Sales Engineers

Sales engineers sell business products or services, such as software or support, that require technical expertise.

Duties

Sales engineers typically do the following:

• Prepare and deliver presentations explaining technical products to existing and prospective customers
• Talk with customers, the sales team, and engineers to determine product needs and system requirements
• Provide customers with product sales support
• Work with sales teams to secure and renew orders
• Arrange for installation of products and delivery of services
• Plan and modify products or services to meet customer needs
• Provide support to help customers troubleshoot problems
• Recommend improved products or services to customers, showing how changes will lower costs or increase production

Sales engineers use their technical skills to explain scientific and technological products to potential customers. Many of their duties are similar to those of other salespersons. They must interest the customer in buying their products, such as by giving a presentation to explain the technical aspects of a product and how it will solve a specific customer problem. They then negotiate a price and complete the sale.

Sales engineers also use their expertise to provide technical support or other services to customers. They may offer services as part of the product purchase or as a separate benefit. For example, sales engineers may offer technical support on the use, operation, or maintenance of equipment.

Some sales engineers team with other salespersons, including wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, who focus on marketing and selling a product. This approach lets sales engineer concentrate on the technical aspects of the product as needed, such as for tailoring equipment to a customer’s needs.

Sales engineers may have other tasks related to sales, such as market research. They also may ask for technical requirements from customers and modify products or services to meet those needs. Some sales engineers work with research and development (R&D) departments to help identify and develop new products.

Sales engineers held about 56,800 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of sales engineers were as follows:

Sales engineers typically work in an office setting. Some sales engineers travel extensively, which may require being away from home for several days each month.

Sales engineers’ work may be stressful because their income and job security often depend on their success in sales and customer service.

Work Schedules

Most sales engineers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.

To enter the occupation, sales engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field. Sales engineers combine technical knowledge of the products or services they are selling with strong interpersonal skills.

The median annual wage for sales engineers was $121,520 in May 2024.

Employment of sales engineers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 5,000 openings for sales engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.