The median annual wage for advertising sales agents was $45,350 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,780 and the top 10 percent earned more than $96,040.
Performance-based pay, including bonuses and commissions, can make up a large portion of an advertising sales agent’s earnings. Most employers pay some combination of salaries, commissions, and bonuses. Commissions are usually based on individual sales numbers. Bonuses may depend on individual performance, the performance of all sales workers in a group, or the performance of the entire firm.
Most advertising sales agents work full time. Many advertising sales agents work more than 40 hours a week; frequently involving irregular hours and work on weekends and holidays. Nine percent of advertising sales agents were employed part time in 2010.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition