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Sales

Sales Engineers

Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Sales Engineers
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Median pay

$121,520
Median annual pay for Sales Engineers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

5.5%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

5,000
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

56,800
Estimated U.S. employment for Sales Engineers in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

+3,100
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

Bachelor's degree
Typical additional preparation: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Speaking
  2. 2Active Listening
  3. 3Critical Thinking
  4. 4Reading Comprehension
  5. 5Active Learning
  6. 6Writing

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Customer and Personal Service
  2. 2Sales and Marketing
  3. 3Engineering and Technology
  4. 4English Language
  5. 5Mathematics
  6. 6Administration and Management

Abilities

  1. 1Oral Expression
  2. 2Speech Clarity
  3. 3Deductive Reasoning
  4. 4Inductive Reasoning
  5. 5Oral Comprehension
  6. 6Speech Recognition

Career interests

  1. 1Enterprising
  2. 2Conventional
  3. 3Investigative
  4. 4Realistic
  5. 5Social
  6. 6Artistic

Work styles

  1. 1Dependability
  2. 2Social Orientation
  3. 3Perseverance
  4. 4Achievement Orientation
  5. 5Self-Confidence
  6. 6Intellectual Curiosity

Work activities

  1. 1Communicating with People Outside the Organization
  2. 2Getting Information
  3. 3Selling or Influencing Others
  4. 4Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  5. 5Working with Computers
  6. 6Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Telephone Conversations
  3. 3Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  4. 4Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
  5. 5Contact With Others
  6. 6Frequency of Decision Making

Representative tasks

  • Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions.
  • Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
  • Create sales or service contracts for products or services.
  • Visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other establishments to show samples or catalogs, and to inform them about product pricing, availability, and advantages.
  • Keep informed on industry news and trends, products, services, competitors, relevant information about legacy, existing, and emerging technologies, and the latest product-line developments.
  • Identify resale opportunities and support them to achieve sales plans.
  • Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
  • Plan and modify product configurations to meet customer needs.

Software and tools

Microsoft Office software · in demandAmazon Web Services AWS software · in demandPython · in demandMicrosoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft Azure software · in demandMicrosoft PowerPoint · in demandSalesforce software · in demandSAP software · hot technologyMicrosoft Teams · hot technologyMicrosoft SQL Server · hot technologyMicrosoft SharePoint · hot technologyOracle Database · hot technology

The short answer

Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.

The measurable national baseline is $121,520 median annual pay, 5.5% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034, and 5,000 projected openings per year. Use these figures as a national benchmark rather than a personal forecast; location, experience, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours can change individual outcomes.

Pay and the size of the opportunity

The national median-pay figure for Sales Engineers is $121,520. Current employment is 56,800, with projected 2034 employment of 59,900. Pay describes the middle worker nationally, not a guaranteed starting salary, and the employment totals describe the occupation's scale rather than the number of jobs available to one applicant.

Demand, growth, and annual openings

BLS projects 5.5% employment growth for Sales Engineers from 2024 to 2034 and about 5,000 openings per year. Growth measures whether the occupation is expanding, while annual openings also include replacement needs created when workers retire, change occupations, or leave the labor force.

Education and preparation

The typical BLS entry-education category is Bachelor's degree. Related work experience is None, and the listed on-the-job training category is Moderate-term on-the-job training. These categories summarize a national pathway; licensing, certification, portfolios, apprenticeships, or local employer requirements may add to it.

What the work involves

Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.

A representative O*NET task is: Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions. The broader activity profile emphasizes Communicating with People Outside the Organization, Getting Information, Selling or Influencing Others.

Skills, knowledge, and tools

The strongest available O*NET skill signals are Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking. Leading knowledge areas are Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, Engineering and Technology. These are national occupational signals, so a specific employer may emphasize a different mix. Examples of software or tools associated with the occupation include Microsoft Office software, Amazon Web Services AWS software, Python, Microsoft Excel.

Common questions

What is the median pay for Sales Engineers?

The national median annual pay in the current dataset is $121,520. Actual pay varies by location, experience, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.

Is demand growing for Sales Engineers?

BLS projects 5.5% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 and about 5,000 openings per year. Openings include both newly created positions and replacement demand.

What education is needed for Sales Engineers?

The typical BLS entry-education category is Bachelor's degree. Related experience, on-the-job training, licensing, or certification requirements may also apply.

What does Sales Engineers involve?

Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

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