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The differences between software sales representatives and area sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a software sales representative and an area sales representative. Additionally, a software sales representative has an average salary of $82,188, which is higher than the $58,355 average annual salary of an area sales representative.
The top three skills for a software sales representative include cloud, software sales and healthcare. The most important skills for an area sales representative are customer service, business development, and sales process.
| Software Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $82,188 | $58,355 |
| Hourly rate | $39.51 | $28.06 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 146,618 | 199,212 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software sales representative is responsible for selling technology products and software applications, as well as responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns, and resolving complaints. Software sales representatives take customer orders, process their payments, and set the delivery schedule according to the customers' preference. They also discuss the products' terms of service, including its maintenance instructions, and other related conditions. A software sales representative must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially when updating customers' information in the database accurately and verifying the adequacy of stock inventories.
The primary role of an area sales representative is to sell the company's products and services within a specified region or territory. You will be responsible for attracting new clients, increase profitability, and win new accounts. Other duties typically include building and maintaining relationships with both new and existing customers, traveling across the region to visit customers, and maintaining records of customer accounts and sales leads. As an area sales representative, it is also your duty to close deals and negotiate service agreements, prices, and terms of sale.
Software sales representatives and area sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $82,188 | $58,355 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $115,000 | Between $42,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Maine |
| Best paying company | Varian Medical Systems | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software sales representative and an area sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Software Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between software sales representatives' and area sales representatives' demographics:
| Software Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% | Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |