Sales
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Median pay
- $104,920
- Outlook
- Slower than average
Bachelor's degree
- Persuasion
- Speaking
- Active Listening
ProgramsBusiness, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
CIP52.18
232 colleges offer General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 232
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $75,176
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $19,043
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 232
- Associate's
- 164
- Bachelor's
- 76
- Master's
- 15
- Doctoral
- 1
- First professional
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 14
What it covers
About General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
A program that focuses on the general process and techniques of direct wholesale and retail buying and selling operations and introduces individuals to related careers. Includes instruction in the principles of entrepreneurial economics, basic sales skills, the distribution channels for goods and services, and supervised practical application experiences.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 52.18.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 52.18.
- Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General
- Merchandising and Buying Operations
- Retailing and Retail Operations
- Selling Skills and Sales Operations
- Reserved
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 232 | $81,2734 yrs after · 9 colleges | $20,5009 colleges |
| Associate's | 164 | $39,4864 yrs after · 11 colleges | $14,8802 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 76 | $75,1764 yrs after · 24 colleges | $19,04319 colleges |
| Master's | 15 | $120,0184 yrs after · 3 colleges | $41,0003 colleges |
| Doctoral | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| First professional | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 14 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Waco, TX · Private nonprofit · 34 graduates
$125,167
debt $21,375
- 2
Texas A & M University-College Station
College Station, TX · Public · 313 graduates
$93,141
debt $18,458
- 3
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH · Public · 15 graduates
$86,245
debt $22,625
- 4
Ogden, UT · Public · 125 graduates
$82,549
debt $15,668
- 5
West Lafayette, IN · Public · 93 graduates
$82,441
debt $19,043
- 6
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · Public · 273 graduates
$82,081
debt $14,567
- 7
Kennesaw, GA · Public · 28 graduates
$79,147
debt not reported
- 8
Muncie, IN · Public · 13 graduates
$78,401
debt $17,750
- 9
New York, NY · Public · 501 graduates
$76,565
debt $10,250
- 10
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, OK · Public · 16 graduates
$75,796
debt not reported
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
Sales
Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors
- Median pay
- $104,920
- Outlook
- Slower than average
Bachelor's degree
- Speaking
- Persuasion
- Reading Comprehension
- Bright outlook
Education
Business Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $99,080
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Active Listening
Sales
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Median pay
- $87,520
- Outlook
- Little or no change
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Monitoring
- Bright outlook
Business and finance
Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
- Median pay
- $77,710
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Negotiation
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Business and finance
Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
- Median pay
- $77,710
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Negotiation
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Sales
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Median pay
- $72,080
- Outlook
- Little or no change
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Negotiation
- Bright outlook
Sales
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Median pay
- $69,990
- Outlook
- As fast as average
High school diploma
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
More in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Business Administration, Management and Operations1,495 colleges
- Accounting and Related Services1,096 colleges
- Marketing820 colleges
- Finance and Financial Management Services730 colleges
- Business Operations Support and Assistant Services669 colleges
- Business/Commerce, General523 colleges
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations520 colleges
- International Business426 colleges
Questions about General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
How many colleges offer General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations at these degree levels: certificate (232 colleges), associate's (164 colleges), bachelor's (76 colleges), master's (15 colleges), doctoral (1 college), first professional (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (14 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations earn $75,176 a year four years after finishing, across 24 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations graduates earn the most?
Baylor University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations: $125,167 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.