Advertising Sales Agents Career, Salary and Skills
Advertising Sales Agents have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $64,820 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 91,700. Wage data is published for 256 locations.
Occupation description
Sell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.
O*NET code
41-3011.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$64,820
Hourly median
$31.16
Employment
91,700
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Persuasion | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Negotiation | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Service Orientation | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Writing | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.25 |
Typical tasks
- Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising.
- Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance.
- Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services.
- Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts.
- Recommend appropriate sizes and formats for advertising, depending on medium used.
- Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services.
- Draw up contracts for advertising work, and collect payments due.
- Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible.
Technology
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Canva
- Contact management software
- Email software
- FileMaker Pro
- Google Ads
- Google Analytics
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft Excel
Advertising Sales Agents salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in NYMedian $98,360 · Employment 13,570
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in New York, NYMedian $99,010 · Employment 13,210
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in CAMedian $80,360 · Employment 9,620
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in FLMedian $58,420 · Employment 6,420
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in TXMedian $60,280 · Employment 6,230
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $80,360 · Employment 5,230
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in PAMedian $58,350 · Employment 4,260
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in ILMedian $66,290 · Employment 3,790
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in WAMedian $101,320 · Employment 3,510
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in OHMedian $50,410 · Employment 3,220
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in GAMedian $58,140 · Employment 3,150
- Advertising Sales Agents Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $75,590 · Employment 2,830
Related careers
- Counter and Rental ClerksNational median $41,300
- Retail SalespersonsNational median $35,410
- Public Relations ManagersNational median $146,910
- Online MerchantsNational median $83,050
- Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersNational median $39,390
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm ProductsNational median not published
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and AthletesNational median $82,890
- Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related WorkersNational median $41,380
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.