Area sales representative vs field sales representative

The differences between area sales representatives and field sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an area sales representative and a field sales representative. Additionally, an area sales representative has an average salary of $58,355, which is higher than the $48,460 average annual salary of a field sales representative.

The top three skills for an area sales representative include customer service, business development and sales process. The most important skills for a field sales representative are excellent time management, customer service, and powerpoint.

Area sales representative vs field sales representative overview

	Area Sales Representative	Field Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$58,355	$48,460
Hourly rate	$28.06	$23.30
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	199,212	228,254
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

What does an area sales representative do?

The primary role of an area sales representative is to sell the company's products and services within a specified region or territory. You will be responsible for attracting new clients, increase profitability, and win new accounts. Other duties typically include building and maintaining relationships with both new and existing customers, traveling across the region to visit customers, and maintaining records of customer accounts and sales leads. As an area sales representative, it is also your duty to close deals and negotiate service agreements, prices, and terms of sale.

What does a field sales representative do?

A field sales representative is an employee who is employed by business-to-business (B2B) and wholesale organizations to visit leads and sell products or services to their customers in person. Field sales representatives must attract new customers and win new accounts so that they can maximize profitability within their territory. They travel around their assigned territory and visit their customers regularly to educate them on how their products can benefit them. Field sales representatives must also maintain records of all sales leads and monitor the organization's competitor, new products, and market conditions.

Area sales representative vs field sales representative salary

Area sales representatives and field sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Area Sales Representative	Field Sales Representative
Average salary	$58,355	$48,460
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $80,000	Between $26,000 And $88,000
Highest paying City	Syracuse, NY	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Maine	Washington
Best paying company	Microsoft	VMware
Best paying industry	Finance	Technology

Differences between area sales representative and field sales representative education

There are a few differences between an area sales representative and a field sales representative in terms of educational background:

	Area Sales Representative	Field Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Area sales representative vs field sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between area sales representatives' and field sales representatives' demographics:

	Area Sales Representative	Field Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0%	Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between area sales representative and field sales representative duties and responsibilities

Area sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage and create all content distribute via various social media outlets: Facebook, twitter, feedback blogs, etc.
Create wholesale catalog using Powerpoint and PDF.
Add and update customer information in Seibel CRM application.
Schedule monthly sales, change POS, acquire extra sales/floor space.
Increase sales and product visibility by placing POS material and encouraging promotion participation within accounts.
Execute weekly on premise promotions and off-site special events that generate brand awareness, increase distribution and additional sales.

Field sales representative example responsibilities.

Train and manage new DSR's.
Lead seminars for the CPA community for CPE credits.
Develop and manage sales in major retail accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
Conduct effective group Medicare HMO/PPO presentations/seminars, as well as one-on-one field sales presentations.

Area sales representative vs field sales representative skills

Common area sales representative skills

Customer Service, 24%
Business Development, 17%
Sales Process, 15%
Customer Relations, 7%
Product Knowledge, 4%
Territory Sales, 3%

Common field sales representative skills

Excellent Time Management, 17%
Customer Service, 8%
PowerPoint, 6%
Medicare, 6%
Account Management, 6%
Sales Presentations, 5%

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Area Sales Representative
Area Sales Representative vs Field Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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