Specialized Sales graduates earn $59,631 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $42,122 and $77,961. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Specialized Sales as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Business and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Specialized Sales is a focused area of study within Business. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $59,631 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 190 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 4,322 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The curriculum blends analytical and applied coursework aimed at the workplace.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$35,806
Median Earnings · 4yr
$59,631
Colleges Offering
190
Graduates / Year
4,322
Avg Net Price / yr
$24,099
How Much Do Specialized Sales Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Specialized Sales, a typical graduate earns $59,631, near the national median for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $42,122 and $77,961, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $35,806 at one year out to $59,631 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$59,631
4-Year National Median
Near the national median for college graduates.
$56,019
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Specialized Sales graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out widely, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Industry and seniority explain most of the spread. Finance, consulting, and strategy roles pull the top end up; operations and administrative roles sit at the bottom.
$42,12225th pct.
$59,631Median
$77,96175th pct.
A Solid Financial Return
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $59,631 and an estimated $96,396 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.3 years.
Based on outcomes from 93 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 4,322 students who complete Specialized Sales programs each year, the majority (50%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
29%50%
Bachelor's50%
Associate's29%
Doctorate14%
What Can You Do With a Specialized Sales Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Specialized Sales graduates show up in 7 different occupations, and Marketing Manager pays the most at $166,790/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Active LearningSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeaking
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.
Identify, develop, or evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors.
Formulate, direct, or coordinate marketing activities or policies to promote products or services, working with advertising or promotion managers.
Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, or return-on-investment and profit-loss projections.
High school diploma or equivalent21,700 openings/yr214K employed nationally
SpeakingMonitoringManagement of Personnel ResourcesActive ListeningJudgment and Decision Making
Day-to-day responsibilities
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties such as budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.
Monitor sales staff performance to ensure that goals are met.
Provide staff with assistance in performing difficult or complicated duties.
Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or performing specific services.
Reading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive Listening
Day-to-day responsibilities
Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.
Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
Critical ThinkingActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingMonitoringPersuasion
Day-to-day responsibilities
Buy and sell securities or commodities in investment and trading firms, or provide financial services to businesses and individuals. May advise customers about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, and market conditions.
Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
Monitor markets or positions.
Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
High school diploma or equivalent5,900 openings/yr55K employed nationally
Service OrientationActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingSocial Perceptiveness
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
High school diploma or equivalent17,200 openings/yr165K employed nationally
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingSocial Perceptiveness
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan and erect commercial displays, such as those in windows and interiors of retail stores and at trade exhibitions.
Plan commercial displays to entice and appeal to customers.
Arrange properties, furniture, merchandise, backdrops, or other accessories, as shown in prepared sketches.
Change or rotate window displays, interior display areas, or signage to reflect changes in inventory or promotion.
Top Colleges for Specialized Sales
Not sure where to study Specialized Sales? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Specialized Sales graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Business Programs
Specialized Sales is not the only path through Business: 21 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Specialized Sales program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Specialized Sales shows 4 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Above-average earningsFour-year median of $59,631 puts graduates ahead of many humanities and social science programs.
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $35,806 at graduation to $59,631 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Positive job outlookRelated careers project up to +7.0% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 295,700 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Declining roles in some areas1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
$59,631 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $42,122 and $77,961, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Specialized Sales degree?
$35,806 in the first year out. That grows to $59,631 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Specialized Sales degree?
Marketing Manager is one path, and it pays a median of $166,790 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Specialized Sales program take?
Four years of full-time study for a Specialized Sales bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Specialized Sales?
190 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Specialized Sales degree worth it?
$59,631 median earnings four years out against $24,099 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Specialized Sales and Business?
Specialized Sales is the narrower of the two: Business covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Specialized Sales-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Specialized Sales graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Specialized Sales graduates consistently look for financial analysis, communication, project management, and strategic thinking. Internship experience and proficiency in tools like Excel, SQL, or business software tend to set candidates apart. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Specialized Sales graduates?
It depends on the program. An MBA or specialized master's can boost earnings and open paths into management and strategy roles, but the return is strongest at selective schools with strong recruiting pipelines, not everywhere. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Specialized Sales graduates?
Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average +2.5% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Market Research Analyst is among the strongest-growth roles at +7.0%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
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