Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for sales representatives in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 1,424,532 sales representatives currently employed in the United States.
- 41.9% of all sales representatives are women, while 58.1% are men.
- The average age of an employed sales representative is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales representatives is White (72.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.5%), Asian (5.2%) and Black or African American (3.9%).
- Sales representatives are most in-demand in Houston, TX.
- Boston, MA pays an annual average wage of $71,996, the highest in the US.
- In 2021, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- Rhode Island is the best state for sales representatives to live.
- Sales representatives are 53% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
Sales Representative Statistics By Gender
41.9% of sales representatives are women and 58.1% of sales representatives are men.
- Male, 58.1%
- Female, 41.9%
Sales Representatives By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 58.1% |
| Female | 41.9% |
Gender Pay Gap For Sales Representative
Women Earn 92ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Sales Representative Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the sales representative position over time.
Sales Representative Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 60.92% | 39.08% |
| 2011 | 60.98% | 39.02% |
| 2012 | 62.04% | 37.96% |
| 2013 | 60.94% | 39.06% |
| 2014 | 59.39% | 40.61% |
| 2015 | 59.29% | 40.71% |
| 2016 | 59.66% | 40.34% |
| 2017 | 59.75% | 40.25% |
| 2018 | 57.92% | 42.08% |
| 2019 | 58.85% | 41.15% |
| 2020 | 58.95% | 41.05% |
| 2021 | 58.15% | 41.85% |
Sales Representative Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, commercial equipment and supplies sales representative and outside parts sales have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Representative | 6% | 94% |
| Avon Sales Representative | 7% | 93% |
| Inside Sales Assistant | 20% | 80% |
| Sales Representative | 58% | 42% |
| Factory Representative | 90% | 10% |
| Outside Parts Sales | 92% | 8% |
| Commercial Equipment And Supplies Sales Representative | 93% | 7% |
Sales Representative Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among sales representatives is White, which makes up 72.5% of all sales representatives. Comparatively, there are 14.5% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 5.2% of the Asian ethnicity.
- White, 72.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.5%
- Asian, 5.2%
- Black or African American, 3.9%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Sales Representative Race
| Sales Representative Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.5% |
| Asian | 5.2% |
| Black or African American | 3.9% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Sales Representative Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among sales representatives.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Sales Representative Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.41% | 3.95% | 4.32% | 11.73% |
| 2011 | 77.90% | 3.83% | 4.65% | 12.26% |
| 2012 | 77.97% | 3.74% | 4.63% | 12.15% |
| 2013 | 77.36% | 3.99% | 4.52% | 12.68% |
| 2014 | 76.46% | 4.17% | 4.60% | 13.15% |
| 2015 | 76.86% | 3.95% | 4.59% | 12.97% |
| 2016 | 76.37% | 3.68% | 4.66% | 13.57% |
| 2017 | 76.50% | 3.97% | 4.54% | 13.27% |
| 2018 | 76.17% | 3.86% | 4.65% | 13.54% |
| 2019 | 76.12% | 3.76% | 4.76% | 13.65% |
| 2020 | 74.49% | 3.87% | 4.67% | 13.47% |
| 2021 | 72.53% | 3.87% | 5.19% | 14.45% |
Sales Representative Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $57,507 |
| White | $59,182 |
| Black or African American | $50,565 |
| Asian | $56,460 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,222 |
Average Age of a Sales Representative
We determined the average age of sales representatives based on ethnicity and gender.
Sales Representative Age By Race
| 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 Representative Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of sales representative employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of sales representatives is 40+ years old, which represents 71% of the population.
Sales Representative Age
| Sales Representative Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Types of Sales Representative Degree Levels
The most common degree for sales representatives is bachelor's degree 54% of sales representatives earn that degree. A close second is high school diploma with 20% and rounding it off is associate degree with 16%.
- Bachelors, 54%
- High School Diploma, 20%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Sales Representatives By Education
| Sales Representative Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 54% |
| High School Diploma | 20% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Sales Representative Jobs You Might Like
Sales Representative Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $45,680 |
| Master's Degree | $75,276 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $65,363 |
| Doctorate Degree | $71,426 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,974 |
Sales Representative Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where sales representatives work. We found most sales representatives work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most sales representatives is the retail industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire sales representatives.
Sales Representative Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 6% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 10% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 46% |
The Types Of Companies Sales Representative Work In
Employees with the sales representative job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sales representatives prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sales Representative Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 45% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 0% |
Top Industries Hiring Sales Representatives
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ sales representatives. Those industries include retail, professional and manufacturing.
Sales Representative Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 22% |
| Fortune 500 | 20% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Telecommunication | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Pharmaceutical | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Sales Representative Turnover And Employment Statistics
Sales Representative Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of sales representatives changed.
- Unemployment rate
Sales Representative Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Sales Representative 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% |
The Average Number of Years That Sales Representative Stay in a Job
By looking over 443,599 sales representatives resumes, we figured out that the average sales representative enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 35%.
Sales Representative Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 32% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Sales Representatives with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to sales representatives.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Representative | 6.15% | - |
| Wedding Consultant | 7.00% | 5,835 |
| Electronics Sales Associate | 7.09% | 253,356 |
| Rental Manager | 7.23% | 2,246 |
| Finance Service Advisor | 7.29% | 118,612 |
| Counter Clerk | 8.34% | 75,025 |
| Travel Counselor | 12.49% | 32,840 |
Sales Representative LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding Consultant | 7.00% | 5,835 |
| Electronics Sales Associate | 7.09% | 253,356 |
| Rental Manager | 7.23% | 2,246 |
| Finance Service Advisor | 7.29% | 118,612 |
| Counter Clerk | 8.34% | 75,025 |
| Travel Counselor | 12.49% | 32,840 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Sales Representatives
The most common foreign language among sales representatives is Spanish at 65.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.0% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 3.0%.
- Spanish, 65.1%
- French, 7.0%
- Portuguese, 3.0%
- Chinese, 3.0%
- Mandarin, 2.8%
- Other, 19.1%
Sales Representative Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.1% |
| French | 7.0% |
| Portuguese | 3.0% |
| Chinese | 3.0% |
| Mandarin | 2.8% |
| Other | 19.1% |
