Retail Salesperson salary in the U.S.
Retail Salespersons in the U.S. earn a median of $35,410 a year ($17.03 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,897,860 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,890 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $37,310, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for retail salespersons in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,210 | $13.08 |
| 25th percentile | $29,900 | $14.38 |
| Median | $35,410 | $17.03 |
| 75th percentile | $38,670 | $18.59 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,890 | $23.02 |
| Average (mean) | $37,310 | $17.94 |
Half of retail salespersons earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,950.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,475.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,361.92 |
| Weekly | $680.96 |
| Hourly | $17.03 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Retail Salesperson salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $39,560 | 84,850 |
| District of Columbia | $38,500 | 4,660 |
| California | $38,440 | 376,460 |
| Colorado | $37,950 | 76,660 |
| Hawaii | $37,790 | 19,180 |
| New York | $37,720 | 238,540 |
| Vermont | $37,400 | 8,250 |
| Alaska | $37,290 | 7,890 |
| Oregon | $36,770 | 48,090 |
| Maine | $36,640 | 18,450 |
| Massachusetts | $36,610 | 86,860 |
| New Jersey | $36,520 | 72,530 |
| Connecticut | $36,490 | 42,410 |
| Minnesota | $36,370 | 74,840 |
| Montana | $36,270 | 13,490 |
| New Hampshire | $36,200 | 23,880 |
| North Dakota | $36,040 | 11,320 |
| Arizona | $35,720 | 93,920 |
| Maryland | $35,510 | 79,320 |
| Illinois | $35,370 | 126,610 |
| Delaware | $35,360 | 13,400 |
| Idaho | $35,080 | 20,180 |
| Rhode Island | $34,860 | 12,830 |
| Michigan | $34,640 | 111,010 |
| Wisconsin | $34,480 | 67,640 |
| South Dakota | $34,370 | 14,180 |
| Wyoming | $34,310 | 8,770 |
| Virginia | $34,240 | 100,290 |
| Nevada | $34,190 | 43,920 |
| Florida | $34,010 | 333,460 |
| Utah | $33,900 | 47,570 |
| Missouri | $33,460 | 67,140 |
| New Mexico | $33,300 | 23,800 |
| Kansas | $32,180 | 33,360 |
| Tennessee | $31,950 | 87,380 |
| Nebraska | $31,870 | 22,780 |
| Indiana | $31,530 | 83,670 |
| North Carolina | $31,370 | 127,540 |
| Iowa | $31,360 | 41,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $31,200 | 141,790 |
| Georgia | $30,840 | 143,120 |
| Ohio | $30,800 | 137,370 |
| Texas | $30,800 | 341,640 |
| South Carolina | $30,690 | 67,310 |
| Alabama | $30,040 | 60,880 |
| Oklahoma | $29,660 | 43,830 |
| Kentucky | $29,650 | 51,250 |
| Louisiana | $29,490 | 49,570 |
| Arkansas | $29,270 | 35,510 |
| West Virginia | $28,950 | 19,050 |
| Virgin Islands | $28,790 | 1,300 |
| Mississippi | $28,640 | 38,400 |
| Guam | $24,000 | 1,540 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,560 | 41,230 |
Best-paying metro areas for retail salespersons
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $44,220 | 18,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $43,850 | 39,460 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $42,080 | 46,620 |
| Napa, CA | $40,780 | 2,150 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $39,630 | 2,510 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $39,570 | 5,720 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $39,240 | 1,730 |
| Boulder, CO | $38,700 | 4,880 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $38,680 | 1,120 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $38,620 | 2,430 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $38,470 | 2,770 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $38,470 | 40,340 |
| Vallejo, CA | $38,420 | 4,110 |
| Bozeman, MT | $38,350 | 2,270 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $38,280 | 202,080 |
Metro areas with the most retail salespersons
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 202,080 | $38,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 130,650 | $37,700 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 100,340 | $33,400 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 96,950 | $35,820 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 91,370 | $34,330 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 84,970 | $32,850 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 78,960 | $31,340 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 69,060 | $35,960 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 66,920 | $36,610 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 64,150 | $36,850 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 63,990 | $34,810 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 51,180 | $36,670 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 49,970 | $32,290 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 48,610 | $35,130 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 46,620 | $42,080 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cashier | $32,880 | $15.81 |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | $41,300 | $19.86 |
| Parts Salesperson | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | $36,220 | $17.41 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $34.65 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | $23.33 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | $37.82 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 | $50.44 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $87,520 | $42.08 |
| Real Estate Sales Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $48,280 | $23.21 |
| Advertising Sales Agent | $64,820 | $31.16 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-2031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a retail salesperson make in the U.S.?
The median salary for retail salespersons in the U.S. is $35,410 a year, or $17.03 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,890 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid retail salespersons make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of retail salespersons in the U.S. earn at least $47,890 a year. The top 25% earn $38,670 or more.
What is the starting pay for retail salespersons in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,210 a year, and a quarter of retail salespersons earn $29,900 or less.
How many retail salespersons work in the U.S.?
About 3,897,860 retail salespersons are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.