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.
Life As a Sales Engineer: What Do They Do?
- Provide technical and non-technical support and services to clients or other staff members regarding the use, operation, and maintenance of equipment.
- Attend trade shows and seminars to promote products or to learn about industry developments.
- Train team members in the customer applications of technologies.
- Maintain sales forecasting reports.
- Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
- Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
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Skills Needed to be a Sales Engineer
Sales Engineers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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
- Mechanical Equipment Sales Engineer
- Inside Sales Engineer
- Customer Success Manager
- Inside Sales Representative
- Sales Specialist
Sales Engineer Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 74,900 jobs in the United States for Sales Engineer. 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.
Salary for a Sales Engineer
The typical yearly salary for Sales Engineers is somewhere between $58,430 and $165,350.

Sales Engineers who work in Delaware, Colorado, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Sales Engineers make in each U.S. state?
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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Sales Engineers
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
What kind of Sales Engineer requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Sales Engineer?

Where do Sales Engineers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Sales Engineers employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Those interested in being a Sales Engineer may also be interested in:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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