# Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products

> Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of postsecondary education.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-wholesale-and-manufacturing-technical-and-scientific-products
- SOC code: 41-4011.00
- Career family: Sales
- Median annual pay: $104,920 (10th percentile $52,600, 90th percentile $200,440)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.2%
- Openings a year: 23,600
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 30 |
| Investigative (I) | 36 |
| Artistic (A) | 7 |
| Social (S) | 35 |
| Enterprising (E) | 71 |
| Conventional (C) | 69 |

## What you'd do

- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 67/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 63/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 63/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 61/100)
- Selling or Influencing Others (importance 59/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 57/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 51/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 51/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 49/100)

## Skills

Persuasion, Speaking, Active Listening, Negotiation, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Coordination, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, English Language, Administration and Management, Mathematics, Production and Processing, Computers and Electronics, Administrative, Engineering and Technology, Education and Training

## Also called

Abrasives Sales Representative, Agricultural Sales Representative, Aircraft Equipment and Parts Sales Representative, Aircraft Sales Representative, Animal Feed Products Sales Representative, Authorized Retailer, Auto Sales Consultant (Automotive Sales Consultant), Building Equipment and Supplies Sales Representative, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Chemical Sales Representative

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5218) (CIP 5218, 358 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $85,374 | $125,167 | $21,375 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $72,444 | $93,141 | $18,458 |
| [Bowling Green State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus-290) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $63,510 | $86,245 | $22,625 |
| [Weber State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/weber-state-university-3186) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $73,639 | $82,549 | $15,668 |
| [Purdue University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/purdue-university-main-campus-2163) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $66,112 | $82,441 | $19,043 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Madison Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-madison-main-campus-3084) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $58,551 | $82,081 | $14,567 |
| [Kennesaw State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/kennesaw-state-university-1376) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $77,431 | $79,147 | not reported |
| [Ball State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ball-state-university-170) | General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $57,265 | $78,401 | $17,750 |

## Related careers

- [Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-representatives-wholesale-and-manufacturing-except-technical-and-scientific-products): $72,080 median pay
- [Sales Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-engineers): $124,900 median pay
- [Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Industrial Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/solar-sales-representatives-and-assessors): $104,920 median pay
- [Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/purchasing-agents-except-wholesale-retail-and-farm-products): $77,710 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.