Employment of sales engineers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. As a wider range of technologically sophisticated products comes on the market, sales engineers will be in demand to help sell products or services related to these products.
Employment growth is likely to be strong for sales engineers selling computer software and hardware. Strong overall industry growth is expected in computer systems design and related services, which is the top employing industry of sales engineers. This will contribute to employment growth for the occupation. Employment of sales engineers in computer systems design and related services is projected to grow 21 percent from 2014 to 2024.
Growth is also expected to be strong in independent sales agencies (companies that sell on behalf of manufacturers without taking title to the goods being sold). As manufacturing companies outsource their sales staff as a way to control costs, employment in these independent agencies should increase.
Job Prospects
Successful sales engineers must have strong technical knowledge of the products they are selling, in addition to having interpersonal skills and the ability to persuade. Job prospects should be good for candidates with these abilities.
Sales Engineers
Percent change in employment, projected 2014-24
Sales engineers
7%
Total, all occupations
7%
Sales and related occupations
5%
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program