Highest Paying CLIA Lab Sales Jobs

Which CLIA Lab Sales reps earn the most money?

Connexis Search Group has been recruiting in the clinical laboratory space for over twenty years. 

  The following information is from conversations with our clients and candidates in the CLIA Lab industry. The below information pertains to sales reps (business development, not account management) only and does not include specialized sales positions such as corporate or national accounts.

1. Oncology Sales Reps

Oncology sales reps are typically the highest earners of all CLIA sales reps.   The essential attribute that employers seek when hiring oncology sales reps is their relationships with oncologists. Securing a meeting with an oncologist can take up to six months if the sales rep does not have an existing relationship. Existing connections are among the many reasons that oncology sales reps earn more than other clinical lab sales reps. Some of the larger companies in the oncology testing space are Caris Life Science, Foundation Medicine, Tempest, Biotheranostics, Natera, and Guardant.

Base salaries range from $120,000 to $150,000 per year. Commissions drastically vary, but most oncology sales reps can make $100,000 per year in commission. Top performers can earn over 300,000 per year.  

Anyone interested in becoming an oncology sales rep, the most straightforward path would be to secure a position as an account manager supporting an oncology sales rep. An account manager's role would not require that you have existing relationships with oncologists.  

2. Transplant diagnostics

Transplant diagnostics reps typically call on transplant surgeons. There are a limited number of transplant centers across the United States, so this is a very niche space. Companies in this space are CareDx, Natera, and TGI.

Base salaries are typical $110,000 to $150,000 per year. Sales reps can earn another $100,000 and commission, making the total comp close to $250,000.

3. Genetic Sales Reps

Some genetic sales reps call on oncologists while others sell to OBGYNs. Genetic sales reps sell inherited cancer tests, prenatal testing, and pharmacogenomics.   Companies in this space include Natera, Progenity, Sema4, and Invitae.

Salaries for these reps range from $80,000 to $120,000 per year.   Sales reps selling noninvasive prenatal testing to OBGYNs typically have base salaries from $80,000 to $100,000 per year and can make another $30,000 to $50,000 in commission.

Sales reps that sell inherited cancers have similar base salaries and tend to earn slightly more than their counterparts selling noninvasive prenatal testing.

For sales reps who want to become a genetic sales reps, one career path is to have prior experience with a company that calls on OBGYNs ' selling routine testing, such as pap smears.

4. Anatomical Pathology Sales Reps

Anatomical pathology sales reps call on physician office specialties such as urology, dermatology, gastroenterology, and oncology. Some of the companies in this space are Quest Diagnostics, Lab Corp, BioReference, PathGroup, and Inform Diagnostics.

Base salaries range from $90,000 to $110,000.   Top performers can earn an additional $100,000 per year in commissions.

5. Cardiovascular Sales Reps

Some CLIA labs focus on specialized testing such as cardiovascular. Over the last two decades, there have been numerous companies in this space. Companies of the past are Biosite, LipoScience, Berkley Heart, and Atherotech. More extensive CLIA labs have purchased most of these companies. Some of the current clinical labs with a focus on cardiovascular testing are Boston Heart Labs.

Base salaries range from $90,000 to $110,000.   Top performers can earn $50,000 to $75,000 per year in commissions.