Sales engineers
SOC Code: 41-9031
Sales engineers carries a 46% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $121,520 and +5.5% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 56,800 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 46% AI exposure, Sales engineers sits 9 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 82% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Where Sales engineers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Sales engineers has ai exposure of 46%. Distribution: 1 occupations at 0-10%; 43 occupations at 10-20%; 184 occupations at 20-30%; 332 occupations at 30-40%; 158 occupations at 40-50%; 64 occupations at 50-60%; 29 occupations at 60-70%; 15 occupations at 70-80%; 5 occupations at 80-90%; 1 occupations at 90-100%.
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Sales engineers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Sales engineers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Sales engineers (SOC 41-9031) carries an AI exposure score of 46%, placing it in the High automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 56,800 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a +5.5% change through 2034 - modest growth that keeps the occupation viable even as tasks evolve. Median annual compensation stands at $121,520, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires Bachelor's degree, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Sales engineers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Sell products requiring extensive technical expertise and support for installation and use, such as material handling equipment, numerical-control machinery, or computer systems.
- 2. Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions.
- 3. Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
- 4. Create sales or service contracts for products or services.
- 5. Visit prospective buyers at commercial, industrial, or other establishments to show samples or catalogs, and to inform them about product pricing, availability, and advantages.
- 6. Keep informed on industry news and trends, products, services, competitors, relevant information about legacy, existing, and emerging technologies, and the latest product-line developments.
- 7. Identify resale opportunities and support them to achieve sales plans.
- 8. Confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
- 9. Plan and modify product configurations to meet customer needs.
- 10. Prepare and deliver technical presentations that explain products or services to customers and prospective customers.
Key Skills Required
- Speaking
- Persuasion
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Negotiation
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Design
- Administrative
- Mechanical
- Computers and Electronics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Sales engineers?
Sales engineers has an AI exposure score of 46%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Sales engineers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Sales engineers is projected to grow by 5.5% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 56,800 workers.
What skills are needed for Sales engineers?
Key skills for Sales engineers include Speaking, Persuasion, Reading Comprehension, and others. Typical entry-level education is Bachelor's degree.
How much do Sales engineers earn?
The median annual wage for Sales engineers is $121,520, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Sales engineers?
The typical entry-level education for Sales engineers is Bachelor's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Sales engineers?
Sales engineers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Related Occupations
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).