SOC 11-2022.00Bright outlook

    Sales Managers

    Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer.

    Median pay
    $148,270
    Growth
    +4.5%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    47,300
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $73,170
    Median
    $148,270
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $290,540
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    637,080 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Sales managers direct the distribution of products and services, set sales goals, and train sales staff. The career offers a median annual pay of $148,270, with strong opportunities for individuals who enjoy leading teams and driving business growth.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What sales managers do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    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 and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Sales managers focus on the movement of goods and services to buyers. On a daily basis, they establish sales territories, set quotas, and design training programs for sales representatives. They analyze sales statistics to estimate inventory needs and determine sales potential while keeping a close eye on customer preferences. This role requires strong leadership orientation, self-confidence, and initiative, as managers spend significant time guiding, directing, and motivating subordinates.

    These professionals rely heavily on interpersonal skills, active listening, persuasion, and negotiation to build relationships both inside and outside their organizations. They must make critical decisions, solve complex problems, and resolve issues under pressure, which demands high stress tolerance and adaptability. Their daily tasks involve a mix of administration, personnel management, and marketing strategy. To succeed, they need a solid foundation in sales and marketing principles, customer service, and economics.

    How to get there

    Entering this management career typically requires a bachelor's degree along with several years of work experience in a related field. Students preparing for this path often major in business administration, marketing, management and operations, general business, or family and consumer sciences business services. Some specialized paths may also stem from majors in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, and administration.

    While not always mandatory, professionals can earn various certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples include the Agile Certified Product Manager, Certified Brand Manager, Business of Retail, Certified Hospitality Trainer, Certified in Hospitality Business Acumen, and Certified Linen Technician. Additionally, some states list specific licensing requirements for this line of work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for sales managers was $148,270. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and industry; the lowest 10% of workers in this field earn less than $73,170, while the highest 10% earn more than $290,540.

    With 637,080 people employed in this occupation, the field is projected to grow by 4.5% from 2025 to 2035, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth and normal staff turnover are expected to result in approximately 47,300 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    8 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    11 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    6 / 100
    Social (S)
    40 / 100
    Enterprising (E) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    76 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ECS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Selling or Influencing Others
    97
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    93
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    93
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    91
    Developing and Building Teams
    90
    Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
    89
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    89
    Coaching and Developing Others
    88
    Training and Teaching Others
    83
    Getting Information
    82
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

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

    Knowledge

    • Sales and Marketing
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Administration and Management
    • Personnel and Human Resources
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Education and Training
    • Communications and Media
    • Economics and Accounting
    • Mathematics

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Fluency of Ideas
    • Originality
    • Speech Clarity

    Work styles

    • Leadership Orientation
    • Social Orientation
    • Dependability
    • Perseverance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Self-Confidence
    • Initiative
    • Integrity
    • Adaptability
    • Stress Tolerance

    Also called

    Account Manager · Area Sales Manager · Area Supervisor · BD Director (Business Development Director) · BD Executive (Business Development Executive) · BD Manager (Business Development Manager) · Business Developer · Channel Manager · Client Relationship Manager · Commercial Director

    Career pathway

    From your interests to sales managers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Sales Managers$148,270 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Carnegie Mellon University logo
      Carnegie Mellon University

      Pittsburgh, PA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $97,419
      4 yrs after
      $160,783
      Median debt
      $19,000
    2. 2University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $96,806
      4 yrs after
      $144,654
      Median debt
      $19,500
    3. 3University of California-Berkeley CAL logo
      University of California-Berkeley CAL

      Berkeley, CA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $94,811
      4 yrs after
      $144,599
      Median debt
      $10,656
    4. 4Northeastern University logo
      Northeastern University

      Boston, MA · Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $142,985
      Median debt
      $21,908
    5. 5Long Island University logo
      Long Island University

      Brookville, NY · Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $136,840
      Median debt
      Not reported
    6. 6University of Pennsylvania UPENN logo
      University of Pennsylvania UPENN

      Philadelphia, PA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $108,743
      4 yrs after
      $136,806
      Median debt
      $19,250
    7. 7Emory University-Main Campus logo
      Emory University-Main Campus

      Atlanta, GA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $87,830
      4 yrs after
      $136,731
      Median debt
      $15,000
    8. 8University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus logo
      University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus

      Chapel Hill, NC · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $88,182
      4 yrs after
      $135,874
      Median debt
      $9,250

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What sales managers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Business Administration and Management, General
    • Business/Commerce, General
    • Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management
    • Marketing/Marketing Management, General
    • Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    34 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about sales managers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common alternative job titles for sales managers?

    People in this occupation are also called account managers, area sales managers, business development directors, channel managers, or commercial directors.

    What is the main interest area associated with this career?

    The strongest interest area for this occupation is enterprising, which involves starting up and carrying out projects, especially in business.

    What are some related careers in this field?

    Related careers include marketing managers, advertising and promotions managers, purchasing managers, market research analysts, and wholesale and retail buyers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.