Retail Worker | Salary & Job Information

Becoming a Retail Worker via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Kaplan University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering retail courses to train individuals to become top-notch retail workers, retail managers, retail specialists, retail sales managers, retail professionals, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 4,209,500 people employed as retail salespersons alone in America, and their average annual salary is $24,630. Wholesale and retail buyers make on average $55,480 per year and there are about 116,900 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Kaplan University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Retail Worker
  • grocery store
  • medical store
  • furnishing store
  • electronic store
  • toy store
  • hospital
  • insurance company
  • jewelery showroom
  • cloth store
  • women clothing store
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Retail Worker
  • fast growing job
  • opportunity for advancement
  • usually work in a clean environment
  • potential for higher earnings and commissions
  • may receive discounts on products
  • considerable benefits at larger businesses
  • various industries hire retail workers
  • part time work available
  • great as a second job
  • meet interesting people
Potential Drawbacks
  • you have to work part time mostly
  • you have little to no job benefits
  • you have to make sure your tally is correct in your register
  • you have to be accountable for missing money
  • you have to deal with rude people
  • you have to make minimun wage
  • you have to work differnet hours
  • you have to be pleasant regardless how you feel
  • you have to be well dressed
  • you have to stand on your feet for long periods of time
Related Professions to Consider
  • Demonstrator
  • Warehouse Shift Manager
  • Sales Development Consultant
  • Sales Assistant
  • Charlie Bear Retail Volunteer
  • Retail Security Support Officer
  • Restaurant Deputy Manager
  • Restaurant General Manager
  • Area Manager
  • Store Manager
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Retail Worker
  • Why are you applying to work here?
  • What has been your greatest accomplishment?
  • What would you do if your replacement doesn't show up?
  • If hired how long do you plan on working here?
  • Who was your best boss Why?
  • What is most important - a good product or friendly fast service?
  • A customer leaves without paying what would you do?
  • A co-worker is rude to customers what would you do?
  • What do you say to the customers?
  • A customer wants to return a package of food that is open and half gone What will you do?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Net Developer
  • Assistant Buyer
  • Sales Associate
  • Sales Associate Manager
  • [Security Officer
  • Accountant
  • Accounting Clerk
  • Airline Food & Equipment Coordinator
  • Airline Food & Equipment Coordinator Manager
  • Appraisal Coordinator
Retail Worker Training books Retail Worker (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Business
  • Accounting
  • Human Relations
  • Communications
  • English
  • Psychology
  • Philosophy
  • Economics

Retail Worker Salary Information

Category: Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products

Total # Employed in the US 116,900
Average Hourly Wage: $26.68/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$13.88 $17.69 $23.39 $31.67 $42.71
Average Yearly Salary $55,480
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$28,870 $36,800 $48,650 $65,870 $88,830
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
4.2% 25.4% 27.3% 9.2% 29.2% 4.1% 0.6%
Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $32.37/hr $67,330
Oklahoma $31.61/hr $65,760
Nebraska $28.97/hr $60,260
Utah $28.66/hr $59,620
Kansas $28.53/hr $59,340
Missouri $28.47/hr $59,230
Idaho $28.22/hr $58,690
Wyoming $27.9/hr $58,030
Arkansas $27.58/hr $57,370
New York $27.46/hr $57,120
Connecticut $27.18/hr $56,530
Hawaii $26.95/hr $56,060
California $26.92/hr $56,000
North Carolina $26.77/hr $55,680
Colorado $26.32/hr $54,740
Virginia $26.19/hr $54,470
Mississippi $25.99/hr $54,050
Washington $25.95/hr $53,980
Montana $25.55/hr $53,140
Michigan $25.34/hr $52,720
South Carolina $24.48/hr $50,910
Oregon $24.29/hr $50,520
Alaska $24.17/hr $50,270
New Mexico $24.12/hr $50,170
Wisconsin $24/hr $49,930
Guam $23.9/hr $49,700
District of Columbia $23.74/hr $49,370
Tennessee $23.26/hr $48,380
Maryland $23.17/hr $48,190
Alabama $23.14/hr $48,130
Massachusetts $23.12/hr $48,100
Kentucky $22.62/hr $47,050
Nevada $22.52/hr $46,850
Maine $22.19/hr $46,160
Puerto Rico $21.92/hr $45,590
Louisiana $21.59/hr $44,910
New Hampshire $21.55/hr $44,820
Pennsylvania $21.43/hr $44,570
South Dakota $21.41/hr $44,530
West Virginia $21.16/hr $44,010
Ohio $21.13/hr $43,940
Iowa $20.31/hr $42,240
Indiana $19.46/hr $40,480
New Jersey $18.67/hr $38,830


Category: Sales and related occupations

Total # Employed in the US 13,715,050
Average Hourly Wage: $17.32/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$7.47 $8.6 $11.51 $19.76 $33.93
Average Yearly Salary $36,020
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$15,530 $17,890 $23,940 $41,100 $70,560
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
% % % % % % %
Sales and related occupations — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Oklahoma $21.61/hr $44,950
Delaware $20.87/hr $43,410
Florida $20.68/hr $43,020
North Dakota $20.61/hr $42,860
Missouri $20.15/hr $41,920
Connecticut $18.84/hr $39,190
Colorado $18.66/hr $38,810
Nebraska $18.41/hr $38,300
Kansas $18.16/hr $37,780
Hawaii $17.72/hr $36,850
Tennessee $17.69/hr $36,790
North Carolina $17.46/hr $36,310
Utah $17.41/hr $36,210
District of Columbia $17.1/hr $35,560
Mississippi $17.07/hr $35,510
Arkansas $16.95/hr $35,260
Montana $16.82/hr $34,990
Wyoming $16.77/hr $34,880
Virginia $16.74/hr $34,820
Idaho $16.52/hr $34,360
South Carolina $16.39/hr $34,080
New Hampshire $16.26/hr $33,820
Guam $16.18/hr $33,650
Maine $16.12/hr $33,530
Kentucky $15.92/hr $33,110
Oregon $15.87/hr $33,000
Puerto Rico $15.6/hr $32,460
Iowa $15.58/hr $32,410
New York $15.51/hr $32,260
Indiana $15.43/hr $32,100
Louisiana $15.38/hr $31,990
Michigan $15.21/hr $31,630
Wisconsin $15.11/hr $31,420
New Mexico $15.07/hr $31,350
Alaska $15.07/hr $31,340
Maryland $14.9/hr $30,980
West Virginia $14.41/hr $29,970
Washington $14.34/hr $29,820
Pennsylvania $14.25/hr $29,650
Alabama $14.13/hr $29,390
California $13.99/hr $29,100
South Dakota $13.84/hr $28,790
Ohio $13.75/hr $28,590
New Jersey $13.68/hr $28,460
Massachusetts $13.53/hr $28,130
Nevada $12.92/hr $26,870


Category: Sales representatives, services, all other

Total # Employed in the US 543,560
Average Hourly Wage: $28.49/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$12.15 $16.56 $23.76 $34.67 $49.81
Average Yearly Salary $59,250
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$25,280 $34,450 $49,410 $72,100 $103,600
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.7% 16.9% 25.4% 8.4% 38.3% 7.4% 0.8%
Sales representatives, services, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Missouri $35.23/hr $73,280
North Dakota $34.71/hr $72,190
Florida $34.15/hr $71,040
Oklahoma $33.21/hr $69,070
Delaware $32.59/hr $67,790
Kansas $31.79/hr $66,120
Michigan $31.27/hr $65,050
Mississippi $30.29/hr $63,000
Utah $30/hr $62,410
Colorado $29.66/hr $61,690
Connecticut $29.5/hr $61,370
Nebraska $28.66/hr $59,620
Wyoming $28.57/hr $59,420
District of Columbia $28.01/hr $58,260
Oregon $27.76/hr $57,750
Maine $27.39/hr $56,970
North Carolina $27.11/hr $56,380
Indiana $26.45/hr $55,020
Montana $26.42/hr $54,950
Hawaii $26.11/hr $54,320
Guam $26.04/hr $54,160
New Hampshire $25.92/hr $53,900
Idaho $25.68/hr $53,410
Puerto Rico $25.66/hr $53,380
Kentucky $25.19/hr $52,400
Maryland $25.19/hr $52,400
Arkansas $24.92/hr $51,830
New Mexico $24.91/hr $51,810
South Carolina $24.89/hr $51,770
Washington $24.89/hr $51,770
Louisiana $24.64/hr $51,250
Tennessee $24.08/hr $50,080
Alaska $24.01/hr $49,940
Ohio $23.25/hr $48,350
Wisconsin $22.98/hr $47,800
Nevada $22.1/hr $45,970
Pennsylvania $21.93/hr $45,610
South Dakota $21.47/hr $44,650
Alabama $21.43/hr $44,580
Massachusetts $21.43/hr $44,560
New York $21.29/hr $44,280
California $21.28/hr $44,260
New Jersey $20.66/hr $42,970
Iowa $20.09/hr $41,790
Virginia $19.18/hr $39,890
West Virginia $17.21/hr $35,790


Category: First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers

Total # Employed in the US 1,163,040
Average Hourly Wage: $18.81/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.43 $13.0 $16.78 $21.95 $29.04
Average Yearly Salary $39,130
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21,690 $27,030 $34,900 $45,650 $60,400
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
6.7% 32.5% 27.3% 8.8% 20.7% 3.3% 0.7%


Retail Programs by State & City