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

Sales Engineers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			sales engineers imageSales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses.							
						Quick Facts:     Sales Engineers2023     Median Pay
            						$116,950     per year
										$56.23     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Bachelor's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Moderate-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    60,900Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    5% (Faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    2,900What Sales Engineers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Sales engineers often work under stressful conditions because their income and job security depend on commission from successfully completing sales. Some sales engineers may work additional and irregular hours to meet sales goals and client needs.
            
                                                How to Become a Sales Engineer
                                                
                        
To enter the occupation, sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field. Successful sales engineers combine technical knowledge of the products or services they are selling with strong interpersonal skills.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for sales engineers was $116,950 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of sales engineers is projected to grow							 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 5,900 openings for sales engineers 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 engineers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of sales engineers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about sales engineers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Sales Engineers Do 
            

			Sales engineersSales engineers specialize in technologically and scientifically advanced products.			
Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products’ parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.
Duties
Sales engineers typically do the following:
Prepare and deliver technical presentations explaining products or services to existing and prospective customers
Talk with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements
Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements and provide sales support
Secure and renew orders and arrange delivery
Plan and modify products to meet customer needs
Help clients solve problems with installed equipment
Recommend improved materials or machinery to customers, showing how changes will lower costs or increase production
Help in researching and developing new productsSales engineers specialize in technologically and scientifically advanced products. They use their technical skills to explain the benefits of their products or services to potential customers and to show how their products or services are better than their competitors’. Some sales engineers work for the companies that design and build technical products. Others work for independent sales firms.
Many of the duties of sales engineers are similar to those of other salespersons. They must interest the client in buying their products or services, negotiate a price, and complete the sale. To do this, sales engineers give technical presentations during which they explain the technical aspects of the product and how it will solve a specific customer problem.
Some sales engineers team with other salespersons, such as wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, who concentrate on marketing and selling the product, which lets the sales engineer concentrate on the technical aspects of the job. By working as part of a sales team, each member is able to focus on his or her strengths and expertise.
In addition to giving technical presentations, sales engineers are increasingly doing other tasks related to sales, such as market research. They also may ask for technical requirements from customers and modify and adjust products to meet customers’ specific needs. Some sales engineers work with research and development (R&D) departments to help identify and develop new products.
 Work Environment
			Sales engineersSales engineers often give presentations in which they describe the technical aspects of a product and explain how it will solve a specific customer problem.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Sales engineers held about 60,900 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of sales engineers were as follows:
        Manufacturing
                23%Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
                22Computer systems design and related services
                19Wholesale trade agents and brokers
                6Telecommunications
                4Some sales engineers have large territories and travel extensively. Because sales regions may cover several states, sales engineers may be away from home for several days or even weeks at a time. Other sales engineers cover a smaller region and spend only a few nights away from home.
Sales engineers may encounter stress because their income and job security often depend directly on their success in sales and customer service.
Work Schedules
Most sales engineers work full time. Some may work additional and irregular hours to meet sales goals and client needs.
 How to Become a Sales Engineer

			Sales engineersSuccessful sales engineers will have a combination of technical knowledge of the products they are selling and strong interpersonal skills.			
To enter the occupation, sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree. Successful sales engineers combine technical knowledge of the products or services they are selling with strong interpersonal skills.
Education
Sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field, such as business. However, candidates who do not have a degree sometimes meet qualifications if they have sales experience and technical experience or training.
College engineering programs generally require 4 years of study. They vary in content, but all programs include courses in math and the physical sciences. In addition, most programs require developing strong computer skills.
Most engineering programs require students to choose an area of specialization. The most common majors are electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering, but some engineering departments offer additional majors, such as chemical, biomedical, or computer hardware engineering. However, some undergraduate programs offer a general engineering curriculum; students then specialize in a particular area either on the job or in graduate school.
Training
New graduates with engineering degrees typically need sales experience and training before they can work independently as sales engineers. Training covers general sales techniques and may involve teaming with a sales mentor who is familiar with the employer's business practices, customers, procedures, and company culture. After the training period, sales engineers may continue to partner with someone who lacks technical skills yet excels in the art of sales.
It is important for sales engineers to continue their engineering and sales education throughout their careers. Much of their value to their employers depends on their knowledge of, and ability to sell, the latest technologies. Sales engineers in high-technology fields, such as information technology and advanced electronics, may find that their technical knowledge rapidly becomes obsolete, requiring frequent retraining.
Advancement
Promotions may include a higher commission rate, a larger sales territory, or elevation to the position of supervisor or sales manager.
Important Qualities
***Interpersonal skills.*** Strong interpersonal skills are a valuable characteristic for sales engineers, both for building relationships with clients and effectively communicating with other members of the sales team.
***Problem-solving skills.*** Sales engineers must be able to listen to the customer’s desires and concerns, and then recommend solutions, such as customizing a product for the customer.
***Self-confidence.*** Sales engineers should be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations.
***Technological skills.*** Sales engineers must have extensive knowledge of the technologically sophisticated products they sell in order to explain their advantages and answer questions.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Sales EngineersMedian annual wages, May 2023Sales engineers$116,950  Total, all occupations$48,060  Sales and related occupations$36,760Note: 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 engineers was $116,950 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 $67,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $202,660.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for sales engineers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Computer systems design and related services
                $147,990Telecommunications
                112,630Wholesale trade agents and brokers
                106,080Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
                104,840Manufacturing
                102,690How much a sales engineer earns varies considerably by the type of firm and the product sold. Most employers offer a combination of salary and commission payments or salary plus a bonus. Some sales engineers who work for independent sales companies earn only commissions.
Commissions are usually based on the value of sales. Bonuses may depend on individual performance, on the performance of all workers in the group or district, or on the company's performance. Earnings from commissions and bonuses may vary from year to year depending on sales ability, the demand for the company's products or services, and the overall economy.
In addition to their earnings, sales engineers who work for manufacturers are usually reimbursed for expenses such as transportation, meals, hotels, and customer entertainment.
Most sales engineers work full time. Some may work additional and irregular hours to meet sales goals and client needs.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Sales EngineersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Sales engineers5%  Total, all occupations3%  Sales and related occupations-3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of sales engineers is projected to grow				 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 5,900 openings for sales engineers 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
	
			
Sales engineers are expected to be in demand to help promote an increasing number of technologically sophisticated products and services.
Employment growth is likely to be strong for sales engineers selling computer software and hardware. Strong industry growth is expected in computer systems design and related services, contributing to employment growth in the occupation.
			

                        Employment projections data for     sales engineers, 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 engineers**
			41-9031
			60,900
			63,800
			5
			2,900
			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 engineers **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 engineers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Aerospace Engineers**
            Aerospace engineers design, develop, and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles.
            Bachelor's degree
            $130,720**Computer Hardware Engineers**
            Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components.
            Bachelor's degree
            $138,080**Electrical and Electronics Engineers**
            Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment.
            Bachelor's degree
            $109,010**Industrial Engineers**
            Industrial engineers devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.
            Bachelor's degree
            $99,380**Insurance Sales Agents**
            Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $59,080**Mechanical Engineers**
            Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices.
            Bachelor's degree
            $99,510**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**Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents**
            Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents connect buyers and sellers in financial markets.
            Bachelor's degree
            $76,900**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**Materials Engineers**
            Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products.
            Bachelor's degree
            $104,100
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about careers in sales occupations, visit
Manufacturers' Agents National Association (MANA)
Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF)

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


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