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The differences between sales consultants and account managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a sales consultant, becoming an account manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, an account manager has an average salary of $68,535, which is higher than the $60,135 average annual salary of a sales consultant.
The top three skills for a sales consultant include sales process, product knowledge and POS. The most important skills for an account manager are customer service, account management, and healthcare.
| Sales Consultant | Account Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $60,135 | $68,535 |
| Hourly rate | $28.91 | $32.95 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 227,636 | 152,261 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 8 |
Sales consultants are employees who work in the sales department of a company. They are usually more skilled than usual sales employees. As such, they are usually given more complicated products or services to sell because they will be able to explain the product or service to the customers better. Sales consultants have in-depth knowledge of the offerings of the company. They talk to customers, understand what the customers need, and match the customers' needs with company products that can address the needs. They should also be updated on trends in the market and what is currently popular with the masses.
Account managers are employees who act as the bridge between the company they represent and the client of the company. They are assigned to handle specific clients so that the company will be able to tailor-fit any product or service according to the clients' requirements. Account managers are responsible for maintaining a harmonious relationship between the two parties by ensuring that any agreement made is amenable to both the company and the client. They are also responsible for ensuring that the company will be able to provide the needs of the client within any limitation that the client may have. Account managers also ensure that the company's reputation and well-being are always considered in any dealings.
Sales consultants and account managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Consultant | Account Manager | |
| Average salary | $60,135 | $68,535 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $97,000 | Between $42,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a sales consultant and an account manager in terms of educational background:
| Sales Consultant | Account Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between sales consultants' and account managers' demographics:
| Sales Consultant | Account Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% | Male, 54.8% Female, 45.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |