Sales representatives for wholesale and manufacturing sell technical and scientific products to businesses. You'll need a bachelor's degree and strong communication skills. The work is relationship-driven, fast-paced, and rewards people who can explain complex products clearly.
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You sell technical and scientific products to businesses, which means understanding what you're selling and matching it to what your customers need. You spend time establishing relationships with clients, gathering information about their operations and challenges, and presenting solutions. You'll communicate regularly with supervisors, peers, and people outside your organization. You organize your own schedule, prioritize accounts, and handle the administrative side of sales. This role requires knowledge of customer service, sales and marketing, production processes, and basic math to calculate quotes and manage accounts.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products earn a median of $104,920 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is modest. Employment is projected to grow 2 percent from 2024 to 2034, little or no change for all occupations, with about 27,200 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
Most positions require a bachelor's degree, which typically takes four years. Your coursework will likely cover sales, marketing, business administration, and communication. During your studies, look for internships in sales or technical fields to build real-world experience. After graduation, you'll enter the field as a junior sales representative and learn your company's products and customer base on the job. Strong speaking and active listening skills matter more than prior sales experience, so focus on developing those throughout your education.
Your path typically starts with a bachelor's degree, so timing and program choice matter. If you're deciding between schools or trying to map out the next steps, Pathly can map the sales representative, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products path that fits you to build a plan with your counselor.
You do not need a license to work as a sales representative, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're enterprising, persuasive, and energized by closing deals and building client relationships. You enjoy the business side of work and thrive when your success is visible and measurable.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
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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).