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
Short-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.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Driver/sales workers combine driving with direct customer interaction and sales activity. Nationally, this career employs about 452,000 workers, indicating a sizable field with many roles across the country. The national median annual salary is $37,130, placing this occupation in a moderate earnings range. Projected employment growth of 8.8%, along with 51,000 annual openings, suggests ongoing hiring needs and turnover that can create entry points for new workers as well as advancement opportunities for those already in the field. Typical entry requires a high school diploma or equivalent, making this a viable path for individuals seeking to enter the workforce without extensive higher education. Success in this career draws on a blend of physical strength and stamina, customer service, speaking and listening, and strong interpersonal skills, supported by attention to detail, adaptability, and basic mathematics and mechanical abilities.
The national median annual salary for driver/sales workers is $37,130, with notable variation by location. Among the top states, median salaries range from $41,570 in Washington to $46,870 in Massachusetts, with California at $45,600, New York at $42,730, and Colorado at $43,420. At the metro level, pay levels are even more differentiated. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro reports a median salary of $51,260, the highest among the listed metros, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH stands at $47,340 and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $44,720. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA shows $43,680, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV reports $38,790. These figures indicate that earnings potential can shift significantly depending on state and metro, giving workers options to target higher-paying areas if relocation is feasible.
Driver/sales workers have a national projected employment growth rate of 8.8%. With current employment around 452,000, this growth rate reflects a labor market that is expected to expand over time. In addition, there are an estimated 51,000 annual openings in this occupation. These openings can come from a combination of growth and replacement needs, offering a consistent flow of opportunities for new entrants and for workers seeking to move between employers or regions. States and metro areas highlighted with opportunity scores, such as California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington, as well as several large metro areas, all share the same 8.8% projected growth rate. This consistency in the growth figure across leading locations suggests that demand for driver/sales workers is expected to increase in multiple parts of the country rather than being concentrated in a single region.
Geography plays a significant role in the opportunity landscape for driver/sales workers. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York stand out with relatively higher median salaries of $45,600, $46,870, and $42,730, respectively, and opportunity scores above 65. California also has the highest employment level among these states at 34,480, followed by New York at 18,990. Colorado and Washington show median salaries of $43,420 and $41,570, with opportunity scores in the mid-50s and employment of 10,790 and 5,890. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ post the highest opportunity scores (77.42 and 77.27) and strong median salaries of $51,260 and $44,720. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also provide notable clusters of jobs with opportunity scores above 60, giving workers multiple urban markets to consider.
The typical education requirement for driver/sales workers is a high school diploma or equivalent, which lowers the barrier to entry compared with careers that require extensive college education. However, success in this field depends strongly on a specific blend of skills. Physical strength and stamina are important, reflecting the active nature of the work. Customer service, speaking and listening, interpersonal skills, and adaptability are central to interacting with customers and responding to different situations on the road and at delivery or sales locations. Being detail oriented supports accuracy and reliability in daily tasks, while basic mathematics and mechanical skills can be helpful in handling transactions and working with vehicles or related equipment. Project management capabilities round out the profile, supporting the ability to plan routes, manage time, and coordinate multiple responsibilities throughout the workday. Together, these skills give high school graduates and other entrants a clear roadmap for developing their effectiveness in this occupation.
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