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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

41-2031 Retail Salespersons

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

National estimates for Retail Salespersons
Industry profile for Retail Salespersons
Geographic profile for Retail Salespersons

National estimates for Retail Salespersons:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Retail Salespersons:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
3,693,490 0.3 % $ 15.35 $ 31,920 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Retail Salespersons:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 10.50 $ 11.30 $ 14.00 $ 16.88 $ 21.85
Annual Wage (2) $ 21,840 $ 23,500 $ 29,120 $ 35,110 $ 45,460

Industry profile for Retail Salespersons:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Retail Salespersons:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Merchandise Stores 708,760 22.98 $ 13.88 $ 28,870
Clothing Stores 474,450 62.40 $ 13.20 $ 27,450
Building Material and Supplies Dealers 462,020 37.04 $ 15.86 $ 32,980
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 250,720 54.67 $ 13.93 $ 28,960
Automobile Dealers 233,420 19.13 $ 24.62 $ 51,210

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Retail Salespersons:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Shoe Stores 115,260 70.23 $ 12.83 $ 26,690
Clothing Stores 474,450 62.40 $ 13.20 $ 27,450
Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores 58,650 54.86 $ 16.98 $ 35,320
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 250,720 54.67 $ 13.93 $ 28,960
Book Stores and News Dealers 29,480 54.30 $ 12.62 $ 26,250

Top paying industries for Retail Salespersons:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Air Transportation 80 0.04 $ 34.02 $ 70,760
Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing 910 0.51 $ 29.13 $ 60,590
Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (8) (8) $ 28.51 $ 59,310
Truck Transportation 200 0.01 $ 27.11 $ 56,390
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (8) (8) $ 27.00 $ 56,160

Geographic profile for Retail Salespersons:

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



Map of employment of retail salespersons by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Retail Salespersons:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 344,380 20.83 0.79 $ 17.46 $ 36,310
Texas 321,980 26.34 1.00 $ 14.54 $ 30,230
Florida 293,350 34.09 1.30 $ 14.35 $ 29,850
New York 220,930 25.48 0.97 $ 17.58 $ 36,560
Illinois 132,650 23.61 0.90 $ 15.53 $ 32,310


Map of location quotient of retail salespersons by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Retail Salespersons:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 293,350 34.09 1.30 $ 14.35 $ 29,850
New Hampshire 20,480 32.24 1.23 $ 16.07 $ 33,420
South Carolina 66,110 31.98 1.22 $ 12.99 $ 27,020
Mississippi 35,100 31.86 1.22 $ 13.23 $ 27,510
South Dakota 13,280 31.54 1.20 $ 16.04 $ 33,360


Map of annual mean wages of retail salespersons by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Retail Salespersons:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 89,010 27.76 1.06 $ 17.89 $ 37,210
New York 220,930 25.48 0.97 $ 17.58 $ 36,560
California 344,380 20.83 0.79 $ 17.46 $ 36,310
Alaska 7,450 25.19 0.96 $ 17.44 $ 36,270
District of Columbia 4,150 6.27 0.24 $ 17.36 $ 36,120



Map of employment of retail salespersons by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Retail Salespersons:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 222,410 25.63 0.98 $ 17.86 $ 37,140
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 120,220 21.02 0.80 $ 17.29 $ 35,970
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 103,040 24.34 0.93 $ 15.83 $ 32,930
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 96,580 26.91 1.03 $ 14.95 $ 31,100
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 85,870 35.02 1.34 $ 14.62 $ 30,410
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 77,830 30.07 1.15 $ 14.14 $ 29,410
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 70,670 24.39 0.93 $ 15.04 $ 31,290
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 65,340 24.61 0.94 $ 15.45 $ 32,130
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 62,510 21.32 0.81 $ 16.37 $ 34,060
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 59,730 23.11 0.88 $ 17.42 $ 36,240


Map of location quotient of retail salespersons by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Retail Salespersons:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL 4,330 58.20 2.22 $ 12.88 $ 26,800
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC 8,980 55.35 2.11 $ 12.52 $ 26,050
Punta Gorda, FL 2,370 48.39 1.85 $ 14.12 $ 29,380
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV 1,660 47.81 1.82 $ 12.56 $ 26,130
Jacksonville, NC 2,220 46.20 1.76 $ 13.08 $ 27,200
Sebring, FL 1,140 44.75 1.71 $ 13.25 $ 27,560
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 5,020 43.93 1.68 $ 14.01 $ 29,140
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL 2,290 43.92 1.68 $ 12.30 $ 25,590
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 3,280 43.76 1.67 $ 13.61 $ 28,310
Dothan, AL 2,470 43.71 1.67 $ 11.98 $ 24,920