Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Also called: Abrasives Sales Representative, Agricultural Sales Representative, Aircraft Equipment and Parts Sales Representative, Aircraft Sales Representative, Animal Feed Products Sales Representative, Authorized Retailer, Auto Sales Consultant (Automotive Sales Consultant), Building Equipment and Supplies Sales Representative
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of postsecondary education.
What Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products do
Typical tasks
- Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
- Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
- Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.
- Maintain customer records, using automated systems.
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms.
- Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications.
- Contact new or existing customers to discuss how specific products or services can meet their needs.
- Emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
- Compute customer's installation or production costs and estimate savings from new services, products, or equipment.
- Select or assist customers in selecting products based on customer needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations.
- Prepare sales presentations or proposals to explain product specifications or applications.
- Complete expense reports, sales reports, or other paperwork.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products salary
The median annual wage for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products is $104,920 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $52,600 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $200,440. The mean annual wage is $119,730.
The mean hourly wage of $57.00 is 7.9× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $104,920 → in 3 years $113,300 → in 5 years $119,200 → in 10 years $135,500 (10-year range $116,500–$157,300). The model assumes pay growth of +2.6% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products United States | OA機器営業 Japan | 医薬情報担当者（MR） Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $104,920 | ¥5.86M ≈ $37,247 | ¥6.61M ≈ $42,016 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $135,500 | ¥7.62M | ¥8.34M |
| Outlook score | 49 | 52 | 56 |
| AI replacement risk | 59% Moderate | 50% Moderate | 60% Moderate |
| Workers | 285K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.