As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Head of Merchandising in the United States is $399,573. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $362,014 to a high of $552,218, with most professionals earning between $379,913 and $479,473.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $479,473 | $39,956 | $9,221 | $231 |
| Average | $399,573 | $33,298 | $7,684 | $192 |
| 25th Percentile | $379,913 | $31,659 | $7,306 | $183 |
An entry-level Head of Merchandising with less than 1 year of experience earns about $387,562. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $389,323. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $391,670. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $395,192, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $399,593.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Head of Merchandising | $387,562 |
| Intermediate Level Head of Merchandising | $389,323 |
| Senior Level Head of Merchandising | $391,670 |
| Specialist Level Head of Merchandising | $395,192 |
| Expert Level Head of Merchandising | $399,593 |
| Entry Level | 3% |
| Mid Level | 3% |
| Senior Level | 2% |
| Top Level | 1% |
| Experienced | 0% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Head of Merchandising compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $251,911 in 2023 to approximately $259,117 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Head of Merchandising salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Head of Merchandising information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Head of Merchandising job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Head of Merchandising and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $399,573 | 79.1% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $16,247 | 3.2% | ||
| 401K/403B | $10,500 | 2.1% | ||
| Disability | $7,991 | 1.6% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 1.7% | ||
| Pension | $13,500 | 2.7% | ||
| Time Off | $49,178 | 9.7% | ||
| Total Compensation | $505,342 | 100% | ||
The average annual salary of Head of Merchandising is $399,573. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Head of Merchandising is $192; the average weekly pay of Head of Merchandising is $7,684; the average monthly pay of Head of Merchandising is $33,298.
A Head of Merchandising's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Head of Merchandising earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Head of Merchandising is $503,973.
The highest pay for Head of Merchandising is $552,218.
The lowest pay for Head of Merchandising is $362,014.
The Head of Merchandising leads the development of product assortment strategies to meet customer demand and maximize sales and profits. Oversees, plans, and directs all aspects of a retail organization's merchandise buying activities. Being a Head of Merchandising establishes methodologies and guidelines for merchandise pricing and markdowns. Utilizes data analytics, forecasting, trend research, and sales performance to develop effective merchandising plans. In addition, Head of Merchandising develops new and manages the existing supply chain and vendor relationships. Requires a bachelor's degree in marketing, merchandising, business or other related field. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). C-Suite level management. Develops functional or business unit strategy for an organization. Executes multiple high impact initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Defines vision, strategy, and focus for a major functional or business unit. Substantial experience with setting key metrics like KPIs or OKRs and shaping plans to meet objectives. Working as a Head of Merchandising typically requires progressive leadership experience in senior management roles. Has expert level knowledge of the overall departmental function. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing long term business strategies.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Planning: An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Futures: Futures are derivative financial contracts obligating the buyer to purchase an asset or the seller to sell an asset at a predetermined future date and set price.
Merchandising: In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer. At a retail in-store level, merchandising refers to the variety of products available for sale and the display of those products in such a way that it stimulates interest and entices customers to make a purchase. In the profession of merchandising you are either employed by the store in which you work, or by an independent distributor. As a professional merchandiser, in a retail setting, you will not only know your products(I.e. coffee, juice, soda, etc.) but you will gauge other “vendors” like products as you tend to your job. Working with the store and other merchandisers, shelf space is often given or taken as need be in some locations(for some young merchandisers this is known as “war”) In retail commerce, visual display merchandising means merchandise sales using product design, selection, packaging, pricing, and display that stimulates consumers to spend more. This includes disciplines and discounting, physical presentation of products and displays, and the decisions about which products should be presented to which customers at what time.
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