Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between marketing/sales representatives and medical sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a marketing/sales representative, becoming a medical sales representative takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical sales representative has an average salary of $74,079, which is higher than the $62,917 average annual salary of a marketing/sales representative.
The top three skills for a marketing/sales representative include customer relations, business relationships and sales rep. The most important skills for a medical sales representative are patients, medical sales, and customer service.
| Marketing/Sales Representative | Medical Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $62,917 | $74,079 |
| Hourly rate | $30.25 | $35.61 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 274,768 | 206,149 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
The job of marketing/sales representatives is to pitch a company's products and services to potential customers. They work to drive brand awareness through face-to-face consumer interaction. They are often considered as a liaison between sellers and buyers, providing information about products and services. They promote human relationships through marketing collateral distribution and communication. Other responsibilities include planning and implementing marketing campaigns, maintaining good relationships with vendors and venues, and promoting business expansion opportunities. This role requires a bachelor's degree in business administration, communications and marketing experience, excellent communication skills, and time management skills.
A medical sales representative, also known as a pharmaceutical sales representative, is an individual who is responsible for selling and promoting medications and medical equipment. Medical sales representatives set appointments with doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals so that they can promote their company's medical supplies. They are required to build and maintain relationships with their customers so that they can encourage repeat purchases. Medical sales representatives should obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing, pharmacy, life sciences, or a related field.
Marketing/sales representatives and medical sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Marketing/Sales Representative | Medical Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $62,917 | $74,079 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $92,000 | Between $45,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Bosch USA | Intuitive Surgical |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a marketing/sales representative and a medical sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Marketing/Sales Representative | Medical Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between marketing/sales representatives' and medical sales representatives' demographics:
| Marketing/Sales Representative | Medical Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% | Male, 51.3% Female, 48.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |