BUSINESS Specialization

Specialized Sales

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.

About Specialized Sales

Specialized Sales is a focused area of study within Business. Graduates typically earn around $59,631 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. The program is available at 190 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 4,322 students complete this program each year, most earning 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?

Specialized Sales graduates earn $59,631 four years out, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $42,122 and $77,961. Earnings typically jump significantly in the first few years. The one-year figure of $35,806 climbs to $59,631 by year four.

$35,806
1 Year After Graduation

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

There is a wide earnings spread across Specialized Sales graduates. 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.


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 94 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.

Bachelor's 50%
Associate's 29%
Doctorate 14%

What Can You Do With a Specialized Sales Degree?

Specialized Sales connects to 7 occupations in the job market. Marketing Manager leads at $166,790/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

↗ +6.6% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$166,790
$123K $216K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 34,300 openings/yr 395K employed nationally
Active Learning Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension Active Listening Speaking
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.
↗ +0.0% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$87,520
$64K $122K 25th–75th pct.
High school diploma or equivalent 24,800 openings/yr 214K employed nationally
Speaking Monitoring Management of Personnel Resources Active Listening Judgment 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.
↗ +6.7% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$78,760
$58K $108K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 87,200 openings/yr 900K employed nationally
Reading Comprehension Writing Critical Thinking Complex Problem Solving Active 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.
↗ +3.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$78,660
$57K $130K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 38,100 openings/yr 490K employed nationally
Critical Thinking Active Listening Judgment and Decision Making Monitoring Persuasion
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.
↗ +0.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$72,080
$50K $100K 25th–75th pct.
High school diploma or equivalent 114,800 openings/yr 1.2M employed nationally
Speaking Active Listening Social Perceptiveness Persuasion Negotiation
Day-to-day responsibilities

Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.

  • Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
  • Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
  • Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
↗ +2.2% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$50,160
$42K $63K 25th–75th pct.
High school diploma or equivalent 7,100 openings/yr 55K employed nationally
Service Orientation Active Listening Reading Comprehension Speaking Social 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.
↗ +3.2% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$39,390
$35K $47K 25th–75th pct.
High school diploma or equivalent 20,800 openings/yr 165K employed nationally
Active Listening Critical Thinking Speaking Judgment and Decision Making Social 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

The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Specialized Sales students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

# College Graduates Acceptance Net Price/yr Earnings 10yr
1 Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY · Public 1,158 60.2% $19,095 $62,696
2 Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA · Nonprofit 239 88.8% $29,689 $86,881
3 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH · Public 232 86.3% $20,787 $45,388
4 LIM College New York, NY · For-Profit 123 95.9% $38,667 $58,956
5 University of North Texas Denton, TX · Public 108 72.2% $15,649 $57,010
6 Marist University Poughkeepsie, NY · Nonprofit 104 56.5% $41,544 $77,819
7 University of Georgia Athens, GA · Public 82 37.7% $13,936 $68,726
8 CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY · Public 70 80.3% $5,127 $49,365
9 Texas State University San Marcos, TX · Public 67 89.3% $16,805 $56,906
10 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX · Nonprofit 58 44.5% $36,660 $68,424
11 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH · Nonprofit 54 99.5% $36,708 $50,318
12 University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO · Public 49 78.5% $20,268 $63,403
13 Northwood University Midland, MI · Nonprofit 37 64.5% $27,232 $63,075
14 The New School New York, NY · Nonprofit 33 63.5% $58,741 $52,901
15 Century College White Bear Lake, MN · Public 30 Open $10,906 $46,424
16 Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA · Nonprofit 30 81% $28,928 $77,449
17 Northwood Technical College Rice Lake, WI · Public 30 Open $8,989 $43,406
18 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI · Public 29 89.8% $17,597 $55,874
19 Rutgers University-Newark Newark, NJ · Public 29 71.4% $19,703 $74,479
20 Ball State University Muncie, IN · Public 26 85.5% $14,940 $51,833

Ranked by Specialized Sales graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

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.

Specialized Sales Degree: Pros & Cons

The data on Specialized Sales shows 4 measurable strengths and 0 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.

PROS
  • Above-average earnings Four-year median of $59,631 puts graduates ahead of many humanities and social science programs.
  • Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $35,806 at graduation to $59,631 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
  • Positive job outlook Related careers project up to +6.7% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
  • Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 327,100 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.

Specialized Sales Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Specialized Sales graduates earn?
Specialized Sales graduates earn a national median of $59,631 four years after completing their program. The middle 50% of earners fall between $42,122 and $77,961. Where you land typically depends on employer, role, and location.
What is the starting salary for a Specialized Sales degree?
One year after graduation, Specialized Sales degree holders earn a median of $35,806. That climbs to $59,631 four years out. The biggest salary jumps typically come once you move past entry-level roles.
What jobs can you get with a Specialized Sales degree?
Specialized Sales degree holders pursue careers including Marketing Manager, which pays a median of $166,790/yr. Scroll down to the Career Paths section to see wages and job growth projections for every related occupation.
How long does a Specialized Sales program take?
A Specialized Sales bachelor's degree typically takes four years of full-time study. Community colleges offer associate programs in two years for students who want a faster path into the workforce.
How many colleges offer Specialized Sales?
190 colleges and universities in the United States offer Specialized Sales programs. Options range from community colleges with certificates and associate degrees to research universities with doctoral tracks.
Is a Specialized Sales degree worth it?
With a median 4-year salary of $59,631 and an average net price of roughly $24,099/yr, a Specialized Sales degree can pay off well, especially at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific programs before deciding.
What is the difference between Specialized Sales and Business?
Specialized Sales is a focused concentration within the broader Business field. The Business major covers the full discipline; this program narrows the curriculum to Specialized Sales-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. If you already know this is the direction you want, the specialized program gives you a more targeted credential.
What skills do employers look for in Specialized Sales graduates?
Employers hiring Specialized Sales graduates consistently prioritize 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.
Is graduate school worth it for Specialized Sales graduates?
An MBA or specialized master's can boost earnings and open paths to management and strategy roles. ROI is strongest at selective programs with strong recruiting pipelines. The right answer depends on your career goals, program cost, and whether your target role explicitly rewards an advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Specialized Sales graduates?
The job outlook for Specialized Sales graduates is moderate overall. Related occupations project an average of +3.2% job growth over the next 10 years. Market Research Analyst is among the strongest-growth roles at +6.7%. Growth varies by role and location, so check the Career Paths section for projections on each specific occupation.

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