### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Sales Managers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			sales managers imageSales managers set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.							
						Quick Facts:     Sales Managers2023     Median Pay
            						$135,160     per year
										$64.98     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Bachelor's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    Less than 5 yearsOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    554,700Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    4% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    22,500What Sales Managers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Sales managers often are required to travel. Most sales managers work full time, and they often have to work additional hours on evenings and weekends.
            
                                                How to Become a Sales Manager
                                                
                        
Most sales managers have a bachelor’s degree and work experience as a sales representative.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for sales managers was $135,160 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of sales managers is projected to grow							 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 43,200 openings for sales managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for sales managers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of sales managers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about sales managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Sales Managers Do 
            

			Sales managersSales managers recruit, hire, and train new members of the sales staff.			
Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.
Duties
Sales managers typically do the following:
Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service
Prepare budgets and approve expenditures
Monitor customer preferences to determine the focus of sales efforts
Analyze sales statistics
Project sales and determine the profitability of products and services
Determine discount rates or special pricing plans
Develop plans to acquire new customers or clients through direct sales techniques, cold calling, and business-to-business marketing visits
Assign sales territories and set sales quotas
Plan and coordinate training programs for sales staffSales managers’ responsibilities vary with the size of their organizations. However, most sales managers direct the distribution of goods and services by assigning sales territories, setting sales goals, and establishing training programs for the organization’s sales representatives.
Sales managers recruit, hire, and train new members of the sales staff, including retail sales workers and wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives.
Sales managers advise sales representatives on ways to improve their sales performance. In large multiproduct organizations, they oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
Sales managers also stay in contact with dealers and distributors. They analyze sales statistics generated from their staff to determine the sales potential and inventory requirements of products and stores and to monitor customers' preferences.
Sales managers work closely with managers from other departments in the organization. For example, the marketing department identifies new customers that the sales department can target. The relationship between these two departments is critical to helping an organization expand its client base. Sales managers also work closely with research and design departments because they know customers’ preferences, and with warehousing departments because they know inventory needs.
Sales managers are increasingly using data on customer shopping habits to identify potential customers more effectively. This allows them more time to facilitate sales through customized sales pitches to individual customers.
The following are examples of types of sales managers:
***Business to business***(B2B) sales managers oversee sales from one business to another. These managers may work for a manufacturer selling to a wholesaler, or a wholesaler selling to a retailer. Examples of these workers include sales managers overseeing sales of software to business firms, and sales managers overseeing wholesale food sales to grocery stores.
***Business to consumer*** (B2C) sales managers oversee direct sales between businesses and individual consumers. These managers typically work in retail settings. Examples of these workers include sales managers of automobile dealerships and department stores.
 Work Environment
			Sales managersSales managers have a lot of responsibility, and the position can be stressful.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Sales managers held about 554,700 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of sales managers were as follows:
        Wholesale trade
                20%Retail trade
                18Professional, scientific, and technical services
                13Manufacturing
                10Finance and insurance
                10Sales managers have a lot of responsibility, and the position can be stressful. Many sales managers travel to national, regional, and local offices and to dealers’ and distributors’ offices.
Work Schedules
Most sales managers work full time, and they often have to work additional hours on evenings and weekends.
 How to Become a Sales Manager

			Sales managersMost sales managers have a bachelor’s degree and previous work experience as a sales representative.			
Most sales managers have a bachelor’s degree and work experience as a sales representative.
Education
Sales managers are typically required to have a bachelor’s degree, although some positions may only require a high school diploma. Courses in business law, management, economics, accounting, finance, mathematics, marketing, and statistics are advantageous.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Work experience is typically required for someone to become a sales manager. The preferred duration varies, but employers usually seek candidates who have at least 1 to 5 years of experience in sales.
Sales managers typically enter the occupation from other sales and related occupations, such as retail sales workers, wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, or purchasing agents. In small organizations, the number of sales manager positions often is limited, so advancement for sales workers usually comes slowly. In large organizations, promotion may occur more quickly.
Important Qualities
***Analytical skills.*** Sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies.
***Communication skills.*** Sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly.
***Customer-service skills.*** When helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs.
***Leadership skills.*** Sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Sales ManagersMedian annual wages, May 2023Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers$139,850  Sales managers$135,160  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for sales managers was $135,160 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $63,700, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $239,200.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for sales managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Professional, scientific, and technical services
                $165,050Finance and insurance
                164,990Manufacturing
                151,000Wholesale trade
                134,730Retail trade
                83,930Compensation methods for sales managers vary significantly with the type of organization and the product sold. Most employers use a combination of salary and commissions or salary plus bonuses. Commissions usually are a percentage of the value of sales, whereas bonuses may depend on individual performance, on the performance of all sales workers in the group or district, or on the organization's performance.
Most sales managers work full time, and they often have to work additional hours on evenings and weekends.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Sales ManagersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers5%  Sales managers4%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of sales managers is projected to grow				 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 43,200 openings for sales managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Employment growth of these managers will depend primarily on growth or contraction in the industries that employ them.
An effective sales team remains crucial for profitability. As the economy grows, organizations will focus on generating new sales and will look to their sales strategy as a way to increase competitiveness.
Online shopping is expected to continue to increase, meaning more sales will be completed without a sales worker involved in the transaction. However, brick-and-mortar retail stores also are expected to increase their emphasis on customer service as a way to compete with online sellers. Because sales managers will be needed to direct and navigate this mix between online and brick-and-mortar sales, sustained demand is expected for these workers.
			

                        Employment projections data for     sales managers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Sales managers**
			11-2022
			554,700
			577,200
			4
			22,500
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Sales managers **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of sales managers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers**
            Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.
            Bachelor's degree
            $156,580**Advertising Sales Agents**
            Advertising sales agents sell advertising space to businesses and individuals.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $61,270**Market Research Analysts**
            Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service.
            Bachelor's degree
            $74,680**Retail Sales Workers**
            Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments.
            No formal educational credential
            $33,900**Sales Engineers**
            Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses.
            Bachelor's degree
            $116,950**Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives**
            Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations.
            See How to Become One
            $73,080**Public Relations and Fundraising Managers**
            Public relations managers direct the creation of materials that will enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.
            Bachelor's degree
            $130,480**Public Relations Specialists**
            Public relations specialists create and maintain a positive public image for the clients they represent.
            Bachelor's degree
            $66,750**Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents**
            Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.
            Bachelor's degree
            $77,180**Insurance Sales Agents**
            Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $59,080
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about sales managers, visit
Sales Management Association
CareerOneStop
For a career video on sales managers, visit
Sales Managers

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Sales Managers
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Sales Managers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


**U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics**
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections 
PSB Suite 2135 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE  
Washington, DC 20212-0001 Telephone:1-202-691-5700 

www.bls.gov/ooh
Contact OOH