Manufacturer's representative vs outside sales representative

The differences between manufacturer's representatives and outside 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 a manufacturer's representative and an outside sales representative. Additionally, an outside sales representative has an average salary of $60,443, which is higher than the $57,622 average annual salary of a manufacturer's representative.

The top three skills for a manufacturer's representative include product line, trade shows and distribution channels. The most important skills for an outside sales representative are customer service, work ethic, and sales process.

Manufacturer's representative vs outside sales representative overview

	Manufacturer's Representative	Outside Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$57,622	$60,443
Hourly rate	$27.70	$29.06
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	175,503	218,034
Job satisfaction	-	4.5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

Manufacturer's representative vs outside sales representative salary

Manufacturer's representatives and outside sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Manufacturer's Representative	Outside Sales Representative
Average salary	$57,622	$60,443
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $91,000	Between $41,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City	-	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Microsoft
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between manufacturer's representative and outside sales representative education

There are a few differences between a manufacturer's representative and an outside sales representative in terms of educational background:

	Manufacturer's Representative	Outside Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Manufacturer's representative vs outside sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between manufacturer's representatives' and outside sales representatives' demographics:

	Manufacturer's Representative	Outside Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0%	Male, 71.5% Female, 28.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between manufacturer's representative and outside sales representative duties and responsibilities

Manufacturer's representative example responsibilities.

Lead consultative sales engagements identifying value and ROI create for the customer through process mapping.
Manage Mid-Atlantic geographic trading area.
Champion certify in windows, entry doors, roofing and siding.
Create packages of equipment to address all aspects of a facility's HVAC needs.
Recognize as an expert in the utilization of SFDC (Salesforce.com) to capture sales process.
Sell products such as metal roofing, energy saving windows, insulate siding and complete kitchen and bathroom remodels.

Outside sales representative example responsibilities.

Manage and maintain a weekly quota for broadband, and other wireless products.
Utilize CRM database to manage and track prospect interaction to ensure accurate documentation of window requirements and ongoing communication.
Web dev, SEO, PPC etc . )
Participate in the launching and marketing of broadband internet in Orlando with great success.
Provide care, materials, and essential tools for doctors and nurses working on patients in the E.R.
Create and maintain successful business partnerships with customers by analyzing, meeting and understanding their needs and patients needs.

Manufacturer's representative vs outside sales representative skills

Common manufacturer's representative skills

Product Line, 22%
Trade Shows, 8%
Distribution Channels, 8%
General Contractors, 6%
OEM, 5%
State Territory, 5%

Common outside sales representative skills

Customer Service, 17%
Work Ethic, 8%
Sales Process, 4%
Business Sales, 4%
Cold Calls, 4%
Product Knowledge, 4%

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Manufacturer's Representative
Manufacturer's Representative vs Outside Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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