Sales Engineers
Career Cluster
Business, Marketing, and Finance
Focuses on making businesses more efficient and productive. In this field, you'll plan, organize, direct, and assess businesses.
Learn more about this clusterAt a glance
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Monthly cost of living
These numbers give you an idea of how much you can spend each month on common expenses with this salary. Percentages are the average a person with no children spends according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (external link opens new tab) These numbers are a starting point and will differ person to person.
Your actual expenses may differ from those listed. You’ll need to account for the amount taken out in taxes each month. Learn more about income tax expenses. (external link opens new tab) Your student loan payments may also differ. To calculate your student loan payments, use the federal student loan repayment estimator. (external link opens new tab)
About sales engineers
What they do
Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
Other titles
Business Development Engineer, Inside Sales Engineer, Product Sales Engineer, Sales Applications Engineer, Sales Engineer, Technical Marketing Engineer, Technical Sales Engineer
Skills they need
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Licenses and Certifications they may hold
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as sales engineers.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.
Computer Systems Analysts
Analyze science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions, improve existing computer systems, and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and schedule limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.
Manufacturing Engineers
Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.
Software Developers
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
- AHS International (external link opens new tab)
- Association for High Technology Distribution (external link opens new tab)
- IEEE (external link opens new tab)
- International Society of Automation (external link opens new tab)
- Manufacturers' Agents National Association (external link opens new tab)
- Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Sales engineers (external link opens new tab)
- SAE International (external link opens new tab)
- Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (external link opens new tab)
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (external link opens new tab)