Sales Engineers
SOC code 41-9031 · O*NET-SOC 41-9031.00 · Considerable preparation needed · Sales
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Sales Engineers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$124,900
a year
Hourly
$60.05
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$130,140
$62.57 per hour
Middle 50%
$92,890 – $161,230
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$73,870 – $195,270
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
51,790
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $73,870
- $35.52/hr
- 25th percentile
- $92,890
- $44.66/hr
- Median percentile
- $124,900
- $60.05/hr
- 75th percentile
- $161,230
- $77.52/hr
- 90th percentile
- $195,270
- $93.88/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+5%
Growing faster than average
56,800
jobs in 2024
59,900
projected for 2034
About 3,100 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What does a sales engineer do?
Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Sell products requiring extensive technical expertise and support for installation and use, such as material handling equipment, numerical-control machinery, or computer systems.
- Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions.
- Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
- Create sales or service contracts for products or services.
- Visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other establishments to show samples or catalogs, and to inform them about product pricing, availability, and advantages.
- Keep informed on industry news and trends, products, services, competitors, relevant information about legacy, existing, and emerging technologies, and the latest product-line developments.
- Identify resale opportunities and support them to achieve sales plans.
- Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
How to become a sales engineer
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 57% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree57%
- Master's Degree25%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree12%
- Some College Courses6%
Common questions
How much does a sales engineer earn?
The national median is $124,900 a year. The full range runs from $73,870 at the 10th percentile to $195,270 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a sales engineer without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is sales engineer in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 5% between 2024 and 2034 — growing faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Writing3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.5/5
- Sales and Marketing4.3/5
- Engineering and Technology4.3/5
- English Language4.3/5
- Mathematics3.8/5
- Administration and Management3.7/5
- Design3.4/5
- Administrative3.2/5
Transferable strengths: Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Negotiation, Complex Problem Solving.