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What Can You Do With a Professional Sales Degree? Jobs
Key takeaway: Professional sales (CIP 52.1804, Selling Skills and Sales Operations) is the quota degree: prospecting, discovery, negotiation, and account management. Arizona State University sells a bachelor's. Esy files the specialty under Business Development / Sales, which is why this silo cross-links [business development](/programs/business-development). The CIP is the sales craft; business development is the partnership-and-pipeline sibling. It is not [marketing](/programs/marketing) and it is not a license to sell securities or insurance. Those licenses are separate. It is also not a general business degree; if you want the broader credential, use [business administration](/programs/business-administration).
Most sales jobs do not require this degree. The bachelor’s is useful when the product is technical or the buyer is a committee, and when you want a path into sales management. Retail supervision (41-1011) is a different occupation with different pay; it is not the target of this CIP.
Jobs you can get with a professional sales degree
| Occupation | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 |
| Sales Managers | $148,270 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $87,520 |
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 123,000/yr |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 114,800/yr |
| Sales Managers | 49,000/yr |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 47,000/yr |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 38,100/yr |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 27,200/yr |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 24,800/yr |
| Advertising Sales Agents | 9,300/yr |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians. Median means half of workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products. The national median annual wage was $104,920, with the 10th percentile at $52,600 and the 90th at $200,440 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 303,200 in 2024, projected to grow 1.9 percent through 2034, with 27,200 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). See how to become a wholesale sales representative. Sales Managers. The national median annual wage was $148,270, with the 10th percentile at $73,170 and the 90th at $290,540 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 619,500 in 2024, projected to grow 4.7 percent through 2034, with 49,000 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel. The national median annual wage was $69,990, with the 10th percentile at $37,980 and the 90th at $148,840 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 1,226,700 in 2024, projected to grow 3.1 percent through 2034, with 123,000 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers. The national median annual wage was $87,520, with the 10th percentile at $50,320 and the 90th at $164,070 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 320,000 in 2024, projected to grow 0.0 percent through 2034, with 24,800 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034).
The jobs this degree does not get you
It is not marketing and it is not a license to sell securities or insurance. Those licenses are separate. It is also not a general business degree; if you want the broader credential, use business administration.
What the degree level changes
The online bachelor’s in professional sales is the entry credential in this CIP. The online master’s in professional sales is the advancement or specialization credential. Compare business development, marketing, business administration before you enroll if those titles match the job you actually want.
Common questions
What jobs can you get with a professional sales degree?
Common occupations include sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products, sales managers, sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel, first-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers.
How much do professional sales majors make?
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians include $104,920 for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products, $148,270 for sales managers, $69,990 for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel, $87,520 for first-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers. Individual outcomes vary.
Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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