Retail Sales Associate Hourly Pay & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 141,396 US job postings by 3,276 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for retail sales associates: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 141,396 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for retail sales associates in US job postings is $17.24 an hour (28,125 postings from 903 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $15.25 to $19.50 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $18.00 an hour (4,416 postings).
- The skills that most set retail sales associate postings apart are customer service, product knowledge, friendly.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Retail Sales Associate job postings in the US, October 2026
- $17.24/hr
- Median advertised pay (28,125 postings)
- $15.25–$19.50
- Middle 50% of postings
- $18.00/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 141,396
- US job postings from 3,276 employers
How much does a retail sales associate make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $17.24 an hour, from 28,125 US job postings by 903 employers that state pay. That is about $36,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 28,125 US retail sales associate job postings: median $36,000 a year ($17.24 an hour), middle half $32,000 to $42,000.
- Median: $36,000 ($17.24/hr)
- 25th percentile: $32,000
- 75th percentile: $42,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.4% |
| $20K–$30K | 14.0% |
| $30K–$40K | 53.5% |
| $40K–$50K | 20.7% |
| $50K–$60K | 5.8% |
| $60K–$70K | 1.9% |
| $70K–$80K | 1.1% |
| $80K–$90K | 0.9% |
| $90K–$100K | 0.7% |
| $100K–$110K | 0.2% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $17.24 | $15.25–$19.50 | 4,958 | Sales Associate, Retail Sales Associate, Seasonal Sales Associate |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $60,000 | $50K–$82K | 460 | Sales Associate, Retail Sales, Retail Sales Associate |
| All pay postings, annualised | $36,000 | $32K–$42K | 28,125 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Retail Salespersons (41-2031) at $35,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a retail sales associate?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $18.00 an hour (4,416 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $18.00/hr | 4,416 |
| 2-4 years | $18.90/hr | 835 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 26 |
Retail sales associate levels and pay
Levels as they appear in job titles, ordered by the median experience asked.
| Level in title | Share of postings | Median experience asked | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate | 42.2% | 1 year | $17.45/hr |
| No level in title | 36.9% | 1 year | $17.50/hr |
Highest-paying retail sales associate jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Sales Associate | $26.44/hr | 1,296 | 15 |
| Beauty Advisor | $21.35/hr | 1,249 | 21 |
| Retail Sales Associate (general) | $17.50/hr | 5,373 | 284 |
| Sales Associate | $17.24/hr | 10,017 | 468 |
| Seasonal Sales Associate | $17.14/hr | 5,072 | 90 |
| Part Time Sales Associate | $16.96/hr | 1,710 | 98 |
| Shop Assistant | $16.10/hr | 1,131 | 66 |
Retail sales associate pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $19.38/hr | $17.67–$21.63 | 579 | 1.8% |
| California | $19.00/hr | $17.71–$20.88 | 3,361 | 9.6% |
| Connecticut | $19.00/hr | $17.19–$19.82 | 293 | 1.2% |
| New York | $18.50/hr | $17.00–$21.00 | 1,597 | 5.2% |
| Hawaii | $18.12/hr | $16.25–$20.50 | 127 | 0.5% |
| Oregon | $17.98/hr | $16.50–$20.00 | 176 | 1.1% |
| New Jersey | $17.91/hr | $16.17–$20.00 | 773 | 2.5% |
| Colorado | $17.89/hr | $16.00–$19.67 | 641 | 2.1% |
| Illinois | $17.50/hr | $16.00–$19.88 | 1,184 | 3.8% |
| Massachusetts | $17.50/hr | $16.50–$20.62 | 652 | 2.2% |
| Maryland | $17.25/hr | $15.55–$19.27 | 514 | 1.8% |
| Maine | $17.00/hr | $16.12–$18.70 | 129 | 0.5% |
| Arizona | $16.50/hr | $15.40–$18.77 | 398 | 2.3% |
| Florida | $16.25/hr | $15.00–$19.25 | 1,145 | 6.4% |
| Wisconsin | $16.25/hr | $14.00–$20.00 | 331 | 1.6% |
| Missouri | $16.00/hr | $15.12–$18.50 | 290 | 2.0% |
| Minnesota | $16.00/hr | $14.17–$18.50 | 488 | 1.6% |
| New Hampshire | $16.00/hr | $14.81–$19.09 | 122 | 0.7% |
| Tennessee | $15.91/hr | $13.50–$19.25 | 434 | 2.6% |
| Virginia | $15.60/hr | $13.83–$19.00 | 636 | 2.9% |
| Utah | $15.50/hr | $11.90–$16.90 | 167 | 1.0% |
| Nebraska | $15.50/hr | $15.00–$17.95 | 121 | 0.6% |
| North Carolina | $15.25/hr | $13.00–$19.25 | 568 | 3.5% |
| Michigan | $15.25/hr | $14.00–$17.76 | 507 | 2.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $15.20/hr | $13.75–$19.00 | 717 | 4.6% |
| Texas | $15.00/hr | $13.50–$18.00 | 1,802 | 10.0% |
| Georgia | $15.00/hr | $12.95–$19.25 | 523 | 3.2% |
| Nevada | $15.00/hr | $13.50–$17.50 | 191 | 1.0% |
| New Mexico | $15.00/hr | $13.00–$19.25 | 123 | 0.9% |
| Indiana | $14.50/hr | $11.90–$17.95 | 406 | 2.4% |
| Ohio | $14.25/hr | $12.38–$16.90 | 743 | 3.8% |
| Iowa | $14.25/hr | $11.50–$20.50 | 117 | 0.9% |
| Kentucky | $14.00/hr | $11.90–$16.50 | 301 | 1.7% |
| Alabama | $14.00/hr | $11.75–$21.63 | 262 | 1.4% |
| Kansas | $14.00/hr | $11.90–$17.45 | 171 | 1.0% |
| South Carolina | $13.75/hr | $11.90–$17.38 | 225 | 1.6% |
| Oklahoma | $13.00/hr | $11.50–$15.20 | 258 | 1.2% |
| Louisiana | $11.90/hr | $11.00–$16.19 | 189 | 1.2% |
Skills employers ask for in retail sales associate job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 39% |
| Customer service | 38% |
| Interpersonal skills | 19% |
| Attention to detail | 13% |
| Organizational skills | 11% |
| Positive attitude | 9% |
| Product knowledge | 8% |
| Friendly | 8% |
| Teamwork | 7% |
| Self-motivated | 7% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set retail sales associates apart
- Customer service3.8× as often as in all postings · 38%
- Product knowledge18.2× as often as in all postings · 8%
- Friendly6× as often as in all postings · 8%
- Positive4.9× as often as in all postings · 5%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a retail sales associate job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a retail sales associate do?
Employers post these jobs as Sales Associate, Store Associate, Retail Associate, Seasonal Sales Associate, Retail Sales and other titles. The largest specializations are Sales Associate (23%), Part Time Sales Associate (6%), Shop Assistant (4%), Seasonal Sales Associate (11%), Salesperson (under 1%), Wireless Sales Associate (2%).
The closest official occupation is Retail Salespersons (41-2031.00). Its most important tasks:
- Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
- Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
- Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
- Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
- Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a retail sales associate?
Among 2,398 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 3% say 0 years and 67% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 2,398 US retail sales associate job postings: median 1 year, and 67% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 9% |
| 1 yr | 58% |
| 2 yrs | 22% |
| 3-4 yrs | 7% |
| 5-7 yrs | 2% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Part-time 65%, Full-time 35% of the 2,798 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a retail sales associate: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Sales Associate | 1,706 (52.1%) |
| Retail Sales Associate | 428 (13.1%) |
| Store Associate | 128 (3.9%) |
| Retail Associate | 121 (3.7%) |
| Seasonal Sales Associate | 108 (3.3%) |
| Retail Sales | 99 (3.0%) |
| Part Time Sales Associate | 95 (2.9%) |
| Store Clerk | 71 (2.2%) |
| Retail Sales Representative | 62 (1.9%) |
| Sales Associates | 51 (1.6%) |
| Retail Store Associate | 44 (1.3%) |
| PT Sales Associate | 37 (1.1%) |
| Part-Time Sales Associate | 30 (0.9%) |
| Full Time Sales Associate | 30 (0.9%) |
| Retail Clerk | 30 (0.9%) |
| Retail Team Member | 29 (0.9%) |
| Senior Sales Associate | 27 (0.8%) |
| Sales Clerk | 26 (0.8%) |
| Seasonal Retail Sales Associate | 24 (0.7%) |
| Seasonal Associate | 23 (0.7%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Retail sales associate job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Associate | 33,104 | 1,706 | $17.15/hr | 1 year | communication, customer service, interpersonal skills |
| Retail Associate | 3,398 | 121 | $15.75/hr | – | customer service, communication, attention to detail |
Retail Sales Associate compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate | $17.24/hr | 1 year | 141,396 | – |
| Store Manager | $20.12/hr | 2 years | 61,047 | 16 |
| Cashier | $16.50/hr | 1 year | 36,744 | 18 |
| Stocker | $17.50/hr | 1 year | 31,374 | 20 |
| Customer Service Representative | $19.00/hr | 1 year | 33,817 | 15 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Store Manager | 16 | $20.12/hr |
| Cashier | 18 | $16.50/hr |
| Stocker | 20 | $17.50/hr |
| Customer Service Representative | 15 | $19.00/hr |
| Server | 16 | $16.90/hr |
| Bartender | 17 | $16.85/hr |
Applying for retail sales associate jobs?
- Retail sales associate resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find retail sales associate jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Sales Associate make?
How much does a Retail Associate make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 39 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 36 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.