Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$73,170
- 25th Percentile — Junior$100,360
- 50th Percentile — Median$148,270
- 75th Percentile — Senior$207,340
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$290,540
The top 10% of Sales Managers earn $290,540 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $73,170, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $239,740 | +45.9% |
| Massachusetts | $201,180 | +22.4% |
| Colorado | $200,720 | +22.1% |
| Virginia | $195,390 | +18.9% |
| New Jersey | $190,770 | +16.1% |
| Washington | $187,460 | +14.1% |
| Connecticut | $175,420 | +6.7% |
| Delaware (est.) | $172,568 | +5.0% |
| Oregon | $170,570 | +3.8% |
| Georgia | $170,360 | +3.7% |
| Kansas | $168,320 | +2.4% |
| North Carolina | $168,100 | +2.3% |
| Illinois | $167,030 | +1.6% |
| New Hampshire | $162,680 | -1.0% |
| Rhode Island | $162,160 | -1.3% |
| District of Columbia | $162,050 | -1.4% |
| Minnesota | $160,560 | -2.3% |
| California | $160,260 | -2.5% |
| Arizona | $158,700 | -3.4% |
| Vermont | $156,180 | -5.0% |
| Texas | $154,120 | -6.2% |
| Utah | $152,820 | -7.0% |
| Maryland | $152,450 | -7.2% |
| Ohio | $152,010 | -7.5% |
| Michigan | $151,230 | -8.0% |
| Oklahoma | $150,650 | -8.3% |
| Florida | $150,120 | -8.7% |
| Wisconsin | $149,600 | -9.0% |
| Indiana | $148,420 | -9.7% |
| Kentucky | $147,860 | -10.0% |
| Iowa | $147,720 | -10.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $147,200 | -10.4% |
| Maine | $146,900 | -10.6% |
| Idaho | $146,270 | -11.0% |
| Tennessee | $144,040 | -12.4% |
| South Carolina | $143,660 | -12.6% |
| Nebraska | $141,810 | -13.7% |
| South Dakota | $141,590 | -13.8% |
| Nevada | $139,420 | -15.2% |
| Wyoming | $137,630 | -16.3% |
| Alabama | $136,400 | -17.0% |
| Arkansas | $135,820 | -17.4% |
| Montana | $133,700 | -18.6% |
| Missouri | $133,530 | -18.8% |
| Hawaii | $133,140 | -19.0% |
| Louisiana | $131,110 | -20.2% |
| Mississippi | $129,830 | -21.0% |
| North Dakota | $128,800 | -21.6% |
| New Mexico | $127,850 | -22.2% |
| Alaska | $113,120 | -31.2% |
| West Virginia | $111,170 | -32.4% |
What Factors Affect Sales Managers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Sales Managers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: New York pays an average of $239,740, while West Virginia pays $111,170 — a gap of $128,570 per year.
Experience plays a major role in compensation. Entry-level Sales Managers typically earn $73,170–$100,360 per year, while senior professionals with 10+ years of experience can command $207,340–$290,540 annually. Specialization and advanced certifications can further boost earning potential.
Employer size also matters. Large corporations and government agencies tend to offer more competitive packages including benefits, retirement plans, and bonuses. The Sales Managers role currently has very high demand in the job market with a 3.5% growth rate, making it one of the steadily growing careers in the Management sector.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- General and Operations Managers $134,940/yr United States 17.9% vs this role
- Computer and Information Systems Managers $192,160/yr United States +16.9% vs this role
- Financial Managers $186,910/yr United States +13.7% vs this role
- Marketing Managers $177,770/yr United States +8.2% vs this role
- Construction Managers $124,360/yr United States 24.3% vs this role
- Architectural and Engineering Managers $181,540/yr United States +10.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 38.3% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States 16.5% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Sales Managers?
The average salary for Sales Managers in the United States is $164,350 per year, with a median of $148,270.
What is the starting salary for Sales Managers?
Entry-level Sales Managers typically earn between $73,170 and $100,360 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Sales Managers the most?
New York pays Sales Managers the most at $239,740 per year on average, followed by Massachusetts ($201,180) and Colorado ($200,720).
How much do Sales Managers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $164,350, Sales Managers earn approximately $79.01 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Sales Managers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 637,080 Sales Managers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $164,350 and a median of $148,270 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data