How long does it take to become VP of sales?

It takes 10 to 15 years to become a VP of sales. This time includes the time it takes to earn a four-year bachelor's degree and 8 to 10 years of sales and managerial experience needed to be an effective VP of sales.

How much does a sales vice president make?

A sales vice president makes $227,000 a year, on average ($109.16 an hour). The range and how much a VP of sales can make is considerable - starting from as little as $145,000 to as much as $353,000 a year. Factors such as the location and industry influence where a VP of sales will end along this pay scale.

What is a sales vice president and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Bill Thorne

A sales vice president oversees a company's sales strategy and sales team. They work to increase revenue and profitability by developing sales plans, building relationships with customers, and analyzing market trends. They also collaborate with marketing and finance departments to align their efforts with the companyâ€™s goals. Sales vice presidents hire, train, and manage sales staff, setting performance goals, and monitoring progress. They have leadership skills, business acumen, and an understanding of sales processes.

What general advice would you give to a sales vice president?

Bill Thorne

Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation

Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the country, directly employing 32 million people and supporting 52 million jobs overall - roughly one-quarter of the U.S. workforce. While COVID-19 has presented new and unexpected challenges, retailers have continued to showcase the industry's resilience and adaptability time and again. The safety and security of customers and employees remains our greatest priority. It is no doubt that the professional environment has changed this year, but retail continues to offer a plethora of career opportunities for graduates and seasoned veterans alike.

ScoreSales Vice PresidentUS Average

Salary

8.7

Avg. Salary $143,523

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.4

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 15.22%

male 84.78%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a sales vice president?

Pros

High earning potential
Opportunities for advancement
Exposure to high-profile clients and projects
Opportunity to travel
Work with a diverse team

Cons

Long hours and demanding work schedule
High levels of stress
Difficult to maintain a work-life balance
Large amount of travel can be exhausting
Potential for burnout or high turnover rate in the position

Key steps to become a sales vice president

Explore sales vice president education requirements

Most common sales vice president degrees

Bachelor's

79.2 %

Master's

10.8 %

Associate

6.5 %

Start to develop specific sales vice president skills

Skills	Percentages
Sales Process	6.03%
Healthcare	5.83%
Customer Service	5.77%
Sales Management	5.19%
CRM	5.19%

Complete relevant sales vice president training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New sales vice presidents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a sales vice president based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real sales vice president resumes.

Research sales vice president duties and responsibilities

Set targets, monitor, review and initiate action plans to achieve target KPI's.
Manage SaaS product and development teams to deliver new products and execute against quarterly and annual release schedules.
Lead development and rebranding efforts for master and sub brands for multiple outlets, business units and operating departments.
Manage cross-selling opportunities between all business segments.

Get sales vice president experience

Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a sales vice president. The most common roles before becoming a sales vice president include director of sales, regional sales manager team lead and sales manager.

Prepare your sales vice president resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your sales vice president resume.

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