Sales Engineers
Sales Engineers (SOC 41-9031) earn a median $124,900 a year ($60.05 an hour) in the United States, with 51,790 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Delaware.
What sales engineers do
Sales engineers sell business goods or services when selling them requires a technical background equivalent to an engineering bachelor's degree. Engineers whose main job is not marketing or sales are excluded from this code. Sales engineers work with sales teams to understand what customers need and to support sales of company products, and they write, present, or answer proposals for specific customer requirements, including responses to requests for proposals and solutions tailored to an industry. They consult with customers and engineers to judge equipment needs and what a system must do, plan and adjust product configurations, and draw up sales or service contracts. They visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other sites to show samples or catalogs and explain price, availability, and advantages, and they identify resale opportunities. Keeping up with industry news, products, services, and competitors is part of the job. Chemical equipment sales engineer and aerospace products sales engineer show how the title is tied to a product line.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the usual education level (about 57 percent).
Also called: Aeronautical Products Sales Engineer, Aerospace Products Sales Engineer, Agricultural Equipment Sales Engineer, Business Development Engineer, Ceramic Products Sales Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $35.52 | $44.66 | $60.05 | $77.52 | $93.88 | $62.57 | 51,790 |
| Annual | $73,870 | $92,890 | $124,900 | $161,230 | $195,270 | $130,140 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where sales engineers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $63.46 | $74.71 | $80.38 | $97.93 | $97.93 | $83.71 | 80 | 0.16 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $132,000 | $155,390 | $167,200 | $203,690 | $203,690 | $174,130 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $49.27 | $66.74 | $73.76 | $73.76 | $73.76 | $68.28 | 850 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $102,490 | $138,820 | $153,410 | $153,410 | $153,410 | $142,020 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $21.66 | $37.48 | $71.99 | $87.25 | $89.22 | $62.11 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.21 |
| Annual | $45,060 | $77,960 | $149,750 | $181,480 | $185,570 | $129,200 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $45.91 | $52.86 | $70.97 | $83.19 | $84.61 | $68.44 | 760 | 0.21 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $95,490 | $109,940 | $147,620 | $173,040 | $175,990 | $142,340 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $40.11 | $52.94 | $67.30 | $84.99 | $97.71 | $70.14 | 2,800 | 0.98 | 2.93 |
| Annual | $83,420 | $110,120 | $139,990 | $176,780 | $203,230 | $145,880 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $37.85 | $48.07 | $62.79 | $80.17 | $97.04 | $65.40 | 6,800 | 0.48 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $78,730 | $99,990 | $130,610 | $166,750 | $201,850 | $136,030 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $37.91 | $49.41 | $66.90 | $83.90 | $102.58 | $70.48 | 6,310 | 0.35 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $78,850 | $102,770 | $139,160 | $174,510 | $213,370 | $146,590 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $37.25 | $46.85 | $65.48 | $82.29 | $85.14 | $65.09 | 3,150 | 0.87 | 2.60 |
| Annual | $77,490 | $97,440 | $136,200 | $171,170 | $177,100 | $135,380 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $37.83 | $48.82 | $66.10 | $84.05 | $105.13 | $68.88 | 3,150 | 0.33 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $78,690 | $101,550 | $137,480 | $174,820 | $218,680 | $143,260 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $40.11 | $52.94 | $67.30 | $84.99 | $97.71 | $70.14 | 2,800 | 0.98 | 2.93 |
| Annual | $83,420 | $110,120 | $139,990 | $176,780 | $203,230 | $145,880 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $48.48 | $68.23 | $85.33 | $100.83 | $116.60 | $86.62 | 1,600 | 1.41 | 4.24 |
| Annual | $100,830 | $141,930 | $177,490 | $209,730 | $242,520 | $180,170 | ||||
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | Hourly | $42.65 | $64.25 | $84.29 | $103.72 | $139.86 | $88.23 | 330 | 0.96 | 2.88 |
| Annual | $88,710 | $133,640 | $175,310 | $215,730 | $290,910 | $183,510 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $44.50 | $65.20 | $78.76 | $107.84 | $128.33 | $82.71 | 30 | 0.27 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $92,560 | $135,610 | $163,810 | $224,300 | $266,930 | $172,040 | ||||
| Ocala, FL | Hourly | $36.26 | $49.20 | $76.05 | $121.89 | $121.89 | $84.83 | 40 | 0.33 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $75,420 | $102,340 | $158,190 | $253,540 | $253,540 | $176,450 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $47.12 | $57.53 | $73.83 | $84.61 | $84.61 | $72.13 | 520 | 0.25 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $98,010 | $119,660 | $153,560 | $175,990 | $175,990 | $150,020 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $43.39 | $58.04 | $70.95 | $82.86 | $105.13 | $72.83 | 3,440 | 0.36 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $90,260 | $120,730 | $147,570 | $172,340 | $218,680 | $151,480 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $39.06 | $48.60 | $64.08 | $79.84 | $91.91 | $66.13 | 2,690 | 0.66 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $81,230 | $101,080 | $133,280 | $166,070 | $191,170 | $137,550 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $37.86 | $48.59 | $65.68 | $83.58 | $90.26 | $66.61 | 2,410 | 0.89 | 2.67 |
| Annual | $78,750 | $101,060 | $136,620 | $173,850 | $187,740 | $138,550 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $40.11 | $53.25 | $67.30 | $86.00 | $97.39 | $70.82 | 2,010 | 1.25 | 3.75 |
| Annual | $83,420 | $110,760 | $139,990 | $178,890 | $202,570 | $147,300 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $34.20 | $44.43 | $64.12 | $66.90 | $83.90 | $60.17 | 1,770 | 0.28 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $71,140 | $92,410 | $133,380 | $139,160 | $174,510 | $125,150 | ||||
Top industries employing sales engineers
Computer Systems Design and Related Services employ 18.6% of sales engineers nationally (9,650 jobs) at a median $150,080 a year ($72.16 an hour), followed by Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) (10.2%) and Software Publishers (6.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 9,650 | 18.6% | $150,080 | $72.16 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 5,260 | 10.2% | $105,630 | $50.79 |
| Software Publishers NAICS 513200 | 3,220 | 6.2% | $153,410 | $73.76 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423800 | 3,000 | 5.8% | $99,830 | $48.00 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423400 | 2,780 | 5.4% | $134,210 | $64.53 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (51,790). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $103,710 for sales engineers in May 2021 and $124,900 in May 2025, with employment of 59,550 and 51,790.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $103,710 | $49.86 | 59,550 |
| May 2022 | $108,530 | $52.18 | 59,700 |
| May 2023 | $116,950 | $56.23 | 59,340 |
| May 2024 | $121,520 | $58.42 | 56,690 |
| May 2025 | $124,900 | $60.05 | 51,790 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
46 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware profile | $80.38 | $167,200 | $132,000 | $203,690 | 80 | 0.16 | 0.47 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | $73.76 | $153,410 | $102,490 | $153,410 | 850 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
| 3 | Rhode Island profile | $71.99 | $149,750 | $45,060 | $185,570 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.21 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $70.97 | $147,620 | $95,490 | $175,990 | 760 | 0.21 | 0.64 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $67.30 | $139,990 | $83,420 | $203,230 | 2,800 | 0.98 | 2.93 |
| 6 | California profile | $66.90 | $139,160 | $78,850 | $213,370 | 6,310 | 0.35 | 1.04 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $66.83 | $139,010 | $91,370 | $191,050 | 1,760 | 0.41 | 1.24 |
| 8 | New York profile | $66.10 | $137,480 | $78,690 | $218,680 | 3,150 | 0.33 | 0.98 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $65.48 | $136,200 | $77,490 | $177,100 | 3,150 | 0.87 | 2.60 |
| 10 | West Virginia profile | $65.03 | $135,260 | $130,450 | $145,060 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.15 |
| 11 | Arizona profile | $63.40 | $131,870 | $70,760 | $226,940 | 1,000 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Arkansas profile | $62.86 | $130,760 | $62,720 | $151,610 | 30 | 0.03 | 0.07 |
| 13 | Texas profile | $62.79 | $130,610 | $78,730 | $201,850 | 6,800 | 0.48 | 1.45 |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $61.62 | $128,170 | $80,270 | $218,670 | 540 | 0.28 | 0.83 |
| 15 | Idaho profile | $61.56 | $128,030 | $85,620 | $260,510 | 360 | 0.42 | 1.26 |
| 16 | Florida profile | $60.35 | $125,530 | $73,210 | $206,760 | 2,410 | 0.24 | 0.73 |
| 17 | Connecticut profile | $59.45 | $123,660 | $70,000 | $211,890 | 760 | 0.45 | 1.34 |
| 18 | Louisiana profile | $58.50 | $121,680 | $80,410 | $166,720 | ** | ** | ** |
| 19 | North Carolina profile | $58.43 | $121,530 | $73,070 | $216,580 | 2,530 | 0.51 | 1.54 |
| 20 | New Mexico profile | $57.41 | $119,420 | $88,070 | $165,990 | 80 | 0.09 | 0.27 |
| 21 | South Dakota profile | $57.26 | $119,110 | $81,270 | $162,470 | 100 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | $56.71 | $117,970 | $79,240 | $167,980 | 1,300 | 0.44 | 1.33 |
| 23 | Utah profile | $56.56 | $117,650 | $58,570 | $163,550 | 480 | 0.28 | 0.84 |
| 24 | Vermont profile | $56.15 | $116,790 | $92,560 | $140,480 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Oklahoma profile | $55.06 | $114,520 | $50,720 | $167,060 | 290 | 0.17 | 0.51 |
| 26 | South Carolina profile | $54.93 | $114,250 | $78,540 | $172,850 | 770 | 0.34 | 1.01 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $54.89 | $114,180 | $75,330 | $194,980 | 2,290 | 0.52 | 1.56 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $53.64 | $111,580 | $63,890 | $174,770 | 530 | 0.16 | 0.49 |
| 29 | New Hampshire profile | $51.85 | $107,850 | $72,150 | $171,820 | 300 | 0.44 | 1.31 |
| 30 | Alabama profile | $50.20 | $104,410 | $64,190 | $222,800 | 220 | 0.11 | 0.32 |
| 31 | Minnesota profile | $48.35 | $100,570 | $68,630 | $147,230 | 990 | 0.34 | 1.00 |
| 32 | Illinois profile | $47.94 | $99,710 | $74,570 | $162,590 | 1,150 | 0.19 | 0.57 |
| 33 | Nevada profile | $47.61 | $99,020 | $52,960 | $200,380 | 320 | 0.21 | 0.62 |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $47.52 | $98,840 | $72,580 | $159,760 | 1,630 | 0.33 | 1.00 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania profile | $47.35 | $98,500 | $62,960 | $140,820 | 1,980 | 0.33 | 0.98 |
| 36 | Kansas profile | $47.12 | $98,000 | $69,990 | $159,210 | 220 | 0.15 | 0.45 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $46.84 | $97,420 | $67,720 | $148,790 | 1,210 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 38 | Maine profile | $45.76 | $95,180 | $46,850 | $141,330 | 140 | 0.22 | 0.65 |
| 39 | Missouri profile | $43.73 | $90,960 | $60,380 | $135,320 | 710 | 0.24 | 0.73 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $43.36 | $90,190 | $63,250 | $150,020 | 380 | 0.19 | 0.57 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $43.34 | $90,140 | $59,250 | $131,030 | 130 | 0.13 | 0.39 |
| 42 | Iowa profile | $40.12 | $83,450 | $74,290 | $150,640 | 310 | 0.20 | 0.61 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $36.04 | $74,960 | $38,530 | $136,530 | 980 | 0.31 | 0.92 |
| 44 | Alaska profile | $34.18 | $71,080 | $60,040 | $131,530 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Mississippi profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.08 | 0.24 |
| – | Virginia profile | * | * | * | * | 1,260 | 0.31 | 0.92 |
Part of Sales and Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 41-9031 Sales Engineers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 41-9031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 41-9031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.