Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing

How to become a Sales Representative

Official title: Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products

Also called: Inside Sales Representative, Marketing Representative, Sales Representative

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.

Main tasks

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.

How to become one

Educational requirements vary for sales representatives and depend on the type of products sold. If the products are not scientific or technical, a high school diploma is generally sufficient for entry into the occupation. If the products are scientific or technical, sales representatives typically need at least a bachelor's degree.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Technical Sales Representative.
Apprenticeship: Technical Sales Specialist.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $104,920 a year The middle half earn $75,030 to $158,160.
About 292,000 people work in this job now, and about 295,500 are projected by 2035. (+1.2%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Sales Representative?

How much does a Sales Representative earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $104,920 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $75,030 to $158,160.

Is a Sales Representative a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 292,000 people now and 295,500 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Sales Representative?

Not always. 50% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Technical Sales Representative.

Will AI change the work of a Sales Representative?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

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.