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The differences between field technical representatives and direct sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a field technical representative, becoming a direct sales representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a field technical representative has an average salary of $52,665, which is higher than the $43,527 average annual salary of a direct sales representative.
The top three skills for a field technical representative include customer service, technical support and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a direct sales representative are customer service, direct sales, and TV.
| Field Technical Representative | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $52,665 | $43,527 |
| Hourly rate | $25.32 | $20.93 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 200,868 | 159,668 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Owning wide knowledge about an application, a field technical representative ensures that the customer knows how to use any application by providing technical support and solving issues if one arises. They also give advice on what application is best to use for a certain concern. They can also evaluate and give an honest review to further improve the application. They help companies install the application and apply every bit of enhancements incorporated in it to the best of their advantage.
As a direct sales representative, you are responsible for creating customer awareness of a company's products and services and closing sales. You will perform varied tasks that include assisting in developing and executing marketing and sales plans, conducting research on competing products, and identifying opportunities to improve sales. Additionally, you are expected to answer inquiries about product features, availability, benefits, and pricing. Other tasks that you are likely to perform include attending trade shows, preparing sales proposals for prospective buyers, and preparing sales reports.
Field technical representatives and direct sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Technical Representative | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $52,665 | $43,527 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $77,000 | Between $27,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Battle Creek, MI | Salem, OR |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Maine |
| Best paying company | MSC Software | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a field technical representative and a direct sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Field Technical Representative | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between field technical representatives' and direct sales representatives' demographics:
| Field Technical Representative | Direct Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |