Retail salespersons

Add Comparison

2019 Workforce

3.15M

Average Age

38.2

Estimated Job Growth

1.73%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$32,008

Average Male Salary

$41,348

Average Female Salary

$22,951

About

Retail salespersons are most often employed by the Clothing stores industry. The average yearly wage for Retail salespersons was $32,008 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Retail salespersons by wage are Butchers & other meat, poultry, & fish processing workers, Refuse & recyclable material collectors, and Pharmacy technicians.

Retail salespersons are part of the Sales & related occupations, along with Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers, Firstline supervisors of nonretail sales workers, Cashiers, Counter & rental clerks, Parts salespersons, and 13 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Retail salespersons are Mission Bend (Southwest), Cinco Ranch & Four Corners PUMA, TX, Plantation & Sunrise Cities PUMA, FL, and Osceola County (West) PUMA, FL. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Retail salespersons are St. Lucie County (North) PUMA, FL, Webb CountyLaredo City (Central) PUMA, TX, and Mission Bend (Southwest), Cinco Ranch & Four Corners PUMA, TX.

About the photo: Photo courtesy of <a href='https://bellaellaboutique.com' target='_blank'>Bell Ella Boutique</a>, a series of boutique clothing stores.

Photo by Bella Ella Boutique

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Retail salespersons and on wages and locations for those in the field. Clothing stores is the industry that employs the most Retail salespersons, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Retail salespersons, by average wage, is Performing arts companies. Retail salespersons are paid most in Lebanon & Springboro (East) Cities PUMA, OH but are relatively concentrated in St. Lucie County (North) PUMA, FL.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$32,008

AVERAGE SALARY

± $629

In 2019, Retail salespersons earned an average of $32,008, $23,516 less than than the average national salary of $55,524.

Butchers & other meat, poultry, & fish processing workers make somewhat more than Retail salespersons while Refuse & recyclable material collectors make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Retail salespersons as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.525

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Retail salespersons had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.525, which is higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly for Retail salespersons (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Retail salespersons.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Retail salespersons

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Retail salespersons.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Retail salespersons, by number of employees, are Clothing stores, General merchandise stores, including warehouse clubs and supercenters, and Car Dealers.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Retail salespersons, by average wage, are Promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events, agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers, and other public figures, Performing arts companies, Household appliances & electrical & electronic goods merchant wholesalers, Computer Systems Design, Furniture & related product manufacturing, Specialized design services, Computer Systems Design, Truck transportation, Computer Systems Design, Banking & related activities, Computer Systems Design, Other schools & instruction and educational support services, Other schools & instruction and educational support services, Motor vehicle & motor vehicle parts & supplies merchant wholesalers, Advertising, public relations & related services, Periodical, book, & directory publishers, Fuel dealers, and Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers .

Industries by Share

3.15M

2019 Workforce

± 43,139

-1.67%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 1.96%

The number of people employed as Retail salespersons has been declining at a rate of -1.67%, from 3,206,467 people in 2018 to 3,152,844 people in 2019.

This graphic shows the share of Retail salespersons employed by various industries. Clothing stores employs the largest share of Retail salespersons at 12.8%, followed by General merchandise stores, including warehouse clubs and supercenters with 9.03% and Car Dealers with 8.65%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Retail salespersons in the US. The average age of male Retail salespersons in the workforce is 38.8 and of female Retail salespersons is 37.6, and the most common race/ethnicity for Retail salespersons is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

1.55M

MALE WORKFORCE

± 30,431

1.6M

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 30,898

50.8% of Retail salespersons are Female, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Retail salespersons.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Retail salespersons

White (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)

60.4% of Retail salespersons are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 12.7% of Retail salespersons, White (Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Retail salespersons.

Age by Gender

38.8

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 0.328

37.6

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 0.337

The median age of Retail salespersons is 38.2, and Male employees are generally 1.17 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Retail salespersons from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Retail salespersons is Business but a relatively high number of Retail salespersons hold a major in Communication Technologies.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Retail salespersons from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retail salespersons need many skills, but most especially Persuasion, Service Orientation, and Active Listening. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Retail salespersons need more than the average amount of Persuasion, Negotiation, and Service Orientation.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Growth Projections

Projections on wages and job growth for Retail salespersons from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The ten-year national workforce is projected to grow 6.85%, but Retail salespersons are expected to see a growth of 1.73% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow slower than the national average.

Job Growth

1.73%

ESTIMATED GROWTH

6.85%

NATIONAL AVERAGE

This line chart shows the 10-year projected employment growth (from 2018 to 2028) for Retail salespersons. This profession is expected to grow lower than 6.85%, the average rate of national job growth.