Sales manager is a high-paying job role that brings together excellence in sales and great leadership and organizational skills. While there are several sales jobs you could get with no college education or only an associate\u2019s-level degree, sales manager generally is not one of them. The majority of sales managers have at least a bachelor’s degree, but some earn a graduate degree. In addition to your degree, you will need at least one to five years of work experience in a sales occupation before you are ready to become a sales manager.<\/p>\n
While sales representatives have one main goal \u2013 to sell their organization\u2019s products or services \u2013 sales managers have many more responsibilities behind the scenes of the sales floor. They determine the direction of the company\u2019s sales efforts, including the use of marketing and direct sales strategies and the development of any promotions, sales or discounts that drive sales.<\/p>\n
Sales managers set performance goals based on their careful analyses of past sales data, projected market data and the profitability of products or services. It\u2019s important for sales managers to establish realistic goals and to work with their team to develop strategies for reaching those goals. As a supervisory role, sales manager involves hiring, training and evaluating the performance of sales representatives.<\/p>\n
Sales manager is a lucrative job, with a median salary of $124,220, according to the <\/strong>United States Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/strong><\/a> (BLS). Sales managers working in the finance and insurance industry earn the most, with a median wage of $153,940. <\/strong><\/p>\n It is possible to become a sales manager with only a high school education, but your chance of advancing into this competitive role without going to college is small. About 65 percent of sales managers<\/a> report having a bachelor\u2019s degree, while 13 percent have an associate\u2019s degree. A bachelor\u2019s degree is your best option to prepare for this career path.<\/p>\n While you don\u2019t necessarily need a specific college major to become a sales manager, a degree in a business discipline is often recommended. Students who aspire to this occupation should take classes in subjects like management, marketing, finance, accounting, business law, economics, math and statistics, according to the BLS. Any program of study in business is likely to incorporate this coursework into its core business curriculum.<\/p>\n A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in marketing<\/a> is a particularly popular choice for sales managers. Marketing programs, which cover the full activities and processes involved in promoting a product, service or brand, often include coursework that is beneficial to workers in sales. Marketing majors<\/a> often take classes in consumer and buyer behavior, marketing research, marketing management, customer data analytics, direct marketing, digital marketing, professional selling and even sales management. Management is another strong degree option. In a bachelor\u2019s degree program in business management<\/a>, students take classes in the principles of management, human resources management, organizational behavior and strategic business management.<\/p>\n RELATED: The 20 Best Online Marketing Degrees (Bachelor’s)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n While many BBA programs encourage students to choose a specialization or concentration, it\u2019s also possible to choose a general business concentration. Students majoring in general business take upper-level classes in a breadth of business disciplines. <\/strong><\/p>\n For many management roles, a graduate degree is beneficial, even if it\u2019s not required. Sales managers who hold go to graduate school often choose a traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) program or a specialized Master of Science in Management program.<\/p>\n The MBA degree is the graduate version of the BBA degree and includes studies in various aspects of the business field, along with specialization courses. An MBA program with a concentration in business development and sales management<\/a> is an excellent option that helps students learn advanced sales techniques, strategic planning and development for sales goals and marketing and sales analysis. Management program options might include a Master of Science in Leadership<\/a> program. Students in a graduate leadership program might take classes in ethical leadership, global leadership, leadership communication, and the development of organizational leadership as well as their own leadership capability.<\/p>\n Graduate school doesn\u2019t always mean a master\u2019s degree. Nine percent of sales managers report having a post-baccalaureate certificate. <\/strong>Graduate certificates in sales management<\/strong><\/a> may require as few as four courses, allowing them to be completed quickly. <\/strong><\/p>\n Additional Resources <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Do I Need a Graduate Degree to Become a Manager?<\/a><\/p>\n What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs in Business Management?<\/a><\/p>\nBachelor\u2019s Degree Options for Sales Managers<\/h2>\n
Graduate Degrees for Aspiring Sales Managers<\/h2>\n