Post job

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs executive sales representative

The differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives and executive sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a pharmaceutical sales representative and an executive sales representative. Additionally, an executive sales representative has an average salary of $78,858, which is higher than the $68,571 average annual salary of a pharmaceutical sales representative.

The top three skills for a pharmaceutical sales representative include patients, pharmaceutical products and develop strong relationships. The most important skills for an executive sales representative are patients, product knowledge, and oncology.

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs executive sales representative overview

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeExecutive Sales Representative
Yearly salary$68,571$78,858
Hourly rate$32.97$37.91
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs102,935226,902
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age4747
Years of experience22

What does a pharmaceutical sales representative do?

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.

What does an executive sales representative do?

An executive sales representative researches and recommends business opportunities. They analyze sales alternatives and help build business relations with clients and prospects. They must keep updated on business trends and potential competitors to best recommend new product ideas. They must be open-minded, risk-takers, adaptive, and innovative to be able to develop successful marketing strategies. It is also necessary for them to be highly skilled at business analysis to distinguish selling opportunities and create an immediate action plan.

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs executive sales representative salary

Pharmaceutical sales representatives and executive sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeExecutive Sales Representative
Average salary$68,571$78,858
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $110,000Between $48,000 And $128,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MA-
Highest paying stateMassachusetts-
Best paying companyEli Lilly and Company-
Best paying industryPharmaceutical-

Differences between pharmaceutical sales representative and executive sales representative education

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

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeExecutive Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs executive sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives' and executive sales representatives' demographics:

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeExecutive Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 41.0% Female, 59.0%Male, 53.7% Female, 46.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between pharmaceutical sales representative and executive sales representative duties and responsibilities

Pharmaceutical sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage and establish relationships within specialty urology and neurology markets to drive new and existing therapies.
  • Demonstrate strong teamwork skills by partnering with Novartis counterparts and other pharmaceutical consultants to achieve company and individual goals.
  • Manage Santa Rosa/San Francisco territories, marketing and selling respiratory, urology, cardiology to pharmacies and primary care physicians.
  • Retail sales division promoting drugs in gastroenterology, endocrinology, pain management and infectious disease.
  • Call on and maintain relationships with primary care physicians, cardiologists, nephrologists, internists, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists.
  • Call on primary care physicians, cardiologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, and vascular surgeons.
  • Show more

Executive sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Position products above the competition, utilizing data, manage care information and patient benefit to promote the Novartis brands.
  • Achieve sales growth objectives by incorporating product/technical knowledge, teamwork, customer and multi-product focus, innovation and creativity.
  • Call on customers in oncology, pulmonology urology, cardiology, neurology, OB/GYN, psychiatry, gastroenterology and primary care.
  • Promote diabetes medications to family practice, general practice, internal medicine physicians and diabetic educators.
  • Track and create territory reports and spreadsheets with action items and a pod business plan.
  • Target specialty sales to neurology, psychiatry, pain management and high target primary care physicians.
  • Show more

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs executive sales representative skills

Common pharmaceutical sales representative skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • Pharmaceutical Products, 8%
  • Develop Strong Relationships, 6%
  • Territory Management, 5%
  • FDA, 4%
  • Business Plan, 4%
Common executive sales representative skills
  • Patients, 10%
  • Product Knowledge, 10%
  • Oncology, 8%
  • Account Management, 7%
  • Territory Management, 7%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 6%