Outside sales vs inside sales representative

The differences between outside sales and inside 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 outside sales and an inside sales representative. Additionally, an outside sales has an average salary of $77,292, which is higher than the $44,413 average annual salary of an inside sales representative.

The top three skills for an outside sales include customer service, product knowledge and ongoing support. The most important skills for an inside sales representative are customer service, CRM, and outbound calls.

Outside sales vs inside sales representative overview

	Outside Sales	Inside Sales Representative
Yearly salary	$77,292	$44,413
Hourly rate	$37.16	$21.35
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	333,400	244,168
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

What does an outside sales do?

An outside sales representative is responsible for generating the company's sales and revenues by offering goods and services to existing and potential clients, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the products, and researching on possible leads. Outside sales representatives monitor the current industry trends to identify new business opportunities that would help the business adjust to market changes to achieve profitability goals. An outside sales representative must have excellent communication and customer service skills, immediately resolving complaints and assisting on marketing promotions to gain sales prospects.

What does an inside sales representative do?

An inside sales representative is responsible for selling services and products to clients, driving the company's revenues and increase sales profitability. Duties of an inside sales representative include developing strategic sales pitches, responding to customer's inquiries and requests, offering promotional products and discounts, researching potential clients, creating sales reports, and managing customer's possible complaints. An inside sales representative also provides strategic solutions to share with the sales team to improve their sales performance. Inside sales representatives must have excellent communication and negotiation skills to deal with customers' needs.

Outside sales vs inside sales representative salary

Outside sales and inside sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Outside Sales	Inside Sales Representative
Average salary	$77,292	$44,413
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $104,000	Between $28,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Arlington, VA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	Wyoming
Best paying company	Morgan Stanley	Berkshire Hathaway
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Technology

Differences between outside sales and inside sales representative education

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

	Outside Sales	Inside Sales Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Outside sales vs inside sales representative demographics

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

	Outside Sales	Inside Sales Representative
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7%	Male, 54.7% Female, 45.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	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%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between outside sales and inside sales representative duties and responsibilities

Outside sales example responsibilities.

Plan logistical outside sales route, planned/schedule sales calls with web-base CRM program, manage various sales cycles.
Manage and create all content distribute via various social media outlets: Facebook, twitter, feedback blogs, etc.
Perfect the craft of upselling customers.
Prepare material estimates/bids for houses, windows, doors, trusses, etc.
Increase existing customer base and generate new dealer and customer relationships within the HVAC equipment and sales.
Estimate, price, bid and follow up to all mechanical HVAC and plumbing plan and spec projects.

Inside sales representative example responsibilities.

Coordinate commercial sales and manage projects with HVAC contractors for Georgia district.
Accomplish tasks in a timely manner.Skills UsedComputer, math, reading wiring schematics.
Generate leads through the use of Linkedin, firm websites and legal magazines.
Manage and develop a nationwide territory through cold calling utilizing LinkedIn?, DiscoverOrg.
Manage help desk support for company ERP system as well as employee hardware and software issues.
Manage a team of 15-25 ISE's through effective sales coaching, call monitoring and creating sales spiff programs.

Outside sales vs inside sales representative skills

Common outside sales skills

Customer Service, 30%
Product Knowledge, 9%
Ongoing Support, 4%
Work Ethic, 4%
CRM, 4%
Flyers, 4%

Common inside sales representative skills

Customer Service, 22%
CRM, 6%
Outbound Calls, 5%
Product Knowledge, 4%
Work Ethic, 4%
Sales Process, 3%

Outside Sales vs. similar jobs

Outside Sales related careers

Outside Sales related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Sales Industry
Outside Sales
Outside Sales vs Inside Sales Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse sales jobs