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Summary

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Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Rdneots0M.
Quick Facts: Sales Managers
2023 Median Pay $135,160 per year
$64.98 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation Less than 5 years
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2023 584,800
Job Outlook, 2023-33 6% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2023-33 34,300

What Sales Managers Do

Sales managers plan, direct, or coordinate the delivery of a product or service to the customer.

Work Environment

Sales managers typically work in an office or retail setting. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They often are required to travel.

How to Become a Sales Manager

Sales managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and work experience as a sales representative. For some jobs, workers qualify with a high school diploma.

Pay

The median annual wage for sales managers was $135,160 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of sales managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 48,600 openings for sales managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for sales managers.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of sales managers with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about sales managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Sales Managers Do About this section

Sales managers
Sales managers recruit, hire, and train new members of the sales staff.

Sales managers plan, direct, or coordinate the delivery of a product or service to the customer. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.

Duties

Sales managers typically do the following:

  • Prepare budgets and approve expenditures
  • Monitor customer preferences to determine the focus of sales efforts
  • Analyze sales data
  • Project sales and determine the profitability of products and services
  • Develop plans to acquire new customers through techniques such as direct sales, cold calling, and business-to-business marketing
  • Set sales goals for staff and monitor staff progress toward those goals
  • Resolve customer complaints, especially those escalated by sales staff
  • Plan and coordinate training programs for sales staff

Sales managers’ responsibilities vary with the size of their organization. However, most of these managers direct the selling of goods and services by assigning territories, setting goals, and establishing training programs for the organization’s sales representatives.

Sales managers typically focus on either business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. B2B sales managers may work for a manufacturer selling to a wholesaler or for a wholesaler selling to a retailer. B2C sales managers oversee direct sales to individuals.

Sales managers recruit, hire, and train new members of the sales staff, including retail sales workers and wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives. They also may assist staff members with presentations, with closing sales, and on ways to improve performance to meet their goals.

In large multiproduct organizations, sales managers may oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs. They communicate with dealers, manufacturers, and distributors; analyze sales data generated from their staff; and determine the sales potential of products or services for inventory purposes and to monitor customers' preferences.

Sales managers also work closely with managers from other departments within an organization. These departments may include marketing and sales, which identify and target new customers; research and design, which study customers’ preferences; and warehousing, which tracks inventory.

Work Environment About this section

Sales manager using office phone.
Sales managers often work in an office, and their jobs may be stressful.

Sales managers held about 584,800 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of sales managers were as follows:

Wholesale trade 20%
Retail trade 17
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14
Manufacturing 11
Finance and insurance 10

Sales managers typically work in an office or retail setting. Their work may be stressful, as their job security often is tied to metrics such as reaching sales goals within specified deadlines. They may be required to travel, such as to meet with sales staff, customers, or distributors.

Work Schedules

Most sales managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Working evenings or weekends may be required.

How to Become a Sales Manager About this section

Sales managers
Most sales managers have a bachelor’s degree and previous work experience as a sales representative.

Sales managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and work experience as a sales representative. For some jobs, workers qualify with a high school diploma.

Education

Sales managers typically need a bachelor’s degree, although some positions require a high school diploma. A common field of degree is business, which usually includes courses in management and marketing.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Work experience is typically required to become a sales manager. Employers usually prefer that candidates have several years of sales experience.

Sales managers typically enter the occupation from other sales and related occupations, such as retail sales workers, wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, or purchasing agents.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Sales managers must track and interpret data to evaluate trends, develop goals, and determine sales strategies.

Communication skills. Sales managers need to convey ideas clearly to a wide range of people.

Computer skills. Sales managers must be able to use a variety of programs and applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and spreadsheet software, to track sales and build forecasting models.

Customer-service skills. Sales managers must listen and respond to customers’ needs in order to help make a sale.

Interpersonal skills. Sales managers must be able to build a rapport with colleagues and customers to be successful in their work.

Leadership skills. Sales managers must develop strategies for meeting sales goals and be able to motivate their sales staff to reach those goals.

Organizational skills. Sales managers must create and maintain order to manage their time, track the performance of sales representatives, and develop sales strategies.

Pay About this section

Sales Managers

Median annual wages, May 2023

Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers

$139,850

Sales managers

$135,160

Total, all occupations

$48,060

 

The median annual wage for sales managers was $135,160 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $63,700, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $239,200.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for sales managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services $165,050
Finance and insurance 164,990
Manufacturing 151,000
Wholesale trade 134,730
Retail trade 83,930

Wage data are from nonfarm establishments. The data exclude self-employed workers and owners and partners in unincorporated businesses. Tips, sales commissions, and bonuses for meeting production targets are included in wages; premium pay, such as overtime and shift differentials, is not.

Compensation methods for sales managers may vary with the type of organization and the product sold. Employers usually pay sales managers using a combination of salary and commissions or salary plus bonuses. In general, commissions are a percentage of the type and amount of the good or service sold. Bonuses may depend on the performance of an individual, of all sales workers in the group or district, or of the organization.

Most sales managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Working evenings or weekends may be required.

Job Outlook About this section

Sales Managers

Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33

Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers

7%

Sales managers

6%

Total, all occupations

4%

 

Employment of sales managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 48,600 openings for sales managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

An effective sales team remains crucial for profitability. As the economy grows, organizations will focus on generating new sales and will look to their sales strategy as a way to increase competitiveness.

Online shopping is expected to continue to increase, meaning more sales will be completed without a sales worker involved in the transaction. However, brick-and-mortar retail stores also are expected to increase their emphasis on customer service as a way to compete with online sellers. Because sales managers will be needed to direct and navigate this mix between online and brick-and-mortar sales, sustained demand is expected for these workers.

Employment projections data for sales managers, 2023-33
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2023 Projected Employment, 2033 Change, 2023-33 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Sales managers

11-2022 584,800 619,100 6 34,300 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of sales managers.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2023 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.

Bachelor's degree $156,580
Advertising sales agents Advertising Sales Agents

Advertising sales agents sell advertising space to businesses and individuals.

High school diploma or equivalent $61,270
Market research analysts Market Research Analysts

Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service.

Bachelor's degree $74,680
Retail sales workers Retail Sales Workers

Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments.

No formal educational credential $33,900
Sales engineers Sales Engineers

Sales engineers sell business products or services, such as software or support, that require technical expertise.

Bachelor's degree $116,950
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations.

See How to Become One $73,080
Public relations managers and specialists Public Relations and Fundraising Managers

Public relations managers direct the creation of materials that will enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.

Bachelor's degree $130,480
public relations specialists image Public Relations Specialists

Public relations specialists create and maintain a positive public image for the clients they represent.

Bachelor's degree $66,750
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents

Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.

Bachelor's degree $77,180
Insurance sales agents Insurance Sales Agents

Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.

High school diploma or equivalent $59,080
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Sales Managers,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm (visited August 29, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2023

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2023, which is the base year of the 2023-33 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2023-33

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033. The average growth rate for all occupations is 4 percent.

Employment Change, 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.