To become a sales engineer, you should both enjoy the art and skill of selling and have a solid understanding of specific technical principles and scientific processes. If this sounds like you and you’ve considered a career in sales engineering, this article will help you discover some of the best companies for sales engineers.
We will also give you detailed insight into the job prospects of a sales engineer, the highest-paying sales engineering companies, and helpful tips on how to get a job in this exciting field.
What Is Sales Engineering?
Sales engineering is a combination of sales and engineering. Professionals that follow this career path can be found mostly in industrial settings and commercial markets. In this occupation, technical information and logical analysis are more important than fashion or style. Moreover, problem-solving and technical knowledge are essential to the job description.
Essentially, a sales engineer is both a sales representative with a broad STEM education and a tech professional with experience selling tech products. These professionals provide expert advice and support potential clients if problems arise. They have excellent people skills, vast technical experience, and often make technical sales presentations to drive revenue growth.
The duties of sales engineers include using one’s technical knowledge to serve internal or external customers. You could sell your products to independent sales companies, individuals, or government agencies. A sales engineer might also work on behalf of a distributor, manufacturer, systems integrator, or engineering consultancy firm.
How to Get a Sales Engineering Job
Landing a sales engineering job is not as easy as you might expect. You shouldn’t lose hope, though. There are certain steps you can follow to enhance your sales ability and technological skills and make your search for a high-paying sales job easier. Some of these crucial tips are listed below.
- Have relevant qualifications. To work as a sales engineer, you will typically require a degree in engineering or a relevant field. Common majors that companies are looking for include business and marketing. Graduates with engineering degrees and a broad sales education are the most sought-after in this profession.
- Sound technical abilities. It’s a plus if you have a sound engineering or technical background, as most businesses are looking for candidates with technical expertise. Short of this, understanding complex technology is a helpful characteristic for sales engineers. If you can quickly grasp advanced engineering concepts and in-depth technical details, you’ll be more likely to make a sale.
- Valid driver’s license. Holding a valid driver’s license is very important if you want to work in sales, as the job may require you to be in different places at different times. Whether you’re a sales engineer or a sales development representative, you may have to travel a lot. Lack of a valid driving license might be detrimental to your job prospects.
- Interpersonal skills. Communication plays a vital role in this job, as you will have to meet regularly with the sales team and prospective customers. It is critical to develop excellent customer service skills and interpersonal skills because they will help you build relationships with clients during the sales process and give technical presentations.
- Previous sales experience. Previous experience in the art of sales is a valuable characteristic for a candidate to have. A junior tech sales position is a terrific opportunity to gain this necessary experience. Your time in this role can be used to refine your talents until you are more knowledgeable about sales and technology.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Sales Engineering Companies
| Company | Salary for Sales Engineers |
|---|---|
| Hewlett-Packard | $168,035 |
| General Electric | $167,289 |
| Microsoft | $153,701 |
| Dell Technologies | $141,427 |
| Cisco Systems | $134,451 |
| IBM | $108,974 |
| Siemens | $88,227 |
| The Bosch Group | $82,516 |
| Schneider Electric | $75,646 |
| Samsung Electronics | $57,362 |
Hewlett-Packard
HP, a multinational company with headquarters in California, creates technological products to make life easier for everyone, everywhere. To this end, it invents and reinvents its product offerings until it makes its business and sales goals a reality. The company is a software and hardware provider, offers many other customer services, and has many openings for sales engineers.
What Does Hewlett-Packard Pay Its Sales Engineers?
According to Glassdoor, sales engineer salaries at Hewlett-Packard can range from $102,842 to $200,361 per year. The average annual wage for sales engineers at HP is $168,035. The average commission is about $63,255 per year.
Hewlett-Packard Reviews
According to reviews of HP on Glassdoor, the company has a good working environment, with a beautiful workspace. Stress levels are low, and the people are great to work with. The pay is decent but career progression can be slow.
General Electric
General Electric is one of the industry leaders in the energy sector. It focuses on renewable energy, power, aviation, and appliances. The corporation recently announced that it would be separating into three entities, focusing on energy, healthcare, and aviation. The healthcare part of the company will start in 2023, while the energy division will begin its operations in 2024.
What Does General Electric Pay Its Sales Engineers?
According to Glassdoor, the salary for sales engineers at General Electric ranges from $160,495 to $173,027 per year. The average commission rate is between $50,000 to $54,000.
General Electric Reviews
General Electric employees have said on Glassdoor that this company has a collaborative and friendly work environment. Positive reviews have described the company’s work culture as “amazing” and referred to the general staff as “great people.” However, the workload at General Electric can be a bit overwhelming at times.
Microsoft
Consumer gadgets, computer software, personal computers, and other services related to these are all produced by this American technology giant. Microsoft’s most popular products are Windows, the Edge web browser, Microsoft Office Suite, and various operating systems.
Microsoft touchscreen laptops and the Xbox video game console are two of its most popular hardware devices. Microsoft is considered one of the top five technology companies in the United States.
What Does Microsoft Pay Its Sales Engineers?
Glassdoor places the range of sales engineers’ salaries at Microsoft between $102,155 and $188,146. The base salary for a senior sales engineer working at Microsoft is $153,701 per year. The cash bonus is around $34,738, while the stock bonus is $25,414. Earnings from commission payments can be about $22,770 per year.
Microsoft Reviews
Based on Glassdoor employee reviews regarding Microsoft, the company has great working spaces, a relaxed environment, and opportunities to network. However, it may be hard to stand out or move up in Microsoft because of the vast number of people working for the company.
Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies produces hardware and software products and is one of the biggest tech companies globally. Dell is known for manufacturing personal computers. Other software products focus on computer technology, network security, and information security.
What Does Dell Technologies Pay Its Sales Engineers?
Glassdoor estimates that sales engineers’ salaries at Dell Technologies can range from $77,227 to $193,936 per year. The average salary for sales engineers is around $141,427. The average commission is about $36,317 annually, while the stock bonus is $71,535.
Dell Technologies Reviews
Based on reviews of Dell on Glassdoor, Dell Technologies has a great working environment and an excellent company culture. The working hours are flexible to help you maintain a good work-life balance. The company is huge, so newcomers may need some time to get used to working there.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems is an American company headquartered south of San Francisco in San Jose, California. The tech giant designs networking equipment and also produces and sells networking products. Cisco’s goal is to navigate technological shifts, including cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and mobility.
What Does Cisco Systems Pay Its Sales Engineers?
According to Glassdoor, the salary for sales engineers at Cisco ranges from $51,323 to $195,983 per year, with an annual average of $134,451. With cash bonuses included, your yearly income can reach up to $279,013.
Cisco Systems Reviews
Employee reviews of Cisco on Glassdoor mention that the work-life balance at Cisco Systems is not great. However, staff members do have a flexible work schedule and lots of work-from-home opportunities.
IBM
The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York. It has offices in more than 171 countries. It’s an organization that makes and sells computer hardware, software, and middleware. IBM also offers consulting and hosting services in various fields, from mainframe technology to nanotechnology.
Floppy disks, magnetic stripe cards, ATMs, hard disk drives, UPC barcodes, the SQL programming language, and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) are just a few of IBM’s achievements.
What Does IBM Pay Its Sales Engineers?
The annual wage for sales engineers at IBM ranges from $59,392 to $179,572, according to Glassdoor. Their base salary is $108,067 per year. The cash bonus received by successful sales engineers amounts to $17,358. IBM employees can also make some extra money from commissions, with an average rate of $27,582 per year.
IBM Reviews
Employee reviews of IBM on Glassdoor state that IBM provides a good work environment and offers flexible working hours. However, some employees have expressed their dissatisfaction with pay raises.
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Siemens
Siemens is a company that focuses on infrastructure, transportation, the tech industry, and healthcare. Its product development arm aims to add value to everyday people’s lives by revolutionizing markets and combining the natural and digital worlds.
What Does Siemens Pay Its Sales Engineers?
The average annual salary for sales engineers in Siemens is $88,227, according to Glassdoor. The average commission is $26,252 yearly. The cash bonus is about $17,078, while the average stock bonus is $5,694.
Siemens Reviews
Siemens staff say on Glassdoor that they have flexible working hours and experience a great work environment. The structure of the company is sometimes confusing to newcomers because of the organization’s size, and work-life balance might be a struggle sometimes.
The Bosch Group
The Bosch Group is one of the top technology suppliers worldwide. The company has an estimated 395,000 employees in different parts of the world. Operations are divided into various sectors, including consumer goods, mobility solutions, energy, and industrial technologies. Some of Bosch’s products and services are connected mobility and solutions for smart homes.
What Does The Bosch Group Pay Its Sales Engineers?
According to Glassdoor data, salaries for this role range from $76,141 to $92,254 per year. Sales engineers at Bosch typically earn an average annual salary of $82,516, with compensation packages that usually include generous bonuses.
The Bosch Group Reviews
According to Bosch employee reviews on Glassdoor, the company has a diverse working environment that emphasizes quality and integrity. The Bosch Group is invested in the growth of its staff. Generally, the company is seen as a great place to work, according to staff reviews.
However, employees also mention that one of the main drawbacks at the Bosch Group is that important decisions must get approval from the company’s headquarters in Germany and this might take a while, which can, in turn, affect essential processes as well as sales engineers’ ability to hit their sales quotas.
Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a multinational power company that provides automated digital solutions and energy. Its services can be utilized in buildings, homes, and major industries. Schneider Electric combines real-time automation, energy technologies, and software to accomplish its goals. Some other career options at this company include field service sales representative roles and commercial tender engineering positions.
What Does Schneider Electric Pay Its Sales Engineers?
Glassdoor data indicates that the salary for sales engineers at Schneider Electric ranges from $60,440 to $121,541 per year, with an average base salary of $75,646. The cash bonus comes in at about $17,900, while the average stock bonus is around $3,510.
Schneider Electric Reviews
Staff members have given mixed reviews of Schneider on Glassdoor. Some employees say that the company provides an excellent learning environment and benefits. However, others have stated that the work-life balance at the company can be a bit tricky.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics is a multinational electronics corporation with offices in over 74 countries. It has about 290,000 staff worldwide. The company has its headquarters in South Korea, but foreign investors mainly own it. A sales engineer at this company will focus on selling hardware engineering solutions, advanced electronics, and other advanced products.
What Does Samsung Electronics Pay Its Sales Engineers?
Glassdoor data suggests that the salary for a sales engineer in the sales department at Samsung Electronics ranges from $54,850 to $59,465.
Samsung Electronics Reviews
According to employee reviews of Samsung on Glassdoor, this company provides a pleasant working environment, and a quarterly revenue bonus is also given to Samsung staff. However, some employees have stated that sometimes working hours can be long, affecting their work-life balance.
Why You Should Become a Sales Engineer in 2023
Working as a sales engineer provides several advantages, one of which is flexibility. Remote work can be available for sales engineers, so if you’re an indoor person, this job might be great for you. If you prefer going to new places, this job is also a perfect fit as it can entail a great deal of traveling, depending on your work approach and the size of your network.
Sales engineers have the highest-paying sales jobs in any company. This means that if you succeed as a sales engineer, your earnings will almost certainly rise. According to ZipRecruiter, top sales engineers can make $119,500 and above. Moreover, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for sales engineers is expected to increase by 8 percent by 2030.
Best Companies for Sales Engineers FAQ
Solid technical skills, outstanding business sense, sound judgment, excellent customer service skills, strong computer skills, interpersonal skills, sales aptitude, and problem-solving skills are some of the soft skills that sales engineers possess. Sales engineers must also have extensive knowledge of the products they sell. Project management skills are a plus.
Reading about new technical issues, learning to anticipate what potential customers will say, asking for something from a client such as a referral in exchange for a favor, taking notes, staying in touch with customers, and planning are some habits that will help you improve as a sales engineer.
Yes, in most cases, sales engineers have graduated from undergraduate programs in engineering. They have studied an engineering curriculum well enough to understand sophisticated products in ways that only an expert can. Having completed university engineering programs helps them to sell specific products based on customer requirements.
Yes, successful sales engineers earn a good salary. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of a sales engineer is $80,786, with the top earners making more than $119,500 annually.
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