Outside sales demographics and statistics in the US
Outside sales demographics research summary. Zippia estimates outside sales demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our outside sales estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about outside sales after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 865,807 outside sales currently employed in the United States.
- 21.7% of all outside sales are women, while 78.3% are men.
- The average outside sales age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of outside sales is White (72.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.3%), Asian (5.2%) and Black or African American (3.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 6% of all outside sales are LGBT.
- Outside sales are 75% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Outside sales demographics by:
Outside sales gender statistics
21.7% of outside sales are women and 78.3% of outside sales are men.
- Male, 78.3%
- Female, 21.7%
Outside sales gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 78.3% |
| Female | 21.7% |
Outside sales gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$76,739
Female income
$73,257
Outside sales gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in outside sales positions over time. Currently, 21.7% of outside sales are female.
Outside sales gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.16% | 19.84% |
| 2011 | 80.21% | 19.79% |
| 2012 | 80.90% | 19.10% |
| 2013 | 80.18% | 19.82% |
| 2014 | 79.13% | 20.87% |
| 2015 | 79.06% | 20.94% |
| 2016 | 79.32% | 20.68% |
| 2017 | 79.37% | 20.63% |
| 2018 | 78.11% | 21.89% |
| 2019 | 78.76% | 21.24% |
| 2020 | 78.83% | 21.17% |
| 2021 | 78.27% | 21.73% |
Outside sales related jobs gender ratio
We compared outside sales with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, commercial equipment and supplies sales representative and outside parts sales have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Representative | 6% | 94% |
| Avon Sales Representative | 7% | 93% |
| Inside Sales Assistant | 20% | 80% |
| Outside Sales | 78% | 22% |
| Factory Representative | 90% | 10% |
| Outside Parts Sales | 92% | 8% |
| Commercial Equipment And Supplies Sales Representative | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Outside sales demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among outside sales is White, which makes up 72.8% of all outside sales. Comparatively, 14.3% of outside sales are Hispanic or Latino and 5.2% of outside sales are Asian.
- White, 72.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.3%
- Asian, 5.2%
- Black or African American, 3.8%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Outside sales race
| Outside sales race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.3% |
| Asian | 5.2% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Outside sales race and ethnicity over time
See how outside sales racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Outside sales race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.64% | 3.92% | 4.29% | 11.56% |
| 2011 | 78.13% | 3.81% | 4.62% | 12.09% |
| 2012 | 78.20% | 3.71% | 4.60% | 11.98% |
| 2013 | 77.59% | 3.96% | 4.49% | 12.51% |
| 2014 | 76.69% | 4.15% | 4.57% | 12.99% |
| 2015 | 77.09% | 3.92% | 4.56% | 12.80% |
| 2016 | 76.60% | 3.65% | 4.63% | 13.40% |
| 2017 | 76.73% | 3.95% | 4.50% | 13.10% |
| 2018 | 76.40% | 3.83% | 4.62% | 13.37% |
| 2019 | 76.35% | 3.73% | 4.73% | 13.48% |
| 2020 | 74.72% | 3.84% | 4.63% | 13.30% |
| 2021 | 72.76% | 3.85% | 5.16% | 14.29% |
Outside sales wage gap by race
According to our data, white outside sales have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american outside sales have the lowest average salary at $72,301.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $78,032 |
| White | $79,371 |
| Black or African American | $72,301 |
| Asian | $77,186 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $76,993 |
Average outside sales age
See how the average age of outside sales varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Outside sales age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 43 | 51.5 |
| Unknown | 46 | 39 |
| Asian | 44 | 48 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 44 |
| White | 50 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41 |
Outside sales age breakdown
The average age of outside sales is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the outside sales population.
Outside sales age breakdown
| Outside Sales Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Outside sales educational attainment
The most common degree for outside sales is bachelor's degree, with 60% of outside sales earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 19% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Outside sales by degree level
| Outside sales degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 60% |
| Associate | 19% |
| High School Diploma | 12% |
| Master's | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Outside sales jobs you might like
Outside sales wage gap by degree level
According to the data, outside sales with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $91,538 annually. With a Doctorate degree, outside sales earn a median annual income of $88,732 compared to $84,187 for outside sales with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $91,538 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $68,075 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $84,187 |
| Doctorate Degree | $88,732 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $70,081 |
Outside sales employment statistics
Most outside sales work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where outside sales work
Below, you can see the size of companies where outside sales work.
Outside sales jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Outside sales jobs by company type
Employees with the outside sales job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most outside sales prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Outside sales jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 24% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 1% |
Outside sales jobs by industry
The most common industries for outside sales are manufacturing, construction and professional.
Outside sales industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19% |
| Construction | 12% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Media | 5% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 4% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Outside sales turnover and employment statistics
Outside sales unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for outside sales between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Outside sales unemployment rate by year
| Year | Outside sales unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.75% |
| 2011 | 6.06% |
| 2012 | 4.91% |
| 2013 | 4.06% |
| 2014 | 3.30% |
| 2015 | 2.93% |
| 2016 | 2.45% |
| 2017 | 2.47% |
| 2018 | 2.23% |
| 2019 | 2.12% |
| 2020 | 3.95% |
| 2021 | 3.72% |
Average outside sales tenure
The average outside sales stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 15,196 outside sales resumes in Zippia's database.
Outside sales tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Outside sales LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of outside sales that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Sales | 6.15% | - |
| Personal Shopper | 7.00% | 357,097 |
| Holiday Sales Associate | 7.09% | 318,819 |
| Sales Support Coordinator | 7.23% | 86,112 |
| Trade Specialist | 7.29% | 25,669 |
| Counter Sales Person | 8.34% | 195,197 |
| Travel Coordinator | 12.49% | 22,775 |
Similar outside sales jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Shopper | 7.00% | 357,097 |
| Holiday Sales Associate | 7.09% | 318,819 |
| Sales Support Coordinator | 7.23% | 86,112 |
| Trade Specialist | 7.29% | 25,669 |
| Counter Sales Person | 8.34% | 195,197 |
| Travel Coordinator | 12.49% | 22,775 |
Foreign languages spoken by outside sales
The most common foreign language among outside sales is Spanish at 63.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 6.9% and French is the third-most popular at 6.9%.
- Spanish, 63.1%
- German, 6.9%
- French, 6.9%
- Italian, 4.9%
- Japanese, 4.4%
- Other, 13.8%
Outside sales languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.1% |
| German | 6.9% |
| French | 6.9% |
| Italian | 4.9% |
| Japanese | 4.4% |
| Other | 13.8% |
