Career
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
Sell products from manufacturers to businesses.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
- Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
- Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
- Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
- Prepare sales contracts and order forms.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
AI
BLS now cites artificial intelligence in this occupation's outlook: “share decreases as generative artificial intelligence (AI) is integrated into the sales process allowing sales representatives to focus on direct sales activity.”
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on persuasion & leadership, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Negotiation.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $72,080 a year and 99,800 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Agricultural BusinessSee the degree →
- Agricultural/Farm Supplies Retailing and WholesalingCIP 01.0105
- Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, GeneralCIP 52.1801
- General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations, OtherCIP 52.1899
- Fashion MerchandisingCIP 52.1902
- Apparel and Accessories Marketing OperationsCIP 52.1904
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$104,920 · +1.2%
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990 · +2.7%
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
- Advertising Sales Agents$64,820 · -7.2%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.