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Job outlook for route sales representatives in the United States
Route sales representative job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected route sales representative job growth rate is 11% from 2018-2028.
About 174,200 new jobs for route sales representatives are projected over the next decade.
Route sales representative salaries have increased 22% for route sales representatives in the last 5 years.
There are over 33,262 route sales representatives currently employed in the United States.
There are 108,194 active route sales representative job openings in the US.
The average route sales representative salary is $44,918.
Are route sales representative jobs in demand?
Route sales representative job and salary trends over time
Route sales representative jobs over time
Route sales representative job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33,262 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 29,348 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 31,005 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 28,927 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 29,765 | 0.01% |
Average route sales representative salary over time
Route sales representative salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,918 | $21.60 | +8.1% |
| 2024 | $41,544 | $19.97 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $39,681 | $19.08 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $38,621 | $18.57 | +5.3% |
| 2021 | $36,677 | $17.63 | +1.7% |
Route sales representative jobs by state
Most common states for route sales representatives
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 187 | 27% |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 266 | 25% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 159 | 25% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,041 | 24% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 2,005 | 22% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,491 | 22% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 702 | 22% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 199 | 21% |
| 9 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,322 | 20% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 728 | 20% |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,125 | 19% |
| 12 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 779 | 19% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 588 | 19% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 369 | 19% |
| 15 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 203 | 19% |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 243 | 18% |
| 17 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 3,622 | 17% |
| 18 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,478 | 17% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 961 | 17% |
| 20 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 823 | 17% |
Most common cities for route sales representatives
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laurel | 6 | 23% | $41,816 |
| 2 | Madison | 3 | 6% | $45,343 |
| 3 | Westland | 4 | 5% | $48,729 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | 3 | 5% | $37,881 |
| 5 | Frederick | 3 | 4% | $41,750 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa | 5 | 3% | $54,576 |
| 7 | Livonia | 3 | 3% | $48,747 |
| 8 | Grand Rapids | 3 | 2% | $48,504 |
| 9 | Hayward | 3 | 2% | $54,665 |
| 10 | Ontario | 3 | 2% | $53,402 |
| 11 | Indianapolis | 8 | 1% | $41,806 |
| 12 | Tampa | 4 | 1% | $44,351 |
| 13 | Atlanta | 3 | 1% | $41,937 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge | 3 | 1% | $46,334 |
| 15 | Riverside | 3 | 1% | $53,338 |
| 16 | Phoenix | 5 | 0% | $43,697 |
| 17 | New York | 3 | 0% | $45,588 |
Route Sales Representative job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of route sales representative experts
University of Maryland - College Park
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Maryland - College Park
University of Akron
William & Mary
University of Mount Union
Franklin and Marshall College
California State University Channel Islands
University of North Carolina at Asheville
What Route Sales Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kathleen Kelly: Maximizing your salary potential requires research, flexibility, and being your best advocate.
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.
ChairSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville
Communication And Media Studies
What Route Sales Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.: All things social media are important, and so writing skills still matter.
What will help Route Sales Representatives increase their earning potential?
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.: With this major, probably the best salaries are from sales jobs, which many people shy away from because they think only of hustling used cars, but sales can be very good work.
What Route Sales Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Hank Boyd: With the looming prospects of AI, soft skills will reign supreme in sales. While at
first blush it might seem counterintuitive in that product knowledge used to be cardinal
skill, today's salesforce relies heavily on networking. Numerous academic papers lend
credence to this idea. Great people skills often trump wonkish knowledge about the
product line.
As we wade further into the 21st Century, environmental scanning (or better yet
the innate ability to read prospects) will remain pivotal. Exceptional salespeople
instinctively scan a prospective client's office noticing all the trappings. They are trying to find something they can comment upon, by doing so they can establish common
ground. Once a connection is forged, salespeople move out of the box of being pesky
interlopers into becoming valued associates.
Lastly, if you decide to embark on a career in sales never forget the tried-and-
true axiom of ABC - always be closing. This phrase means having the gumption to ask
for the business. While sales recruits might have congenial and bubbly personalities, if
they cannot look the prospect in the eye and ask for the business, they ought to find
another profession.
Frederik Beuk
Associate Professor of MarketingUniversity of Akron
Specialized Sales, Merchandising And Marketing Operations
What will help Route Sales Representatives increase their earning potential?
Frederik Beuk: Digital Literacy and AI are obviously on everybody's mind. The benefit for early career professionals is that these are skills they can use to differentiate themselves from more established professionals. Embrace these tools. At the same time, being an authentic storyteller that helps buyers envision the potential of your solutions can be an extremely powerful skill.
Dr. Matteo Cantarello Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Hispanic StudiesWilliam & Mary
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
How have salaries changed over time for Route Sales Representatives?
Dr. Matteo Cantarello Ph.D.: I don't have data and I am sure it varies a lot depending on the institution, the position, the field, etcetera. There is a close relationship between "prestige" of a position (tenure-eligible or a renown postdoctoral fellowship vs. visiting, more teaching-oriented positions) and compensation. A prestigious postdoctoral fellowship with 1 or less courses per semester to teach and/or TE positions with a 2-2 or a 3-3 pay up to 100% more than the average NTE position, that typically dictates a 3-3, 4-4, or 5-5 teaching load. In general, however, the more secure your position is the easier it is to secure funding and other resources that complement the base salary.
Michael Grossman Ph.D.
Professor, Political Studies and International StudiesUniversity of Mount Union
Department of Political Science and International Studies
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Route Sales Representatives?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It is less about licenses or courses and more about experiences. In this regard, internships are crucial.
What will help Route Sales Representatives increase their earning potential?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It's all about practical knowledge. Employers are less interested in your major or the classes you take. They want to see that you can do the work they need you to do. So internships are important. Also employers want to see you can be trained and can think critically, write well, and speak well. So in this regard more liberal arts focused curriculum is important.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Route Sales Representatives?
Cynthia Krom: Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. So, a public accountant needs to have a CPA, and a corporate accountant needs to have their CMA. A fraud examiner needs their CFE. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will.
We don't really know what will be happening with professional licenses with remote work. A psychotherapist may be licensed in New York, but remotely treating a client in New Mexico. Technically, they probably need a license in New Mexico. But who will control that? Will it just be the professional responsibility of the therapist to only practice where licensed? Will their malpractice insurance only cover them if the client is where they are licensed? What about a physician operating on someone a thousand miles away using robotics?
In terms of courses not related to professional certification or licensure, technology is where it is at. First and foremost, polish your Zoom skills. Zoom is now your face-to-face workplace and you need to be a pro. YouTube has great videos about lighting for Zoom, even with reflective eyeglasses. Perhaps your IT department is able to help with connectivity issues and learning remote technologies. And, as we have all recently seen, you need to learn how to turn off filters that make you look like a kitten! For nearly every field, you have to know Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) or similar programs. You need to know how to work collaboratively on projects through things like Google Drive. If you are not fluent in the basics, you are showing up for a horse race with a little pony.
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of MarketingCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics
What's a good job out of college for Route Sales Representatives?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: I think a description of a "good" job opportunity is dependent on so many factors, almost all subjective. What I recommend my students usually, is that they try different things before graduation and find something that makes them feel a purpose other than (and in addition to) making ends meet. For this reason we started a program on our campus where students are hired to help non-profits and small businesses in our area of service. In this program, students get to gain and practice skills that can help them succeed in a corporate or freelance capacity. The students get to experiment without fear of losing a job and find what they would like their entry level positions to look like. While doing this they also help organizations and individuals who have the need but not the resources to get the services from professionals.
What soft skills should all Route Sales Representatives possess?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.