In a lot of cases, a higher education can mean a higher salary or even a better job. That's why we found out the best colleges for outside sales representatives. We based this list on these metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of students working, ratio of working vs. non-working students 10 years after admission, average cost of attendance and median debt for graduates.
Best Colleges And Majors For Outside Sales Representatives
Best Colleges For Outside Sales Representatives
1. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,570
Enrollment
3,721
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
6. Baylor University
Waco, TX • Private
In-State Tuition
$45,542
Enrollment
14,159
7. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
8. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-State Tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
9. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,360
Enrollment
3,142
10. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
Outside Sales Representative Education Requirements
The education needed to be an outside sales representative is normally a bachelor's degree. Outside sales representatives usually study business, marketing or communication. 67% of outside sales representatives hold a bachelor's degree and 16% hold a associate degree. We found these by analyzing 32,387 outside sales representative resumes to investigate the topic of outside sales representative education more precisely.
The most common colleges for students to pursue their goal of becoming an outside sales representative are University of Phoenix and Texas State University. We also broke down what colleges provide the best overall education for an outside sales representative. Students have a great path to earning their outside sales representative qualifications at the following schools:
- SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
If you're interested in getting a college degree in an affordable college for outside sales representatives - Baruch College of the City University of New York is an excellent option for you. If your SAT or ACT score aren't as high as you'd like, you can look at Barry University, as the admission requirements aren't too selective. On the other end of that spectrum are the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University and Northwestern University.
For those who would rather stay in your pajamas during the day, we prepared some online courses that can help in outside sales representative education paths.
We prepared a list of an outside sales representative certifications that you should consider. The necessary certifications that outside sales representatives must have to succeed are Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Sales Management.
What Education Do You Need To Become an Outside Sales Representative?
What degree do you need to be an Outside Sales Representative?
The most common degree for outside sales representatives is bachelor's degree 67% of outside sales representatives earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 16% and rounding it off is high school diploma with 9%.
- Bachelors, 67%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Masters, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What Should I Major in to Become an Outside Sales Representative?
Most outside sales representatives, 38% to be exact, major in business. Some other common majors for an outside sales representative include marketing and communication majors.
- Business, 38%
- Marketing, 11%
- Communication, 8%
- Management, 5%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most Common Colleges For Outside Sales Representatives
Here are the most common colleges for an outside sales representative career in the US based on their resumes. Advocates often get their degree in University of Phoenix, Texas State University, and Texas A&M; University .
| Outside Sales Representative Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 13.15% |
| Texas State University | 6.19% |
| Texas A&M University | 5.47% |
| Arizona State University | 5.18% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 4.94% |
Best Majors For Outside Sales Representatives
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 37.6% |
| 2 | Marketing | 11.1% |
| 3 | Communication | 7.6% |
| 4 | Management | 5.1% |
| 5 | Psychology | 4.2% |
20 Best Online Courses for Outside Sales Representatives
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Top 10 Affordable Universities For Outside Sales Representatives
If those top 10 were a bit out of your price range, you might want to check these schools instead. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price and mean earnings after 6 years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for outside sales representatives.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
4. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,740
Cost of Attendance
17,864
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Cost of Attendance
21,034
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,587
Cost of Attendance
16,915
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-State Tuition
$4,094
Cost of Attendance
14,302
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,992
Cost of Attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,942
Cost of Attendance
14,469
Top 10 Hardest Universities To Get Into For Outside Sales Representatives
Some people like a challenge. Well, we challenge you to get into one of these schools. It's not going to be easy. We know this based on these institutions' admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted and mean earnings of students 6 years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
20%
SAT Average
1,419
5. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
43%
SAT Average
1,338
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,506
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
8. Fordham University
Bronx, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
46%
SAT Average
1,354
9. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
47%
SAT Average
1,390
10. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions Rate
47%
SAT Average
1,337
Top 10 Easier To Apply Universities For Outside Sales Representatives
Why make getting a job harder on yourself than it has to be? With these colleges, you're sure to be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores and average salary of students 6 years after graduation in order to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
3. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
1,061
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
88%
SAT Average
1,044
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
983
7. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
70%
SAT Average
849
8. Ursuline College
Pepper Pike, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
1,102
9. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions Rate
93%
SAT Average
994
10. Cleary University
Howell, MI • Private
Admissions Rate
58%
SAT Average
1,039
Average Outside Sales Representative Salary by Education Level
Outside sales representatives with a Masters degree earn more than those without, at $74,239 annually. With a Doctorate degree, outside sales representatives earn a median annual income of $71,483 compared to $67,057 for outside sales representatives with an Bachelors degree.
| Outside Sales Representative Education Level | Outside Sales Representative Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $51,798 |
| Master's Degree | $74,239 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,057 |
| Doctorate Degree | $71,483 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $53,659 |