Sales reps hawking health information technology products are the most well-compensated among medical sales reps, according to a survey of some 2,772 reps by MedReps.com.
Sales reps in HIT made an average of $169,881 a year, with $85,405 as a base and another $84,476 in commissions, according to the April survey. Surgical device reps were next, with an average salary of $158,328 ($69,707 base and $88,621 in commissions).
“As health systems implement the tenets of the Affordable Care Act and meaningful use, opportunities in health IT and software are on the rise for medical sales reps,” MedReps communications manager Robyn Melhuish said in prepared remarks. “Despite changes affecting traditional medical device and pharma reps, they too are seeing increased opportunities and competitive incomes.”
The average medical device sales salary is $156,914, with an average base of $76,029, according to MedReps, which has been polling medical sales reps since 2011.
Certain job titles, such as business development, sales manager, marketing director/VP and national accounts, command higher incomes. Sales directors and vice presidents reported the highest earnings, for an average of $218,276. Reps working for manufacturers also fared better on the salary scale, the survey showed.
The survey also showed a significant gender gap in medical device sales.
“Women account for only 23% of the med device respondents, and they earn far less than men. While the average and median base salaries are not far apart, women report an average total income that is just 81% of what men earn. This is due, in part, to the fact that women are far less likely to hold management positions. For every 14 men with a director or VP title, there is just 1 woman,” according to MedReps, which noted that women hold just 16.7% of sales manager jobs.
