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What is a Sales Engineer?
Sales Engineer Job Description Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
Daily Life Of a Sales Engineer
- Document account activities, generate reports, and keep records of business transactions with customers and suppliers.
- Arrange for demonstrations or trial installations of equipment.
- Diagnose problems with installed equipment.
- Keep informed on industry news and trends, products, services, competitors, relevant information about legacy, existing, and emerging technologies, and the latest product-line developments.
- Sell products requiring extensive technical expertise and support for installation and use, such as material handling equipment, numerical-control machinery, or computer systems.
- Provide information needed for the development of custom-made machinery.
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Qualities of a Sales Engineer
When polled, Sales Engineers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Types of Sales Engineer
- Senior Sales Engineer
- Customer Success Manager
- Aerospace Products Sales Engineer
- Nuclear Equipment Sales Engineer
- Account Executive
Job Opportunities for Sales Engineers
There were about 74,900 jobs for Sales Engineer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 5,200 new jobs for Sales Engineer by 2026. There will be an estimated 8,300 positions for Sales Engineer per year.
The states with the most job growth for Sales Engineer are Nevada, Utah, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or New Mexico. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Sales Engineer Make?
Sales Engineers make between $58,430 and $165,350 a year.
Sales Engineers who work in Delaware, Colorado, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Sales Engineers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $87,350 |
Arizona | $110,190 |
Arkansas | $99,820 |
California | $117,170 |
Colorado | $129,560 |
Connecticut | $90,690 |
Delaware | $142,360 |
District of Columbia | $118,600 |
Florida | $112,600 |
Georgia | $100,510 |
Hawaii | $73,050 |
Idaho | $124,300 |
Illinois | $92,100 |
Indiana | $102,320 |
Iowa | $108,600 |
Kansas | $90,410 |
Kentucky | $91,660 |
Louisiana | $90,470 |
Maine | $88,680 |
Maryland | $127,340 |
Massachusetts | $107,590 |
Michigan | $98,550 |
Minnesota | $96,280 |
Mississippi | $90,370 |
Missouri | $91,830 |
Montana | $96,530 |
Nebraska | $84,600 |
Nevada | $126,460 |
New Hampshire | $113,050 |
New Jersey | $104,590 |
New Mexico | $92,130 |
New York | $111,620 |
North Carolina | $95,650 |
North Dakota | $92,590 |
Ohio | $93,940 |
Oklahoma | $101,720 |
Oregon | $106,990 |
Pennsylvania | $97,680 |
Rhode Island | $85,670 |
South Carolina | $110,310 |
South Dakota | $112,570 |
Tennessee | $97,160 |
Texas | $111,910 |
Utah | $124,860 |
Virginia | $139,620 |
Washington | $120,940 |
West Virginia | $86,360 |
Wisconsin | $99,630 |
What Tools do Sales Engineers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Sales Engineers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- JavaScript
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Python
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Linux
- Extensible markup language XML
- Microsoft SQL Server
- UNIX
- PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
- Oracle PeopleSoft
How to Become a Sales Engineer
Are there Sales Engineers education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Sales Engineer?
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Sales Engineer may also be interested in:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.