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Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1,344,530 | 0.5 % | $34.19 | $71,110 | 0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $14.68 | $20.23 | $28.81 | $41.22 | $60.24 |
Annual Wage (2) | $30,530 | $42,070 | $59,930 | $85,730 | $125,300 |
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | 231,110 | 16.17 | $33.37 | $69,400 |
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | 137,750 | 13.95 | $32.17 | $66,920 |
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | 137,330 | 26.03 | $39.64 | $82,460 |
Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 113,360 | 15.91 | $34.08 | $70,890 |
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | 74,890 | 13.31 | $33.45 | $69,580 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | 137,330 | 26.03 | $39.64 | $82,460 |
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | 231,110 | 16.17 | $33.37 | $69,400 |
Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 113,360 | 15.91 | $34.08 | $70,890 |
Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers | 21,480 | 14.29 | $32.25 | $67,090 |
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | 137,750 | 13.95 | $32.17 | $66,920 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Scientific Research and Development Services | 1,360 | 0.19 | $53.94 | $112,200 |
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 390 | 0.42 | $44.43 | $92,420 |
Support Activities for Mining | 1,850 | 0.53 | $43.53 | $90,540 |
Oil and Gas Extraction | 130 | 0.09 | $43.51 | $90,510 |
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,520 | 1.36 | $43.26 | $89,980 |
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 | 147,310 | 8.47 | 0.93 | $36.09 | $75,070 |
Texas | 119,170 | 9.59 | 1.05 | $33.15 | $68,950 |
Florida | 86,490 | 9.83 | 1.07 | $30.07 | $62,540 |
New York | 75,220 | 7.90 | 0.86 | $35.50 | $73,830 |
Illinois | 67,650 | 11.23 | 1.23 | $33.15 | $68,950 |
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Utah | 19,980 | 13.29 | 1.45 | $30.23 | $62,880 |
South Dakota | 5,570 | 13.10 | 1.43 | $31.82 | $66,190 |
Wisconsin | 36,640 | 12.77 | 1.39 | $33.89 | $70,490 |
Minnesota | 33,470 | 11.62 | 1.27 | $37.18 | $77,330 |
Illinois | 67,650 | 11.23 | 1.23 | $33.15 | $68,950 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Jersey | 40,030 | 9.79 | 1.07 | $40.46 | $84,170 |
Massachusetts | 23,150 | 6.40 | 0.70 | $39.53 | $82,220 |
Colorado | 27,650 | 10.32 | 1.13 | $39.27 | $81,670 |
Rhode Island | 5,330 | 11.03 | 1.20 | $38.55 | $80,180 |
Connecticut | 13,560 | 8.14 | 0.89 | $37.89 | $78,810 |
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-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 84,870 | 8.79 | 0.96 | $38.39 | $79,850 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 63,550 | 10.18 | 1.11 | $35.91 | $74,690 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 57,050 | 12.20 | 1.33 | $34.28 | $71,310 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 41,290 | 11.29 | 1.23 | $33.34 | $69,350 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 33,300 | 12.14 | 1.33 | $33.97 | $70,660 |
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 31,830 | 12.05 | 1.32 | $29.66 | $61,680 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 31,460 | 10.31 | 1.13 | $37.45 | $77,900 |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 27,130 | 9.43 | 1.03 | $38.33 | $79,720 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 24,980 | 12.67 | 1.38 | $39.27 | $81,680 |
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 22,680 | 11.22 | 1.23 | $37.96 | $78,960 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Island, NE | 720 | 17.19 | 1.88 | $24.42 | $50,790 |
Sioux Falls, SD | 2,670 | 17.03 | 1.86 | $34.69 | $72,160 |
Salt Lake City, UT | 12,380 | 16.85 | 1.84 | $31.21 | $64,920 |
Lafayette, LA | 3,320 | 16.69 | 1.82 | $30.59 | $63,620 |
Napa, CA | 1,260 | 16.25 | 1.78 | $43.29 | $90,040 |
Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 2,210 | 16.18 | 1.77 | $35.75 | $74,370 |
Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 8,380 | 16.16 | 1.77 | $33.23 | $69,130 |
Dalton, GA | 1,030 | 15.97 | 1.74 | $29.87 | $62,130 |
Casper, WY | 610 | 15.75 | 1.72 | $37.77 | $78,550 |
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 1,460 | 15.39 | 1.68 | $39.93 | $83,060 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Santa Fe, NM | 260 | 4.17 | 0.46 | $45.61 | $94,880 |
Kingston, NY | 440 | 7.26 | 0.79 | $44.07 | $91,660 |
Portsmouth, NH-ME | 1,030 | 10.67 | 1.17 | $43.68 | $90,850 |
Danbury, CT | 800 | 10.28 | 1.12 | $43.37 | $90,210 |
Napa, CA | 1,260 | 16.25 | 1.78 | $43.29 | $90,040 |
Leominster-Gardner, MA | 280 | 5.29 | 0.58 | $42.78 | $88,980 |
Dover-Durham, NH-ME | 320 | 6.09 | 0.67 | $42.08 | $87,520 |
New Haven, CT | 2,290 | 8.06 | 0.88 | $41.96 | $87,270 |
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 18,920 | 12.50 | 1.37 | $41.45 | $86,210 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 8,010 | 7.02 | 0.77 | $41.20 | $85,710 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 3,770 | 9.58 | 1.05 | $31.89 | $66,320 |
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 3,350 | 10.01 | 1.09 | $33.15 | $68,960 |
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 2,890 | 13.28 | 1.45 | $31.71 | $65,960 |
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 2,850 | 10.43 | 1.14 | $31.56 | $65,640 |
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 2,460 | 9.60 | 1.05 | $30.00 | $62,400 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 2,890 | 13.28 | 1.45 | $31.71 | $65,960 |
Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 520 | 12.94 | 1.41 | $25.58 | $53,200 |
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 1,280 | 12.56 | 1.37 | $28.79 | $59,890 |
Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 1,150 | 12.23 | 1.34 | $29.06 | $60,450 |
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 2,420 | 11.48 | 1.25 | $33.18 | $69,010 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 460 | 7.15 | 0.78 | $49.52 | $102,990 |
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 5.25 | 0.57 | $43.80 | $91,110 |
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | 750 | 6.00 | 0.65 | $39.36 | $81,870 |
Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | 300 | 8.18 | 0.89 | $37.78 | $78,580 |
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 1,360 | 6.72 | 0.73 | $37.05 | $77,060 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020