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Industrial Supply & Distribution
Grainger, Fastenal, MSC Industrial Supply
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Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
This job is about selling complex products to businesses and helping buyers understand why one solution fits their process, budget, or compliance needs better than another. The work is part educator, part negotiator: you spend as much time translating technical details and estimating savings as you do chasing quotas and keeping accounts moving.
Also known as Technical Sales RepresentativeScientific Sales RepresentativeIndustrial Sales RepresentativeManufacturing Sales RepresentativeOutside Sales Representative
Median Salary
$100,070
Mean $114,520
U.S. Workforce
~294K
27.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+1.9%
303.2K to 308.9K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~294K workers, with a median annual pay of $100,070 and roughly 27.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 303.2 K in 2024 to 308.9K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Sales Development Representative and can progress toward Director of Technical Sales. High-value skills usually include Salesforce, HubSpot & CRM Platforms, Microsoft Excel & Pricing Models, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator & Prospecting Databases, paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Persuasion, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Talk with current and potential customers to match products to their needs.
- Walk buyers through how a product works and how to use it correctly.
- Find new prospects through directories, referrals, trade shows, and industry events.
- Read market updates, trade publications, and regulations so recommendations stay current.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Talk with current and potential customers to match products to their needs.
02 Walk buyers through how a product works and how to use it correctly.
03 Find new prospects through directories, referrals, trade shows, and industry events.
04 Read market updates, trade publications, and regulations so recommendations stay current.
05 Estimate pricing, installation costs, and potential savings so customers can compare options.
06 Keep customer records, sales reports, expense forms, and CRM entries organized and up to date.
Industries That Hire
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Medical Devices & Life Sciences
Medtronic, Stryker, Thermo Fisher Scientific
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Chemicals & Materials
DuPont, BASF, Dow
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Electronics & Automation
Honeywell, Siemens, Rockwell Automation
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Laboratory & Scientific Equipment
Agilent, Waters, Revvity
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay can be strong for sales work, with a mean annual wage of $114,520 and a median of $100,070.
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There are still about 27.2K annual openings, so people change jobs and move around often enough to create opportunities.
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You are selling something concrete, which makes it easier to show value with savings, performance, or reliability instead of vague promises.
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The role blends relationship-building with problem-solving, so it rewards people who can explain technical details in simple terms.
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A bachelor's degree is common, but the field also accepts associate's degrees and certificate-based paths, so there are multiple entry points.
Challenges
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Growth is modest at 1.9% through 2034, so the field is not expanding quickly even though openings still occur.
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A lot of income may depend on commissions and quota performance, which means pay can swing from year to year.
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You have to keep up with product updates, regulations, and market changes; if you stop learning, your pitch gets outdated fast.
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The job often requires travel, in-person meetings, and trade shows, so it can be hard to keep a predictable schedule.
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This is a crowded sales niche, and routine prospecting is easier to automate with CRM tools and digital outreach, which can make the job more competitive and narrow the path unless you move into larger accounts or management.
Career Progression
Sales Development Representative
0-2 years
$55K-$74K
You qualify leads, make first contact, and learn how to talk about products without being responsible for full account ownership yet.
Technical and Scientific Products Sales Representative
2-5 years
$85K-$119K
You handle active accounts, explain product value in plain language, and manage a quota while balancing customer needs, pricing, and follow-up.
Senior Technical and Scientific Sales Representative THIS ROLE
5-8 years
$120K-$159K
You cover larger or more complex accounts, lead tougher negotiations, and often become the go-to person for high-value customers or niche product lines.
Sales Manager, Technical Products
8-12 years
$160K-$219K
You coach a team, set targets, review pipelines, and help close major deals while also managing territory strategy.
Director of Technical Sales
12+ years
$220K-$310K
You shape sales strategy across regions or product lines, manage budgets, and focus on growth, margins, and key client relationships.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree
The most common entry path, held by 30.55% of workers in this role, especially for people who need enough technical background to explain complex products.
Associate's degree
A common route at 22.46%, often used by people who want a faster start and learn the product line through experience.
Post-secondary certificate
A practical alternative at 11.98%, especially for applicants who pair a short program with strong product knowledge and sales skills.
Sales certification plus employer training
Some employers will hire candidates with a sales certificate or vendor credential if they can show they learn technical products quickly and can build customer trust.
Key Skills
Technical
Salesforce, HubSpot & CRM Platforms 78%
Microsoft Excel & Pricing Models 76%
LinkedIn Sales Navigator & Prospecting Databases 73%
Product Specifications, Catalogs & Technical Documentation 70%
CPQ Quoting Systems & Proposal Tools 67%
Soft Skills
SpeakingPersuasionActive ListeningNegotiationService OrientationSocial Perceptiveness Job Outlook and Trends
+1.9%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
27.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 303.2K to 308.9 K over the next decade, representing 1.9% growth. Around 27.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.