Is sales a good career for introverts?
The ratings for the 7 roles we compared are close together: contact with others runs from 4.6 to 5.0 out of 5, so the choice of role inside sales changes less than you might hope.
Every sales job involves selling to people, so none of them is quiet in the usual sense. The difference is in how: retail work is face to face, while wholesale and technical sales rate phone conversations higher than face-to-face discussions.
These ratings describe the demands of the job. They don't say whether introverts sell better or worse.
We compared seven sales occupations: retail, insurance, financial securities, services, two kinds of wholesale and manufacturing representatives, and sales engineers. The ratings come from O*NET, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, where workers answer questions about what their job involves.
What the data shows
- Contact with others ranges from 4.6 out of 5 for sales engineers to 5.0 for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products. Both are closest to "constant contact".
- After contact, the biggest difference is in working in a team: 3.7 out of 5 for insurance sales agents, against 4.9 for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products.
- The next biggest is distracting or uncomfortable noise: 1.9 out of 5 for sales engineers, against 2.9 for sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products.
- All 7 occupations with their own pay data involve more contact with others than the typical US occupation.
- 56% of sales engineers say they have face-to-face discussions every day, compared with 93% of insurance sales agents.
- 6 of the 7 rate working in a team as very important or more.
- Among occupations with their own pay data, the lowest-contact one is also the best paid: sales engineers, at a median $124,900 a year.
Social demands, side by side
Each figure is an O*NET average on a 1 to 5 scale. Lower means less of it. Hover a heading for the exact question.
| Role | Contact | Face-to-face | Phone | Speaking | Customers | Teamwork | Conflict | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 2.1 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 2.1 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.1 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 2.1 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 4.8 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 5.0 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 2.1 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.2 |
| Sales Engineers | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 1.9 |
Pay, entry and outlook
| Role | Median pay | Typical entry education | Typical training | Growth 2025-35 | Projected openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $35,410 | No formal educational credential | Short-term on-the-job training | -0.3% | 520,600 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $62,280 | High school diploma or equivalent | Moderate-term on-the-job training | +3.3% | 43,100 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | Bachelor's degree | Moderate-term on-the-job training | +1.4% | 35,100 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | High school diploma or equivalent | Moderate-term on-the-job training | +2.7% | 115,700 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 | Bachelor's degree | Moderate-term on-the-job training | +1.2% | 23,600 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | High school diploma or equivalent | Moderate-term on-the-job training | -0.9% | 99,800 |
| Sales Engineers | $124,900 | Bachelor's degree | Moderate-term on-the-job training | +2.8% | 3,800 |
Each role in detail
Retail Salespersons
Contact with others: 4.9 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 92% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 88% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $35,410 a year. Typical entry education: no formal educational credential, with short-term on-the-job training. About 520,600 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
- Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
- Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
Insurance Sales Agents
Contact with others: 4.7 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 79% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 93% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $62,280 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 43,100 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
- Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance, or specialized policies, such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
- Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
Contact with others: 4.7 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 76% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 82% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $78,660 a year. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 35,100 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
- Monitor markets or positions.
- Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
Contact with others: 5.0 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 95% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 70% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $69,990 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 115,700 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and provide ongoing support.
- Answer customers' questions about services, prices, availability, or credit terms.
- Develop sales presentations or proposals to explain service specifications.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Contact with others: 4.8 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 82% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 58% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "very important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a month or more".
Median pay $104,920 a year. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 23,600 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
- Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
- Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
Contact with others: 5.0 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 99% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 71% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a year or more". Teamwork rated "extremely important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $72,080 a year. Typical entry education: high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 99,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- 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.
Sales Engineers
Contact with others: 4.6 out of 5, closest to "constant contact", more than 64% of ranked occupations. Face-to-face discussions every day for 56% of workers. Phone calls: closest to "every day". Public speaking: closest to "once a month or more". Teamwork rated "very important"; dealing with customers or the public "extremely important". Distracting noise: closest to "once a year or more".
Median pay $124,900 a year. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree, with moderate-term on-the-job training. About 3,800 projected openings a year.
Core tasks, as listed by O*NET:
- Develop, present, or respond to proposals for specific customer requirements, including request for proposal responses and industry-specific solutions.
- Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, to promote the sale of company products, and to provide sales support.
- Create sales or service contracts for products or services.
What the numbers can't tell you
- O*NET ratings are averages of worker answers on a 1 to 5 scale. Some questions ask how much (contact), some how often (face-to-face, phone, public speaking, conflict, noise) and some how important (teamwork, customers). They are shown on their own scales.
- The ratings describe the job, averaged across workers and workplaces. A particular employer, team or shift can be very different.
- They don't measure personality, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.
- Pay and openings are national figures from the BLS. Local pay varies.
Common questions
Which sales job involves the least contact with others?
Of the 7 roles compared here, sales engineers report the least, at 4.6 out of 5 on O*NET's contact rating, closest to "constant contact".
Do these sales jobs need a degree?
4 of the 7 occupations with BLS education data typically need no more than a high school diploma: retail salespersons, insurance sales agents, sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel, sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products.
Do these ratings measure personality?
No. They are averages of what workers say their job asks of them. They describe the work, not the people doing it, and they are not career, medical or psychological advice.