What Is a Sales Engineer? (And How to Become One)

Key takeaways

In a rapidly growing industry, sales engineers help clients find solutions while bridging the gap between technology and sales.

• The median total pay for a sales engineer is $153,000 [1].

• Businesses that manufacture technically complex goods, such as software, computers, and medical equipment, usually employ sales engineers.

• You can start a career as a sales engineer by combining technical expertise with consultative sales skills to deliver tailored client solutions.

Learn more about the role of a sales engineer and how to become one. If you’d like to pursue a career incorporating the more technical side of sales, the Salesforce Sales Operations Professional Certificate is a good place to start. In as little as three months, you can build a solid foundation across not just sales pipelines and order management but also data visualization, sales support, dashboards, customer relationship management (CRM) software, and much more. 

What is a sales engineer? 

A sales engineer is a sales professional responsible for selling complex, technological, and scientific products through a consultative sales process.

They work closely with other members of the sales and marketing teams to develop product sales information and with clients to clarify requirements and provide suitable solutions. Sales engineers also act as the link between the customer and the company, playing an essential role in ensuring product-market fit and that other sales professionals have the tools and knowledge they need to carry out their sales duties.

What does a sales engineer do? 

As a sales engineer, you’re responsible for writing proposals, providing technical support, and training customers on the use of products. You’ll work with clients to understand their needs and develop solutions that meet their requirements. Sales engineers also work with product development teams to ensure products are efficiently manufactured and meet customer expectations.

Here is a breakdown of the duties and responsibilities you can expect to have as a sales engineer:

• Identify potential customers and develop relationships with them

• Understand clients’ technical needs and requirements

• Provide clients with solutions that meet their needs

• Keep abreast of new products and technologies, and effectively communicate their benefits to potential customers

• Work closely with other sales team members, such as account managers and sales executives, to identify and pursue new business opportunities

• Communicate the features and benefits of your company’s products or services to potential customers

• Troubleshoot technical problems that may arise during the sales process

What’s the difference between a sales engineer and a traditional salesperson?

Sales engineers are different from traditional salespeople because they sell more technical products. They need to have technical expertise to explain these products in detail to customers. Sales engineers often work with clients on a more consultative basis, helping them find the best solution for their needs.

Sales engineer salary and job outlook

Sales engineers usually work for companies that create products requiring some technical expertise, such as computers, software, or medical devices. You can expect to be well compensated as a sales professional with such specialized knowledge.

According to Glassdoor, the median total pay for a sales engineer is $153,000 as of December 2025 [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. Some of the other sales engineer roles and annual median salaries you may see advertised include:

• Field sales engineers: $159,000 [2] 

• Technical sales engineers: $145,000 [3]

• Applications sales engineers: $164,000 [4]

Sales engineering is a rapidly growing industry with great potential. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), for example, projects that employment in sales engineering will grow at about 5 percent between 2024 and 2034, which is faster than the average for all occupations [5].

Read more: Sales Engineer Salary

What is the top salary for a sales engineer?

If you include potential bonuses, commissions, and profit sharing, the top salary for a sales engineer can reach a potential $198,000 per year [1].

How to become a sales engineer

To become a sales engineer, you’ll need the right educational training, skills, and qualifications. Here’s what you can expect to encounter on your journey toward a career in the field:

1. Consider obtaining a degree.

You don’t necessarily need to be an engineer to work as a sales engineer. However, it’s helpful to have a background in engineering to understand the products you’ll sell, or to major in sales and business. While not all sales engineers have a degree, many have a four-year bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field. In some cases, an employer might prefer candidates with a master’s degree, so make sure to check the requirements of your target industry before jumping into the career.

2. Hone the right skills.

Many of the competencies of a sales engineer are similar to those of a traditional salesperson. You’ll need to be organized, persuasive, and able to close sales. Due to the technical nature of sales engineer roles, you’ll need an advanced skill set in the following areas:

• Communication and interpersonal skills

• Relationship building to understand client needs

• Strong negotiation abilities to maneuver contracts and close deals

• A strong technical background, so you’re able to understand complex products and systems

3. Apply to the job that matches your skill set.

Your typical employer as a sales engineer will be a company that sells technical products. This could include anything from computer software to medical equipment. In effect, sales engineer job titles are just as varied as the companies that employ them.

Some of the sales engineer positions you may consider include the following:

• Pre-sales engineer: As a pre-sales engineer, you’ll research and identify potential customers, provide them with information about the product and service offered, and help them determine whether it meets their needs.

• Post-sales engineer: As a post-sales engineer, you’ll build on the work done by pre-sales engineers and be responsible for ensuring customers use your product or service successfully. You’ll work closely with other departments, such as customer success, marketing, and support teams, to ensure your customers continue to receive value after purchasing something from your company.

• Applications sales engineer: As an applications sales engineer, you’re responsible for managing the entire life cycle of a software solution for customers, from development to implementation, integration, and maintenance.

• Solutions engineer: As a solutions engineer, you’ll support customers with technical issues related to their product implementation. You might also design custom solutions for customers who want something more customized than what is commercially available.

• Technical account manager: In technical account management (TAM), you’ll manage the relationship between your IT vendor company and the customer, ensuring both parties are satisfied with the outcome. This may include providing product installation, maintenance, training, and technical support.

• Solution architect: As a solution architect, you’re a particular type of sales engineer who works with companies that need more complex technology solutions. The architecture of these systems can be complicated, so it takes someone with advanced knowledge to come up with the correct solution; to explain systems, specifications, and processes to nontechnical people; and to sell to them.

• Customer engineer: As a customer engineer, you’ll help clients understand and resolve their product’s issues at the beginning of their business development process.

• Solutions consultant: As a solutions consultant, you’re not just an expert in your product or service but also have the experience to help customers solve problems. In this role, you’ll be heavily client-centric in your approach.

Use our free resources to help build your future career skills

Career growth is closer than you may think. If you’re considering a new career trajectory or looking to strengthen existing skills, then check out our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat. You can also check out some of our free resources below:

• Watch on YouTube: How to Become a Project Manager: 6 Essential Steps

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