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The differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives and district sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a pharmaceutical sales representative, becoming a district sales representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a pharmaceutical sales representative has an average salary of $68,571, which is higher than the $52,283 average annual salary of a district sales representative.
The top three skills for a pharmaceutical sales representative include patients, pharmaceutical products and develop strong relationships. The most important skills for a district sales representative are territory sales, CRM, and sales presentations.
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | District Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $68,571 | $52,283 |
| Hourly rate | $32.97 | $25.14 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 102,935 | 229,754 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
The job of pharmaceutical sales representatives is to inform and educate doctors about a company's medical and pharmaceutical products. They serve as the link between a company and healthcare professionals to hit sales targets. They have varied responsibilities, including assessing clients' needs and presenting suitable products, delivering product samples, and working sales teams to develop and implement brand strategies. This role's qualifications include relevant work experience, excellent communication, sales, negotiation skills, and a bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
District sales representatives are professionals who are responsible for selling the products and services of a company through product education, training, and product presentations. These representatives must work with team members to identify opportunities within their sales territory so that they can increase revenue. They should assist the district manager in presenting sales reports while aiding their customers with inventory management responsibilities. District sales representatives must also attend all business-related trade shows to represent their company.
Pharmaceutical sales representatives and district sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | District Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $68,571 | $52,283 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $110,000 | Between $36,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | - |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | - |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a pharmaceutical sales representative and a district sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | District Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 85% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives' and district sales representatives' demographics:
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | District Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0% | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% |
| 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, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |