Also called: Pharma Rep, Medical Sales Specialist
Educates doctors about prescription medicines and persuades them to prescribe their company's drugs.
You visit five doctors' offices, explain new research on a diabetes medicine, and answer questions within strict FDA rules. Specialty reps focus on things like cancer or rare diseases.
Estimate; includes bonus.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in biology, chemistry, or business.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Biology, Chemistry, Business.
Growing slowly. Fewer reps overall as doctors meet virtually, but specialty roles grow.
Medium risk for 10 years. Digital outreach and AI briefings replace many office visits, so rep forces shrink; specialty and hospital reps remain.
Classes: AP Biology, Chemistry, Speech and debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 41-4011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.