General Merchandise Clerk Salary in the United States
How much does a General Merchandise Clerk make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a General Merchandise Clerk in the United States is $57,851 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $28.
However, a General Merchandise Clerk's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $63,850
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $51,675 to $60,991
Key Factors That Influence General Merchandise Clerk Salaries
A General Merchandise Clerk'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 General Merchandise Clerk Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a General Merchandise Clerk'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): $58,280
Early Career (1-2 years): $86,122
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $88,043
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $120,752
Expert (over 8 years): $158,937
Levels
Salary
General M... Level General Merchandise Clerk
$58,280
Merchandi... Level General Merchandise Clerk
$86,122
Merchandi... Level General Merchandise Clerk
$88,043
Merchandi... Level General Merchandise Clerk
$120,752
Merchandi... Level General Merchandise Clerk
$158,937
$58,2800 yr
$86,122< 2 yrs
$88,0432-4 yrs
$120,7525-8 yrs
$158,937> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do General Merchandise Clerk 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 General Merchandise Clerks.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $64,053.
California: $63,810.
Massachusetts: $62,959.
District of Columbia$64,053
California$63,810
Massachusetts$62,959
Washington$62,728
New Jersey$62,705
Alaska$62,624
Connecticut$61,825
New York$61,501
Hawaii$60,466
Rhode Island$59,980
Maryland$59,650
Minnesota$59,199
Colorado$59,025
Illinois$58,967
Oregon$58,748
Delaware$58,586
New Hampshire$58,484
Virginia$58,256
Pennsylvania$57,591
Nevada$57,255
North Dakota$57,145
Michigan$56,972
Wisconsin$56,908
Vermont$56,781
Texas$56,428
Maine$56,405
Arizona$56,370
Ohio$56,329
Georgia$55,797
Indiana$55,531
Wyoming$55,479
Utah$55,398
Iowa$55,363
Kansas$55,086
Louisiana$55,005
North Carolina$54,976
Missouri$54,964
Florida$54,739
Montana$54,617
Nebraska$54,501
Kentucky$54,438
South Carolina$54,206
Tennessee$54,062
Idaho$54,004
New Mexico$53,582
Oklahoma$53,489
Alabama$53,148
South Dakota$52,575
Arkansas$52,263
West Virginia$52,095
Mississippi$51,591
Top Paying Cities for General Merchandise Clerks
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: $72,967
San Francisco: $72,168
Oakland: $70,648
San Jose, CA$72,967
San Francisco, CA$72,168
Oakland, CA$70,648
New York, NY$66,609
Paramus, NJ$65,799
Queens Village, NY$65,796
Passaic, NJ$65,741
Bergenfield, NJ$65,736
Stamford, CT$65,609
Huntington, NY$65,585
Newark, NJ$65,157
Bridgeport, CT$65,035
Vallejo, CA$64,920
New Brunswick, NJ$64,897
Petaluma, CA$64,862
Middlesex, NJ$64,753
Somerset, NJ$64,712
Santa Cruz, CA$64,637
Boston, MA$64,284
Monterey, CA$64,081
Seattle, WA$63,948
Santa Rosa, CA$63,937
Los Angeles, CA$63,919
Juneau, AK$63,769
Washington, DC$63,705
Orange, CA$63,499
Santa Ana, CA$63,347
Long Beach, CA$63,289
Anaheim, CA$63,277
Anchorage, AK$63,248
Santa Maria, CA$63,075
Everett, WA$63,063
Danbury, CT$62,860
Bremerton, WA$62,780
Tacoma, WA$62,572
New Suffolk, NY$62,570
Sacramento, CA$62,554
Santa Barbara, CA$62,491
Trenton, NJ$62,427
San Diego, CA$62,427
Brockton, MA$62,363
Fairbanks, AK$62,222
Lompoc, CA$62,074
Lowell, MA$62,027
Ventura, CA$62,016
Nashua, NH$62,005
Stockton, CA$61,999
Modesto, CA$61,576
Poughkeepsie, NY$61,449
Olympia, WA$61,339
Kennewick, WA$61,339
New Haven, CT$61,316
Lawrence, MA$61,108
Hartford, CT$61,050
Riverside, CA$61,038
New Bedford, MA$60,981
Richland, WA$60,981
Bakersfield, CA$60,900
San Bernardino, CA$60,877
New Britain, CT$60,871
Atlantic City, NJ$60,871
New London, CT$60,848
Norwich, CT$60,830
Portsmouth, NH$60,819
Boulder, CO$60,696
Portland, OR$60,616
Worcester, MA$60,610
Minneapolis, MN$60,431
Philadelphia, PA$60,350
Honolulu, HI$60,159
Saint Paul, MN$60,131
Vineland, NJ$60,119
Providence, RI$59,951
Chicago, IL$59,783
Bellingham, WA$59,714
Springfield, MA$59,667
Baltimore, MD$59,650
Chico, CA$59,505
Pittsfield, MA$59,349
Manchester, NH$59,239
Spokane, WA$58,985
Denver, CO$58,979
Albany, NY$58,707
Troy, NY$58,684
Nassau, NY$58,622
Schenectady, NY$58,562
Wilmington, DE$58,516
Burlington, VT$58,435
Salem, OR$58,412
Portland, ME$58,233
Yakima, WA$58,175
Rochester, MN$57,996
Reno, NV$57,967
Fresno, CA$57,967
Milwaukee, WI$57,915
Detroit, MI$57,857
Ann Arbor, MI$57,847
Allentown, PA$57,839
Colorado Springs, CO$57,741
Syracuse, NY$57,712
Carson City, NV$57,712
Houston, TX$57,631
Eugene, OR$57,602
Gary, IN$57,533
Springfield, OR$57,486
Bismarck, ND$57,475
Galveston, TX$57,434
Medford, OR$57,348
Fort Collins, CO$57,324
Concord, NH$57,296
Austin, TX$57,278
Mesa, AZ$57,157
Reading, PA$57,151
Phoenix, AZ$57,145
Dallas, TX$57,128
Saint Cloud, MN$57,072
Madison, WI$56,995
Utica, NY$56,839
Rochester, NY$56,746
Des Moines, IA$56,740
Raleigh, NC$56,734
Atlanta, GA$56,648
Battle Creek, MI$56,630
Salt Lake City, UT$56,613
Lancaster, PA$56,526
Harrisburg, PA$56,445
Kansas City, MO$56,387
Champaign, IL$56,376
Kansas City, KS$56,376
Fort Worth, TX$56,370
Columbus, OH$56,360
Boca Raton, FL$56,347
Pittsburgh, PA$56,324
Richmond, VA$56,300
Indianapolis, IN$56,289
Cleveland, OH$56,283
Las Vegas, NV$56,214
Cincinnati, OH$56,214
Petersburg, VA$56,127
Huntsville, AL$56,040
Lansing, MI$56,001
Lebanon, PA$55,994
Pueblo, CO$55,988
Appleton, WI$55,971
Buffalo, NY$55,948
Dayton, OH$55,930
Racine, WI$55,919
Charlotte, NC$55,913
Saint Louis, MO$55,896
York, PA$55,861
Elkhart, IN$55,861
Gastonia, NC$55,850
Billings, MT$55,836
Beaumont, TX$55,820
Lorain, OH$55,809
Benton Harbor, MI$55,797
Toledo, OH$55,786
Binghamton, NY$55,757
Rock Hill, SC$55,751
Rockford, IL$55,722
Springfield, IL$55,699
Elyria, OH$55,693
Fargo, ND$55,693
Flagstaff, AZ$55,653
Fort Lauderdale, FL$55,618
Duluth, MN$55,583
Miami, FL$55,583
Cheyenne, WY$55,543
Grand Forks, ND$55,543
Bangor, ME$55,415
Cedar Rapids, IA$55,352
Durham, NC$55,327
Louisville, KY$55,323
Grand Rapids, MI$55,311
Hialeah, FL$55,305
Casper, WY$55,224
Scranton, PA$55,155
New Orleans, LA$55,138
Virginia Beach, VA$55,132
Akron, OH$55,103
Peoria, IL$55,028
Sarasota, FL$55,016
Nashville, TN$54,976
Omaha, NE$54,976
Green Bay, WI$54,976
Baton Rouge, LA$54,947
Charleston, SC$54,935
Jamestown, NY$54,906
Davenport, IA$54,906
Tucson, AZ$54,877
Saint Petersburg, FL$54,843
Tampa, FL$54,831
Evansville, IN$54,796
Port Arthur, TX$54,796
Bradenton, FL$54,773
Santa Fe, NM$54,669
Orlando, FL$54,565
Clearwater, FL$54,548
Canton, OH$54,426
La Crosse, WI$54,426
Albuquerque, NM$54,391
Newport News, VA$54,386
High Point, NC$54,368
Ogden, UT$54,345
Corpus Christi, TX$54,299
Norfolk, VA$54,264
Laramie, WY$54,264
Rock Island, IL$54,229
Saginaw, MI$54,218
Jacksonville, FL$54,212
Salisbury, NC$54,201
Boise, ID$54,189
Moline, IL$54,160
Fort Myers, FL$54,143
Memphis, TN$54,131
Tulsa, OK$54,102
Waterloo, IA$54,067
Spartanburg, SC$54,010
Lincoln, NE$53,981
Fort Wayne, IN$53,969
Provo, UT$53,963
Cedar Falls, IA$53,894
San Antonio, TX$53,871
Greensboro, NC$53,848
South Bend, IN$53,842
Savannah, GA$53,778
Muskegon, MI$53,755
Birmingham, AL$53,749
Winston Salem, NC$53,721
Lake Charles, LA$53,582
Anderson, IN$53,570
Lexington, KY$53,553
Augusta, GA$53,535
Greenville, SC$53,535
Lima, OH$53,489
Wichita, KS$53,483
Tuscaloosa, AL$53,483
Columbia, SC$53,431
Springfield, OH$53,420
Asheville, NC$53,327
Bloomington, IN$53,286
Knoxville, TN$53,078
Shreveport, LA$53,072
Wilmington, NC$52,997
Roanoke, VA$52,997
Topeka, KS$52,893
Frankfort, KY$52,887
Oklahoma City, OK$52,847
Chillicothe, OH$52,824
Longview, TX$52,818
Melbourne, FL$52,812
Sioux Falls, SD$52,720
Mobile, AL$52,714
Terre Haute, IN$52,691
Altoona, PA$52,656
Amarillo, TX$52,615
Killeen, TX$52,598
Fayetteville, AR$52,552
Chattanooga, TN$52,534
Sioux City, IA$52,482
Idaho Falls, ID$52,471
Lynchburg, VA$52,424
Gainesville, FL$52,349
Portsmouth, OH$52,320
Little Rock, AR$52,309
Lafayette, LA$52,286
Youngstown, OH$52,286
Daytona Beach, FL$52,251
Clarksville, TN$52,245
Pensacola, FL$52,239
Temple, TX$52,235
Hopkinsville, KY$52,066
Erie, PA$52,054
Florence, SC$52,031
Charleston, WV$51,939
Great Falls, MT$51,910
Macon, GA$51,829
Tallahassee, FL$51,823
Fayetteville, NC$51,811
Waco, TX$51,800
Helena, MT$51,759
Pine Bluff, AR$51,737
Vincennes, IN$51,667
Lubbock, TX$51,643
Alamogordo, NM$51,609
Twin Falls, ID$51,557
Rapid City, SD$51,539
Jackson, MS$51,435
Huntington, WV$51,431
Greenville, MS$51,429
Parkersburg, WV$51,370
Montgomery, AL$51,360
Wichita Falls, TX$51,302
Springfield, MO$51,302
Biloxi, MS$51,273
Monroe, LA$51,215
Johnstown, PA$51,175
Sumter, SC$51,152
Columbus, GA$51,146
Pascagoula, MS$51,036
Abilene, TX$51,036
Kingsport, TN$50,886
Albany, GA$50,886
Gulfport, MS$50,868
Alexandria, LA$50,677
Fort Smith, AR$50,533
El Paso, TX$50,377
Las Cruces, NM$50,116
Harlingen, TX$49,969
Pocatello, ID$49,960
Florence, AL$49,885
Brownsville, TX$49,873
Mcallen, TX$49,752
Dothan, AL$49,671
Columbus, MS$49,327
Altus, OK$49,058
Lawton, OK$48,948
Pierre, SD$48,739
What Skills Can Increase a General Merchandise Clerk's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 12.75% 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.
Product Knowledge (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings): Product knowledge is the ability to communicate information and answer questions about a product or service. It is considered an important knowledge area for any role that puts you in front of customers, investors or the media.
Services Marketing (Mentioned in 1.01% Job Postings): Services marketing is a form of marketing businesses that provide a service to their customers use to increase brand awareness and sales
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Customer Service
12.75%
Product Knowledge
1.54%
Services Marketing
1.01%
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 General Merchandise Clerk's salary.
Services Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Results Oriented: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Category Management: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Services Marketing
$66,529
15%
Results Oriented
$66,529
15%
Category Management
$66,529
15%
Hard Working
$64,214
11%
Confidentiality
$64,214
11%
Leadership
$61,900
7%
Get Latest Data
General Merchandise Clerk Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For General Merchandise Clerk roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the MFG Durable and Construction
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, General Merchandise Clerk positions in MFG Nondurable or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view General Merchandise Clerk as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a General Merchandise Clerk
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
MFG Durable
$80,991
$39.0
40%
Construction
$75,206
$36.0
30%
Internet
$72,314
$35.0
25%
Aerospace & Defense
$69,421
$33.0
20%
Hospitality & Leisure
$66,529
$32.0
15%
How Education impacts a General Merchandise Clerk's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many General Merchandise Clerks 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 General Merchandise Clerk with a No Diploma is between
$61,099
and $67,620).
General Merchandise Clerk Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for General Merchandise Clerk
No Diploma3.4%
High School17.7%
Associates15.8%
Bachelors57.1%
Masters5.9%
Doctorate0.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
3.4%
High School
17.7%
Associates
15.8%
Bachelors
57.1%
Masters
5.9%
Doctorate
0.0%
view as graph
General Merchandise Clerk Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a General Merchandise Clerk'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$51,675
Average$57,851/year
$60,991
$4,306
Average$4,821/month
$5,083
$994
Average$1,113/week
$1,173
$25
Average$28/hour
$29
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$60,991
$5,083
$1,173
$29
Average
$57,851
$4,821
$1,113
$28
25th Percentile
$51,675
$4,306
$994
$25
Salaries of jobs related to General Merchandise Clerk
Salaries for a General Merchandise Clerk can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $55,424 in 2023
to around $54,946 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of General Merchandise Clerk salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of General Merchandise Clerk Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$55,424
2024
$55,455
2025
$54,946
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$55,424
2024
$55,455
2025
$54,946
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for General Merchandise Clerk
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for General Merchandise Clerk
Here are companies hiring for General Merchandise Clerk and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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