Highest-paying jobs in sales
The 22 sales occupations BLS publishes, ranked by national median pay, with the education each typically needs to enter.
The highest-paying sales occupation is Sales Manager, with a BLS national median of $148,270 a year (May 2025). 3 of the 22 sales occupations BLS publishes have a median of $100,000 or more; the best-paid one that typically needs less than a bachelor's degree is First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers ($87,520).
All 22 occupations
Data BLS OEWS May 2025 national median annual wages.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sales Manager | $148,270 | $71.28 | Bachelor's degree | 637,080 |
| 2 | Sales Engineer | $124,900 | $60.05 | Bachelor's degree | 51,790 |
| 3 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 | $50.44 | Bachelor's degree | 284,800 |
| 4 | First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $87,520 | $42.08 | High school diploma | 214,390 |
| 5 | Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | $37.82 | Bachelor's degree | 489,570 |
| 6 | Real Estate Broker | $73,220 | $35.20 | High school diploma | 46,100 |
| 7 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $34.65 | High school diploma | 1,238,190 |
| 8 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $33.65 | High school diploma | 1,256,010 |
| 9 | Advertising Sales Agents | $64,820 | $31.16 | High school diploma | 91,700 |
| 10 | Insurance Agent | $62,280 | $29.94 | High school diploma | 479,100 |
| 11 | Real Estate Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 | High school diploma | 193,370 |
| 12 | Travel Agent | $50,160 | $24.11 | High school diploma | 55,110 |
| 13 | Store Manager | $48,520 | $23.33 | High school diploma | 1,121,800 |
| 14 | Models | $48,470 | $23.30 | No formal credential | 3,780 |
| 15 | Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | $41,380 | $19.89 | No formal credential | 2,760 |
| 16 | Counter and Rental Clerks | $41,300 | $19.86 | No formal credential | 400,810 |
| 17 | Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $39,320 | $18.91 | No formal credential | 64,520 |
| 18 | Parts Salespersons | $38,630 | $18.57 | No formal credential | 270,070 |
| 19 | Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | $36,220 | $17.41 | No formal credential | 21,530 |
| 20 | Telemarketer | $35,450 | $17.04 | No formal credential | 58,430 |
| 21 | Sales Associate | $35,410 | $17.03 | No formal credential | 3,897,860 |
| 22 | Cashier | $32,880 | $15.81 | No formal credential | 3,089,410 |
Best-paid sales jobs that typically need less than a bachelor’s degree
Data Typical entry-level education from BLS Employment Projections: no formal credential, high school, some college, a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $87,520 | High school diploma | 214,390 |
| 2 | Real Estate Broker | $73,220 | High school diploma | 46,100 |
| 3 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | High school diploma | 1,238,190 |
| 4 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | High school diploma | 1,256,010 |
| 5 | Advertising Sales Agents | $64,820 | High school diploma | 91,700 |
| 6 | Insurance Agent | $62,280 | High school diploma | 479,100 |
| 7 | Real Estate Agent | $52,830 | High school diploma | 193,370 |
| 8 | Travel Agent | $50,160 | High school diploma | 55,110 |
| 9 | Store Manager | $48,520 | High school diploma | 1,121,800 |
| 10 | Models | $48,470 | No formal credential | 3,780 |
Pay versus size
Data The largest sales occupation by employment is Sales Associate (3,897,860 employed, median $35,410). The median of the 22 occupation medians is not a BLS figure and is not shown; each row is the occupation's own BLS median.
How this page is built
Occupations in BLS sales and related occupations (SOC 41-0000) and sales managers (11-2022), ranked by BLS national median annual wage (OEWS May 2025); BLS residual “all other” categories are left out. Education is the BLS typical entry-level education, not a legal requirement.
- Pay at a specific employer or in your state.
- Starting pay: medians include experienced workers.
- Which job fits your goals: pay is one factor among many.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (released Aug 27, 2026; public domain): typical entry-level education, work experience, on-the-job training, projected change and annual openings.