Advertising Sales Agents
Also called: Advertising Account Executive, Advertising Representative, Advertising Sales Representative (Ad Sales Representative), Media ConsultantSell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 19 of its 20 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 7.2% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 55% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $50,870 | $29,320 to $67,700 | 910 |
| Alaska | $43,840 | $33,830 to $78,280 | 230 |
| Arizona | $62,050 | $49,090 to $78,960 | 1,160 |
| Arkansas | $49,120 | $37,920 to $66,610 | 900 |
| California | $80,360 | $56,010 to $104,660 | 9,620 |
| Colorado | $73,420 | $52,070 to $124,830 | 1,110 |
| Connecticut | $61,820 | $40,600 to $97,640 | 740 |
| Delaware | $52,480 | $41,000 to $63,140 | 140 |
| District of Columbia | $75,030 | $66,740 to $107,810 | 320 |
| Florida | $58,420 | $45,190 to $78,080 | 6,420 |
| Georgia | $58,140 | $44,130 to $79,740 | 3,150 |
| Hawaii | $61,290 | $46,910 to $71,940 | 310 |
| Idaho | $53,460 | $40,050 to $77,200 | 220 |
| Illinois | $66,290 | $47,620 to $99,010 | 3,790 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | $38,720 to $76,640 | 1,410 |
| Iowa | $58,480 | $46,860 to $79,190 | 900 |
| Kansas | $48,660 | $36,880 to $66,250 | 920 |
| Kentucky | $51,580 | $39,150 to $62,960 | 620 |
| Louisiana | $48,810 | $33,910 to $72,050 | 860 |
| Maine | $48,780 | $42,240 to $78,880 | 400 |
| Maryland | $59,830 | $50,500 to $82,370 | 880 |
| Massachusetts | $80,500 | $61,770 to $126,390 | 1,480 |
| Michigan | $64,800 | $50,180 to $105,950 | 2,040 |
| Minnesota | $62,660 | $49,560 to $97,230 | 1,750 |
| Mississippi | $46,810 | $32,610 to $74,970 | 490 |
| Missouri | $61,440 | $46,750 to $98,500 | 1,640 |
| Montana | $46,040 | $36,750 to $67,990 | 240 |
| Nebraska | $62,890 | $40,940 to $108,180 | 1,190 |
| Nevada | not published | not published | 580 |
| New Hampshire | $54,870 | $41,660 to $75,590 | 290 |
| New Jersey | $69,620 | $48,930 to $95,020 | 2,110 |
| New Mexico | $45,620 | $34,990 to $71,230 | 300 |
| New York | $98,360 | $67,300 to $134,140 | 13,570 |
| North Carolina | not published | not published | 2,220 |
| North Dakota | $50,110 | $38,010 to $75,160 | 260 |
| Ohio | $50,410 | $36,760 to $77,320 | 3,220 |
| Oklahoma | $57,670 | $35,840 to $95,210 | 700 |
| Oregon | $62,810 | $44,200 to $92,830 | 960 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,350 | $44,170 to $80,340 | 4,260 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,160 | $34,030 to $47,440 | 520 |
| Rhode Island | $48,040 | $43,680 to $80,080 | 340 |
| South Carolina | $68,200 | $42,430 to $102,570 | 1,770 |
| South Dakota | $60,190 | $46,820 to $78,740 | 390 |
| Tennessee | $40,910 | $31,290 to $59,130 | 1,820 |
| Texas | $60,280 | $43,430 to $75,790 | 6,230 |
| Utah | $74,260 | $43,820 to $116,750 | 1,110 |
| Vermont | $58,750 | $41,600 to $73,930 | 160 |
| Washington | $101,320 | $74,820 to $134,240 | 3,510 |
| West Virginia | $44,700 | $29,450 to $63,390 | 290 |
| Wisconsin | $63,270 | $48,660 to $83,510 | 1,290 |
| Wyoming | $47,290 | $35,970 to $74,850 | 150 |
Nationally: $64,820. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 19 of its 20 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI alone | Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services. | Not published |
| AI + software | Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts. | Not published |
| AI alone | Process all correspondence and paperwork related to accounts. | Not published |
See all 20 tasks
| AI alone | Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services. | Not published |
| AI + software | Recommend appropriate sizes and formats for advertising, depending on medium used. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Prepare promotional plans, sales literature, media kits, and sales contracts, using computer. | 0.01% |
| AI alone | Draw up contracts for advertising work, and collect payments due. | Not published |
| AI + software | Deliver advertising or illustration proofs to customers for approval. | Not published |
| AI + software | Determine advertising medium to be used, and prepare sample advertisements within the selected medium for presentation to customers. | 0.01% |
| AI alone | Consult with company officials, sales departments, and advertising agencies to develop promotional plans. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Inform customers of available options for advertisement artwork, and provide samples. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Identify new advertising markets, and propose products to serve them. | Not published |
| Not much | Attend sales meetings, industry trade shows, and training seminars to gather information, promote products, expand network of contacts, and increase knowledge. | Not published |
| AI alone | Write copy as part of layout. | 0.09% |
| AI + software | Arrange for commercial taping sessions, and accompany clients to sessions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Gather all relevant material for bid processes, and coordinate bidding and contract approval. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Write sales outlines for use by staff. | 0.01% |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 11 of the 20 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 20 tasks fall under 15 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #7 Explain technical details of products or services
- #39 Determine values or prices of goods or services
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop marketing or promotional materials | |||
| Explain technical details of products or services | |||
| Promote products, services, or programs | |||
| Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits | |||
| Identify business or organizational opportunities | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Develop professional relationships or networks | |||
| Develop business or marketing plans |
Show all 15 activities
| Determine values or prices of goods or services | |||
| Execute financial transactions | |||
| Schedule operational activities | |||
| Collect data about consumer needs or opinions | |||
| Prepare proposals or grant applications | |||
| Negotiate contracts or agreements | |||
| Escort others |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Marketing or social media content47%
- A document or report15%
- A plan or strategy5%
- An email or message5%
- A design mockup3%
How they worked with Claude
89% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for advertising sales agents specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 23,838 moves out
- 1 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 12%
- 2 Sales Managers High +4.5% 6%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 4 Marketing Managers Very high +6.9% 4%
- 5 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Very high +7.0% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 18,696 moves in
- 1 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 11%
- 2 Sales Managers High +4.5% 5%
- 3 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Very high +7.0% 4%
- 4 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 4%
- 5 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 10% high school
- 16% some college
- 6% associate's
- 57% bachelor's
- 9% master's
- 1% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 1,024 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
1 program: Selling Skills and Sales Operations.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
62.4% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a certification | <0.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a license | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
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