Sales · Career brief

Advertising Sales Agents

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Advertising Sales Agents at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$64,820

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

-7.2%

Projected employment decline

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Bottom quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

7,800

Above the middle on opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Persuasive / leading

Influence, decisions, and results matter

Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 7.2% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if persuasive or leadership-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: BLS projects employment to shrink 7.2% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

Before choosing, compare:Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Insurance Sales Agents Real Estate Agent

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Advertising Sales Agents with another field Explore rankings in Sales Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$64,820

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

-7.2%employment growth7,800openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

99,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Advertising sales agents (41-3011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising.
Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts.
Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services.
Process all correspondence and paperwork related to accounts.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 7.2% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.
Some core tasks take place on ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or other elevated work areas.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Selling or Influencing Others4.9
Communicating with People Outside the Organization4.7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.5
Thinking Creatively4.3
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Enterprising6.7
Conventional4.3
Artistic3.6
Social3.0
Investigative1.5
Realistic1.2

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Sales and Marketing Communications and Media Mathematics Computers and Electronics

Software and tools named in job postings

Adobe Creative Cloud software Salesforce software Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Canva

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Work through a realistic case with incomplete information: make a recommendation, show the numbers behind it, and defend the tradeoffs.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Advertising sales agents nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Adobe Creative Cloud software, Salesforce software, Adobe InDesign; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options