Retail salesperson pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical retail salesperson pay ranges from $30,160 in Oklahoma City, OK to $44,220 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Retail Salespersons, SOC 41-2031).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $44,220 | $33,500 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $42,080 | $32,400 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $43,850 | $31,700 |
| 4 | Kansas City, MO | $34,320 | $31,100 |
| 5 | Nashville, TN | $34,420 | $31,000 |
| 6 | Memphis, TN | $32,580 | $30,800 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $38,470 | $30,300 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $38,100 | $30,300 |
| 9 | Buffalo, NY | $34,910 | $30,200 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $33,860 | $30,000 |
| 11 | Milwaukee, WI | $34,410 | $30,000 |
| 12 | Jacksonville, FL | $34,360 | $29,900 |
| 13 | St. Louis, MO | $33,820 | $29,800 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $33,780 | $29,700 |
| 15 | Grand Rapids, MI | $34,800 | $29,700 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,960 | $29,400 |
| 17 | Hartford, CT | $35,720 | $29,400 |
| 18 | Riverside, CA | $36,720 | $29,300 |
| 19 | Providence, RI | $35,230 | $29,300 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $33,720 | $29,200 |
| 21 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,670 | $29,100 |
| 22 | Tampa, FL | $33,790 | $29,100 |
| 23 | Charlotte, NC | $33,580 | $29,100 |
| 24 | San Diego, CA | $37,810 | $28,600 |
| 25 | San Antonio, TX | $30,960 | $28,600 |
| 26 | Richmond, VA | $33,580 | $28,600 |
| 27 | Raleigh, NC | $33,100 | $28,500 |
| 28 | Chicago, IL | $35,820 | $28,300 |
| 29 | Oklahoma City, OK | $30,160 | $28,300 |
| 30 | Detroit, MI | $35,130 | $28,200 |
| 31 | Birmingham, AL | $31,450 | $28,200 |
| 32 | Los Angeles, CA | $37,700 | $28,100 |
| 33 | Dallas, TX | $33,400 | $28,100 |
| 34 | Washington, DC | $36,610 | $28,100 |
| 35 | Portland, OR | $37,340 | $28,100 |
| 36 | Salt Lake City, UT | $34,420 | $28,000 |
| 37 | Boston, MA | $36,850 | $27,900 |
| 38 | Cleveland, OH | $31,000 | $27,900 |
| 39 | Houston, TX | $31,340 | $27,800 |
| 40 | Orlando, FL | $32,290 | $27,700 |
| 41 | Cincinnati, OH | $30,810 | $27,600 |
| 42 | Atlanta, GA | $32,850 | $27,500 |
| 43 | Philadelphia, PA | $34,810 | $27,100 |
| 44 | Indianapolis, IN | $31,530 | $27,100 |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | $30,660 | $27,100 |
| 46 | New York, NY | $38,280 | $27,000 |
| 47 | Baltimore, MD | $34,800 | $26,500 |
| 48 | Virginia Beach, VA | $30,820 | $26,500 |
| 49 | Pittsburgh, PA | $30,840 | $26,400 |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $34,330 | $26,100 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays retail salespeople the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical retail salesperson pay among the 50 largest US metros: $44,220 a year. The lowest is Oklahoma City, OK at $30,160. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does retail salesperson pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical retail salesperson pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $26,100 in typical-US-city dollars.