Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel, work in a large occupation with national employment of 1,227,000. The role centers on selling services and relies heavily on customer service, interpersonal, and speaking and listening skills. Workers in this field need to be adaptable and comfortable using computers and information technology, while also drawing on skills in writing and reading, basic mathematics, leadership, fine motor abilities, and project management. The national median annual salary of $66,260 reflects solid earning potential, with some states and metro areas offering higher typical pay. Projected employment growth of 3.1% and 123,000 annual openings suggest a steady flow of opportunities for both new entrants and experienced professionals. People considering this path might also explore related roles such as customer service representatives, information and record clerks, court, municipal, and license clerks, order clerks, or medical secretaries and administrative assistants as alternative or adjacent career options.
The national median annual salary for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel is $66,260. Earnings vary by location, with several states and metro areas offering higher median salaries. Among top states, New York reports a median salary of $92,190, Massachusetts $83,760, California $80,850, Washington $79,920, and Colorado $79,810. At the metro level, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area stands out with a median salary of $116,510, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $96,960 and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $93,750. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has a median salary of $78,110, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is at $83,420. These figures show that geographic choice can significantly affect potential earnings within this occupation.
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel, occupy a sizable segment of the labor market, with national employment of 1,227,000. Projected employment growth of 3.1% indicates that jobs in this field are expected to expand over time. In addition to growth, the occupation is projected to offer 123,000 annual openings, which can come from both new positions and turnover in existing roles. This combination of a large employment base and ongoing openings suggests that individuals entering or advancing in this career can expect a consistent volume of opportunities. The same 3.1% growth rate also appears across several highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a generally similar projected pace of expansion in those regions. For those comparing career paths, similar occupations include customer service representatives, information and record clerks, court, municipal, and license clerks, order clerks, and medical secretaries and administrative assistants.
Location plays an important role in opportunity for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel. At the state level, California, Massachusetts, and New York combine relatively high median salaries with strong CareerGPS opportunity scores of 67.38, 65.87, and 65.78, respectively. New York’s median salary of $92,190 stands out among these, while California offers both a high median salary of $80,850 and the largest employment count at 156,110. Colorado and Washington also provide solid median salaries near $80,000, with opportunity scores in the mid-50s. Metro areas show even more variation. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median salary of $116,510 and the highest opportunity score of 77.42, despite having 13,390 jobs. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro combines a high opportunity score of 77.27 with 91,680 jobs. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also offer strong combinations of salary and opportunity scores.
The typical education requirement for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the field accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education and are ready to build their careers through experience and skill development. Success in this occupation relies on a broad set of abilities. Key strengths include customer service, adaptability, interpersonal skills, and strong speaking and listening, all of which support effective interactions with clients and colleagues. Competence with computers and information technology is also important, alongside solid writing and reading skills and basic mathematics. Leadership and project management skills can help with organizing work and coordinating activities, while fine motor skills may be relevant in certain tasks. Together, this mix of skills offers multiple avenues for growth within the occupation, even without a requirement for education beyond a high school diploma or equivalent.
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