Sales Manager
Also known as: Sales Director, Account Executive, VP of Sales, Business Development Manager
Lead and motivate sales teams, set revenue targets, build client relationships, and develop strategies to drive business growth.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for sales managers.
About 1 in 33 reaches this level
Of ~469K sales managers (BLS), fewer than 15,000 hold CRO/SVP positions earning $450K+.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a bachelor's degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI is automating the analytical half of sales management — lead scoring, CRM management, pipeline forecasting, territory optimization, and performance reporting now run on autopilot. Gartner predicts AI agents will outnumber human sellers 10-to-1 by 2028. One manager can oversee teams twice the size with AI handling the data work. The relationship-building and complex B2B negotiation core stays human, but entry-level management paths are narrowing.
Sources
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
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