Outside Sales Representative Salary: Your 2024 Guide

An outside sales representative is a sales professional who works “outside.” This means they travel and sell by physically visiting external customers or potential customers. In this role, you’ll spend time out of the office and on the road, meeting clients and pitching products and services. You'll need excellent interpersonal skills for this role because you'll spend so much time face-to-face with customers.

Learn more about the role of an outside sales rep and the factors that affect the salary you can expect to take home. Explore the high-paying states and companies and learn about the related job titles you can apply for. 

Read more: Inside Sales vs. Outside Sales: How Are They Different?

What is an outside sales representative?

Outside sales representatives work in the field, traveling to meet clients to sell products and services. You might sell to businesses (B2B) or to individual customers (B2C). The role involves a great deal of face-to-face communication and relationship building, as well as the skills to close deals and the stamina to travel from place to place to meet different people. 

Some of your other responsibilities might include: 

• Maintaining sales records 

• Teaching potential customers about the benefits of your services or products 

• Negotiating contract terms 

• Staying on top of market trends and monitoring your competition 

• Collaborating with marketing to help build the company's brand 

• Setting monthly goals and quotas 

• Attending professional conferences and conventions 

How much does an outside sales representative make?

According to various job posting websites, the average annual base salary for an outside sales representative in the US is between $55,927 and $110,120. The salary ranges from four websites are as follows [1,2,3,4]:

According to Glassdoor, the total annual pay is significantly higher when you account for bonuses and commissions. With this in mind, your salary can rise as high as an average of $180,491 [2].

Factors that impact outside sales representative salary

You’ll discover a number of factors that impact an outside sales representative salary. Explore each of these factors in more detail.

Education

In general, having a high school diploma may be sufficient to work as a sales rep. However, employers increasingly seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject such as marketing, business, or communications. According to Zippia, 67 percent of outside sales representatives hold a bachelor’s degree [5]. 

Your qualifications have a direct impact on your earnings. According to Zippia, a bachelor’s degree commands higher salaries than a high school diploma, and salaries rise further if you have a relevant master’s degree. Here is a breakdown of average salaries depending on education level [5]:

• High school diploma: $51,798

• Bachelor’s degree: $67,057

• Master’s degree: $74,239

Certification and Professional Certificates

Certification and Professional Certificates are another way of developing and documenting your skills and knowledge to leverage for a higher salary. Gaining a credential in sales may help you move from outside sales representative to other sales roles, including those with leadership responsibility, such as sales manager.

Some examples of certificates that you can add to your resume to maximize your salary include:

• Certified Professional Sales Consultant (CPSC)

• SIOR Sales Management Specialist

• Certified Professional Sales Leader

Read more: Sales Representative Career Guide

Experience

As is typical with many professions, the more experience you gain, the more you can earn. According to Zippia, working up to a senior level gives you a significantly larger income than an entry-level role [6]:

• Entry-level: $48,300

• Mid-level: $62,300

• Senior-level: $99,500 

Promotions can help you earn a higher salary. These career advancements typically require building experience and demonstrating your sales skills.

Skills

Skills play a big part in gaining a promotion. You’ll learn many workplace and technical skills that you must master to command the highest salaries as an outside sales rep. The better you are at mastering the essential skills of an outside sales representative, the more commissions you will likely earn. Some vital skills to work on include:

Workplace:

• Communication

• Customer service

• Organization

• Physical stamina

• Negotiation

• Adaptability

• Time management 

• Relationship building

Technical:

• Cold calling

• Product knowledge

• Lead generation 

• Customer relationship management software

• Sales techniques

Location

Where you work can affect your salary as an outside sales rep. Certain cities and states pay higher than others. According to Zippia, the current top five highest-paying locations, with their average annual income, include [6]:

1. Minneapolis: $68,832

2. Boston: $67,503

3. Hartford: $66,463

4. New York: $66,437

5. Seattle: $66,364 

Zippia also reports on the highest-paying states (average annual salary) if you’re an outside sales rep [6]:

1. New Jersey: $69,256

2. Minnesota: $68,770

3. North Dakota: $67,722

4. Massachusetts: $67,477

5. Connecticut: $66,453

Industry

Working as an outside sales rep opens up many opportunities, as the role spans several industries. This means you can match the position to your skills and interests, and you can research the industries offering the best salary. 

According to Zippia, the highest-paying industries that outside sales representatives work in, with the average annual salary, are as follows [6]:

1. Manufacturing: $62,233

2. Automotive: $62,120

3. Professional: $60,545

4. Construction: $59,304

5. Retail: $55,498

Working as an outside sales rep extends beyond these fields. You’ll also find jobs available in sectors such as health care, technology, and pharmaceuticals. 

Read more: What Is a Good Salary?

Company

Companies pay different salaries depending on their industry, size, stature, and commission structure. Earnings can vary considerably, so make sure you do your research on various companies to find out whether they pay what you expect. 

Highest-paying companies for outside sales representative

The company where you work can impact how much you earn as well. According to Glassdoor, some of the highest-paying companies for outside sales representatives in the United States are as follows [2]:

1. Trinity Solar: $190,005

2. Abbvie: $188,384

3. Fox Pest Control: $175,879

4. ADInstruments: $163,300

5. ADT Solar: $161,233

Related job titles

Working as an outside sales rep means you gain valuable transferable skills that you can use in other sales roles. You’ll find several related jobs that you may consider, including

• Inside sales representative: $49,765 

• Sales manager: $83,076 

• Regional sales representative: $93,050 

• Account manager: $$67,006 

• Retail sales specialist: $60,886

• Sales director: $133,353 

• Territory sales manager: $70,812 

• Business development manager: $98,978  

Read more: What Is Sales Management: Definition, Scope, Objectives, Careers

*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of September 2024 and does not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.

Next steps

Outside sales representatives spend much of their time traveling to meetings with clients and taking part in face-to-face interactions. With the right skills and experience, this exciting career choice can lead to a competitive salary. 

Are you ready for a career as an outside sales representative? If so, consider taking an online course to hone your sales skills and enhance your resume, such as Sales Training: Building Your Sales Career, delivered by HubSpot Academy on Coursera. Alternatively, you can find Professional Certificates on Coursera, such as the Salesforce Sales Development Representative Professional Certificate. Upon completing either program, gain a shareable certificate to include in your resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile.