Sales professional demographics and statistics in the US
Sales professional demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sales professional demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sales professional estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about sales professionals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 779,389 sales professionals currently employed in the United States.
- 36.3% of all sales professionals are women, while 63.7% are men.
- The average sales professional age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales professionals is White (72.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.3%), Asian (5.2%) and Black or African American (3.8%).
- Sales professionals are most in-demand in Indianapolis, IN.
- Boston, MA pays an annual average wage of $84,497, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women sales professionals earned 93% of what men earned.
- Pennsylvania is the best state for sales professionals to live.
- Sales professionals are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Sales professional demographics by:
Sales professional gender statistics
36.3% of sales professionals are women and 63.7% of sales professionals are men.
- Male, 63.7%
- Female, 36.3%
Sales professional gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 63.7% |
| Female | 36.3% |
Sales professional gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$68,049
Female income
$63,334
Sales professional gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sales professional positions over time. Currently, 36.3% of sales professionals are female.
Sales professional gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.28% | 33.72% |
| 2011 | 66.34% | 33.66% |
| 2012 | 67.33% | 32.67% |
| 2013 | 66.30% | 33.70% |
| 2014 | 64.84% | 35.16% |
| 2015 | 64.74% | 35.26% |
| 2016 | 65.10% | 34.90% |
| 2017 | 65.18% | 34.82% |
| 2018 | 63.44% | 36.56% |
| 2019 | 64.33% | 35.67% |
| 2020 | 64.42% | 35.58% |
| 2021 | 63.66% | 36.34% |
Sales professional related jobs gender ratio
We compared sales professionals with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, commercial equipment and supplies sales representative and outside parts sales have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Representative | 6% | 94% |
| Avon Sales Representative | 7% | 93% |
| Inside Sales Assistant | 20% | 80% |
| Sales Professional | 64% | 36% |
| Factory Representative | 90% | 10% |
| Outside Parts Sales | 92% | 8% |
| Commercial Equipment And Supplies Sales Representative | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sales professional demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sales professionals is White, which makes up 72.8% of all sales professionals. Comparatively, 14.3% of sales professionals are Hispanic or Latino and 5.2% of sales professionals are Asian.
- White, 72.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.3%
- Asian, 5.2%
- Black or African American, 3.8%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Sales professional race
| Sales professional race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.3% |
| Asian | 5.2% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Sales professional race and ethnicity over time
See how sales professional racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sales professional race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.65% | 3.92% | 4.28% | 11.55% |
| 2011 | 78.15% | 3.80% | 4.61% | 12.08% |
| 2012 | 78.21% | 3.71% | 4.60% | 11.97% |
| 2013 | 77.60% | 3.96% | 4.48% | 12.50% |
| 2014 | 76.70% | 4.14% | 4.57% | 12.98% |
| 2015 | 77.11% | 3.92% | 4.56% | 12.79% |
| 2016 | 76.62% | 3.65% | 4.62% | 13.39% |
| 2017 | 76.74% | 3.95% | 4.50% | 13.09% |
| 2018 | 76.42% | 3.83% | 4.62% | 13.36% |
| 2019 | 76.36% | 3.73% | 4.73% | 13.47% |
| 2020 | 74.74% | 3.84% | 4.63% | 13.29% |
| 2021 | 72.78% | 3.84% | 5.16% | 14.28% |
Sales professional wage gap by race
According to our data, white sales professionals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american sales professionals have the lowest average salary at $62,061.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $69,830 |
| White | $71,692 |
| Black or African American | $62,061 |
| Asian | $68,663 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $68,398 |
Average sales professional age
See how the average age of sales professionals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sales professional age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 43 | 51.5 |
| Unknown | 46 | 39 |
| Asian | 44 | 48 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 44 |
| White | 50 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41 |
Sales professional age breakdown
The average age of sales professionals is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the sales professional population.
Sales professional age breakdown
| Sales Professional Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Sales professional educational attainment
The most common degree for sales professionals is bachelor's degree, with 63% of sales professionals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 63%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Sales professionals by degree level
| Sales professional degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 63% |
| Associate | 16% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Sales professional jobs you might like
Sales professional wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sales professionals with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $89,378 annually. With a Doctorate degree, sales professionals earn a median annual income of $85,179 compared to $78,527 for sales professionals with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $89,378 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $56,543 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $78,527 |
| Doctorate Degree | $85,179 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $59,140 |
Sales professional employment statistics
Most sales professionals work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where sales professionals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sales professionals work.
Sales professional jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 35% |
Sales professional jobs by company type
Employees with the sales professional job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sales professionals prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sales professional jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 35% |
| Private | 65% |
Sales professional jobs by industry
The most common industries for sales professionals are retail, real estate and manufacturing.
Sales professional industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 22% |
| Fortune 500 | 16% |
| Real Estate | 8% |
| Automotive | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Pharmaceutical | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Sales professional turnover and employment statistics
Sales professional unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sales professionals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sales professional unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sales professional unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.75% |
| 2011 | 6.06% |
| 2012 | 4.91% |
| 2013 | 4.06% |
| 2014 | 3.30% |
| 2015 | 2.93% |
| 2016 | 2.45% |
| 2017 | 2.47% |
| 2018 | 2.23% |
| 2019 | 2.12% |
| 2020 | 3.95% |
| 2021 | 3.72% |
Average sales professional tenure
The average sales professional stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 19,789 sales professionals resumes in Zippia's database.
Sales professional tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Sales professional LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sales professionals that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Professional | 6.15% | - |
| Pawn Broker | 7.00% | 1,805 |
| Retail Sales Associate/Cashier | 7.09% | 463,864 |
| District Supervisor | 7.23% | 28,842 |
| Finance & Sales Representative | 7.29% | 175,031 |
| Front Counter Attendant | 8.34% | 93,837 |
| Travel Coordinator | 12.49% | 22,775 |
Similar sales professional jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pawn Broker | 7.00% | 1,805 |
| Retail Sales Associate/Cashier | 7.09% | 463,864 |
| District Supervisor | 7.23% | 28,842 |
| Finance & Sales Representative | 7.29% | 175,031 |
| Front Counter Attendant | 8.34% | 93,837 |
| Travel Coordinator | 12.49% | 22,775 |
Foreign languages spoken by sales professionals
The most common foreign language among sales professionals is Spanish at 57.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.2% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.0%.
- Spanish, 57.7%
- French, 7.2%
- Portuguese, 5.0%
- Italian, 4.4%
- German, 3.6%
- Other, 22.1%
Sales professional languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 57.7% |
| French | 7.2% |
| Portuguese | 5.0% |
| Italian | 4.4% |
| German | 3.6% |
| Other | 22.1% |
