Career profile · 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.

Median salary
$138,060
per year
Growth outlook
Average
BLS 10-yr
Education
Bachelor's degree
AI exposure
6.0/10
automation risk

Salary distribution (US)

Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.

Bottom 10%
$65,200
25th %ile
$91,910
Median
$138,060
75th %ile
$192,430
Top 10%
$239,200

Top skills

Active Listening Speaking Persuasion Critical Thinking Social Perceptiveness Coordination Negotiation Judgment and Decision Making Management of Personnel Resources Monitoring

Knowledge you'll build

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

A day in the life

You kick off the morning with a team huddle reviewing yesterday's numbers, celebrating wins, and game-planning how to close deals stuck in the pipeline. Much of your day involves coaching reps on their pitches, joining high-stakes calls with major prospects, and negotiating contract terms that work for both sides. Between calls you analyze CRM data to spot trends, adjust territory assignments, and set quarterly targets. The energy on a sales floor is contagious—when your team lands a big account, the excitement is electric, and the competitive drive keeps every day feeling like a new challenge.

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