Retail salespersons salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,210 | $13.08 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $35,410 | $17.03 |
| Mean (average) | $37,310 | $17.94 |
| 90th percentile | $47,890 | $23.02 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Retail salespersons pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,040 | $22,670 | $45,310 | 60,880 | 1.15 |
| Alaska | $37,290 | $30,700 | $51,200 | 7,890 | 0.97 |
| Arizona | $35,720 | $30,820 | $47,220 | 93,920 | 1.16 |
| Arkansas | $29,270 | $23,830 | $39,790 | 35,510 | 1.09 |
| California | $38,440 | $35,240 | $54,310 | 376,460 | 0.82 |
| Colorado | $37,950 | $32,130 | $49,660 | 76,660 | 1.06 |
| Connecticut | $36,490 | $34,150 | $49,850 | 42,410 | 1 |
| Delaware | $35,360 | $31,200 | $47,420 | 13,400 | 1.1 |
| District of Columbia | $38,500 | $36,400 | $49,530 | 4,660 | 0.26 |
| Florida | $34,010 | $28,330 | $46,130 | 333,460 | 1.34 |
| Georgia | $30,840 | $22,590 | $46,430 | 143,120 | 1.17 |
| Guam | $24,000 | $21,400 | $37,800 | 1,540 | 0.93 |
| Hawaii | $37,790 | $30,660 | $49,230 | 19,180 | 1.22 |
| Idaho | $35,080 | $26,330 | $49,980 | 20,180 | 0.94 |
| Illinois | $35,370 | $31,200 | $48,010 | 126,610 | 0.83 |
| Indiana | $31,530 | $23,420 | $46,900 | 83,670 | 1.04 |
| Iowa | $31,360 | $25,220 | $45,900 | 41,000 | 1.05 |
| Kansas | $32,180 | $23,100 | $46,730 | 33,360 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | $29,650 | $22,400 | $43,850 | 51,250 | 1.02 |
| Louisiana | $29,490 | $21,940 | $45,280 | 49,570 | 1.02 |
| Maine | $36,640 | $31,300 | $49,500 | 18,450 | 1.15 |
| Maryland | $35,510 | $31,200 | $46,130 | 79,320 | 1.15 |
| Massachusetts | $36,610 | $33,310 | $47,980 | 86,860 | 0.95 |
| Michigan | $34,640 | $27,770 | $48,320 | 111,010 | 1.01 |
| Minnesota | $36,370 | $28,710 | $48,080 | 74,840 | 1.01 |
| Mississippi | $28,640 | $22,120 | $41,990 | 38,400 | 1.32 |
| Missouri | $33,460 | $28,600 | $46,610 | 67,140 | 0.91 |
| Montana | $36,270 | $28,620 | $48,680 | 13,490 | 1.05 |
| Nebraska | $31,870 | $28,080 | $46,380 | 22,780 | 0.89 |
| Nevada | $34,190 | $26,930 | $47,270 | 43,920 | 1.13 |
| New Hampshire | $36,200 | $29,590 | $49,710 | 23,880 | 1.39 |
| New Jersey | $36,520 | $32,220 | $60,210 | 72,530 | 0.68 |
| New Mexico | $33,300 | $27,870 | $45,370 | 23,800 | 1.09 |
| New York | $37,720 | $33,650 | $58,630 | 238,540 | 0.98 |
| North Carolina | $31,370 | $23,040 | $46,070 | 127,540 | 1.03 |
| North Dakota | $36,040 | $28,140 | $49,820 | 11,320 | 1.05 |
| Ohio | $30,800 | $24,210 | $46,020 | 137,370 | 0.99 |
| Oklahoma | $29,660 | $22,370 | $45,080 | 43,830 | 1.02 |
| Oregon | $36,770 | $31,720 | $49,090 | 48,090 | 0.98 |
| Pennsylvania | $31,200 | $23,770 | $46,130 | 141,790 | 0.93 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,560 | $21,840 | $34,450 | 41,230 | 1.75 |
| Rhode Island | $34,860 | $31,200 | $47,060 | 12,830 | 1.02 |
| South Carolina | $30,690 | $22,330 | $45,510 | 67,310 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | $34,370 | $28,190 | $61,720 | 14,180 | 1.24 |
| Tennessee | $31,950 | $23,720 | $47,720 | 87,380 | 1.06 |
| Texas | $30,800 | $23,330 | $45,080 | 341,640 | 0.97 |
| Utah | $33,900 | $26,410 | $49,090 | 47,570 | 1.09 |
| Vermont | $37,400 | $31,060 | $55,700 | 8,250 | 1.08 |
| Virgin Islands | $28,790 | $22,950 | $46,990 | 1,300 | 1.61 |
| Virginia | $34,240 | $27,540 | $46,590 | 100,290 | 0.97 |
| Washington | $39,560 | $35,860 | $54,660 | 84,850 | 0.95 |
| West Virginia | $28,950 | $22,260 | $39,520 | 19,050 | 1.08 |
| Wisconsin | $34,480 | $27,300 | $47,870 | 67,640 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | $34,310 | $24,750 | $54,310 | 8,770 | 1.25 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for retail salespersons
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 520,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for retail salespersons
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
- Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
- Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
- Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
- Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
- Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.
- Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.
- Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
Technology skills
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Eclipse IDE (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Edge (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Persuasion, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Negotiation, Coordination, Time Management.
Common job titles: Car Salesman, Customer Assistant, Retail Salesperson, Sales Associate, Sales Clerk, Sales Consultant, Sales Person, Sales Representative, Salesman.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do retail salespersons make?
The national median annual wage for retail salespersons was $35,410 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,210 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $47,890. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do retail salespersons need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is retail salespersons a growing career?
BLS projects employment of retail salespersons to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 520,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay retail salespersons the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($39,560), District of Columbia ($38,500), California ($38,440). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.