Different Types of Sales Jobs With Salaries

Quick Navigation:


Sales jobs involve creating and maintaining relationships with clients to sell products and services. There are many sales jobs available in different industries that you can choose based on your interests. In this article, learn more about the wide variety of sales jobs available including salary information and responsibilities.

What is a sales job?

There are a wide variety of sales jobs and their salaries are just as varied. Those interested in this field have a diverse set of options, each one catered to specific skill sets. Each role will have its own unique set of duties and education requirements. Each job within this field is best suited to particular personalities as well. 

Different types of sales jobs

Here are some of the different types of sales jobs that you might want to consider:

Advertising Sales Representative

National Average Salary: $55,442 per year 

Role and Responsibilities: Sales Representatives locate and reach out to prospects and leads for businesses. They often contact prospects over the phone and thoroughly explain how their advertising works along with associated price packages. In person, Advertising Sales Representatives often deliver full presentations to groups of potential clients offering examples and illustrations from previous work. In culmination with these duties, Advertising Sales Representatives often perform a high amount of customer service activities as they work directly with prospects and tenured clients.

Manufacturing Account Manager

National Average Salary: $61,014 per year

Role and Responsibilities: Account Managers often have several options for their roles. Some work specifically with a single manufacturer selling their products and managing vendor and client accounts. Others work for a singular business, managing all manufacturers that sell to that particular business. Many positions in this field are IT-related, requiring Account Managers to have advanced knowledge in the field and work with complex applications. IT-related roles require the ability to understand and demonstrate the functions of various technologies. Experience in labor manufacturing benefits this position as Account Managers often use related terminology in both internal and public documents.

Financial Advisor

National Average Salary: $66,833 per year

Role and Responsibilities: Financial Advisors help their clients plan for both short-term and long-term financial goals. In some cases, they also provide advice on matters pertaining to taxes and insurance, guiding clients through difficult decisions. Conducting their job well requires intense market research in specified areas along with recommending and executing strategies and monitoring accounts. In their downtime, Financial Advisors research further investment opportunities and propose new options for financial growth to their clients.

Account Executive

National Average Salary: $67,577 per year

Role and Responsibilities: Account Executives are responsible for creating business plans for setting goals and furthering business development. They manage the entire sales cycle from locating and identifying leads to finalizing a purchase. When they’re not working directly with clients, Account Executives locate new sales opportunities through networking and various partnerships. Their overall objective includes finding new business propositions and managing customer relationships.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

National Average Salary: $69,391 per year

Role and Responsibilities: With an aging population, there is a great need for Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives who are capable of handling the often challenging medical verbiage associated with the role. These types of Sales Representatives balance patient concerns alongside FDA-updated information and trends within the industry. Bachelor’s degrees in medical sciences or related fields are often required, and good candidates understand advanced terminology and have the required capability to handle and demonstrate medical equipment. Travel is often required in many cases as these Sales Representatives present equipment at conventions and seminars.

Insurance Agent

National Average Salary: $78,301 per year

Role and Responsibilities: While some insurance sales are fully conducted online, clients still need agent assistance in finding the most comprehensive plan for their home and car accounts. Insurance Agents oversee changes, offer additional services and help clients when they have a claim. Most Insurance Agents perform customer service activities throughout the day, speaking with various clients and prospects. Insurance Agents work in many industries including auto insurance, home insurance, or medical insurance and each area comes with unique duties and specifications for the role. 

Real Estate Agent

National Average Salary: $86,854 per year

Role and Responsibilities: Being a Real Estate Agent requires skills in effective communication, charisma, negotiation and keeping calm under pressure. This position involves a great deal of detailed paperwork and exceptional organizational ability. Realtors show properties, host open houses, and match buyers with sellers. They also work with other Real Estate Agents in facilitating the purchasing and signing process. Both clients and financial lending organizations can often present challenging situations and will require significant patience.

Regional Sales Manager

National Average Salary: $102,615 per year

Role and Responsibilities: Regional Sales Managers exist in almost every industry with each requiring its own set of unique duties. Those in the hospitality sector work closely with guests, ensuring that facilities meet company standards and provide positive experiences. Technical industries require knowledge and skills with computers, often explaining complex code and application mechanics. No matter the industry, Regional Sales Managers oversee a large area of teams and individual employees. They’re responsible for the performance of all employees within their region, often requiring travel and hotel arrangements.

Sales Director

National Average Salary: $103,141 per year

Role and Responsibilities: Sales Directors manage all sales efforts throughout a company. They strategize, plan and execute new products and services. Sales Directors also set company standards for customer service and sales expectations, monitoring the efforts placed in each area. Along with these duties, they often set weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual sales goals and communicate them to all levels of sales staff. They’re also responsible for coordinating and developing training procedures and other education programs for sales employees.

Tips for accepting a sales job

When considering a job in sales, make sure that pay structures are an important part of your job research. While some career paths are salaried, others are solely commission-based. Some offer a mixture of both salary and commission. Also, determine if you prefer a role with financial growth possibilities or simply want sales experience. Not all roles come with opportunities for advancement. Whichever path you choose, make sure it’s viable for your unique needs and that your personality meets the role’s requirements.