Sales specialist demographics and statistics in the US
Sales specialist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sales specialist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sales specialist 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 specialists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 773,056 sales specialists currently employed in the United States.
- 44.9% of all sales specialists are women, while 55.1% are men.
- The average sales specialist age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales specialists is White (72.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.2%), Asian (5.1%) and Black or African American (3.8%).
- Sales specialists are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Boston, MA pays an annual average wage of $75,688, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women sales specialists earned 92% of what men earned.
- New York is the best state for sales specialists to live.
- Sales specialists are 56% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Sales specialist demographics by:
Sales specialist gender statistics
44.9% of sales specialists are women and 55.1% of sales specialists are men.
- Male, 55.1%
- Female, 44.9%
Sales specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 55.1% |
| Female | 44.9% |
Sales specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,328
Female income
$48,163
Sales specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sales specialist positions over time. Currently, 44.9% of sales specialists are female.
Sales specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.91% | 42.09% |
| 2011 | 57.97% | 42.03% |
| 2012 | 59.05% | 40.95% |
| 2013 | 57.93% | 42.07% |
| 2014 | 56.35% | 43.65% |
| 2015 | 56.24% | 43.76% |
| 2016 | 56.62% | 43.38% |
| 2017 | 56.71% | 43.29% |
| 2018 | 54.85% | 45.15% |
| 2019 | 55.79% | 44.21% |
| 2020 | 55.90% | 44.10% |
| 2021 | 55.08% | 44.92% |
Sales specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared sales specialists 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 Specialist | 55% | 45% |
| 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 specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sales specialists is White, which makes up 72.9% of all sales specialists. Comparatively, 14.2% of sales specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 5.1% of sales specialists are Asian.
- White, 72.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.2%
- Asian, 5.1%
- Black or African American, 3.8%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Sales specialist race
| Sales specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 72.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.2% |
| Asian | 5.1% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Sales specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how sales specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sales specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.76% | 3.91% | 4.27% | 11.47% |
| 2011 | 78.25% | 3.79% | 4.60% | 12.00% |
| 2012 | 78.32% | 3.70% | 4.59% | 11.89% |
| 2013 | 77.71% | 3.95% | 4.47% | 12.42% |
| 2014 | 76.81% | 4.13% | 4.55% | 12.90% |
| 2015 | 77.21% | 3.91% | 4.55% | 12.71% |
| 2016 | 76.72% | 3.63% | 4.61% | 13.31% |
| 2017 | 76.85% | 3.93% | 4.49% | 13.01% |
| 2018 | 76.52% | 3.82% | 4.61% | 13.29% |
| 2019 | 76.47% | 3.71% | 4.71% | 13.40% |
| 2020 | 74.84% | 3.83% | 4.62% | 13.22% |
| 2021 | 72.88% | 3.83% | 5.14% | 14.20% |
Sales specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, white sales specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american sales specialists have the lowest average salary at $47,046.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,914 |
| White | $55,578 |
| Black or African American | $47,046 |
| Asian | $52,874 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $52,638 |
Average sales specialist age
See how the average age of sales specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sales specialist 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 specialist age breakdown
The average age of sales specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the sales specialist population.
Sales specialist age breakdown
| Sales Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Sales specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for sales specialists is bachelor's degree, with 62% of sales specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Associate, 17%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Sales specialists by degree level
| Sales specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 62% |
| Associate | 17% |
| High School Diploma | 12% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Sales specialist jobs you might like
Sales specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sales specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $71,702 annually. With a Doctorate degree, sales specialists earn a median annual income of $67,824 compared to $61,743 for sales specialists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $71,702 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,247 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,743 |
| Doctorate Degree | $67,824 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,497 |
Sales specialist employment statistics
Most sales specialists work for a public in the retail industry.
Company size where sales specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sales specialists work.
Sales specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 3% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 8% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 56% |
Sales specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the sales specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sales specialists prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Sales specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 56% |
| Private | 43% |
| Government | 0% |
Sales specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for sales specialists are retail, health care and manufacturing.
Sales specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 23% |
| Retail | 20% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Pharmaceutical | 6% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Telecommunication | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Sales specialist turnover and employment statistics
Sales specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sales specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sales specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sales specialist 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 specialist tenure
The average sales specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 45,078 sales specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Sales specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 21% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Sales specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sales specialists 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 Specialist | 6.15% | - |
| Pawn Broker | 7.00% | 1,805 |
| Footwear Associate | 7.09% | 203,135 |
| District Sales Coordinator | 7.23% | 30,314 |
| Junior Associate | 7.29% | 30,525 |
| Counter | 8.34% | 15,729 |
| Travel Agent | 12.49% | 34,166 |
Similar sales specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pawn Broker | 7.00% | 1,805 |
| Footwear Associate | 7.09% | 203,135 |
| District Sales Coordinator | 7.23% | 30,314 |
| Junior Associate | 7.29% | 30,525 |
| Counter | 8.34% | 15,729 |
| Travel Agent | 12.49% | 34,166 |
Foreign languages spoken by sales specialists
The most common foreign language among sales specialists is Spanish at 58.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.7% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.1%.
- Spanish, 58.4%
- French, 9.7%
- Portuguese, 4.1%
- German, 3.6%
- Mandarin, 3.1%
- Other, 21.1%
Sales specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 58.4% |
| French | 9.7% |
| Portuguese | 4.1% |
| German | 3.6% |
| Mandarin | 3.1% |
| Other | 21.1% |
