Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.
What it pays
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products earn a median of $34.65/hr — about $72,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.79/hr; the top 10% earn $66.13/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products earn a median of $34.65/hr — about $72,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.79/hr; the top 10% earn $66.13/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
- Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
- Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
- Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
- Prepare sales contracts and order forms.
- Provide customers with product samples and catalogs.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly; it rewards working independently. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 2.1% of sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are take-charge and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Quick questions
- How much does a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific product make?
- The median pay is $34.65 per hour — roughly $72,000 a year, with the real range running from about $18.79/hr (10th percentile) to $66.13/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific product?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific product actually do all day?
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms. Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests. Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.