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Pharmaceutical sales representative vs specialty sales representative

The differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives and specialty 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 a specialty sales representative. Additionally, a pharmaceutical sales representative has an average salary of $68,571, which is higher than the $67,605 average annual salary of a specialty 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 specialty sales representative are patients, product knowledge, and territory management.

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs specialty sales representative overview

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeSpecialty Sales Representative
Yearly salary$68,571$67,605
Hourly rate$32.97$32.50
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs102,935174,608
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 86%
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 a specialty sales representative do?

Specialty sales representatives are responsible for selling products and services using firm arguments to possible clients. Also, they perform a cost-benefit study of present and prospective clients. These representatives support positive business relationships to guarantee future sales. Their main role is to give complete and correct solutions to clients to enhance top-line revenue progress, profitability, and investment levels. Their duties include reaching out to customer leads through telemarketing as well as maximize customer satisfaction by efficiently providing resolutions to their issues and complaints.

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs specialty sales representative salary

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

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeSpecialty Sales Representative
Average salary$68,571$67,605
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $110,000Between $40,000 And $113,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MA-
Highest paying stateMassachusetts-
Best paying companyEli Lilly and Company-
Best paying industryPharmaceutical-

Differences between pharmaceutical sales representative and specialty sales representative education

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

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeSpecialty Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 86%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs specialty sales representative demographics

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

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeSpecialty Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 41.0% Female, 59.0%Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%
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, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between pharmaceutical sales representative and specialty 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.
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Specialty sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Utilize CRM system and other applications to manage all sales within the renewal stages.
  • Collaborate with management, marketing, and training departments to achieve the common goals of Merck.
  • Manage allocated resources and accountable for pharmaceutical samples in accordance with FDA and PDMA guidelines; responsible for expense management.
  • Manage tough relationships with key reimbursement decision-makers in hospitals, renal and oncology clinics throughout territory.
  • Manage the development, productivity and utilization of local, regional and national speakers for hyperlipidemia and hypertension.
  • Perform several educational sales presentations to large audiences on appropriate pain management for patients.
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Pharmaceutical sales representative vs specialty 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 specialty sales representative skills
  • Patients, 14%
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • Territory Management, 7%
  • Neurology, 6%
  • Work Ethic, 6%
  • Medical Sales, 5%