Retail Salespersons: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Retail Salespersons fall under the Sales and Related category in the U.S. occupational classification. Retail Salespersons earn a median salary of $34,580 per year, ranking in the top 96% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -0.5% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do retail salespersons earn?

The median annual wage for retail salespersons is $34,580. That puts retail salespersons at #781 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is retail salespersons a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for retail salespersons is -0.5%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 3.9M positions in 2024 to 3.9M in 2034, a net change of -19K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.

What do retail salespersons do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working retail salespersons, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Inventory stock and requisition new stock.
2. 2.Watch for and recognize security risks and thefts and know how to prevent or handle these situations.
3. 3.Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
4. 4.Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
5. 5.Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.
6. 6.Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
7. 7.Ticket, arrange, and display merchandise to promote sales.
8. 8.Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.

Top skills for retail salespersons

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become retail salesperson?

Many retail salespersons enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Sales Engineers
  $121,520 median
• Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
  $100,070 median
• Models
  $89,990 median
• First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
  $84,130 median
• Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
  $78,140 median
• Real Estate Brokers
  $72,280 median

Common questions parents ask about retail salespersons