Explore how a sales operations manager salary varies according to details like location, past experience, and the industry you work in. Use these details to help guide your job search and career goals.
Sales operations managers streamline and improve sales processes to increase the sales team's success. In addition to managing operations and ensuring effective sales processes, they will likely have a supervisory role, overseeing sales operations specialists and other sales team members.
Demand for people with the skills and background necessary for this position remains steady. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), sales management roles have an expected growth rate of 6 percent, which is faster than the average across all jobs [1]. Exploring the average salary and how to maximize your earning potential can be helpful if you’re considering this role as part of your career path.
Sales operation managers provide vital support to the sales team with enhanced strategy and streamlined, data-driven processes. Sales operations roles are generally part of more extensive operations in growing businesses, requiring robust sales and tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs). Companies at this level need strategies to navigate the complexities of sales processes and how various departments and teams contribute to them. Sales representatives need to focus on selling. So, the operations team ensures that processes are efficient and productive and that the business ultimately reaches its goals.
A sales operations manager’s tasks and responsibilities often include taking point in much of the hiring and training of the sales team and implementing effective sales processes. Still, duties often vary according to industry and whether the role is mid- or senior-level. However, some typical tasks include:
Streamlining sales processes
Designing compensation systems
Analyzing data to set goals
Using data to identify trends
Communicating goals with the team and stakeholders
Managing CRM
Completing sales forecasts
Tracking KPIs
Using automation tools to increase sales and efficiency
Recruiting and training sales professionals
The BLS reports a median total annual salary of $135,160 for all types of sales managers in the US [1]. According to leading job listing websites, sales operations managers' average salary ranges from more than $85,000 to just over $100,000. The annual average base wage figures are in the table below [2,3,4,5]:
Zippia | Glassdoor | Payscale | Zip Recruiter |
---|---|---|---|
$103,113 | $92,577 | $90,084 | $99,349 |
*All salary data as of January 2025
However, the exact level of salary you can expect depends on many factors, including your skills, education and experience, location, and industry.
Many considerations affect the salary you receive as a sales operations manager, including your education and experience level. Other significant factors in determining your earnings include the industry you choose and where you live and work. Learn more about these below in more detail.
You generally need a bachelor's degree to work as a sales operations manager. Roughly 70 percent of sales operations managers hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and 9 percent have a master’s degree [6]. Typical majors include business, finance, and management. Average annual salaries according to degree level are below [7]:
Associate degree: $96,857
Bachelor’s degree: $114,544
Master’s degree: $132,340
Sales operations managers typically have experience in sales or operations before starting a career as a sales operations manager, and even more so for senior positions. It’s also common to receive on-the-job training.
Once qualified, you can expect a salary increase in line with your experience. Zippia lists the average annual salary for different experience levels as follows [2]:
Entry-level: $42,471
Mid-level: $58,988
Senior-level: $118,933
Along with experience comes skills. You develop your skills as you study and gain professional experience, and these skills can also affect your salary. Specific skills may command higher salaries. Review a few examples and the associated average annual income of each skill [4]:
Operations management: $86,309
Process improvement: $89,831
Data analysis: $92,073
Salesforce: $93,062
Your education, skills, and experience are only a few details that help you command the highest salaries. Your physical location also has an impact. Some areas, cities, and states pay higher rates than others.
According to Zippia, the top five highest-paying cities and the annual average salary are as follows [2]:
San Francisco, CA: $165,362
Seattle, WA: $140,516
New York, NY: $136,650
Washington, DC: $128,499
Boston, MA: $118,059
Read more: What Is a Good Salary?
Sales operations professionals work in a range of industries, from construction to technology to retail. The highest-paying industries and their associated average annual salaries are as follows [2]:
Technology: $115,157
Professional: $96,991
Manufacturing: $86,987
Telecommunications: $81,618
Retail: $81,391
A sales operations manager generally starts in an entry-level job, such as a sales representative, moves up to a leadership role, such as a sales manager, and then advances again to a sales operations manager.
Although they may sound similar, a sales operations manager and a sales manager are not the same role. A sales operations manager improves processes and systems to make the sales team's efforts more efficient. In contrast, a sales manager increases sales by acquiring new customers, setting sales targets, and supporting the sales team in doing their job.
According to Glassdoor, the annual base US salary for a sales manager is $85,159 [8]. This figure is less than a sales operation manager's average US salary of $92,577 [3].
A director of sales operations is another similar role to a sales operations manager. This position is a step up from a sales operations manager, and it involves managing the whole sales operations department, including the sales operations manager.
According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a director of sales operations in the US is $117,969, significantly higher than that of a sales operation manager [9]. This higher earnings level reflects the increase in responsibility.
Having the skills, experience, and qualifications to work as a sales operations manager puts you in an excellent position to apply for similar roles. Below, you’ll find a list of similar jobs and their average annual salary:
Sales executive: $111,187
Sales operations specialist: $65,576
Vice president of sales: $170,433
Sales development representative: $51,389
Sales operations analyst: $79,974
Account manager: $67,625
Sales director: $135,585
Sales manager: $85,159
*All salary data reflects Glassdoor's average annual base pay as of January 2025; it does not include additional income like bonuses or commissions.
Factors like education, location, experience, and industry all affect a sales operations manager's salary. Building in-demand skills, gaining experience, and obtaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree are ways to increase your earning potential.
Continue learning about sales operations and prepare for a career as a sales operations manager with a Professional Certificate like the Salesforce Sales Operations Professional Certificate from Salesforce. It allows you to develop skills like tracking, analyzing, and communicating sales data to improve operations and is available on Coursera. To boost your sales ops management skills, check out the Sales Operations/Management Specialization from West Virginia University, also found on Coursera.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Sales Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Zippia. “Sales Operations Manager Salary, https://www.zippia.com/sales-and-operations-manager-jobs/salary/.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Glassdoor. “ Sales Operations Manager Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/sales-operations-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,24.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Payscale. “Average Sales Operations Manager Salary, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Sales_Operations_Manager/Salary.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
ZipRecruiter. “Salary: Sales Operations Manager, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Sales-Operations-Manager-Salary.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Zippia. “How to Become a Sales Operations Manager, https://www.zippia.com/sales-and-operations-manager-jobs/how-to-become-a-sales-and-operations-manager/.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Zippia. “Best Colleges and Majors for Sales and Operations Managers, https://www.zippia.com/sales-and-operations-manager-jobs/education/?src=chatbot_popout_displayed.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Glassdoor. “Sales Manager Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/sales-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
Glassdoor. “Sales Operations Director Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/sales-operations-director-salary-SRCH_KO0,25.htm.” Accessed December 19, 2024.
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