Sales Managers
Sales Managers (SOC 11-2022) earn a median $148,270 a year ($71.28 an hour) in the United States, with 637,080 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What sales managers do
Sales managers lead the staff who sell a company's goods or services and are responsible for getting the product to the customer. They set sales territories, quotas, and goals, design training programs for sales representatives, and track the numbers that show how each region or team is performing. The products being sold may be manufactured goods, services, commodities, or real estate. Much of the work is analytical: reading sales statistics to estimate potential and stock needs, watching customer preferences, and forecasting profitability from operating records. Managers also deal with people, since they oversee regional and local managers, resolve customer complaints, and sometimes meet important customers themselves to discuss their needs. Compared with marketing managers, who plan what is offered and how it is priced, sales managers are concerned with the selling operation itself. They also differ from first-line sales supervisors, who directly oversee sales workers. They also set price schedules and discount rates.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Account Manager, Area Sales Manager, BD Director (Business Development Director), BD Executive (Business Development Executive), BD Manager (Business Development Manager).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $35.18 | $48.25 | $71.28 | $99.68 | $139.68 | $79.02 | 637,080 |
| Annual | $73,170 | $100,360 | $148,270 | $207,340 | $290,540 | $164,350 | ||
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 managers 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 | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $51.76 | $78.41 | $104.63 | $151.94 | $182.17 | $115.26 | 38,510 | 3.98 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $107,670 | $163,090 | $217,640 | $316,030 | $378,910 | $239,740 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $48.32 | $67.81 | $91.92 | $113.18 | $154.33 | $96.72 | 15,010 | 4.13 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $100,510 | $141,040 | $191,200 | $235,420 | $321,000 | $201,180 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $45.53 | $64.66 | $91.89 | $113.79 | $145.63 | $93.94 | 9,670 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $94,710 | $134,490 | $191,130 | $236,690 | $302,900 | $195,390 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $50.61 | $67.78 | $86.95 | $114.29 | $152.32 | $96.50 | 8,780 | 3.05 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $105,270 | $140,990 | $180,850 | $237,710 | $316,830 | $200,720 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $50.00 | $62.79 | $83.65 | $108.73 | $140.20 | $90.13 | 10,030 | 2.83 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $104,000 | $130,610 | $174,000 | $226,150 | $291,620 | $187,460 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.98 | $43.85 | $64.86 | $99.38 | $144.51 | $77.05 | 112,440 | 6.17 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $64,430 | $91,210 | $134,910 | $206,710 | $300,580 | $160,260 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $33.05 | $46.37 | $65.40 | $93.09 | $129.06 | $74.10 | 76,010 | 5.40 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $68,750 | $96,450 | $136,020 | $193,630 | $268,450 | $154,120 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $34.45 | $45.56 | $63.41 | $88.06 | $126.52 | $72.17 | 46,480 | 4.68 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $71,650 | $94,770 | $131,900 | $183,170 | $263,160 | $150,120 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $51.76 | $78.41 | $104.63 | $151.94 | $182.17 | $115.26 | 38,510 | 3.98 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $107,670 | $163,090 | $217,640 | $316,030 | $378,910 | $239,740 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $37.87 | $52.13 | $74.65 | $100.32 | $136.00 | $80.30 | 32,240 | 5.29 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $78,760 | $108,420 | $155,280 | $208,670 | $282,890 | $167,030 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| 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 | $52.50 | $77.02 | $103.44 | $149.40 | $177.02 | $112.39 | 44,870 | 4.73 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $109,210 | $160,200 | $215,150 | $310,750 | $368,210 | $233,770 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $51.07 | $74.01 | $99.33 | $121.87 | $155.61 | $99.90 | 11,540 | 4.27 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $106,220 | $153,940 | $206,610 | $253,490 | $323,670 | $207,790 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $40.54 | $61.84 | $97.01 | $147.55 | $166.34 | $102.52 | 8,940 | 7.88 | 1.92 |
| Annual | $84,330 | $128,620 | $201,780 | $306,900 | $345,980 | $213,250 | ||||
| Boulder, CO | Hourly | $59.25 | $75.56 | $96.62 | $122.84 | $158.57 | $104.96 | 740 | 3.87 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $123,240 | $157,160 | $200,970 | $255,510 | $329,830 | $218,310 | ||||
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | Hourly | $48.17 | $67.27 | $95.46 | $105.06 | $141.68 | $95.03 | 400 | 2.34 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $100,200 | $139,910 | $198,550 | $218,530 | $294,700 | $197,660 | ||||
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 | $52.50 | $77.02 | $103.44 | $149.40 | $177.02 | $112.39 | 44,870 | 4.73 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $109,210 | $160,200 | $215,150 | $310,750 | $368,210 | $233,770 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $31.14 | $44.49 | $63.62 | $95.01 | $137.69 | $75.10 | 37,790 | 6.03 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $64,780 | $92,540 | $132,330 | $197,620 | $286,390 | $156,210 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $36.42 | $48.96 | $69.37 | $98.88 | $135.09 | $77.56 | 26,780 | 6.61 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $75,750 | $101,840 | $144,290 | $205,680 | $280,990 | $161,330 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $38.49 | $52.88 | $76.29 | $101.92 | $138.67 | $81.75 | 25,390 | 5.63 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $80,060 | $110,000 | $158,690 | $212,000 | $288,430 | $170,050 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $37.56 | $55.28 | $82.12 | $124.20 | $161.85 | $93.59 | 17,770 | 7.49 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $78,120 | $114,990 | $170,810 | $258,330 | $336,650 | $194,670 | ||||
Top industries employing sales managers
Automobile Dealers employ 6.1% of sales managers nationally (38,800 jobs) at a median $138,970 a year ($66.81 an hour), followed by Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5.9%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (5.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 38,800 | 6.1% | $138,970 | $66.81 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 37,790 | 5.9% | $180,460 | $86.76 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 37,750 | 5.9% | $168,060 | $80.80 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 28,580 | 4.5% | $137,680 | $66.19 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423400 | 23,360 | 3.7% | $167,270 | $80.42 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (637,080). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $127,490 for sales managers in May 2021 and $148,270 in May 2025, with employment of 453,800 and 637,080.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $127,490 | $61.30 | 453,800 |
| May 2022 | $130,600 | $62.79 | 536,390 |
| May 2023 | $135,160 | $64.98 | 575,880 |
| May 2024 | $138,060 | $66.38 | 603,710 |
| May 2025 | $148,270 | $71.28 | 637,080 |
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
50 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 | New York profile | $104.63 | $217,640 | $107,670 | $378,910 | 38,510 | 3.98 | 0.97 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $91.92 | $191,200 | $100,510 | $321,000 | 15,010 | 4.13 | 1.01 |
| 3 | Virginia profile | $91.89 | $191,130 | $94,710 | $302,900 | 9,670 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $86.95 | $180,850 | $105,270 | $316,830 | 8,780 | 3.05 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $83.65 | $174,000 | $104,000 | $291,620 | 10,030 | 2.83 | 0.69 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $83.18 | $173,020 | $103,580 | $308,630 | 20,090 | 4.69 | 1.14 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $77.94 | $162,110 | $92,530 | $281,490 | 8,560 | 5.05 | 1.23 |
| 8 | Kansas profile | $76.92 | $159,990 | $91,530 | $249,990 | 6,820 | 4.75 | 1.16 |
| 9 | Georgia profile | $76.87 | $159,890 | $79,560 | $292,490 | 17,690 | 3.62 | 0.88 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $76.28 | $158,660 | $66,280 | $213,950 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $74.91 | $155,810 | $86,490 | $274,490 | 5,260 | 2.68 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Illinois profile | $74.65 | $155,280 | $78,760 | $282,890 | 32,240 | 5.29 | 1.29 |
| 13 | Rhode Island profile | $74.50 | $154,970 | $90,910 | $258,950 | 1,120 | 2.23 | 0.54 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | $72.92 | $151,670 | $79,900 | $258,460 | 11,240 | 3.81 | 0.93 |
| 15 | North Carolina profile | $72.34 | $150,470 | $69,350 | $297,760 | 16,920 | 3.43 | 0.84 |
| 16 | Arizona profile | $70.04 | $145,690 | $74,510 | $255,220 | 13,870 | 4.28 | 1.04 |
| 17 | New Hampshire profile | $68.22 | $141,900 | $88,550 | $265,620 | 2,820 | 4.13 | 1.01 |
| 18 | District of Columbia profile | $68.18 | $141,800 | $83,560 | $270,340 | 1,930 | 2.75 | 0.67 |
| 19 | Vermont profile | $66.66 | $138,650 | $87,170 | $261,730 | 930 | 3.05 | 0.74 |
| 20 | Maryland profile | $65.94 | $137,150 | $67,270 | $257,350 | ** | ** | ** |
| 21 | Michigan profile | $65.80 | $136,870 | $69,790 | $230,070 | 17,950 | 4.08 | 1.00 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $65.64 | $136,520 | $72,800 | $253,390 | 8,990 | 5.18 | 1.26 |
| 23 | South Dakota profile | $65.56 | $136,360 | $72,510 | $219,050 | 450 | 0.99 | 0.24 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $65.40 | $136,020 | $68,750 | $268,450 | 76,010 | 5.40 | 1.32 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | $65.15 | $135,510 | $74,190 | $251,110 | 22,840 | 4.12 | 1.00 |
| 26 | Idaho profile | $65.07 | $135,350 | $70,730 | $224,890 | 2,490 | 2.90 | 0.71 |
| 27 | California profile | $64.86 | $134,910 | $64,430 | $300,580 | 112,440 | 6.17 | 1.51 |
| 28 | Wisconsin profile | $64.84 | $134,870 | $76,330 | $222,110 | 10,480 | 3.56 | 0.87 |
| 29 | Iowa profile | $64.43 | $134,010 | $72,130 | $220,770 | 3,260 | 2.09 | 0.51 |
| 30 | Florida profile | $63.41 | $131,900 | $71,650 | $263,160 | 46,480 | 4.68 | 1.14 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $63.21 | $131,470 | $69,570 | $231,350 | 9,700 | 3.03 | 0.74 |
| 32 | South Carolina profile | $63.02 | $131,080 | $62,060 | $223,760 | 9,340 | 4.05 | 0.99 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania profile | $62.79 | $130,610 | $71,500 | $239,470 | 20,460 | 3.37 | 0.82 |
| 34 | Wyoming profile | $62.42 | $129,840 | $67,260 | $209,490 | 300 | 1.06 | 0.26 |
| 35 | Oklahoma profile | $61.98 | $128,920 | $63,070 | $275,440 | 3,250 | 1.90 | 0.46 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $61.85 | $128,650 | $67,690 | $236,990 | 6,650 | 3.32 | 0.81 |
| 37 | Tennessee profile | $61.56 | $128,040 | $67,220 | $231,830 | 12,270 | 3.74 | 0.91 |
| 38 | Nebraska profile | $61.05 | $126,990 | $72,410 | $227,870 | 3,000 | 2.93 | 0.72 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | $59.63 | $124,040 | $66,050 | $218,270 | 4,670 | 2.21 | 0.54 |
| 40 | North Dakota profile | $57.69 | $119,990 | $79,610 | $197,290 | 550 | 1.29 | 0.31 |
| 41 | Montana profile | $56.44 | $117,390 | $81,030 | $205,760 | 1,200 | 2.35 | 0.57 |
| 42 | Hawaii profile | $55.94 | $116,340 | $71,290 | $218,870 | 1,710 | 2.73 | 0.67 |
| 43 | Missouri profile | $55.46 | $115,370 | $60,920 | $223,340 | 7,630 | 2.60 | 0.63 |
| 44 | New Mexico profile | $54.85 | $114,080 | $65,190 | $204,790 | 1,750 | 2.01 | 0.49 |
| 45 | Louisiana profile | $53.22 | $110,700 | $61,040 | $217,600 | 4,360 | 2.25 | 0.55 |
| 46 | Nevada profile | $52.79 | $109,790 | $66,320 | $221,030 | 5,770 | 3.72 | 0.91 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | $52.28 | $108,750 | $58,350 | $217,460 | 1,870 | 1.61 | 0.39 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $52.08 | $108,330 | $53,860 | $245,640 | 3,710 | 2.85 | 0.69 |
| 49 | Alaska profile | $47.53 | $98,860 | $70,370 | $171,700 | 850 | 2.61 | 0.64 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $45.59 | $94,830 | $57,150 | $188,170 | 1,110 | 1.58 | 0.39 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (11-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Management 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 11-2022 Sales Managers.
**- 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 11-2022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 11-2022.00, 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.