Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products’ parts and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.
Sales engineers typically do the following:
Sales engineers specialize in technologically and scientifically advanced products. They use their technical skills to explain the benefits of their products or services to potential customers and to show how their products or services are better than their competitors’. Some sales engineers work for the companies that design and build technical products. Others work for independent sales firms.
Many of the duties of sales engineers are similar to those of other salespersons. They must interest the client in buying their products or services, negotiate a price, and complete the sale. To do this, sales engineers give technical presentations during which they explain the technical aspects of the product and how it will solve a specific customer problem.
Some sales engineers team with other salespersons, such as wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, who concentrate on marketing and selling the product, which lets the sales engineer concentrate on the technical aspects of the job. By working as part of a sales team, each member is able to focus on his or her strengths and expertise.
In addition to giving technical presentations, sales engineers are increasingly doing other tasks related to sales, such as market research. They also may ask for technical requirements from customers and modify and adjust products to meet customers’ specific needs. Some sales engineers work with research and development (R&D) departments to help identify and develop new products.
Sales engineers held about 60,700 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of sales engineers were as follows:
| Manufacturing | 23% |
| Merchant wholesalers, durable goods | 20 |
| Computer systems design and related services | 19 |
| Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers | 5 |
| Telecommunications | 5 |
Some sales engineers have large territories and travel extensively. Because sales regions may cover several states, sales engineers may be away from home for several days or even weeks at a time. Other sales engineers cover a smaller region and spend only a few nights away from home.
Sales engineers may encounter stress because their income and job security often depend directly on their success in sales and customer service.
Most sales engineers work full time. Some may work additional and irregular hours to meet sales goals and client needs.
To enter the occupation, sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree. Successful sales engineers combine technical knowledge of the products or services they are selling with strong interpersonal skills.
Sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field, such as business. However, candidates who do not have a degree sometimes meet qualifications if they have sales experience and technical experience or training.
College engineering programs generally require 4 years of study. They vary in content, but all programs include courses in math and the physical sciences. In addition, most programs require developing strong computer skills.
Most engineering programs require students to choose an area of specialization. The most common majors are electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering, but some engineering departments offer additional majors, such as chemical, biomedical, or computer hardware engineering. However, some undergraduate programs offer a general engineering curriculum; students then specialize in a particular area either on the job or in graduate school.
New graduates with engineering degrees typically need sales experience and training before they can work independently as sales engineers. Training covers general sales techniques and may involve teaming with a sales mentor who is familiar with the employer's business practices, customers, procedures, and company culture. After the training period, sales engineers may continue to partner with someone who lacks technical skills yet excels in the art of sales.
It is important for sales engineers to continue their engineering and sales education throughout their careers. Much of their value to their employers depends on their knowledge of, and ability to sell, the latest technologies. Sales engineers in high-technology fields, such as information technology and advanced electronics, may find that their technical knowledge rapidly becomes obsolete, requiring frequent retraining.
Promotions may include a higher commission rate, a larger sales territory, or elevation to the position of supervisor or sales manager.
Interpersonal skills. Strong interpersonal skills are a valuable characteristic for sales engineers, both for building relationships with clients and effectively communicating with other members of the sales team.
Problem-solving skills. Sales engineers must be able to listen to the customer’s desires and concerns, and then recommend solutions, such as customizing a product for the customer.
Self-confidence. Sales engineers should be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations.
Technological skills. Sales engineers must have extensive knowledge of the technologically sophisticated products they sell in order to explain their advantages and answer questions.
Median annual wages, May 2021
The median annual wage for sales engineers was $103,710 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $62,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $182,850.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for sales engineers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Computer systems design and related services | $127,180 |
| Telecommunications | 116,480 |
| Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers | 103,840 |
| Merchant wholesalers, durable goods | 102,130 |
| Manufacturing | 101,590 |
How much a sales engineer earns varies considerably by the type of firm and the product sold. Most employers offer a combination of salary and commission payments or salary plus a bonus. Some sales engineers who work for independent sales companies earn only commissions.
Commissions are usually based on the value of sales. Bonuses may depend on individual performance, on the performance of all workers in the group or district, or on the company's performance. Earnings from commissions and bonuses may vary from year to year depending on sales ability, the demand for the company's products or services, and the overall economy.
In addition to their earnings, sales engineers who work for manufacturers are usually reimbursed for expenses such as transportation, meals, hotels, and customer entertainment.
Most sales engineers work full time. Some may work additional and irregular hours to meet sales goals and client needs.
Percent change in employment, projected 2021-31
Employment of sales engineers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 6,900 openings for sales engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Sales engineers are expected to be in demand to help promote an increasing number of technologically sophisticated products and services.
Employment growth is likely to be strong for sales engineers selling computer software and hardware. Strong industry growth is expected in computer systems design and related services, contributing to employment growth in the occupation.
| Occupational Title | SOC Code | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | Employment by Industry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | ||||||
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program |
|||||||
Sales engineers |
41-9031 | 60,700 | 64,100 | 6 | 3,400 | Get data | |
For more information about careers in sales occupations, visit
Manufacturers' Agents National Association (MANA)
Manufacturers' Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF)