A sales representative\u2019s earnings are directly linked to their sales performance, which means that a sales career offers excellent earnings potential. In general, sales representative salaries include a flat base compensation and an additional commission based on performance. The average sales professional earns 67% of their total pay in base pay, with 32% in commissions, according to Glassdoor<\/a>. While the percentages can vary by industry and company, the base salary is generally based on living expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For further reading, check out here the job description for a technical sales representative<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The average pay for a sales representative<\/a> in the United States is $79,451 per year<\/a>. This includes an average salary of $52,173 per year, with commissions averaging $27,277 per year. Additional pay may include cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and profit-sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, one\u2019s income as a sales representative can vary widely based on several factors. Keep reading to learn more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A salesperson’s income is greatly influenced by the industry they work in. A more complicated product or service usually yields higher pay since complex products require greater expertise and knowledge. Here\u2019s how sales representative salaries vary across different industries: <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The tech industry<\/a> is the fastest-growing industry in the world. So it\u2019s no surprise that tech sales can be a very lucrative career (more about tech sales here<\/a>). San Mateo, CA currently tops the list of the highest-paying cities for technology<\/a> sales reps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The medical field is a large and complex industry that also offers a high salary for salespeople<\/a>. Sunnyvale, CA currently ranks at the top of the best-paying cities for medical<\/a> sales reps. A remote hospital sales representative makes an average of $101,875 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The industrial industry, which sells parts and machinery for manufacturing companies, offers a wide range of salaries due to its scale and diversity. The best-paying city for industrial sales<\/a> is San Mateo, CA. Nationwide, in-home sales positions are topping the industry, with an average salary of $95,741.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the finance industry, the base salary is usually lower than others, but the commission potential is much higher. San Francisco, CA ranks highest for financial<\/a> sales reps, and remote independent sales representatives make an average of $119,403 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Advertising likewise offers slightly lower salaries, but with higher commission rates. There is more potential for higher earnings in certain locations, with Lakes, AK surprisingly topping the list. The highest-paid advertising sales job<\/a> is in global advertising, with an average of $92,359 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experience level<\/a> is another factor that affects a sales rep’s compensation. Sales representatives are usually categorized as entry-, mid-, or senior-level. Let’s examine each one and their income potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n An entry-level representative’s income potential depends on their expertise and experience, so be sure to highlight these in the sales rep interview. New sales reps with two or fewer years of experience can easily<\/a> make over $60,000 in a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mid-level sales reps usually have between two and four years of experience, and can make over $90,000 a year as they advance toward senior-level positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Glassdoor<\/a>, April 2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Senior-level sales reps, typically with five to seven years in the industry, are the most experienced at sales development<\/a> and usually make the most money. Executive-level salaries in sales can reach impressive amounts, topping $375,000 a year. These executive-level representatives are also leaders in management, filling roles such as Vice President of Sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Sales representatives can be paid in different ways. The most common types of compensation structures for sales reps are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each compensation structure has its own perks and drawbacks. Let\u2019s take a look at each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A salary-only compensation structure provides salespeople with a fixed salary. This compensation structure is relatively rare in sales. Without commission, reps are generally less motivated to exceed their quotas because they have no incentive to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Drawbacks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With a base salary plus commission compensation structure, you\u2019ll receive a set salary every year, but with additional earned commissions based on your sales. According to a recent survey, this is the most common pay structure, with 48.8% of businesses offering base salaries and commissions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salary percentages depend on the company, industry, and sales position. The standard salary-to-commission ratio<\/a> for sales is 60-40, meaning employees receive 60% salary and 40% commission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Perks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Drawbacks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sales reps who are only paid a commission are only compensated when they make a sale. This isn\u2019t the most common pay structure. Only 11.6% of companies pay their employees exclusively in commission<\/a>. There are several types of commission-only structures, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Commission-only compensation may be optimal for experienced salespeople working in lucrative industries or locations. Although there isn’t a guarantee of a regular salary, the income potential of even a single sale is enormous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Perks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Drawbacks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A career in sales has excellent upward mobility. There\u2019s plenty of growth potential for sales reps to rise in the ranks and maximize earnings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Advancing doesn\u2019t have to mean working long hours. Think strategically instead. These three strategies will help you earn more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When planning your career as a salesperson, consider specializing in a specific role. Specializing divides the functions of the sales process into individual tasks. The four core sales roles are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many fast-growing companies are making specialization a key strategy, as it results in greater efficiency and productivity. Lead generation strategies increasingly rely on sales specialization, so stay on top of this growing trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Increasing sales is an obvious method of increasing your income as a salesperson. It\u2019s easier said than done, but there are several ways to close sales and boost revenue. One is to focus your lead generation<\/a> efforts to target more significant deals. Landing a few big sales can result in big commissions. Alternatively, you can sell more to existing customers. Cross-selling and upselling are both effective ways to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, if you want a better salary as a sales representative, you might consider moving. You can potentially make more money in a new place by raising your income, lowering your expenses, or both. These are the top-paying cities<\/a> for Sales Representatives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still have questions about sales rep compensation? Here are answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each industry has a different standard for commission rates. For example, real estate agents typically earn a commission of 3-6% of the total sale price, while car salesmen usually earn a commission of 10-15%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Concentrate on service-oriented industries or high-margin products sold to businesses rather than consumers. While compensation varies based on experience, specialization, and employment location, several sectors can pay six figures<\/a>, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. A six-figure income is possible with hard work and dedication. Achieving such a level of income means developing solid sales rep skills<\/a>, closing big deals, and consistently meeting your quotas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since you’re here… A career as a sales representative offers the rare promise of both longevity and growth, making it a smart and exciting career choice. And though the job can feel cutthroat, being a sales representative does offer employment stability. In a recent survey, only 4% of sales reps reported losing their job in the last year, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":17397,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_eb_data_table":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1037],"tags":[],"marketing_tags":[1477],"class_list":{"0":"post-17391","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sales"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17391"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17391"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47604,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17391\/revisions\/47604"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17391"},{"taxonomy":"marketing_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/marketing_tags?post=17391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}How Much Do Sales Reps Make?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
According to the Industry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Technology<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/technology.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Medical<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/medical.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Industrial<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/industrial.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Finance <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/finance.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Advertising<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/advertising.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
According to the Experience Level<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Entry-Level<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/experience-level.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Mid-Level <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/mid-level.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Senior-Level <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/senior-level.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
According to the Compensation Structure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Salary Only<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
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Base + Commission<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Commission Only<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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How Can You Increase Your Earnings as a Sales Person?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/how-can-you-increase-your-earnings-as-a-salesperson.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSpecialize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Close More Sales<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Change Locations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Change](\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/change-locations.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
FAQs About Sales Rep Salaries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is a Good Commission Rate for Sales?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Is the Best Industry for Sales?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Can Sales Reps Make Six Figures?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Want a tech salary without learning to code? Our Tech Sales Bootcamp<\/a> will get you ready to land a job in six months\u2014no coding skills necessary. Browse our 2022 tech sales career guide<\/a> and check out our student reviews<\/a>. A massive career switch is totally in-reach for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"