Sales
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Also called: Inside Sales Representative, Marketing Representative, Sales Representative
US median pay
$104,920
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+1.2%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
23,600
292,000 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of postsecondary education.
What they do day to day
- Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
- Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
- Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.
- Maintain customer records, using automated systems.
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms.
- Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications.
- Contact new or existing customers to discuss how specific products or services can meet their needs.
- Emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
- Compute customer's installation or production costs and estimate savings from new services, products, or equipment.
- Select or assist customers in selecting products based on customer needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Persuasion4.2/5
- Negotiation4.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Coordination3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service4.4/5
- Sales and Marketing4.3/5
- English Language3.7/5
- Administration and Management3.2/5
- Mathematics3.2/5
- Production and Processing3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree39%
- Some college30%
- High school diploma14%
Who this job suits
Mostly Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.