Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products: Career Profile
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.
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What Tasks Do Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products cover:
- 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.
What Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Need to Know
Top sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Abrasives Sales Representative
- Agricultural Sales Representative
- Aircraft Equipment and Parts Sales Representative
- Aircraft Sales Representative
- Animal Feed Products Sales Representative
- Authorized Retailer
- Auto Sales Consultant (Automotive Sales Consultant)
- Building Equipment and Supplies Sales Representative
Job Outlook
There are about 341,078 sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -3.7% over the projection horizon.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $39,468 |
| Hourly median | $18.98 |
| 10th percentile | $25,433 |
| 25th percentile | $32,450 |
| 75th percentile | $46,486 |
| 90th percentile | $53,504 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $134,240 |
| New York | $132,410 |
| Colorado | $132,010 |
| Washington | $130,470 |
| West Virginia | $126,770 |
| California | $123,980 |
| Kansas | $123,560 |
| Hawaii | $120,490 |
| North Dakota | $119,610 |
| Florida | $113,730 |
| Virginia | $112,190 |
| Illinois | $110,420 |
| Michigan | $108,740 |
| Louisiana | $106,860 |
| North Carolina | $105,640 |
| South Dakota | $104,060 |
| Georgia | $103,920 |
| Oregon | $103,760 |
| Iowa | $102,740 |
| Delaware | $101,990 |
| Indiana | $101,000 |
| Rhode Island | $99,870 |
| Massachusetts | $98,350 |
| Wyoming | $97,830 |
| Minnesota | $96,470 |
| Nevada | $96,260 |
| Vermont | $95,900 |
| South Carolina | $95,460 |
| Ohio | $95,420 |
| Connecticut | $94,990 |
| New Hampshire | $94,150 |
| Missouri | $92,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $91,860 |
| Idaho | $88,170 |
| District of Columbia | $87,170 |
| Utah | $84,340 |
| Texas | $83,860 |
| Arizona | $83,220 |
| Tennessee | $83,110 |
| Kentucky | $82,860 |
| Montana | $81,270 |
| Wisconsin | $79,640 |
| Nebraska | $78,790 |
| Mississippi | $78,690 |
| New Mexico | $77,900 |
| Oklahoma | $77,050 |
| Maryland | $76,920 |
| Maine | $76,100 |
| Alaska | $63,470 |
| Arkansas | $59,880 |
| Puerto Rico | $59,820 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $121,623 | 14.1% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $111,095 | 9.6% | 0.66 |
| Rocky Mountains | $102,858 | 3.3% | 0.92 |
| Great Lakes | $101,110 | 12.2% | 0.87 |
| Southeast | $99,527 | 24.3% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $98,960 | 6.7% | 1.04 |
| New England | $96,143 | 5.8% | 1.33 |
| Southwest | $83,244 | 23.7% | 1.94 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne, WY | WY | $168,990 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $161,510 | 3,020 |
| Rochester, MN | MN | $156,910 | 180 |
| Morgantown, WV | WV | $150,190 | 30 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $142,590 | 810 |
| Columbus, IN | IN | $139,790 | 150 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $138,240 | 7,720 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $137,570 | 710 |
Top Industries Employing Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Most sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale Trade | 171,180 | $100,680 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 41,600 | $99,620 |
| Manufacturing | 32,460 | $102,090 |
| Information | 24,690 | $104,060 |
| Retail Trade | 5,230 | $66,660 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 5,190 | $99,970 |
| Construction | 3,520 | $75,630 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,660 | $76,570 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
- Data mining software: Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Google Workspace software (hot technology)
- Sales and marketing software: HubSpot software (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Azure software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
Typical sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Production Managers (Primary-Short)
- Purchasing Managers (Primary-Long)
- Supply Chain Managers (Supplemental)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Primary-Short)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Primary-Long)
- Logisticians (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 41-4011.00 (Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products).
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