Average Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products is $72,080 per year. The middle 50% earn between $50,470 and $99,640, with 1,238,190 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 391 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $39,090
- 25th
- $50,470
- Median
- $72,080
- 75th
- $99,640
- 90th
- $137,550
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +0.3%
- 4,400 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 114,800
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Rhode Island at $82,420, about 14.3% above the national median. At the metro level, Lawton, OK leads with a median of $124,340.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $82,420 | 4,870 |
| District of Columbia | $80,010 | 560 |
| Washington | $79,830 | 27,340 |
| Massachusetts | $79,810 | 22,700 |
| New York | $79,590 | 61,500 |
| New Jersey | $79,410 | 34,360 |
| Colorado | $79,250 | 27,530 |
| South Dakota | $77,210 | 5,220 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Lawton, OK | $124,340 | 320 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $103,670 | 6,530 |
| Napa, CA | $100,460 | 790 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $93,100 | 13,190 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $84,920 | 900 |
| Boulder, CO | $84,660 | 1,880 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,260 | 16,510 |
| Casper, WY | $81,320 | 340 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products rose from $59,930 to $72,080, a gain of +20.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $59,930 would need to be worth $75,468 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $72,080 is −$3,388 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -4.5% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 20.3% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +20.3%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -4.5%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $72,080
- 2024
- $66,780
- 2023
- $65,630
- 2022
- $63,230
- 2021
- $61,600
- 2020
- $62,070
- 2019
- $59,930
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
Common salary questions for Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing, Except Technical And Scientific Products workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.