Top 8 Highest Paying Sales Jobs (Tech Sales Is #1)
Whether you’re a sales veteran looking to make a move from a declining industry or a college grad starting your career in sales, we’ve prepared this list of the top 8 highest paying sales jobs to help you decide which sales career is right for you.
It’s true that successful salespeople are well-compensated, but for every high-earning salesperson there are a dozen others that don’t earn nearly as much. Why is that?
Partly because of talent/skill/experience, but it also depends on what you’re selling.
If you’re selling cheap items directly to consumers, it’s nearly impossible to make six figures as a salesperson. The average retail salesperson makes $31,920 per year.
The highest paying sales jobs involve selling big-ticket items to large enterprises.
So how do you start selling big-ticket items to large enterprises? First, you have to find the right industry.
Industries go in and out of trend. Advertising was big in the ’60s, then finance in the ’80s, and now it’s tech. The average tech salesperson makes $118,630 per year.
Where we got our data
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annually publishes the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH).
The OOH is one of the most widely used sources of information on American jobs. It provides details on most of the occupations in the United States.
The data on wages specifically comes from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey.
We got our data from the OEWS data gathered in May 2021.
This is arguably the most comprehensive data available on the topic of highest paying sales jobs in the U.S.
These are the top 8 highest paying sales jobs
- Sales Engineers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives
- Advertising Sales Agents
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents
- Travel Agents
- Retail Sales Workers
1. Sales Engineers
American consumers spent $487 billion on tech in 2021 and global businesses spent $675 billion on enterprise software in the same year.
With the tech industry continuing to grow exponentially, sales engineers are in high demand for their ability to translate technical concepts into simple terms that buyers can understand.
Pay
$103,710 was the median annual wage for sales engineers in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
118,630
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
62,300
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
79,900
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
103,710
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
155,110
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
182,850
|
Job summary
“Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses” (OOH).
Educational requirements
Most sales engineers have a bachelor’s degree, but any formal educational requirements are decided on an employer-by-employer basis. There are little to no licensing requirements enforced by the government for those selling tech products and services, perhaps because tech is still a relatively new industry.
Responsibilities
- Presenting demos that explain the technical aspects of products or services
- Understanding the complex technical needs of the prospect
- Gathering feedback to pass along to the product development team
- Collaborating with the product development team to make changes to the product
- Analyzing market trends and researching competitors
- Developing new strategies to make more sales
2. Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
The global financial services sector accounted for 24% of the world’s economy in 2021. That’s a big chunk of the global economy for just one sector!
Like the shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy centuries ago, there has been a shift to a financial economy in more recent times.
One of the primary operations of the financial services sector is the buying and selling of securities (stocks and bonds), commodities (corn, oil, and gold), and other financial instruments. Salespeople are needed to conduct these transactions.
Pay
$62,910 was the median annual wage for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
93,260
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
37,970
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
48,100
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
62,910
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
116,240
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
205,440
|
Job summary
“Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents connect buyers and sellers in financial markets” (OOH).
Educational requirements
Stockbrokers, financial advisors, and financial services sales agents are required to pass the Series 7 and Series 63 exams administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
The Series 7 is a general securities license that enables an individual to buy and sell securities such as stocks and bonds. The Series 63 exam focuses on laws and regulations.
Other common certifications for salespeople in the financial industry include the Series 3, Series 31, Series 65, and Series 66.
Responsibilities
- Advising clients on the purchase or sale of specific securities
- Researching financial markets and analyzing the performance of individual securities
- Communicating with traders and researchers to understand their views on the markets
- Analyzing company finances to form recommendations for IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions
3. Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives
At any given moment, there are about “50,000 merchant ships crisscrossing the oceans” and “9,728 commercial airplanes in the sky.” ✈️
And there are salespeople making deals for the inventory in all those shipping containers and cargo bays.
While retail salespeople sell directly to consumers, wholesale and manufacturing salespeople deal with large organizations, such as enterprises and governments.
Some wholesale and manufacturing sales reps work with nonscientific products (e.g., food, office supplies, textiles). Other reps specialize in technical and scientific products (e.g., agricultural, mechanical, pharmaceutical).
Pay
$62,890 was the median annual wage for wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
77,750
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
33,120
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
47,230
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
62,890
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
98,260
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
131,960
|
Job summary
“Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations” (OOH).
Educational requirements
Some employers require two certifications offered by the Manufacturers Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF): The Certified Professional Manufacturers Representative (CPMR) certification and the Certified Sales Professional (CSP) certification.
Responsibilities
- Attending trade shows and conferences
- Traveling to business locations
- Explaining and answering questions about product features
- Recommending ways to display and promote products
- Negotiating wholesale prices and terms of agreements
- Training customer employees on how to use the product
- Following up to make sure the product is functioning properly
4. Advertising Sales Agents
Advertising was big in the ’60s. And it’s still big. For example, Alphabet (the holding company for Google) is one of the largest companies in the world. Over 80% of Alphabet’s revenue comes from Google advertising, according to their 2020 annual report.
The problem for salespeople is that Google automates more than half of its advertising sales, even using machine learning to create customized ads.
The most traditional and long-standing forms of advertisement are newspaper, magazine, direct mail, radio, and television. The newer and growing forms of advertisement are podcast, mobile, social media, paid search, and display. As the advertising space transitions from print to digital, advertising sales jobs are at risk of being automated.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of available jobs for advertising sales agents will decrease by 8% from 2021 to 2031. It’s the only job in this list that the BLS predicts will have negative growth over the next ten years. So even though it’s #4 on the list of the highest paying sales jobs, you might want to steer clear of the advertising industry as a sales professional, if you’re looking to build a lasting career.
In the near term, however, there are still lucrative sales jobs in the advertising industry. For example, even though Google automates half of its advertising sales, the company still has 14,178 salespeople.
Pay
$52,340 was the median annual wage for advertising sales agents in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
66,540
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
28,700
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
37,700
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
52,340
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
79,310
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
125,370
|
Job summary
“Advertising sales agents sell advertising space to businesses and individuals” (OOH).
Educational requirements
“Although a high school diploma is typically enough for an entry-level advertising sales position, some employers prefer applicants who have a bachelor’s degree. Sales and communication skills are essential.”
Responsibilities
- Explaining the benefits of advertising
- Presenting estimates for the costs of advertising
- Preparing example advertisements
- Recommending amounts and formats of advertising
5. Insurance Sales Agents
Insurance is a fact of life. It’s how we mitigate risk as a society. Without insurance, people would constantly be at risk of going bankrupt from accidents like house fires, car crashes, and personal injuries.
The most common types of insurance for individuals are health, life, disability, long-term care, auto, and home/renters. For businesses, the most common types of insurance are general liability, commercial property, business income, professional liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, errors and omissions, and cyber liability.
Insurance sales is all about relationship building, even more so than other sales roles. Because insurance isn’t a one-and-done sale. Insurance premiums get paid every year and most people will need to buy additional insurance policies as they grow older (e.g., auto insurance when they buy a car, home insurance when they buy a home). One of the keys to success as an insurance agent is making existing clients happy so that they buy additional policies and refer you to other prospective clients.
Pay
$49,840 was the median annual wage for insurance sales agents in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
69,340
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
29,970
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
38,210
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
49,840
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
78,840
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
126,510
|
Job summary
“Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance” (OOH).
Educational requirements
Insurance agents must be licensed by the states in which they conduct business. The two most common types of insurance licenses are (1) property and casualty, and (2) life and health. General insurance agents choose to get both licenses. But if you only plan to sell home and auto insurance, for example, then you won’t need a life and health license.
Responsibilities
- Marketing via cold calling, email, postal mail, social media, etc.
- Attending employer-sponsored and insurance-related events
- Calculating premiums and helping clients settle claims
- Customizing insurance packages to fit individual client needs
- Helping clients fill out applications to send to insurance companies
- Filing paperwork when an insurance policy is activated
6. Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents
“How to become a real estate agent” was the most searched job-related query during the pandemic from January 2020 to January 2021, according to The New York Times. And there are already over 3 million active real estate agents in the U.S. Real estate is a competitive field and it requires a lot of hard work (including endless self-promotion), but there are very wealthy real estate agents at the top.
Real estate agents help clients buy and sell properties. The agent representing the buyer is the “buyer’s agent,” while the seller’s agent is the “listing agent.” Buyer’s agents help their clients find properties, negotiate offers, and close the deal. Listing agents list the home, market the home, and process the closing paperwork.
Real estate agents earn money through commissions, so their income is dependent on their ability to close deals. When they help their client buy or sell a property, they make a percentage of the total sale price. The commission is generally 5% or 6%.
The difference between real estate brokers and real estate agents is that agents are legally required to work under a licensed broker. The broker ensures that all of their agents abide by real estate laws and regulations. Agents can eventually become brokers if they meet additional education and experience requirements.
Pay
$48,770 was the median annual wage for real estate brokers and sales agents (combined) in May 2021.
$62,010 was the median annual wage for real estate brokers in May 2021.
$48,340 was the median annual wage for real estate sales agents in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
66,880
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
29,010
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
36,980
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
48,770
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
77,590
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
123,360
|
Job summary
“Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell, and rent properties” (OOH).
Educational requirements
Real estate agents must be licensed by their state. To receive a license, agents generally must take a pre-licensing course and pass an exam.
Responsibilities
- Planning open houses and scheduling showing appointments
- Coordinating home inspections and appraisals
- Using a multiple listing service to research the real estate market
- Filling out paperwork for offers or purchase agreements
- Communicating with the mortgage lender
7. Travel Agents
“Think about this as a lifestyle rather than a career,” says Katelyn O’Shaughnessy, a former travel agent. “There’s no other industry where you get to travel like this,” according to Cosmopolitan. “You’ll regularly go on discounted trips to luxury resorts sponsored by hotel companies.”
Even though travel agent isn’t the highest paying sales job on this list, it might be worth considering if you love to travel.
Pay
$43,810 was the median annual wage for travel agents in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
46,580
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
28,280
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
31,200
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
43,810
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
54,840
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
74,220
|
Job summary
“Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips” (OOH).
Educational requirements
“A high school diploma typically is required for someone to become a travel agent” (OOH).
Responsibilities
- Meeting with clients to understand available travel dates and budget
- Booking flights, hotel rooms, dining reservations, and entertainment for clients
- Creating itineraries with date, time, and location for transportation, lodging, and activities
- Organizing records of booking confirmations, payment receipts, and itineraries
- Handling issues that occur during client trips (cancellations, delays, refunds)
8. Retail Sales Workers
Retail sales is definitely not the highest paying sales job, but we’ve included it in this list as a point of reference to compare with the other sales jobs and also because it’s a great entry-level job to get your start in sales.
Even as a high school student, you can get a job in retail sales. Then, when you’re applying for an internship in college, you have retail sales experience on your resume that you can talk about in your interviews.
The basic customer service and interpersonal skills that you’ll learn in retail sales will form a solid foundation for your future sales career when you’re selling more complex deals to business professionals.
Pay
$29,120 was the median annual wage for retail salespersons in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
31,920
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
21,840
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
23,500
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
29,120
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
35,110
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
45,460
|
Job summary
“Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments” (OOH).
Educational requirements
“Typically, there are no formal education requirements for retail sales workers. Most receive on-the-job training, which usually lasts a few days to a few months” (OOH).
Responsibilities
- Help customers find and choose products
- Greet customers when they enter the store
- Answer customer questions
- Processes payments at the checkout counter
- Alert management of potential theft or security issues
- Unload shipments and stock merchandise
- Set up displays on the sales floor
Honorable mention: Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing Sales Representatives
In the OEWS dataset, Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing Sales Representatives are categorized under the umbrella of Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives.
Because there were no sales jobs from the healthcare industry in the list above, we thought we should mention this role.
In fact, Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing Sales Representatives would have actually been #2 on our list of highest paying sales jobs.
$80,750 was the median annual wage for pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing sales representatives in May 2021.
|
Mean annual wage
|
94,530
|
|
Annual 10th percentile wage
|
38,900
|
|
Annual 25th percentile wage
|
60,650
|
|
Annual median wage (or the 50th percentile)
|
80,750
|
|
Annual 75th percentile wage
|
124,860
|
|
Annual 90th percentile wage
|
162,620
|
Note: managers and executives are not included
We’ve only included pay figures for “individual contributors”—the people who are actually doing the selling.
Salaries for management and executive positions in sales are even higher. If you stay in sales long enough, in the right industry, you can make seven figures once you get promoted to management and executive positions in sales.
These sales executives at top tech companies like Box, Adobe, and LinkedIn make more than $5 million per year. Granted, these are some of the highest paid salespeople in the world, but hey, we can dream, right? 🙂
If you’d like to look through the data yourself …
It’s possible that we missed some of the other highest paying sales jobs. The OEWS dataset has 406,360 rows, so it’s a bit difficult to comb through every single row.
If you want to have a look for yourself, here’s the data.
Tech sales is #1
If you’re trying to decide on the next step in your sales career, we highly recommend tech sales.
The OEWS dataset says that the 90th percentile of sales engineers make $184,000, but there are tech salespeople who make even more than that.
For example, on-target earnings for Enterprise Account Executives in San Francisco range from $220k to $320k.
If you’re a VP of Sales in New York, your on-target earnings are anywhere from $360k to $500k.
Click here to read more about the highest paying tech sales jobs.
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