What are the main factors that influence a Retail Worker's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Retail Worker's salary?

A Retail Worker's salary grows with experience: a Retail Store Customer Service Representative (0-1 years)earns $35,215, a Retail Worker (1-3 years)earns $39,361, a Retail Third Keyholder (3-5 years)earns $43,699,

What are the highest paying states for a Retail Worker?

Retail Worker salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Retail Worker roles are District of Columbia $42,650, California $42,488, Massachusetts $41,922. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Retail Worker roles make?

Salaries for Retail Worker level roles vary by specialization: Pharmacist - Retail: $163,792; Retail Banker: $90,774; Forest and Conservation Worker: $61,710; Museum Research Worker: $61,710; Concrete Worker: $54,164.

How do different companies affect a Retail Worker's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Retail Worker roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Retail Worker Salary in the United States

How much does a Retail Worker make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Retail Worker in the United States is $38,520 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.

However, a Retail Worker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $44,108
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $34,486 to $41,445
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,813

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Retail Worker Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$41,445	$3,454	$797	$20
Average	$38,520	$3,210	$741	$19
25th Percentile	$34,486	$2,874	$663	$17

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Key Factors That Influence Retail Worker Salaries

A Retail Worker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Retail Worker Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Retail Workers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $42,650.
California: $42,488.
Massachusetts: $41,922.

District of Columbia $42,650 California $42,488 Massachusetts $41,922 Washington $41,767 New Jersey $41,752 Alaska $41,698 Connecticut $41,167 New York $40,951

Hawaii $40,261 Rhode Island $39,938 Maryland $39,718 Minnesota $39,418 Colorado $39,302 Illinois $39,264 Oregon $39,117 Delaware $39,009

New Hampshire $38,942 Virginia $38,790 Pennsylvania $38,347 Nevada $38,123 North Dakota $38,050 Michigan $37,935 Wisconsin $37,892 Vermont $37,808

Texas $37,573 Maine $37,557 Arizona $37,534 Ohio $37,507 Georgia $37,153 Indiana $36,976 Wyoming $36,941 Utah $36,887

Iowa $36,864 Kansas $36,679 Louisiana $36,625 North Carolina $36,606 Missouri $36,598 Florida $36,448 Montana $36,367 Nebraska $36,290

Kentucky $36,248 South Carolina $36,093 Tennessee $35,997 Idaho $35,959 New Mexico $35,677 Oklahoma $35,616 Alabama $35,389 South Dakota $35,007

Arkansas $34,799 West Virginia $34,687 Mississippi $34,352

Top Paying Cities for Retail Workers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $48,586
San Francisco: $48,054
Oakland: $47,041

San Jose, CA $48,586

San Francisco, CA $48,054

Oakland, CA $47,041

New York, NY $44,352

Paramus, NJ $43,812

Queens Village, NY $43,811

Passaic, NJ $43,774

Bergenfield, NJ $43,771

Stamford, CT $43,686

Huntington, NY $43,670

Newark, NJ $43,385

Bridgeport, CT $43,304

Vallejo, CA $43,227

New Brunswick, NJ $43,212

Petaluma, CA $43,189

Middlesex, NJ $43,116

Somerset, NJ $43,089

Santa Cruz, CA $43,039

Boston, MA $42,804

Monterey, CA $42,668

Seattle, WA $42,580

Santa Rosa, CA $42,573

Los Angeles, CA $42,561

Juneau, AK $42,461

Washington, DC $42,418

Orange, CA $42,281

Santa Ana, CA $42,180

Long Beach, CA $42,141

Anaheim, CA $42,133

Anchorage, AK $42,114

Santa Maria, CA $41,999

Everett, WA $41,991

Danbury, CT $41,855

Bremerton, WA $41,802

Tacoma, WA $41,663

New Suffolk, NY $41,663

Sacramento, CA $41,652

Santa Barbara, CA $41,610

Trenton, NJ $41,567

San Diego, CA $41,567

Brockton, MA $41,525

Fairbanks, AK $41,430

Lompoc, CA $41,332

Lowell, MA $41,301

Ventura, CA $41,294

Nashua, NH $41,286

Stockton, CA $41,282

Modesto, CA $41,001

Poughkeepsie, NY $40,916

Olympia, WA $40,843

Kennewick, WA $40,843

New Haven, CT $40,828

Lawrence, MA $40,689

Hartford, CT $40,650

Riverside, CA $40,643

New Bedford, MA $40,604

Richland, WA $40,604

Bakersfield, CA $40,550

San Bernardino, CA $40,535

New Britain, CT $40,531

Atlantic City, NJ $40,531

New London, CT $40,516

Norwich, CT $40,504

Portsmouth, NH $40,496

Boulder, CO $40,415

Portland, OR $40,361

Worcester, MA $40,358

Minneapolis, MN $40,238

Philadelphia, PA $40,184

Honolulu, HI $40,057

Saint Paul, MN $40,039

Vineland, NJ $40,030

Providence, RI $39,918

Chicago, IL $39,807

Bellingham, WA $39,761

Springfield, MA $39,730

Baltimore, MD $39,718

Chico, CA $39,622

Pittsfield, MA $39,518

Manchester, NH $39,445

Spokane, WA $39,275

Denver, CO $39,271

Albany, NY $39,090

Troy, NY $39,075

Nassau, NY $39,034

Schenectady, NY $38,994

Wilmington, DE $38,963

Burlington, VT $38,909

Salem, OR $38,894

Portland, ME $38,774

Yakima, WA $38,736

Rochester, MN $38,617

Reno, NV $38,597

Fresno, CA $38,597

Milwaukee, WI $38,563

Detroit, MI $38,524

Ann Arbor, MI $38,518

Allentown, PA $38,512

Colorado Springs, CO $38,447

Syracuse, NY $38,428

Carson City, NV $38,428

Houston, TX $38,374

Eugene, OR $38,355

Gary, IN $38,308

Springfield, OR $38,278

Bismarck, ND $38,270

Galveston, TX $38,243

Medford, OR $38,185

Fort Collins, CO $38,170

Concord, NH $38,150

Austin, TX $38,139

Mesa, AZ $38,058

Reading, PA $38,054

Phoenix, AZ $38,050

Dallas, TX $38,039

Saint Cloud, MN $38,002

Madison, WI $37,950

Utica, NY $37,846

Rochester, NY $37,784

Des Moines, IA $37,781

Raleigh, NC $37,777

Atlanta, GA $37,719

Battle Creek, MI $37,707

Salt Lake City, UT $37,696

Lancaster, PA $37,638

Harrisburg, PA $37,584

Kansas City, MO $37,546

Champaign, IL $37,538

Kansas City, KS $37,538

Fort Worth, TX $37,534

Columbus, OH $37,528

Boca Raton, FL $37,519

Pittsburgh, PA $37,503

Richmond, VA $37,488

Indianapolis, IN $37,480

Cleveland, OH $37,476

Las Vegas, NV $37,430

Cincinnati, OH $37,430

Petersburg, VA $37,372

Huntsville, AL $37,315

Lansing, MI $37,289

Lebanon, PA $37,284

Pueblo, CO $37,280

Appleton, WI $37,268

Buffalo, NY $37,253

Dayton, OH $37,241

Racine, WI $37,234

Charlotte, NC $37,230

Saint Louis, MO $37,218

York, PA $37,195

Elkhart, IN $37,195

Gastonia, NC $37,188

Billings, MT $37,179

Beaumont, TX $37,168

Lorain, OH $37,160

Benton Harbor, MI $37,153

Toledo, OH $37,145

Binghamton, NY $37,126

Rock Hill, SC $37,122

Rockford, IL $37,103

Springfield, IL $37,087

Elyria, OH $37,083

Fargo, ND $37,083

Flagstaff, AZ $37,056

Fort Lauderdale, FL $37,033

Duluth, MN $37,010

Miami, FL $37,010

Cheyenne, WY $36,983

Grand Forks, ND $36,983

Bangor, ME $36,898

Cedar Rapids, IA $36,856

Durham, NC $36,840

Louisville, KY $36,837

Grand Rapids, MI $36,829

Hialeah, FL $36,825

Casper, WY $36,771

Scranton, PA $36,725

New Orleans, LA $36,714

Virginia Beach, VA $36,710

Akron, OH $36,690

Peoria, IL $36,640

Sarasota, FL $36,633

Nashville, TN $36,606

Omaha, NE $36,606

Green Bay, WI $36,606

Baton Rouge, LA $36,586

Charleston, SC $36,579

Jamestown, NY $36,560

Davenport, IA $36,560

Tucson, AZ $36,540

Saint Petersburg, FL $36,517

Tampa, FL $36,509

Evansville, IN $36,486

Port Arthur, TX $36,486

Bradenton, FL $36,471

Santa Fe, NM $36,402

Orlando, FL $36,332

Clearwater, FL $36,321

Canton, OH $36,240

La Crosse, WI $36,240

Albuquerque, NM $36,217

Newport News, VA $36,213

High Point, NC $36,201

Ogden, UT $36,186

Corpus Christi, TX $36,155

Norfolk, VA $36,132

Laramie, WY $36,132

Rock Island, IL $36,109

Saginaw, MI $36,101

Jacksonville, FL $36,097

Salisbury, NC $36,090

Boise, ID $36,082

Moline, IL $36,063

Fort Myers, FL $36,051

Memphis, TN $36,043

Tulsa, OK $36,024

Waterloo, IA $36,001

Spartanburg, SC $35,962

Lincoln, NE $35,943

Fort Wayne, IN $35,935

Provo, UT $35,932

Cedar Falls, IA $35,885

San Antonio, TX $35,870

Greensboro, NC $35,855

South Bend, IN $35,851

Savannah, GA $35,808

Muskegon, MI $35,793

Birmingham, AL $35,789

Winston Salem, NC $35,770

Lake Charles, LA $35,677

Anderson, IN $35,670

Lexington, KY $35,658

Augusta, GA $35,647

Greenville, SC $35,647

Lima, OH $35,616

Wichita, KS $35,612

Tuscaloosa, AL $35,612

Columbia, SC $35,577

Springfield, OH $35,570

Asheville, NC $35,508

Bloomington, IN $35,481

Knoxville, TN $35,342

Shreveport, LA $35,338

Wilmington, NC $35,288

Roanoke, VA $35,288

Topeka, KS $35,219

Frankfort, KY $35,215

Oklahoma City, OK $35,188

Chillicothe, OH $35,173

Longview, TX $35,169

Melbourne, FL $35,165

Sioux Falls, SD $35,103

Mobile, AL $35,100

Terre Haute, IN $35,084

Altoona, PA $35,061

Amarillo, TX $35,034

Killeen, TX $35,023

Fayetteville, AR $34,992

Chattanooga, TN $34,980

Sioux City, IA $34,946

Idaho Falls, ID $34,938

Lynchburg, VA $34,907

Gainesville, FL $34,857

Portsmouth, OH $34,838

Little Rock, AR $34,830

Lafayette, LA $34,815

Youngstown, OH $34,815

Daytona Beach, FL $34,791

Clarksville, TN $34,788

Pensacola, FL $34,784

Temple, TX $34,781

Hopkinsville, KY $34,668

Erie, PA $34,660

Florence, SC $34,645

Charleston, WV $34,583

Great Falls, MT $34,564

Macon, GA $34,510

Tallahassee, FL $34,506

Fayetteville, NC $34,499

Waco, TX $34,491

Helena, MT $34,464

Pine Bluff, AR $34,449

Vincennes, IN $34,402

Lubbock, TX $34,387

Alamogordo, NM $34,364

Twin Falls, ID $34,329

Rapid City, SD $34,318

Jackson, MS $34,248

Huntington, WV $34,246

Greenville, MS $34,244

Parkersburg, WV $34,205

Montgomery, AL $34,198

Wichita Falls, TX $34,160

Springfield, MO $34,160

Biloxi, MS $34,140

Monroe, LA $34,102

Johnstown, PA $34,075

Sumter, SC $34,060

Columbus, GA $34,056

Pascagoula, MS $33,983

Abilene, TX $33,983

Kingsport, TN $33,882

Albany, GA $33,882

Gulfport, MS $33,871

Alexandria, LA $33,744

Fort Smith, AR $33,647

El Paso, TX $33,543

Las Cruces, NM $33,370

Harlingen, TX $33,272

Pocatello, ID $33,266

Florence, AL $33,216

Brownsville, TX $33,208

Mcallen, TX $33,127

Dothan, AL $33,073

Columbus, MS $32,845

Altus, OK $32,665

Lawton, OK $32,592

Pierre, SD $32,453

What Skills Can Increase a Retail Worker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 25.44% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Customer Sales (Mentioned in 1.68% Job Postings): Customer Sales means sales of Goods by Licensee directly or through its authorized wholesalers, representatives or distributors to retail establishments for eventual resale to the consumer.
Store Operations (Mentioned in 1.29% Job Postings): Retail operations are the activities that allow online and physical stores to function. The aim of retail operations is to enhance the customer shopping experience and lower the retailer's costs.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	25.44%
Customer Sales	1.68%
Store Operations	1.29%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Retail Worker's salary.

Prospecting: Can increase your salary by up to 48%.
Outside Sales: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
Sales Training: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Prospecting	$57,010	48%
Outside Sales	$48,535	26%
Sales Training	$46,224	20%
Sales Presentation	$44,683	16%
Time Management	$41,217	7%
Problem Solving	$41,217	7%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Retail Worker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Retail Workers enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Retail Worker with a No Diploma is between $29,454 and $31,363).

Retail Worker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Retail Worker

No Diploma 2.7%

High School 44.1%

Associates 15.8%

Bachelors 34.0%

Masters 3.2%

Doctorate 0.2%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.7%
High School	44.1%
Associates	15.8%
Bachelors	34.0%
Masters	3.2%
Doctorate	0.2%

view as graph

Retail Worker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Retail Worker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$34,486

Average $38,520/year

$41,445

$2,874

Average $3,210/month

$3,454

$663

Average $741/week

$797

$17

Average $19/hour

$20

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$41,445	$3,454	$797	$20
Average	$38,520	$3,210	$741	$19
25th Percentile	$34,486	$2,874	$663	$17

Salaries of jobs related to Retail Worker

Salary Trends for Retail Worker

Salaries for a Retail Worker can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $40,574 in 2023 to around $40,067 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Retail Worker salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Retail Worker Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$40,574

2024

$40,308

2025

$40,067

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$40,574
2024	$40,308
2025	$40,067
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Retail Worker

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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