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Career overview · SOC 11-2022

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

Also called: District Sales Manager · Fractional Sales Executive · National Sales Manager · Regional Sales Manager · Sales and Marketing VP (Sales and Marketing Vice President) · Sales Director

Median pay (national)
$138,060
$66,910–$239,200+ (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
603,710
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+4.7%
~49,000 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for sales managers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $239,200+ versus $66,910 at the bottom 10% — 3.6x. The median of $138,060 leaves roughly 73% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +4.7% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 49,000 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $214,350, +55% vs the national median), while Guam sits lowest at $62,130 — a 245% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Active Learning
  • Writing
  • Learning Strategies
  • Mathematics
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
  • Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
  • Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
  • Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs, and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
  • Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
  • Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.
  • Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate, or other subjects of sale.
  • Determine price schedules and discount rates.
  • Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.
  • Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.

Tools & technology

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Salesforce software
  • Adobe Creative Cloud software
  • Bentley MicroStation
  • Eclipse IDE
  • Facebook
  • Google Analytics
  • HubSpot software
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Marketo Marketing Automation
  • Microsoft Azure software
  • Microsoft SQL Server

Knowledge areas

  • Sales and Marketing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Administration and Management
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Education and Training
  • Economics and Accounting