Wow, I'm on the wrong side of the business...
Manufacturer Salary Results 2014
Published Aug 19, 2014 04:00 AM
IPVM has determined how much sales people, engineers, developers, and tech support are earning in our 2014 Manufacturer Salary Survey.
This is the companion to our Integrator Salary Survey 2014 report.
Key highlights include:
- "Big Leagues" - Manufacturers outearn their integrator counterparts by an average of 35%
- Regional - US compensation significantly outpaces rest of the world.
- "High Rollers" - At manufacturers, sales people outearn their technical counterparts by 40% average.
Breakdown ** ******** ***** *******
*** ***** ***** ******* *** **** manufacturer ******** ******* ******** *** *** business *********:
***********
***** **** *** **** ** *** 4 ***** ********:
- "********* ***** ****** *** ****** ****** from $*** ** $**** ********* ** their **********."
- "**** ** ****** ****** *** ****...**-*** (Depending ** **********) ********** *****, *** be *% - *% ** ***** sales ******* *** * *********."
- "$***-$**** ***'* *** $***-$**** *** ******** (management) *****. ********** *** ** ** to *% *** ***'* *** ** to *% *** *********."
- "$***-$*** **** *** ******* ** $****-$**** with ***********."
- "$*** ** $*** ****, *********** **** $10K ** $*** ** ****."
** ********, ********** ***** ************ ******** $40,000 **** - $***,*** ********.
Base ** **********
***** ***** ************ ******** $***,***, '********** payments' (******** *********** ** ****** *****) can ******* ******* ******* ***** ********. Amounts ******** **** ******** *** ******, with *** ****-*** ****** *** **** successful ********* ******* $**** ** ******.
- "***** *** ***** **** **** **** $150k-there *** **** **** **** **** $300k."
- "**-**** ********** (***** ***********. ******* ******* ******* ***** ** at ***** ** ***-****/** *** ******* RSM's."
- "***** ** ******* *** ***'* *** range ** $***-****"
- "********** ****** **** $*** ** **** depending, ** ****** *** ************."
- "****** $***-$****, **** * **** *** reaching $****. ********** % ** *** over *** *****, ******** **-**%."
Systems & ***** *********
*** **** *************, **** ******** ****** the **** *********** ** **** ***** and *********, ******* ***** $***,*** *** year.
- "******* ********* $*** ** $*** *, Field ********* $*** ** $***"
- "****: $***-$**** ********: $***-$*** * "****" A ****** ** **** ********* **** around $****. * **** ****** ** will **** ****** $***."
- "**** $**-****, ~**** ***** ************ ** plan."
- "***** - $*** ** $**** ***** Engineers - $*** ** $***"
** ********, ********** ********* ******** $**,*** less **** ************ **** ** ** average ** $**,***.
**********
******* ********* **** * *********** ******* 'Software **********', *** *** *********** **** highly **** **** *******, ******* ** 70% ** ****.
- "********** *** ** *** *** - $145k *****."
- "**** ** *** ********** ** *** $90k - $**** *****, *** *** earn ******* ***** ** ********."
- "********** ******* **** $*** ** $***, based ** ********** *** ****** *** education."
Tech *******
*** **** *************, ***** ***** ********* positions **** **** $**,*** *** ****. Despite ***** *** ****** ******* *********** position, *** ********* ********* **** *** be * *********** **** **** ********* areas ** *** *******:
- "**** ******* ********* **** ****** $*** per ****. ********** *** **** ***** a *** **** (******* ** $***+) due ** *** ********** *** ****** of *** ****** ********"
- "********* ****** ******* ***, *** **** **** ******* (on ****) *** **** **** ******* (inside)."
- "******* ****** ** *** ** - $105k *****"
- "**** ******* ***** ******* $*** - $75k, **** ****** ********* **** ********."
How ** *** **** ****?
************* *** ***** ******** *************** *** making **** *****:
- **** ** *****: ***** *********** ** ***** ********* positions *** ** **** ******, ***** positions **** *** ******* ********.
- **** *** ***** *********: ** **** *****, *** ******* numbers **** **** ****-******* *******, *** reaping **** ******** ** ***.
- ** *********: ************* **** ** ***** - you *** *** **** *** *** in. ************* ********* ** ** ********* in *** ****** ** ***** *** will **** ** *** *** ** a ******.
************'* ***** ******** ** ***** *** themes *** ****** *****:
Work ** *****
**************, *** ************** ** **** **** sales. **** **** **% ** *** responses ******* **** ************** ** **** into *****, ** ******* ****** *** sales *****:
- "******** ******* *****. ***** *** *** the ************ *** **** *** ******* slice ** *** ******* ***."
- "** * ***** *********** ** * highly ********** ********* **** ***, *****, Chicago, ***."
- "***** ** ** *** *** **** lucrative ** ***** ** ***** ************ package ** *****. "
- "*** ****** ****** * ***** ****** to ********* **** ******** ********* **** good *****"
Pick *** ***** *********
******** *** ***** ********** ****** **** appeared **********. ************* ******* ****** **** success ** **** ****, *** ******* yourself ** *** ***** ***** ** work **** ***** *** **** *******:
- "**** *** * ************ **** *** a **** ********** **** *** *** the ******** *** ********* ** **** your ************ ****."
- "**** ********* ** ***** **** *** most ********* *********."
- "*** ******* ****** *********. **** ********* **** **** *********, equally ****** *********."
- "******* *** ** *** **** **** areas **** *******, **** *** ******."
******* ******** ***** **** *** '*****' location ** *** ****** *** **** populated, *** *** **** ** ***** representation ** ********* ***** *** ****, such ** ******** ***** ** ********* environments.
Be *********
*******, *********** ******** **** ******* **** to ****** **** ******* *** **'* products. ******* ** ** ************ ** sales ******, ******** ********* ******* ** depth, ** ******* ** **** *** offering ******, ** **** **** *** the ***** **** ******:
- "****** * ******* **** **** *** truly ********** ***** *** ********** ******* in *** ****** *** **** ************* person ** *** ***** ** *** to *** ***** ******** ** ***** problems. **** ****'* ****... ** * great ******** ******** *** *********** ******** to ****."
- "**** ****, **** *** ********, **** money *** *** ************, *** ********** goals *** ******* ****."
- "*** **** ********* ***** **** ** to ** **** *** **** *** what ***'** **** **...********** ** ***** within *** ************ *** ****. *** happier *** *** **** **** ******** and *** ****** *** ******* ** that ********, *** **** *******/********* **** ** ** **** ***."
- "*************, ** ****** ******* & ** very **********."
Asia ************
** ****, ******** *** *** ************************ **** **** ***** ******** ************, in **** ***** ****** *******, ************ 40% ** **** ******* *** ******* 20% ** ***** ***********.
- "** ******: *** ****** ****** *** junior **** ** ***** $**,*** ***. For **** ******* (* **** **********) it *** ***** ** ***** $**,*** USD *** **** ** **** ***** of ***** ** ***** ****** ****** management *** **************."
- "****** ********** (*********, *-***** ******) *** reach ****** ******* ** *** ***** of **.*** ** **.*** *** ** a **** ****."
- "**** ***** **** *** $*** - $50K *** **** *% - *% of ***** ************."
- "**** ********* **** (** ******) *** base ****** ****** *** **% ** the ****** *** ** ****** *** more ***** **% - **%. ******* the ****** ****** ** ***** ** the ******: $**,*** ** $**,***."
Europe ************
** ******, ************ ** ~**% **** than ***** *******, ***** ********* *** currencies.
- "**** ~£**-***, ********** *** ~£***"
- "** * *******, ***** **,*** €, could *** ** ** ***,*** € and ****. ********** ** ******** ******* 2 ** ** % ** *** turnover *** *** **** **** ********. Mostly, *** *** * ******: ** you ***** **** ******, *** ********** is **** ******."
- "****** ********/*********** ********* ** **-*** (***). ****** support **-*** (***). "
- "******** ***** (***** ****** *****) = £25K + (***) (**** ********** ***** is********% ** ******) ******** **** ******* experience = £**-*** (**** ********** ***** typically **% ** ******) *********** ***** with ****** ***** ****** *** ********* industry ********** = £*** **** **** commission. ******* £**-£**** ******** ** ******* are *******."
- "**** *** (****) + *** (****) Commission"
Comments (19)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Aug 20, 2014UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Aug 20, 2014Systems and Sales Engineers
"For many manufacturers, this position offers the best combination of high wages and stability..."
Thank you for articulating so well why I love being a presales engineer. (I may not talk good, but I make things work!)
Nice job on putting a beard on the SE icon! And yes, I do have a beard...
JG
John Grocke
Aug 20, 2014
Luis Carmona
Aug 21, 2014Unless you're pretty young, it should be no surprise sales makes more money. (And we're not talking telemarketing.) But sales is also one of the hardest emotionally for the great majority of people. You have to approach people you never met or are already adverse to talking to you, take whatever negatives they throw at you and turn them into positives in a seemingly never ending game of mental chess, while putting your pride and reputation on a product that is almost completely out of your control in design and how it's used while often getting little respect from the back end being "the sales guy". You're berated and looked down upon for not being that technically astute by the development and system engineers, while having the finanacial future of the company rest on your shoulders.
Whenever I send an email greeting to our new sales people, I also copy my engineering and support team when I tell them our job is to support them and that we realize our paychecks have nothing backing them if we don't have the sales.
Joel Kriener
Aug 21, 2014This is no big surprise. Sales people are the highest paid and the 'techies' least paid who end up having to do post-sale clean ups of their sales reps, over 'touted' products, outlandish expectations sold to the customer, etc...
Nothing new in the big picture of things.
Moral of the story: Make sure your sales reps know what they are talking about not just from the sales/business side but from what is technically possible with their products. If you do't know, ask you peers.
Don't promise what you dont know or cant deliver.
RW
Rukmini Wilson
Aug 21, 2014Sales people are the highest paid and the 'techies' least paid who end up having to do post-sale clean ups of their sales reps, over 'touted' products, outlandish expectations sold to the customer, etc...
But you left out the fun part for the techie. It is of course every techie's right, during the burdensome post-sale clean up phase to engage in the esteem building post-sale put down phase.
The exact form of post-sale put down can vary, but normally will begin with the off-hand sarcastic response to a client's inquiry regarding the existence of certain 'outlandish' features that the simpleton salesperson 'touted to death'. The techie carefully tests the waters for client acceptance of these subtle slanders, growing bolder only when the client is ready, as they implicitly portray themselves as a hopelessly honest tech ingenue, victim of a zestfully zealous sales machine run amuck.
Then after weeks of joyus salesperson derogation coupled with numerous techie predicted system failures, he may be rewarded with the ultimate validation: the post-sales rip-it-out phase.
Moral of story: Everyone must be on the same team. Continued cycles of over-promising and underdelivering lead inevitably to a pervasive corporate-wide culture of schadenfreude, which can be almost impossible to stop once it takes hold.
Harald Lutz
Sep 02, 2014UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Aug 21, 2014That's why I like being an engineer on the presales side of the equation. I can "...resolve the difference between what the sales person is selling and what the product really can do." (Common quote of mine)
Often I will have a meeting with the end user immediately prior to the sale for a "reality check" on the application and expectations, just to make sure what the customer wants is grounded in reality before money is spent.
To be fair to sales, sometimes the customer takes disparate sales promises and mashes them together into something that isn't going to work. Recently a customer took the fact that we can utilize panasonic cameras (we can) and the fact that we can do LPR (we can) and decided we could do LPR on panasonic streams. I was able to correct that long before the train wreck. We ended up selling more to the customer, and the customer was pleased with the final result.
SM
Steve Mitchell
Aug 22, 2014A big downside for the sales (and sales engineer) jobs is a lot of travel--depending on your perspective. One of the trade offs of the higher paying jobs..
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Aug 28, 2014Questions
#1) Who pays for the subscriptions to this newletter-motivation
#2) Is there a mean/median/mode for the numbers
#3) How large is the sample pool
#4) Of the sample pool how many are private vs. public
#5) Is cost of living factored into the scales...
#6) What statistician put this together.
JH
John Honovich
Aug 28, 2014C, no statistician put this together. Treat with appropriate skepticism.
From what we know and what our industry people have experienced, we do believe this is an accurate range.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Aug 28, 2014John,
The problem I have with this survey is people will use it as justification and
it fails to take into consideration 401k yes/no stock options yes/no
There is a book:
Amazon.com: How to Lie with Statistics (9780393310726): Darrell Huff, Irving Geis: Books
Putting this out and having people use it for justification is misleading at best.
JH
John Honovich
Aug 29, 2014Even if we have a statistician, the problem still remains the diversity of actual compensation.
- There's different areas within North America, some demand/support much higher compensation than others.
- There is different size / wealth of companies.
- There are different skill sets, experience levels, specializations.
For example, everything else equal, a sales guy with 20 years of experience selling to NY financial institutions is going to earn a ton more than another guy with 3 years experience selling to farms in Iowa, even if the overall average is X.
Though this should give people a rule of thumb of overall comp, it would be silly to use this as core justification of any compensation.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Aug 29, 2014At least if you are making significantly less that the low end of these ranges, and know you do a great job, you know there is a problem.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Jul 10, 2015John,
All these comments and numbers are pretty accorate. I know busiiness devopment people that make $300-400,000.
Since I used to program for IBM and Ho neywell and graduated from Univberity with comsci degree, I also did some work over at Cisco for a while. Make me unique in the fact I have and do sales and marketing plus approach every solution from an engineering standpoint.
What I have found that sales people are poor in the sales abilities. IMHO. Thus the terms account executive, senior sales, sale engineering, busdev etc. But the big guys that are really great are humble, typically quiet, and rest on thier applikcation knowledge. Things usually go somooth due to the fact they typically under promise and over deliver. They dont need to be someones friend due to the fact they can controle thier own destiny. An old bus fried of mine told me once "its not who you know but WHO KNOWS YOU!"
i also find in this industry tech prople are usually poorly equiped. How many of these people are even aware of a CCIE technical abilities or what a true MCSE has doen or knows. But they can load a program on a computer and download a patch. They typically talk in sound bites but have no real knowledge of what they have just said. They have tech support on speed dial. And thie first thing out of thier mouth is to blame mfgs, porduct, integrators etc, but neve have I head a tech say I dont have an answer but I will have it fixed for you quickly.
Well enough ranting and raving from an old man. Were all overpaid and under worked. So if your really good go out there and really compete. Go to school, volunteer for project you havv never done before an look for the positive in everyone. User it to your best abilities to help others. Good night. Thanks John M.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #6
Oct 15, 2015Was data from other regions provided? Particularly Canada?
JH
John Honovich
Oct 17, 2015Yes, we did receive responses from Canada, and they seemed similiar to US responses.
U
Undisclosed #7
Nov 03, 2022AZ
Adel ZAHRAN
Jan 21, 2016Sales is very competitive position for most of people, budget, target very big challenge specially in middle east.
it is a big market and challenges is very hard.