Sports Merchandise Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Sports Merchandise Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Sports Merchandise Manager in the United States is $122,751 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $59.

However, a Sports Merchandise Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $140,979
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $109,378 to $132,292
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $97,203

Key Factors That Influence Sports Merchandise Manager Salaries

A Sports Merchandise Manager'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 Experience Level Affects Sports Merchandise Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Sports Merchandise Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $87,067
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $89,023
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $122,050
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $160,667
  • Expert (over 8 years): $193,899
Levels Salary
Merchandi... Level Sports Merchandise Manager$87,067
Merchandi... Level Sports Merchandise Manager$89,023
Sports Me... Level Sports Merchandise Manager$122,050
Merchandi... Level Sports Merchandise Manager$160,667
Merchandi... Level Sports Merchandise Manager$193,899

How Do Sports Merchandise Manager 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 Sports Merchandise Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $135,910.
  • California: $135,394.
  • Massachusetts: $133,590.

Top Paying Cities for Sports Merchandise Managers

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: $154,826
  • San Francisco: $153,131
  • Oakland: $149,904

What Skills Can Increase a Sports Merchandise Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Coaching (Mentioned in 5.3% Job Postings): Coaching is a form of development in which an experienced person, called a coach, supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance.
  • SAS (Mentioned in 1.53% Job Postings): SAS (Statistical Analysis System) is a statistical software suite developed by SAS Institute for data management, advanced analytics, multivariate analysis, business intelligence, criminal investigation, and predictive analytics.
  • Customer Satisfaction (Mentioned in 1.1% Job Postings): Customer satisfaction (often abbreviated as CSAT, more correctly CSat) is a term frequently used in marketing. It is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as "the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals." The Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) endorses the definitions, purposes, and constructs of classes of measures that appear in Marketing Metrics as part of its ongoing Common Language in Marketing Project. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 71 percent responded that they found a customer satisfaction metric very useful in managing and monitoring their businesses. It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is often part of a Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy.
Skills Demand Percentage
Coaching 5.3%
SAS 1.53%
Customer Satisfaction 1.1%

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 Sports Merchandise Manager's salary.

  • Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Facilitation: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Onboarding: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Improvement $148,529
21%
Facilitation $146,074
19%
Onboarding $144,846
18%

Sports Merchandise Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Sports Merchandise Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Sports Merchandise Manager positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Sports Merchandise Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Sports Merchandise Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$147,301$71.020%
Energy & Utilities$147,301$71.020%
Financial Services$147,301$71.020%
Pharmaceuticals$147,301$71.020%
Software & Networking$147,301$71.020%

How Education impacts a Sports Merchandise Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Sports Merchandise Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Sports Merchandise Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $114,249 and $123,626).

Sports Merchandise Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Sports Merchandise Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.8%
High School 13.2%
Associates 12.4%
Bachelors 59.3%
Masters 14.0%
Doctorate 0.4%

Sports Merchandise Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Sports Merchandise Manager'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 September 01, 2026
$109,378
Average $122,751/year
$132,292
$9,115
Average $10,229/month
$11,024
$2,103
Average $2,361/week
$2,544
$53
Average $59/hour
$64
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $132,292 $11,024 $2,544 $64
Average $122,751 $10,229 $2,361 $59
25th Percentile $109,378 $9,115 $2,103 $53

Most common benefits for Sports Merchandise Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Sports Merchandise Manager

Here are companies hiring for Sports Merchandise Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Sports Merchandise Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Sports Merchandise Manager?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Sports Merchandise Manager roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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