How to become a Sales Manager
Official title: Sales Managers
Also called: District Sales Manager, Fractional Sales Executive, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Sales and Marketing VP (Sales and Marketing Vice President), Sales Director, Sales Manager, Sales Operations Manager (Sales Ops Manager), Sales Supervisor, Sales VP (Sales Vice President)
Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.
Main tasks
- Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
- Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
- Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs, and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
- Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
- Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
- Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate, or other subjects of sale.
- Determine price schedules and discount rates.
How to become one
Sales managers typically need a bachelor's degree and work experience as a sales representative. For some jobs, workers qualify with a high school diploma.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
- Licence: A licence is required in 32 states.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $148,270 a year The middle half earn $100,360 to $207,340.
- About 650,100 people work in this job now, and about 679,100 are projected by 2035. (+4.5%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Sales Manager?
Sales managers typically need a bachelor's degree and work experience as a sales representative. For some jobs, workers qualify with a high school diploma.
How much does a Sales Manager earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $148,270 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $100,360 to $207,340.
Is a Sales Manager a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 650,100 to about 679,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Sales Manager?
Usually. 61% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Sales Manager?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.