and reports, keeping sales records, and filing expense account reports.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Salesforce software (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Cisco Webex (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Eclipse IDE (hot technology)
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Negotiation, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Account Representative, Customer Account Technician, Inside Salesperson, Outside Sales Representative, Route Sales Representative, Sales Consultant, Sales Professional, Sales Representative (Sales Rep), Salesman, Salesperson.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products make?
The national median annual wage for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products was $72,080 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $39,090 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $137,550. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products a growing career?
BLS projects employment of sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products to change -0.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 99,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Rhode Island ($82,420), District of Columbia ($80,010), Washington ($79,830). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.