Becoming a Sales Consultant via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Kaplan University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering sales courses to train individuals to become top-notch sales agents, saleswomen, saleswomen, sales professionals, sales consultants, sales workers, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 4,209,500 people employed as retail salespersons alone in America, and their average annual salary is $24,630. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing make on average $61,400 per year and there are about 1,409,780 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Kaplan University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Sales Consultant
  • computer store
  • software companies
  • internet companies
  • cell phone companies
  • car companies
  • insurance companies
  • internet technology companies
  • food service companies
  • boat companies
  • retail companies
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Sales Consultant
  • solves problems and fulfills needs
  • only your efforts and creativity limit your potential
  • provides the opportunity to work with people
  • its purest form of empowerment
  • its a psychological high
  • makes you test your mettle every day
  • provides immediate feedback on your performance
  • generates revenue
  • direct communication link between the customer and the company
  • provides a path for upward mobility
Potential Drawbacks
  • long hours
  • hourly pay is usually low
  • commission based salary
  • thankless job
  • poor health benefits
  • job dependent on the economy
  • work can be grueling
  • results driven job
  • management can be overbearing
  • may have to travel
Related Professions to Consider
  • Retail Sales Consultant
  • kitchen sales consultant
  • Media Sales Consultant
  • Senior Pre-sale Consultant
  • Membership Sales Consultant
  • Part Time Sales Consultant
  • Pre-sales Consultant
  • Travel Sales Consultant
  • International Recruitment Sales Consultant
  • Art Sales Consultant
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Sales Consultant
  • What is the sales process?
  • Sell me this pen.?
  • Tell me about the last time you bought something, what process did the sales person follow?
  • Over come this objection; "I like you but I don't think you have enough experience."?
  • Why is a salesman beneficial to a consumer?
  • Tell me about your biggest accomplishment?
  • What does it mean when somebody says the price is too high?
  • How have you relied on the marketing mix to enhance your sales?
  • What could I improve about this office?
  • What are your strengths and areas for development?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Sales and Marketing Director
  • Consultant Agency Sales
  • SAP SD Senior Consultant
  • SAP Core Banking Consultant/Architect
  • Consultant Agency Sales
  • Regional Sales Manager
  • Solution Sales Specialist Servers
  • Implementation Consultant for Talent Management software
  • Technical Consultant and Sales Architect
  • Sales Development Consultant
Sales Consultant Training books Sales Consultant (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • project management
  • public administration
  • marketing
  • nonprofit management
  • labor relations
  • management
  • leadership
  • international business
  • industrial management
  • human resources

Sales Consultant Salary Information

Category: Retail salespersons

Total # Employed in the US 4,209,500
Average Hourly Wage: $11.84/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$7.41 $8.28 $9.74 $13.11 $18.49
Average Yearly Salary $24,630
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$15,420 $17,220 $20,260 $27,270 $38,460
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
7.5% 32.0% 27.3% 8.7% 20.5% 3.3% 0.6%
Retail salespersons — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Hawaii $12.93/hr $26,900
Puerto Rico $12.88/hr $26,800
Oklahoma $12.86/hr $26,750
Delaware $12.84/hr $26,710
Connecticut $12.76/hr $26,540
Indiana $12.46/hr $25,930
North Dakota $12.42/hr $25,840
Florida $12.42/hr $25,830
Michigan $12.36/hr $25,700
Pennsylvania $12.32/hr $25,630
Colorado $12.31/hr $25,590
Alaska $12.31/hr $25,610
Tennessee $12.3/hr $25,590
North Carolina $12.25/hr $25,470
Arkansas $12.25/hr $25,470
Missouri $12.23/hr $25,430
Virginia $12.12/hr $25,220
New York $12.11/hr $25,180
Utah $12.04/hr $25,030
Montana $11.97/hr $24,910
New Jersey $11.87/hr $24,690
Louisiana $11.84/hr $24,630
Kansas $11.79/hr $24,510
District of Columbia $11.76/hr $24,460
Mississippi $11.76/hr $24,450
New Hampshire $11.7/hr $24,340
Guam $11.56/hr $24,040
South Carolina $11.46/hr $23,840
Washington $11.28/hr $23,470
Iowa $11.24/hr $23,380
Ohio $11.22/hr $23,340
Maine $11.2/hr $23,300
Idaho $11.17/hr $23,240
Wyoming $11.15/hr $23,190
Nevada $11.11/hr $23,120
Oregon $11.07/hr $23,030
Wisconsin $11.04/hr $22,970
Nebraska $10.98/hr $22,830
Alabama $10.95/hr $22,780
Massachusetts $10.93/hr $22,720
South Dakota $10.93/hr $22,740
Kentucky $10.88/hr $22,630
New Mexico $10.86/hr $22,590
West Virginia $10.78/hr $22,430
California $10.54/hr $21,920
Maryland $10.47/hr $21,790


Category: Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Total # Employed in the US 1,409,780
Average Hourly Wage: $29.52/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$12.69 $17.29 $24.48 $35.72 $51.02
Average Yearly Salary $61,400
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$26,390 $35,950 $50,920 $74,310 $106,130
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
3.0% 18.6% 23.2% 8.1% 39.8% 6.6% 0.7%
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Delaware $36.31/hr $75,520
Oklahoma $34.61/hr $71,990
Nebraska $34.09/hr $70,910
North Dakota $33.65/hr $69,990
Missouri $33.44/hr $69,560
Virginia $31.87/hr $66,290
Mississippi $31.68/hr $65,890
Kansas $31.53/hr $65,590
Colorado $31.39/hr $65,280
Florida $31.39/hr $65,290
District of Columbia $31.38/hr $65,260
Connecticut $30.77/hr $64,000
North Carolina $30.4/hr $63,240
Utah $30.25/hr $62,920
Tennessee $29.92/hr $62,240
Idaho $29.03/hr $60,370
Montana $28.7/hr $59,690
New York $28.53/hr $59,340
Wyoming $28.47/hr $59,220
Maine $28.46/hr $59,200
South Carolina $28.29/hr $58,850
New Hampshire $28.04/hr $58,310
Arkansas $27.89/hr $58,000
Kentucky $27.83/hr $57,880
Maryland $27.71/hr $57,640
California $27.37/hr $56,930
Washington $27.36/hr $56,900
Hawaii $27.21/hr $56,590
Wisconsin $27.04/hr $56,230
Louisiana $26.86/hr $55,870
Guam $26.64/hr $55,420
Puerto Rico $26.27/hr $54,640
New Mexico $25.91/hr $53,900
Alaska $25.47/hr $52,990
Alabama $25.37/hr $52,780
Massachusetts $25.32/hr $52,660
Ohio $25.13/hr $52,270
Nevada $25.09/hr $52,190
Oregon $24.94/hr $51,870
Michigan $24.92/hr $51,830
West Virginia $23.42/hr $48,710
Pennsylvania $22.94/hr $47,710
South Dakota $22.76/hr $47,330
Iowa $22.33/hr $46,450
Indiana $22.14/hr $46,060
New Jersey $21.63/hr $44,990


Sales Programs by State & City