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The differences between technical sales representatives and area 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 technical sales representative, becoming an area sales representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a technical sales representative has an average salary of $71,310, which is higher than the $58,355 average annual salary of an area sales representative.
The top three skills for a technical sales representative include sales process, business development and sales support. The most important skills for an area sales representative are customer service, business development, and sales process.
| Technical Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $71,310 | $58,355 |
| Hourly rate | $34.28 | $28.06 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 237,456 | 199,212 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A technical sales representative is responsible for selling products and services by demonstrating the product's details and features to existing and potential clients. Technical sales representatives evaluate clients' needs and recommend solutions through the organization's technology-based products. They also assist with promotional offers and marketing campaigns to boost brand awareness and increase revenues and achieve profitability goals while ensuring the highest customer satisfaction. A technical sales representative must have excellent communication and customer service skills, handling customers' inquiries, and resolving complaints.
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.
Technical sales representatives and area sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Average salary | $71,310 | $58,355 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $129,000 | Between $42,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | Maine |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a technical sales representative and an area sales representative in terms of educational background:
| Technical Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between technical sales representatives' and area sales representatives' demographics:
| Technical Sales Representative | Area Sales Representative | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.3% Female, 26.7% | Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.4% 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% |