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The differences between sales lead/sales associates and sales support associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a sales lead/sales associate, becoming a sales support associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a sales support associate has an average salary of $34,454, which is higher than the $31,954 average annual salary of a sales lead/sales associate.
The top three skills for a sales lead/sales associate include POS, cash control and customer service. The most important skills for a sales support associate are sales floor, back room, and math.
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Support Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $31,954 | $34,454 |
| Hourly rate | $15.36 | $16.56 |
| Growth rate | - | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 882,220 | 447,642 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Sales lead and sales associates are two different sales positions in the retail industry. A sales lead is in charge of supervising the sales department. Sales leads perform administrative duties like recruiting and training staff, monitoring inventories, and maintaining sales performance. On the other hand, sales associates guide potential customers to acquire the products or services that fit their needs. The associates notify clients of sales promotions then present to them the product or service. Employees for these positions are looking for candidates with relevant experience in sales and related degrees like marketing and sales.
A sales support associate is an individual who is responsible for assisting sales staff and help customers. To provide this assistance, sales support associates use customer communication methods such as telephones or email to process customer orders and ensure that they are accurate. They work closely with distributors to make sure that products are available for their customers. Sales support associates may function as either part-time or full time, but companies may require excellent communication skills.
Sales lead/sales associates and sales support associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Support Associate | |
| Average salary | $31,954 | $34,454 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $57,000 | Between $25,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Goldman Sachs | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a sales lead/sales associate and a sales support associate in terms of educational background:
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Support Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between sales lead/sales associates' and sales support associates' demographics:
| Sales Lead/Sales Associate | Sales Support Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |