SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers. Excludes “Cashiers” (41-2011).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 41-2031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $27,210 | $2,268 | $523 | $13.08 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $29,900 | $2,492 | $575 | $14.38 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $35,410 | $2,951 | $681 | $17.03 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $38,670 | $3,222 | $744 | $18.59 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $47,890 | $3,991 | $921 | $23.02 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Retail Salespersons is $35,410, which is 31% lower. Among the 22 occupations of the field Sales and Related, it ranks number 21 by median pay. With 3,897,860 jobs, it makes up about 251 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Retail Salespersons pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($39,560), District of Columbia ($38,500) and California ($38,440). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,560), Guam ($24,000) and Mississippi ($28,640). The most jobs were in California (376,460), Texas (341,640) and Florida (333,460). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 1.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 84,850 | $39,560 | $43,530 | $19.02 |
| District of Columbia | 4,660 | $38,500 | $42,380 | $18.51 |
| California | 376,460 | $38,440 | $42,950 | $18.48 |
| Colorado | 76,660 | $37,950 | $41,540 | $18.25 |
| Hawaii | 19,180 | $37,790 | $40,520 | $18.17 |
| New York | 238,540 | $37,720 | $42,580 | $18.13 |
| Vermont | 8,250 | $37,400 | $42,450 | $17.98 |
| Alaska | 7,890 | $37,290 | $39,890 | $17.93 |
| Oregon | 48,090 | $36,770 | $40,360 | $17.68 |
| Maine | 18,450 | $36,640 | $40,050 | $17.61 |
| Massachusetts | 86,860 | $36,610 | $39,970 | $17.60 |
| New Jersey | 72,530 | $36,520 | $41,870 | $17.56 |
| Connecticut | 42,410 | $36,490 | $40,610 | $17.54 |
| Minnesota | 74,840 | $36,370 | $38,380 | $17.49 |
| Montana | 13,490 | $36,270 | $38,170 | $17.44 |
| New Hampshire | 23,880 | $36,200 | $39,240 | $17.41 |
| North Dakota | 11,320 | $36,040 | $38,530 | $17.33 |
| Arizona | 93,920 | $35,720 | $38,190 | $17.18 |
| Maryland | 79,320 | $35,510 | $37,950 | $17.07 |
| Illinois | 126,610 | $35,370 | $38,680 | $17.00 |
| Delaware | 13,400 | $35,360 | $37,390 | $17.00 |
| Idaho | 20,180 | $35,080 | $37,340 | $16.87 |
| Rhode Island | 12,830 | $34,860 | $37,570 | $16.76 |
| Michigan | 111,010 | $34,640 | $37,830 | $16.65 |
| Wisconsin | 67,640 | $34,480 | $36,400 | $16.58 |
| South Dakota | 14,180 | $34,370 | $39,720 | $16.52 |
| Wyoming | 8,770 | $34,310 | $37,070 | $16.50 |
| Virginia | 100,290 | $34,240 | $36,290 | $16.46 |
| Nevada | 43,920 | $34,190 | $36,320 | $16.44 |
| Florida | 333,460 | $34,010 | $36,000 | $16.35 |
| Utah | 47,570 | $33,900 | $36,740 | $16.30 |
| Missouri | 67,140 | $33,460 | $36,310 | $16.09 |
| New Mexico | 23,800 | $33,300 | $35,500 | $16.01 |
| Kansas | 33,360 | $32,180 | $34,970 | $15.47 |
| Tennessee | 87,380 | $31,950 | $35,010 | $15.36 |
| Nebraska | 22,780 | $31,870 | $35,220 | $15.32 |
| Indiana | 83,670 | $31,530 | $35,200 | $15.16 |
| North Carolina | 127,540 | $31,370 | $34,230 | $15.08 |
| Iowa | 41,000 | $31,360 | $34,480 | $15.08 |
| Pennsylvania | 141,790 | $31,200 | $34,530 | $15.00 |
| Georgia | 143,120 | $30,840 | $33,980 | $14.83 |
| Ohio | 137,370 | $30,800 | $34,580 | $14.81 |
| Texas | 341,640 | $30,800 | $34,050 | $14.81 |
| South Carolina | 67,310 | $30,690 | $33,790 | $14.75 |
| Alabama | 60,880 | $30,040 | $33,340 | $14.44 |
| Oklahoma | 43,830 | $29,660 | $33,060 | $14.26 |
| Kentucky | 51,250 | $29,650 | $32,570 | $14.26 |
| Louisiana | 49,570 | $29,490 | $32,510 | $14.18 |
| Arkansas | 35,510 | $29,270 | $32,350 | $14.07 |
| West Virginia | 19,050 | $28,950 | $31,230 | $13.92 |
| Virgin Islands | 1,300 | $28,790 | $32,590 | $13.84 |
| Mississippi | 38,400 | $28,640 | $31,150 | $13.77 |
| Guam | 1,540 | $24,000 | $27,230 | $11.54 |
| Puerto Rico | 41,230 | $22,560 | $26,240 | $10.85 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Parts Salespersons$38,630 a year
- Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers$36,220 a year
- Telemarketers$35,450 a year
- Cashiers$32,880 a year
Common questions
How much do Retail Salespersons earn in the United States?
The median pay was $35,410 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,210 and the highest-paid 10% more than $47,890.
How many people work as Retail Salespersons?
About 3,897,860 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.