Retail Sales Associate career guide

• $35,410median annual wage (U.S.)
• $17.03median hourly wage
• 3,897,860people employed in the U.S.
• High School Diploma or the equivalentmost common required education

What a retail sales associate does

Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.

Typical tasks

• Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
• Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
• Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
• Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
• Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
• Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.
• Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.
• Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.

A typical day

A shift usually starts with a quick look at what changed: new stock, a promotion, a display to set up. Most of the day is spent on the floor, greeting people, checking sizes or models in the back, and ringing up sales. Closing shifts add recovery work, which means folding, facing shelves and putting returned items back.

Skills employers look for

These are the skills O*NET rates as most important for this occupation.

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Persuasion
• Service Orientation
• Social Perceptiveness
• Negotiation

Knowledge areas

• Sales and Marketing
• Customer and Personal Service
• English Language
• Administration and Management
• Mathematics

Tools and technology

Examples of technology used in this occupation, from O*NET: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Apple macOS, Apple Safari, Autodesk AutoCAD, Eclipse IDE, Facebook.

Education and training

When O*NET asked people in this occupation what education the job requires, the most common answers were:

• High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 63% of respondents
• Less than a High School Diploma: 19% of respondents
• Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree: 10% of respondents

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Retail Sales Associate pay

The median annual wage for retail salespersons was $35,410 in May 2025 ($17.03 an hour). Half of workers earned between $29,900 and $38,670.

Highest-paying states

1. Washington: $39,560 median
2. District of Columbia: $38,500 median
3. California: $38,440 median
4. Colorado: $37,950 median
5. Hawaii: $37,790 median

States with the most retail sales associates

1. California: 376,460 employed
2. Texas: 341,640 employed
3. Florida: 333,460 employed
4. New York: 238,540 employed
5. Georgia: 143,120 employed

Retail Sales Associate pay in every state

How to get hired

Most stores hire without a degree and train on the job, so the application is really about reliability and how you treat people. Say which days and hours you can work, mention any job where you served customers (food service counts), and be ready to talk about a time you helped someone decide. Seasonal hiring before the winter holidays is a common way in.

Job titles you may see

Sales Associate, Sales Clerk, Sales Consultant, Sales Person.

Related career guides

• Cashier
• Retail Store Supervisor
• Stocker and Order Filler
• Customer Service Representative
• Fast Food and Counter Worker
• Server

Retail Sales Associate salary by state · Retail Sales Associate job description and interview questions

Sources and methodology

Wage and employment estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, cross-industry estimates for all ownerships. Figures are as published; BLS does not publish some estimates for some states. As defined by BLS, wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses, and exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and other premium pay. BLS OEWS

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jobder has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET Database

Written and maintained by the Jobder team. Last updated 2026-10-26. Questions or corrections: support@jobder.pro.

Frequently asked questions

What does a retail sales associate do?

Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.

How much does a retail sales associate make?

The median annual wage for retail salespersons in the United States was $35,410 in May 2025, or $17.03 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,210 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $47,890.

What education do you need to become a retail sales associate?

In O*NET's survey of people in this occupation, the most common answer for required education was "High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)" (63% of respondents). O*NET classifies the occupation as "Very Little to Some Preparation Needed".

Which state pays retail sales associates the most?

Washington had the highest median annual wage for this occupation in May 2025, at $39,560, followed by District of Columbia ($38,500) and California ($38,440).

How many retail sales associates are there in the U.S.?

BLS estimated 3,897,860 people were employed as retail salespersons in May 2025. California employed the most, with 376,460.