Salary guide, May 2025
Inside Sales Engineer pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Sales Engineers in the United States was $124,900 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $92,890 and $161,230.
Broader occupation · SOC 41-9031 Sales Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $73,870 | $92,890 | $124,900 | $161,230 | $195,270 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.52 | $44.66 | $60.05 | $77.52 | $93.88 |
BLS estimated 51,790 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 41-9031 Sales Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $128,670 | $106,630 to $155,850 | 510 | 0.54 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $123,350 | $80,210 to $160,570 | 450 | 0.92 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $97,920 | $73,490 to $138,100 | 340 | 0.72 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $129,520 | $97,400 to $193,100 | 570 | 2.29 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $147,570 | $120,730 to $172,340 | 3,440 | 1.09 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $147,570 | $120,730 to $172,340 | 3,440 | 1.09 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $133,280 | $101,080 to $166,070 | 2,690 | 1.99 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $104,070 | $91,250 to $136,550 | 790 | 0.52 |
Rank every metro for Inside Sales Engineer
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing$168,500
- Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing$137,990
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$135,000
- Communications Equipment Manufacturing$131,840
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$128,980
- Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing$128,680
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$117,940
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$117,940
- Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing$115,950
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$112,680
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing$109,210
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$107,860
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$104,940
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing$103,590
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$103,530
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 10,860 | $83,120 | $103,140 | $134,440 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 3,480 | $97,640 | $128,980 | $166,870 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 3,140 | $79,660 | $96,510 | $117,580 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 2,150 | $79,430 | $94,180 | $116,970 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 1,560 | $81,450 | $107,860 | $139,410 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 1,470 | $80,020 | $97,570 | $115,000 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 980 | $87,930 | $103,590 | $131,960 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 890 | $99,550 | $135,000 | $174,280 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 670 | $82,950 | $102,240 | $124,330 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 670 | $82,910 | $103,530 | $134,580 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 620 | $137,480 | $168,500 | $215,470 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 590 | $75,320 | $96,770 | $105,230 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 560 | $84,070 | $101,670 | $126,660 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 450 | $79,460 | $97,380 | $112,590 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 400 | $103,000 | $131,840 | $151,950 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 390 | $92,680 | $115,950 | $137,650 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 370 | $82,900 | $102,200 | $129,640 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 310 | $84,110 | $102,340 | $132,150 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 290 | $85,250 | $101,610 | $133,640 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 290 | $79,220 | $92,830 | $103,510 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 260 | $81,580 | $109,210 | $135,470 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 210 | $89,340 | $104,940 | $146,340 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 210 | $80,760 | $101,090 | $119,280 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 200 | $93,710 | $112,680 | $155,730 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 190 | $83,910 | $100,560 | $119,780 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 190 | $81,850 | $95,670 | $107,760 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 180 | $72,530 | $95,850 | $112,540 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 160 | $81,330 | $93,860 | $106,860 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 150 | $86,780 | $101,010 | $119,360 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 150 | $97,710 | $128,680 | $137,120 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 100 | $91,310 | $117,940 | $132,870 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 100 | $91,310 | $117,940 | $132,870 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 100 | $71,460 | $84,500 | $95,440 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 80 | $78,240 | $87,170 | $108,620 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 70 | $66,150 | $80,020 | $102,710 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 50 | $79,090 | $94,850 | $114,310 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 40 | $83,710 | $98,100 | $132,400 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 40 | $102,370 | $137,990 | $161,960 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 30 | $85,420 | $103,490 | $163,220 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Inside Sales Engineer, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $90,690 | $121,520 | $159,200 |
| May 2025 | $92,890 | $124,900 | $161,230 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about an interview based on the work?
Build the interview around technical quoting and customer support without a field territory. Those limits help establish technical inside sales rather than order entry alone; they are part of competence, not a weakness to talk around.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Inside Sales Engineer?
The median annual wage for Sales Engineers in the United States was $124,900 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $92,890 and $161,230. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $73,870. 90% earned less than $195,270.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Inside Sales Engineer at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 51,790 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
VP of Sales (Industrial) pay Regional Sales Manager / Technical Sales Manager pay Sales Engineer pay Applications Engineer pay Field Service Engineer pay Inside Sales Engineer pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Inside Sales Engineer recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
The national median for Sales Engineers is $124,900 as of May 2025. This occupation includes inside sales engineers who provide technical support for product quoting and sizing. The current median is $3,380 higher than the $121,520 median reported in May 2024.
The occupation features a $68,340 middle band width, derived from the distribution of annual salaries across all sales engineering sectors.
Sector-specific national medians provide critical context: $168,500 for Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing, $137,990 for Iron and Steel Mills, and $135,000 for Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing. These industry rows showcase how technical engineering sales roles are compensated at the national level. BLS data omits variable pay components such as performance bonuses, commissions, and profit-sharing. The primary limitation of this data is the lack of granularity between field sales engineers and inside, desk-based sales engineering roles.
Comparison metros show the regional influence on pay. New York-Newark-Jersey City reports a $147,570 median and a $51,610 middle band width, while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington features a $133,280 median and a $64,990 middle band width. The location quotient confirms high demand for these engineers in major manufacturing regions. Manufacturing Headhunters notes that these broader occupational medians likely skew high compared to strictly inside-sales-based roles. As such, these figures should be used as broad market benchmarks for technical sales engineering talent in the manufacturing industry.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How do I distinguish between field and inside sales engineers in this data?
The BLS classification does not separate these two roles. Consequently, the provided median represents a blended rate of all sales engineering disciplines.
What is the implication of the median change?
The $3,380 increase reflects the arithmetic year-over-year change in the BLS national report. It is a general marker for salary movement in this occupation category.
Why are the median values for certain industries higher than the occupational average?
Higher industry medians usually stem from the complexity of the products involved. Industries requiring advanced technical knowledge, such as semiconductor manufacturing, naturally command higher wages for sales engineering staff.
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