Jetted FoxCareers · Sales & real estate
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing
Sell products from manufacturers and distributors to stores, contractors, restaurants and other businesses. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $18.55/hr in Arkansas to $30.55/hr in Massachusetts.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18.31–23.12/hr | $30.84/hr |
| Alaska | $20–23.83/hr | $27.32/hr |
| Arizona | $18.88–24.35/hr | $34.80/hr |
| Arkansas | $14.25–18.55/hr | $26.50/hr |
| California | $20.77–27.15/hr | $36.78/hr |
| Colorado | $22.90–28.67/hr | $38.10/hr |
| Connecticut | $22.28–26.39/hr | $36.33/hr |
| Delaware | $20.88–23.39/hr | $29.94/hr |
| Florida | $17.68–22.51/hr | $30.04/hr |
| Georgia | $17.22–23.19/hr | $30.70/hr |
| Hawaii | $18.13–22.99/hr | $28.37/hr |
| Idaho | $17.49–23.16/hr | $31.18/hr |
| Illinois | $21.22–26.96/hr | $35.34/hr |
| Indiana | $18.18–23.98/hr | $34.29/hr |
| Iowa | $19.21–24.32/hr | $32.09/hr |
| Kansas | $19.23–23.94/hr | $33.15/hr |
| Kentucky | $17.32–22.79/hr | $30.90/hr |
| Louisiana | $16.53–21.72/hr | $30.43/hr |
| Maine | $20.53–24.30/hr | $30.75/hr |
| Maryland | $21.24–26.50/hr | $35.14/hr |
| Massachusetts | $23.05–30.55/hr | $38.37/hr |
| Michigan | $19.11–24.55/hr | $35.09/hr |
| Minnesota | $22.44–28.60/hr | $36.90/hr |
| Mississippi | $14.87–20.07/hr | $28.52/hr |
| Missouri | $16.88–22.82/hr | $29.78/hr |
| Montana | $18.78–22.65/hr | $29.65/hr |
| Nebraska | $19.63–24.28/hr | $30.78/hr |
| Nevada | $17.55–23.34/hr | $32.76/hr |
| New Hampshire | $20.43–24.37/hr | $35/hr |
| New Jersey | $23.03–28.82/hr | $38.18/hr |
| New Mexico | $17.79–21.85/hr | $29.48/hr |
| New York | $22.63–28.78/hr | $38.27/hr |
| North Carolina | $18.36–23.44/hr | $34.13/hr |
| North Dakota | $21.66–27.67/hr | $35.70/hr |
| Ohio | $19.16–24.87/hr | $35.56/hr |
| Oklahoma | $14.06–20.53/hr | $29.89/hr |
| Oregon | $21.81–26.59/hr | $35.66/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $18.74–23.82/hr | $31.79/hr |
| Rhode Island | $21.42–28.34/hr | $39.63/hr |
| South Carolina | $17.43–23.18/hr | $30.89/hr |
| South Dakota | $23.59–29.36/hr | $37.12/hr |
| Tennessee | $16.51–22.59/hr | $29.63/hr |
| Texas | $17.49–22.99/hr | $31.72/hr |
| Utah | $17.20–23.05/hr | $29.80/hr |
| Vermont | $24.34–28.37/hr | $36.94/hr |
| Virginia | $18.17–23.54/hr | $30.48/hr |
| Washington | $24.65–30.22/hr | $38.38/hr |
| Washington, DC | $22.36–29.03/hr | $38.47/hr |
| West Virginia | $17.77–22.03/hr | $30.56/hr |
| Wisconsin | $18.78–24.80/hr | $31.70/hr |
| Wyoming | $21.53–24.68/hr | $34.87/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You drive a territory or work a call list, visiting store buyers, contractors, restaurants and shop owners. You take orders, show new products, check stock on shelves, fix delivery problems and quote prices. Evenings often include entering orders and planning tomorrow's route.
The good parts
Strong pay without a degree once you have accounts. Regular customers make sales easier over time. You plan your own day on the road.
The hard parts
Hours in the car and some overnight trips across a territory. Commission and targets mean uneven pay. Losing one big account cuts your income fast.
Where it leads
Sales team supervisor (after 2–5 years of hitting targets). senior territory rep, key account manager, regional sales manager or independent manufacturer's rep within 5-10 years.
Quick answers
Do sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing?
6–12 months of paid training at work.
How much do sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing make?
About $18.79–24.27 an hour to start and $34.65 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Similar careers
Insurance sales agents · Sales representatives of services
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.