Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
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 representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
What they do
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.
Other titles
Inside Sales Representative, Marketing Representative, Sales Representative
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.
- Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- 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 representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products.
Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
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.
Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order, and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. May conduct meetings with sales personnel and introduce new products. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.
Sales Engineers
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.
Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
Industrial Production Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.
Sales Managers
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.
- American Chemical Society (external link opens new tab)
- Health Industry Representatives Association (external link opens new tab)
- IEEE (external link opens new tab)
- Manufacturers' Agents National Association (external link opens new tab)
- Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation (external link opens new tab)
- National Association of Chemical Distributors (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives (external link opens new tab)
- Society of Cosmetic Chemists (external link opens new tab)
- The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (external link opens new tab)