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Specialty sales representative vs field sales representative

The differences between specialty sales representatives and field sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a specialty sales representative, becoming a field sales representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a specialty sales representative has an average salary of $67,605, which is higher than the $48,460 average annual salary of a field sales representative.

The top three skills for a specialty sales representative include patients, product knowledge and territory management. The most important skills for a field sales representative are excellent time management, customer service, and powerpoint.

Specialty sales representative vs field sales representative overview

Specialty Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Yearly salary$67,605$48,460
Hourly rate$32.50$23.30
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs174,608228,254
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 86%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4747
Years of experience24

What does a specialty sales representative do?

Specialty sales representatives are responsible for selling products and services using firm arguments to possible clients. Also, they perform a cost-benefit study of present and prospective clients. These representatives support positive business relationships to guarantee future sales. Their main role is to give complete and correct solutions to clients to enhance top-line revenue progress, profitability, and investment levels. Their duties include reaching out to customer leads through telemarketing as well as maximize customer satisfaction by efficiently providing resolutions to their issues and complaints.

What does a field sales representative do?

A field sales representative is an employee who is employed by business-to-business (B2B) and wholesale organizations to visit leads and sell products or services to their customers in person. Field sales representatives must attract new customers and win new accounts so that they can maximize profitability within their territory. They travel around their assigned territory and visit their customers regularly to educate them on how their products can benefit them. Field sales representatives must also maintain records of all sales leads and monitor the organization's competitor, new products, and market conditions.

Specialty sales representative vs field sales representative salary

Specialty sales representatives and field sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Specialty Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Average salary$67,605$48,460
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $113,000Between $26,000 And $88,000
Highest paying City-Seattle, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-VMware
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between specialty sales representative and field sales representative education

There are a few differences between a specialty sales representative and a field sales representative in terms of educational background:

Specialty Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 86%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Specialty sales representative vs field sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between specialty sales representatives' and field sales representatives' demographics:

Specialty Sales RepresentativeField Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 50.9% Female, 49.1%Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between specialty sales representative and field sales representative duties and responsibilities

Specialty sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Utilize CRM system and other applications to manage all sales within the renewal stages.
  • Collaborate with management, marketing, and training departments to achieve the common goals of Merck.
  • Manage allocated resources and accountable for pharmaceutical samples in accordance with FDA and PDMA guidelines; responsible for expense management.
  • Manage tough relationships with key reimbursement decision-makers in hospitals, renal and oncology clinics throughout territory.
  • Manage the development, productivity and utilization of local, regional and national speakers for hyperlipidemia and hypertension.
  • Perform several educational sales presentations to large audiences on appropriate pain management for patients.
  • Show more

Field sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage new DSR's.
  • Lead seminars for the CPA community for CPE credits.
  • Develop and manage sales in major retail accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
  • Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
  • Conduct effective group Medicare HMO/PPO presentations/seminars, as well as one-on-one field sales presentations.
  • Show more

Specialty sales representative vs field sales representative skills

Common specialty sales representative skills
  • Patients, 14%
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • Territory Management, 7%
  • Neurology, 6%
  • Work Ethic, 6%
  • Medical Sales, 5%
Common field sales representative skills
  • Excellent Time Management, 17%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Medicare, 6%
  • Account Management, 6%
  • Sales Presentations, 5%