Retail Salespersons salary
Sales & service · OCC code 41-2031 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Retail Salespersons in the US earn a median of $34,580 per year (mean $37,150) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -30.1% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, below the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $29,140 and $37,850; the top 10% earn $47,930 or more. The median hourly wage is $16.62. About 3,800,250 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Washington ($38,350). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Retail Salespersons pay range (national percentiles)
What retail salespersons earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $25,600 |
| 25th percentile | $29,140 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $34,580 |
| Mean (average) | $37,150 |
| 75th percentile | $37,850 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $47,930 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Retail Salespersons salary by state
Median and mean wage for retail salespersons in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $34,580.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $38,350 | $43,680 | 86,050 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $37,800 | $42,860 | 4,470 |
| 3 | California | $37,250 | $42,870 | 352,860 |
| 4 | New York | $37,020 | $42,700 | 233,740 |
| 5 | Colorado | $36,960 | $41,550 | 74,640 |
| 6 | Alaska | $36,940 | $40,430 | 7,790 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,810 | $41,760 | 7,930 |
| 8 | Maine | $36,460 | $40,430 | 17,210 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $36,320 | $40,530 | 86,410 |
| 10 | Oregon | $36,140 | $40,230 | 47,930 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $36,050 | $40,280 | 18,140 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $35,670 | $38,910 | 10,450 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $35,630 | $41,330 | 87,760 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $35,440 | $38,910 | 20,460 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $35,350 | $40,490 | 41,890 |
| 16 | Arizona | $35,320 | $38,360 | 88,490 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $35,310 | $38,090 | 69,640 |
| 18 | Montana | $35,000 | $37,160 | 13,500 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $34,860 | $37,440 | 11,460 |
| 20 | Illinois | $34,490 | $38,230 | 132,880 |
| 21 | Maryland | $34,310 | $37,220 | 72,010 |
| 22 | Utah | $34,300 | $38,600 | 39,580 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $34,260 | $41,070 | 13,070 |
| 24 | Delaware | $34,200 | $36,420 | 13,470 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $33,640 | $36,380 | 67,610 |
| 26 | Nevada | $33,430 | $36,430 | 41,880 |
| 27 | Idaho | $33,400 | $37,050 | 20,670 |
| 28 | Michigan | $33,340 | $38,270 | 111,210 |
| 29 | Virginia | $32,760 | $36,350 | 101,260 |
| 30 | Florida | $31,950 | $35,640 | 325,960 |
| 31 | Kansas | $31,670 | $35,720 | 30,390 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $31,450 | $35,270 | 9,190 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $31,360 | $34,550 | 23,260 |
| 34 | Missouri | $31,250 | $35,440 | 63,100 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $30,770 | $34,790 | 85,810 |
| 36 | Ohio | $30,440 | $35,230 | 127,070 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $30,410 | $34,320 | 143,460 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $30,350 | $34,570 | 22,820 |
| 39 | Indiana | $30,300 | $34,660 | 82,400 |
| 40 | Texas | $30,130 | $33,580 | 329,520 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $30,090 | $33,700 | 126,060 |
| 42 | Iowa | $30,030 | $34,170 | 37,600 |
| 43 | Georgia | $29,770 | $32,980 | 142,520 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $29,580 | $33,300 | 41,590 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $29,450 | $33,270 | 47,680 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $29,450 | $33,150 | 69,010 |
| 47 | Alabama | $29,430 | $32,840 | 60,330 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $29,420 | $33,070 | 31,350 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $28,820 | $31,550 | 51,540 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $27,910 | $30,220 | 18,290 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $27,810 | $30,540 | 36,330 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Washington ($38,350). Lowest: Mississippi ($27,810).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons (this job) | $34,580 | $37,150 | -30.1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,900 | $34,990 | -29.5% |
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | $35,250 | $43,460 | -28.8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $33,760 | $38,360 | -31.8% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $35,690 | $37,850 | -27.9% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $35,930 | $37,460 | -27.4% |
Home Health and Personal Care Aides · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists · Waiters and Waitresses · Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse · Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Frequently asked questions
How much do retail salespersons make?
Retail Salespersons earn a national median of $34,580 per year (mean $37,150) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $29,140 (25th percentile) and $37,850 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $47,930 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $25,600. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for retail salespersons?
The median hourly wage is $16.62 and the mean is $17.86 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays retail salespersons the most?
Washington has the highest median wage for retail salespersons at $38,350, versus a national median of $34,580. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many retail salespersons are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 3,800,250 retail salespersons are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #121 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 41-2031), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20