Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

41-2031 Retail Salespersons

Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers. Excludes "Cashiers" (41-2011).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
4,270,550 0.3 % $12.08 $25,130 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.00 $8.72 $10.10 $13.36 $18.51
Annual Wage (2) $16,640 $18,130 $21,010 $27,780 $38,510

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Clothing Stores 771,520 69.35 $10.35 $21,530
Department Stores 499,550 32.38 $10.67 $22,190
Building Material and Supplies Dealers 387,600 37.86 $13.45 $27,980
Other General Merchandise Stores 356,290 23.23 $10.27 $21,360
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 285,220 58.62 $10.53 $21,890

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Shoe Stores 136,270 73.22 $10.32 $21,460
Clothing Stores 771,520 69.35 $10.35 $21,530
Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores 89,640 66.26 $13.07 $27,190
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 285,220 58.62 $10.53 $21,890
Home Furnishings Stores 109,430 48.33 $13.36 $27,790

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Information Services 200 0.13 $24.67 $51,300
Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing 40 0.09 $23.91 $49,740
Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers 370 0.32 $20.37 $42,380
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 40 0.01 $20.28 $42,170
Automobile Dealers 233,480 22.39 $20.27 $42,150

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 434,300 30.94 0.93 $12.51 $26,020
Texas 365,260 35.45 1.06 $11.62 $24,170
Florida 292,220 40.86 1.23 $11.86 $24,670
New York 280,660 33.30 1.00 $13.00 $27,030
Pennsylvania 189,880 34.22 1.03 $12.55 $26,110




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 292,220 40.86 1.23 $11.86 $24,670
Georgia 147,910 39.14 1.18 $11.06 $23,000
Hawaii 22,530 39.04 1.17 $12.99 $27,010
Delaware 15,540 38.52 1.16 $11.50 $23,920
New Hampshire 23,350 38.49 1.16 $12.33 $25,650




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 6,200 9.62 0.29 $13.79 $28,680
Washington 95,120 34.96 1.05 $13.53 $28,150
North Dakota 11,920 32.08 0.96 $13.38 $27,840
Colorado 75,110 34.47 1.04 $13.14 $27,330
New Jersey 117,720 31.21 0.94 $13.01 $27,060





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 162,110 32.03 0.96 $13.33 $27,720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 116,470 30.47 0.92 $12.42 $25,820
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 111,260 31.06 0.93 $12.39 $25,770
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 86,400 38.78 1.16 $11.33 $23,570
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 85,930 33.68 1.01 $11.33 $23,570
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 69,600 34.04 1.02 $12.80 $26,630
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 63,010 27.27 0.82 $12.47 $25,930
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 60,430 35.57 1.07 $12.05 $25,070
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 59,820 32.96 0.99 $13.10 $27,250
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 54,290 31.72 0.95 $11.40 $23,710