Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Sales and Related · SOC 41-4012 · O*NET 41-4012.00
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products fall under the Sales and Related category in the U.S. occupational classification. Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products earn a median salary of $72,080 per year, ranking in the top 37% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -0.9% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products earn?
The median annual wage for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products is $72,080. That puts sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products at #304 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $39,090 |
| 25th percentile | $50,470 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $72,080 |
| 75th percentile | $99,640 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $137,550 |
| Median hourly wage | $34.65/hr |
Is sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products is -0.9%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 1.3M positions in 2024 to 1.3M in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
- 2.Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
- 3.Monitor market conditions, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales.
- 4.Contact regular and prospective customers to demonstrate products, explain product features, and solicit orders.
- 5.Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
- 6.Provide customers with product samples and catalogs.
- 7.Identify prospective customers by using business directories, following leads from existing clients, participating in organizations and clubs, and attending trade shows and conferences.
- 8.Prepare sales contracts and order forms.
Top skills for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific product?
Many sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents: what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990 median
- Advertising Sales Agents$64,820 median
- Insurance Sales Agents$62,280 median
- Real Estate Sales Agents$52,830 median
- Travel Agents$50,160 median
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,520 median
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
What is the median salary for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products?
The median annual salary for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products is $72,080 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products a growing career?
BLS projects -0.9% growth for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific product?
The typical entry path requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products?
Related occupations within the Sales and Related category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.