Sales Representative career guide
A sales representative finds and wins customers for a company's services, such as software, advertising, logistics, staffing or business services. They prospect, run conversations and demos, and close deals. The federal job data groups many of these roles as "sales representatives of services."
Pay data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Job content: O*NET 31.0. Updated 2026-10-26.
- $69,990median annual wage (U.S.)
- $33.65median hourly wage
- 1,256,010people employed in the U.S.
What a sales representative does
Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.
Typical tasks
- Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and provide ongoing support.
- Answer customers' questions about services, prices, availability, or credit terms.
- Develop sales presentations or proposals to explain service specifications.
- Create forms or agreements to complete sales.
- Contact prospective or existing customers to discuss how services can meet their needs.
- Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
- Quote prices, credit terms, contract terms, or fulfillment dates for services.
- Maintain customer records using automated systems.
A typical day
A typical day mixes outreach, calls and meetings. Representatives research prospects, follow up with people already in conversation, run demos and update the sales system with every step. Many roles have a monthly or quarterly target, and pay often includes commission on top of a base salary.
Skills employers look for
These are the skills O*NET rates as most important for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Social Perceptiveness
- Persuasion
- Negotiation
- Service Orientation
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
Tools and technology
Examples of technology used in this occupation, from O*NET: Apple macOS, HubSpot software, IBM SPSS Statistics, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Word, Salesforce software.
Education and training
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Sales Representative pay
The median annual wage for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel was $69,990 in May 2025 ($33.65 an hour). Half of workers earned between $47,670 and $100,480.
Highest-paying states
- New York: $92,190 median
- Massachusetts: $83,760 median
- Rhode Island: $81,450 median
- California: $80,850 median
- Washington: $79,920 median
States with the most sales representatives
- California: 156,110 employed
- Texas: 135,030 employed
- Florida: 107,650 employed
- New York: 80,510 employed
- Illinois: 69,910 employed
Sales Representative pay in every state
How to get hired
Entry-level sales roles, often called sales development or business development representative, hire people from many backgrounds, including retail, hospitality and recent graduates. Employers look for persistence, clear communication and a habit of preparing. In an interview, expect to sell something or role-play a call.
Job titles you may see
National Sales Executive, Sales Representative (Sales Rep).
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Sales Representative salary by state · Sales Representative job description and interview questions
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, cross-industry estimates for all ownerships. Figures are as published; BLS does not publish some estimates for some states. As defined by BLS, wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses, and exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and other premium pay. BLS OEWS
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. Jobder has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET Database
Written and maintained by the Jobder team. Last updated 2026-10-26. Questions or corrections: support@jobder.pro.
Frequently asked questions
What does a sales representative do?
Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.
How much does a sales representative make?
The median annual wage for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel in the United States was $69,990 in May 2025, or $33.65 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,980 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $148,840.
Which state pays sales representatives the most?
New York had the highest median annual wage for this occupation in May 2025, at $92,190, followed by Massachusetts ($83,760) and Rhode Island ($81,450).
How many sales representatives are there in the U.S.?
BLS estimated 1,256,010 people were employed as sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel in May 2025. California employed the most, with 156,110.