Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012

41-2031 Retail Salespersons

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

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
4,340,000 0.3 % $12.17 $25,310 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.09 $8.79 $10.15 $13.41 $18.73
Annual Wage (2) $16,840 $18,290 $21,110 $27,900 $38,960

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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)
Clothing Stores 769,150 70.74 $10.35 $21,540
Department Stores 521,590 33.61 $10.79 $22,440
Building Material and Supplies Dealers 389,660 37.98 $13.74 $28,580
Other General Merchandise Stores 374,850 22.99 $10.50 $21,840
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 292,890 58.51 $10.54 $21,920

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Shoe Stores 138,490 73.53 $10.19 $21,190
Clothing Stores 769,150 70.74 $10.35 $21,540
Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores 91,000 65.70 $13.17 $27,400
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores 292,890 58.51 $10.54 $21,920
Home Furnishings Stores 116,160 50.56 $13.07 $27,180

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Insurance Carriers 40 (7) $31.98 $66,510
Automobile Dealers 236,370 21.90 $20.79 $43,250
General Freight Trucking 140 0.02 $19.84 $41,260
Ship and Boat Building 40 0.03 $19.49 $40,530
Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers 350 0.29 $19.33 $40,210

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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 448,440 31.35 0.94 $12.58 $26,170
Texas 366,230 34.62 1.04 $11.86 $24,670
Florida 314,850 43.28 1.30 $11.73 $24,400
New York 289,730 33.92 1.02 $12.87 $26,760
Pennsylvania 187,110 33.43 1.00 $12.59 $26,190




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)
Florida 314,850 43.28 1.30 $11.73 $24,400
Hawaii 23,680 40.26 1.21 $12.95 $26,930
Delaware 16,100 39.68 1.19 $11.67 $24,280
New Hampshire 24,300 39.66 1.19 $12.50 $26,010
Nevada 44,410 39.40 1.18 $12.99 $27,020




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 96,810 35.02 1.05 $14.03 $29,180
District of Columbia 6,290 9.61 0.29 $13.86 $28,830
North Dakota 12,560 31.15 0.94 $13.41 $27,900
Alaska 10,260 32.20 0.97 $13.24 $27,540
New Jersey 123,160 32.47 0.97 $13.11 $27,260





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-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 169,460 32.86 0.99 $13.19 $27,440
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 120,620 31.16 0.94 $12.33 $25,650
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 114,300 31.40 0.94 $12.30 $25,580
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 87,460 38.67 1.16 $11.84 $24,630
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 86,770 32.86 0.99 $11.92 $24,800
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 70,940 33.83 1.02 $12.64 $26,290
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 63,890 27.26 0.82 $12.66 $26,340
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 63,240 36.56 1.10 $11.80 $24,540
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 59,040 32.38 0.97 $13.16 $27,380
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 55,340 31.63 0.95 $11.46 $23,840