A sales manager leads and motivates a team to meet revenue goals and build customer relationships. You'll need a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience. The role is demanding, rewarding, and open to people with strong people skills and business sense.
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Sales managers oversee teams of sales professionals and drive revenue for their organizations. You'll set sales targets, coach your team on techniques and product knowledge, and handle customer relationships yourself on key accounts. Your day involves selling or influencing others, making decisions about strategy and staffing, and communicating with supervisors and your team. You'll also monitor performance metrics, solve problems when deals stall, and build a culture where your team can succeed. The work requires knowledge of sales and marketing, customer service, management, and human resources.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Sales Managers earn a median of $148,270 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 49,000 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
Most sales manager roles require a bachelor's degree and several years of sales experience first. Start in an entry-level sales position to learn your industry, products, and customers. As you advance, develop leadership skills by mentoring newer salespeople and taking on larger accounts. Many companies promote high-performing salespeople into management roles. You'll need strong active listening, speaking, and critical thinking skills. Employers also value your ability to read comprehension, write clearly, and keep learning as markets change.
Many people move into sales management after succeeding in individual sales roles, while others combine a bachelor's degree with early sales experience. The path depends on your industry and employer, so if you're exploring what comes next, Pathly can map the sales manager path that fits you and work through it with your counselor to find the right sequence for you.
You do not need a license to work as a sales manager, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're enterprising, driven to influence others and build teams. You enjoy solving business problems, leading people, and working toward measurable goals in a competitive environment.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).