9 Highest-Paying Sales Jobs: Which One Is Right for You?

Sales can be an exciting, challenging career path — especially if you enjoy solving problems and working and helping others. And since sales is all about the money, it’s only natural to consider how much money you can make from the career path.

We’ve compiled the highest-paying sales jobs so you can learn what lucrative sales careers are out there. Plus, we’ve designed a fun, free quiz to help you figure out what kind of highest-paying sales jobs are right for you — and shared tips from sales professionals on how to land them.

How We Define ‘Highest-Paying Sales Jobs’

First, what does “highest-paying sales jobs” really mean? We used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and O*Net to find median salaries for typical sales roles. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for all occupations is $48,060. This list shares positions with a median yearly salary higher than that.

Remember that these salaries may vary by location and company; for example, someone in New York City may have a higher-paying sales job than someone in a place with a lower cost of living. Sales professionals also tend to have more variable salaries because commission often factors into their total compensation.

9 Highest-Paying Sales Jobs

So, what are the highest-paying sales jobs out there? Here are jobs to consider if you’re looking for a lucrative sales role.

Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents

Median pay: $56,620
Job outlook: 2% (slower than average)

Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients find properties they can buy, rent, or sell. For example, if a couple is looking to buy their first home, a real estate broker or sales agent might search for properties that fit their needs and budget, go with them to see properties, and help advise them on pricing and the market.

Most real estate brokers and sales agents work for themselves and often work independently. Because they work directly with clients, they also need impeccable interpersonal skills.

To become a real estate broker or sales agent, you’ll typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, then need to get your license. The requirements for licensing vary by state, but you’ll likely need to complete pre-licensing courses and pass an exam. You’ll also need to renew your license every few years.

Insurance Sales Agents

Median pay: $59,080
Job outlook: 6% (faster than average)

Insurance sales agents sell types of insurance. For example, they may sell property and casualty insurance to help people protect themselves from financial loss from a car accident or fire in their home. They may sell life insurance and work to pay beneficiaries when a policyholder dies. Insurance sales agents may specialize in a specific type of insurance or sell multiple types of insurance.

Communication skills are key for insurance sales agents, who need to work directly with clients to help them find the best policies. However, they also need to be business-savvy, as many insurance sales agents are responsible for finding new clients.

You’ll need a high school diploma to become an insurance sales agent. Some employers may prefer a bachelor’s degree, especially if you majored in something related to business. You’ll also need to be licensed in your state; to get a license, you’ll need to complete some courses and pass an exam on insurance basics and laws.

Advertising Sales Agents

Median pay: $61,270
Job outlook: -7% (decline)

Advertising sales agents sell advertising space to clients on social media, in a newspaper, on television, or online. They work directly with clients to pitch them on how the advertising space can help promote their business.

Customer service skills like communication, responsiveness, and active listening are crucial to this field. Advertising sales agents spend most of their time working with clients, trying to sell them advertising packages that fit their needs.

You’ll need a high school diploma to become an advertising sales agent, but some employers may prefer a bachelor’s degree. Having a background in marketing, communications, or business can be helpful. However, most advertising sales agents receive on-the-job training, typically by shadowing an experienced professional. 

>>MORE: Sales and Marketing: What’s the Difference and Which One Is Right for Me?

Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives

Median pay: $73,080
Job outlook: 1% (Slower than average)

Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods to businesses and other organizations. They may sell food, office supplies, mechanical equipment, or pharmaceutical goods. These professionals are responsible for the entire sales process, from identifying and meeting potential customers to offering sales packages and negotiating contracts.

Like many sales roles, this career path requires stellar interpersonal skills. Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives not only need to find potential clients but also make the sale to them and ensure that they’re happy with their purchases.

The requirements for becoming a wholesale and manufacturing sales representative vary based on the type of products you sell. For example, you can typically sell nonscientific products with a high school diploma but may need a bachelor’s degree for technical products. Many companies provide on-the-job training for these professionals.

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Median pay: $76,900
Job outlook: 7% (faster than average)

Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents work in financial markets, helping both individuals and institutions make investment decisions. These professionals, often called brokers or investment bankers, connect buyers and sellers in financial markets, sell securities to individuals, advise companies on funding, and provide guidance on investment strategies. They may work with stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other financial products, helping clients build and manage their investment portfolios while staying compliant with financial regulations.

To be a successful securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent, you need both analytical and interpersonal skills. You’ll need to analyze market conditions, understand complex financial products, and explain them clearly to clients. Additionally, you’ll need excellent communication and sales skills to build trust with clients, network effectively, and maintain long-term relationships. 

Becoming a securities, commodities, or financial services sales agent requires a bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or a related field. Many employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree for advanced positions. Beyond education, these professionals must obtain appropriate licenses from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which usually requires sponsorship from their employer and passing several exams. 

Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors

Median pay: $99,710
Job outlook: 3 to 5% (as fast as average)

Solar sales representatives and assessors sell solar energy solutions to homeowners and businesses. They evaluate properties for their potential for solar energy, design customized solar systems, and help clients adopt solar energy in their homes or businesses.

You’ll need technical knowledge and sales acumen to succeed as a solar sales representative or assessor. It’s essential to understand the solar technology you’re selling — but also be able to explain that knowledge to potential clients and sell them on it.

Breaking into solar sales typically requires a high school diploma, though many employers prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or environmental science. These professionals also often get on-the-job training.

Sales Engineers

Median pay: $116,950
Job outlook: 6% (faster than average)

Sales engineers are salespeople who sell technical products to individuals or businesses, such as software. Unlike traditional salespeople, they need to understand the engineering aspects of their products to explain their technical advantages to other engineers, executives, and decision-makers. They often work with products like advanced machinery, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, industrial robotics, or sophisticated software systems. 

The role demands a unique skill set that bridges engineering and sales competencies. Sales engineers must possess strong technical problem-solving abilities and analytical skills to understand their products and customers’ technical challenges. They also need exceptional communication skills to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences and sell their audiences on products.

A sales engineer role requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field. Many employers provide comprehensive training programs covering technical product knowledge and sales techniques. 

Advertising and Promotions Managers

Median pay: $131,870
Job outlook: -1% (decline)

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers work to promote a company’s public image. They may work on promotional campaigns, radio or television ads, posters, events, displays, and more. These professionals use strategic research to determine what campaigns work well for their customer base.

To succeed in this role, you’ll need strong analytical skills to determine the best promotion strategies and analyze how those promotions have performed. Creative thinking is also key, specifically for creating the actual campaigns. These professionals often work with other teams to execute campaigns and liaison with clients to meet their needs — meaning they also need excellent communication and collaboration skills.

While a bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, communications, or business administration is typically required, employers highly value experience in the field. Many aspiring managers start in entry-level marketing or advertising roles and work their way up. Some pursue advanced degrees, such as an MBA with a marketing concentration, to further enhance their career prospects. 

Sales Managers

Median pay: $135,160
Job outlook: 6% (faster than average)

Sales managers are the driving force behind a company’s revenue generation. They lead and motivate sales teams to achieve sales targets and contribute to overall business growth. These professionals are responsible for developing sales strategies, setting sales goals, and monitoring team performance. 

To excel as a sales manager, you need a combination of leadership, communication, and analytical skills. Strong leadership skills are necessary to motivate and guide a sales team, fostering a positive and productive work environment. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are crucial for building client relationships, negotiating deals, and effectively communicating sales strategies to the team. Analytical skills are also vital for tracking sales performance, identifying trends, and making data-driven decisions. 

While some sales managers may have an associate’s degree or relevant work experience, a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, or a related field is often preferred. Many start their careers as sales representatives and work their way up to management positions by demonstrating strong sales performance and leadership potential. 

Which High-Paying Sales Job Is Right for Me?

How to Land High-Paying Sales Jobs

Unlike a field like computer science or investment banking, sales is a career path that doesn’t always have a clear trajectory. There aren’t specific technical skills that will guarantee you a role (as they might in a field like computer science), nor specific internships that always lead to entry-level roles (as they might in a field like investment banking). 

But that ambiguity can be to your advantage. “Sales is one of the most accessible professions for recent graduates,” says Nikolaus Kimla, CEO at Pipeliner. “Many entry-level positions don’t require specialized training or a specific college degree, making it an attractive option for students from various academic backgrounds.”

To land an entry-level role in sales, you can succeed if you’re willing to build the right skills, meet with people, and learn the industry.

Build the Right Soft Skills

It’s no secret that sales requires a lot of interpersonal communication. Salespeople work closely with clients to understand their needs, sell them products, and ensure that they’re happy with their purchases.

This means that being successful in sales is largely dependent on your soft skills, or the skills you use when you interact with others.

Kimla says the key soft skills you need are:

• Curiosity
• Coachability
• Service mentality
• Problem-solving
• Adaptability
• Resilience

While you use many of these skills in relation to others, Kilma points out that “outgoing” and “gregarious” aren’t on the list. 

“Contrary to popular culture and stereotypes, introverts can be just as successful as extroverts in sales,” he says. “A career in sales can accommodate all types of personalities.”

>>MORE: 10 Best Jobs for Introverts (and How to Land Them)

So, how can you build these skills — regardless of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert? Get involved in experiences that require you to interact with others. That might be a school theater production where you build coachability by getting feedback from a director. That could be a part-time job where you work as a barista and practice your service mentality when dealing with customers.

While internships are a great way to build these skills, many other everyday activities can help you get the transferable skills you need to succeed in sales.

Network

You can build the soft skills you need to succeed in sales by working with other people, but to actually land the job, you need to talk with other people.

Networking is crucial to landing a role in any industry. Speaking with professionals is invaluable for building your connections, learning about the field, understanding what you might want to do, and even getting referred down the line. In sales, it’s even more important — because the industry is all about being a good people person. In some sense, your networking conversations are mini-interviews, showing the other person your communication and listening skills.

Prepare and succeed in networking conversations by:

• Researching the person you’re looking for: While many networking conversations when you’re just starting out tend to be informational interviews — where you’re learning more about the other person — you want to go in with basic knowledge of their career path, like what titles they’ve had and companies they’ve worked for.
• Asking the right questions: Doing research can also help you ask the right questions. You want to ask impressive, curious questions that show interest in connecting with the person and learning about what they do. For example, asking, “What do you do?” is more surface-level than something like, “What have you learned from your current role?” Looking for more examples? Learn 15 questions to ask during an informational interview.
• Following up: Immediately thank people you meet for their time and follow up with them in the weeks following your conversation. Sales is about your network — not only in landing a job but in your career. You never know when someone you spoke to while trying to find a role may be a great client fit for a future role! Keep in touch with people you’ve connected with, whether you’re sending them a note about something you talked about or chatting with them every six months.

Learn About the Industry

You’re already doing some research about sales roles — nice! You’re on your way to learning more about the field of sales. A growth mindset and dedication to learning is crucial. 

“If you’re considering sales, one thing that you should know is that it’s a career built on growth and continuous learning,” Tracie Crites, chief marketing officer at Heavy Equipment Appraisal says. “In this field, you are constantly learning new things from practical ways to make a sale and marketing and sales strategies to addressing customer pain points.”

But learning just the technical aspects of sales — like how to sell — is just the half of it. Sales is specific in that there’s also an emotional learning curve — learning how to pivot when a conversation isn’t going well, understanding the race to the end of a busy quarter, and embracing rejection. 

“One thing I didn’t know before getting into sales was the emotional rollercoaster you can go on in the space of a month,” says Matt Simmons, head of business development at Inkthreadable. “One minute, you’re closing deals left and right, and on Cloud 9; the next, a few deals could have fallen through, and you’re emotionally exhausted. The key is not to become emotionally involved in the opportunity and to try to keep everything at a logical level. If a deal fell through, ask yourself why and what happened, and then work on preventing it from happening next time.”

Understanding the industry can make you better prepared to speak to your skills and what you’re looking for in interviews. For example, you might focus on times you were resilient and overcame a rejection or a time you were able to negotiate for something after you received a no. 

Highest-Paying Sales Jobs: The Bottom Line

Sales roles focus on selling people goods, products, and services, which means that you’ll need stellar interpersonal skills no matter what kind of sales role you do. But there are also plenty of different sectors to go into if you want a high-paying sales job — if you’re interested in using technical skills, a role like solar sales representative might be a good fit. If you’re interested in marketing and creative campaigns, you may consider being an advertising and promotions manager.

Regardless of what high-paying sales career you choose, landing a role in the field requires the right soft skills, great networking, and industry knowledge. 

Start building the skills you need to land and succeed in a sales role with Forage sales job simulations.

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