Retail Salespersons Salary
Sales and Related Occupations · 3.9M employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$35,410
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$37,310
Typical range
$27,210–$47,890
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Retail Salespersons is $35,410 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers..
Most earn between $27,210 and $47,890 a year. There are roughly 3.9M people employed as retail salespersons in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Retail Salespersons.
- Hourly
- $17.02
- Daily
- $136
- Weekly
- $681
- Bi-weekly
- $1,362
- Monthly
- $2,951
- Annual
- $35,410
$35,410 a year is around the 50th percentile for Retail Salespersonss. The median is $35,410.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$39,560
- 2District of Columbia$38,500
- 3California$38,440
- 4Colorado$37,950
- 5Hawaii$37,790
- 6New York$37,720
- 7Vermont$37,400
- 8Alaska$37,290
- 9Oregon$36,770
- 10Maine$36,640
- 11Massachusetts$36,610
- 12New Jersey$36,520
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$44,220
- 2San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$43,850
- 3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$42,080
- 4Napa, CA$40,780
- 5Kahului-Wailuku, HI$39,630
- 6Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$39,570
- 7Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$39,240
- 8Boulder, CO$38,700
- 9Longview-Kelso, WA$38,680
- 10Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$38,620
- 11Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$38,470
- 12Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$38,470
Related job titles
Employers advertise Retail Salespersons roles under these titles.
- Art Dealer
- Art Objects Salesperson
- Auto Dealer
- Automobile Accessories Salesperson
- Automobile Salesman
- Automobiles Salesperson
- Automotive Salesperson
- Bakery Clerk
- Bargain Table Clerk
- Beauty Advisor
- Beauty Consultant
- Beauty Counselor
- Boats and Marine Supplies Sales Representative
- Books Salesperson
- Car Dealer
- Car Salesman
Related occupations
- Counter and Rental Clerks$41,300
- Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers$41,380
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters$39,320
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,520
- Parts Salespersons$38,630
- Cashiers$32,880
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
What a Retail Salespersons does
- Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
- Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
- Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
- Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.
- Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
- Exchange merchandise for customers and accept returns.
- Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts and know how to prevent or handle these situations.
- Place special orders or call other stores to find desired items.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Retail Salespersons make?
- The median annual wage for Retail Salespersons is $35,410 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $27,210 at the 10th percentile to $47,890 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Retail Salespersons?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $37,310, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Retail Salespersonss the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $39,560.
- Is Retail Salespersons a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 3.9M people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Retail Salespersons do?
- Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.; Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.; Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise..