Average Sales Specialist Salary

Sales specialists make between $25,000 to $97,000 per year, with an average of $42,000 a year, or $20 an hour. Sales specialists with the right skill set can make above-average income, which can vary dramatically based on industry.

Some sales are business to business, such as pharmaceuticals or construction equipment, while other sales types are smaller scale, such as in-home sales or retail sales at a store. The different sums of exchange lead to a range of income between $25,000 to $97,000 per year.

The pay structure may vary. Some sales specialists are given a base pay, while others may only earn through commission. Some businesses may not cap earnings for their sales specialists and additionally offer stock options and bonuses for strong performance. This can lead to six or seven-figure incomes through sales.

The average base salary for a sales job is $38,375 a year. However, there are many fluctuations in annual earning among sales associates, with salaries as high as $58,500 and low as $20,000.

Many factors impact the earning of a sales associate, including the number of years of experience and type of sales associate, with most positions and greater earning potential based on a greater specialization and number of years of experience.

Examples of Different Company Pay rates for Sales Associate:

• The Home Depot Inc. - $12.18 / hour

• Macy's Inc - $12.15 / hour

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc - $11.47 / hour

• Dollar General Corporation - $8.58 / hour

• JCPenney - $11.47 / hour

Retail Hourly Wage Based on Years of Experience:

• Entry-level ( less than one year) - average $12.64 per hour

• Junior Level - ( one to two years) - averages $12.20 per hour

• Mid Level - ( three to five years) - average $13.86 per hour

• Experienced - ( six to nine years) - average $15.23 per hour

• Senior - ( more than ten years) average $15.77 per hour

Ten Earning Jobs By Type of Sales Associate:

• Associate Medical Sales Representative - $38.98 / hour or $81,071 / year

• Entry Level Insurance Sales Representative - $37.26 / hour or $77,500 / year

• Associate Surgical Sales Representative -$35.98 / hour or $74,828 / year

• Home Sales - $35.25 / hour or $73,320 / year

• Sales Opportunity - $33.85 / hour or $70,401 / year

Top Ten Cities Where Sales Associates Earn The Most:

• New York City, NY - $21.91 / hour or $45,569 / year

• San Mateo, CA - $21.47 / hour or $44,654 / year

• Juneau, AK - $20.88 / hour $43,439 / year

• Boston, MA - $20.87 / hour or $43,410

• Berkeley, CA - $20.65 / hour or $42,950

• Santa Monica, CA - $20.62 / hour or $42,890 / year

• Daly City, CA - $20.59 / hour or $42,829 / year

• Quincy, MA - $20.57/ hour or $42,781 / year

• Renton, WA - $20.53 / hour or $42,706 / year

• Minneapolis, MN - $20.26 / hour or $42,137 / year

The lowest salaries relative to the national average include: San Antonio, Texas (8.8% less), Houston, Texas (7.6% less), and Miami, Florida (3.6% less).

A sales specialist's salary ranges between $25,000 and $97,000, with an average of $42,000 a year, or $20 an hour. A sales specialist salary is one of the most variables you will see, and this is because of all the different industries, sales types, locations, and pay structures that exist in sales.

Some positions are paid hourly, like sales specialists working in retail, while others are paid commission only, like those working in home improvement sales. The pay range for sales specialists is between $25,000 and $97,000, with an average of $42,000 a year, or $20 an hour.

Certain positions have uncapped income potential, plus quarterly bonuses; in other words, the more ambitious, driven, and competitive your nature, the more you will earn in sales.

Sometimes the key to high earnings is to know where the big sales are. Pharmaceutical Sales, Surgical Sales, and Software and Security are fields with averages in the higher range of $80,000 and $90,000 plus added bonuses and stock options, bringing it well into the six-digit range.