Oversees a group of retail stores in a region, leading store managers on sales, staffing, operations and customer experience. BLS does not publish separate figures for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers; it counts them within first-line supervisor of retail sales workers (SOC 41-1011), whose median pay is $48,520 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 41-1011
- Sales and Related
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Retail District Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $48,520a year, or $23.33/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $33KTop 10% $77K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -3.7%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−3.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −3.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 113,5001,419,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20251.4M
- Projected 20351.4M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 1.4M Projected 2035 1.4M - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school14.1%
- High school51.7%
- Certificate8.9%
- Some college6.1%
- Associate's18.9%
- Bachelor's0.4%
Highest education held by first-line supervisors of retail sales workers Segment Value Less than high school 14.1% High school 51.7% Certificate 8.9% Some college 6.1% Associate's 18.9% Bachelor's 0.4%
Also advertised as: District Manager, Area Manager, Retail, Multi-Unit Retail Manager, Regional Store Manager, Retail Area Supervisor.
Pay
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers make?
Every retail district manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$48,520
Middle half earn $38,590 to $62,130
- 10th
- $33,120
- 25th
- $38,590
- 75th
- $62,130
- 90th
- $77,080
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,120 |
| 25th | $38,590 |
| Median | $48,520 |
| 75th | $62,130 |
| 90th | $77,080 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $48,520
- Median hourly wage
- $23.33/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $53,380
- People employed
- 1,121,800
Versus all US occupations
At $48,520, First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers earn 5% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,460 a year.
Versus sales and related occupations
Inside the Sales and Related group, where the middle occupation pays $73,220, this is 34% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,080 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,120, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 19% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($60,750), but once local prices are taken into account South Dakota leads at $63,983 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $60,750 | $56,769 | 27,640 |
| 2Rhode Island | $58,570 | $57,264 | 3,880 |
| 3District of Columbia | $58,470 | $53,202 | 1,470 |
| 4New York | $58,300 | $54,021 | 50,830 |
| 5Colorado | $58,200 | $56,476 | 26,390 |
| 6Massachusetts | $57,490 | $54,360 | 20,240 |
| 7New Jersey | $57,320 | $52,681 | 31,160 |
| 8Alaska | $57,080 | $55,765 | 3,030 |
| 9South Dakota | $56,680 | $63,983 | 3,660 |
| 10Connecticut | $56,510 | $54,541 | 13,910 |
Job outlook
Is Retail District Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -3.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | −3.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers to change -3.7% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 52,500 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 113,500 openings are projected each year, 8.0% of the 1,419,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Retail District Manager
Most district managers rise from store manager roles after proving they can run a profitable, well-staffed store. Some retailers prefer or require a bachelor's degree in business or retail management, and some hire graduates into management training programs.
The National Retail Federation Foundation offers retail credentials and training, and many large retailers run internal leadership academies. Success depends on leadership, coaching skill, reading store financial reports, and staying calm while juggling problems at many stores at once.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as first-line supervisors of retail sales workers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)51.7%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree18.9%
- Less than a High School Diploma14.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.9%
- Some College Courses6.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 51.7% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 18.9% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 14.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 8.9% |
| Some College Courses | 6.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Retail District Manager do?
Retail district managers are responsible for a cluster of stores, often spread across a metro area or several states. They visit stores regularly to check merchandising, cleanliness, staffing and customer service, and work with each store manager on plans to hit sales and profit goals.
They hire, train and coach store managers, review labor schedules and payroll, track inventory shrink, and make sure company policies and safety rules are followed. District managers roll out new programs and store layouts, help open new locations, and handle escalated customer and employee issues. They report results to regional leadership and decide where to focus support.
Day-to-day tasks
- Visit stores to review sales floor standards and operations
- Coach store managers on sales and profit goals
- Hire and train store managers
- Review labor scheduling, payroll and expenses
- Monitor inventory shrink and loss prevention results
- Roll out new merchandising programs and store layouts
- Report district results to regional leadership
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
District managers spend much of the week driving between stores, with some time in a home or regional office. Retail hours mean evenings, weekends and holiday seasons are busy. The job involves standing and walking in stores and can include overnight travel for large districts.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.8
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Monitoring3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Writing3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.5
- Coordination3.5
- Persuasion3.3
- Negotiation3.3
- Instructing3.3
- Management of Personnel Resources3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.5 |
| Coordination | 3.5 |
| Persuasion | 3.3 |
| Negotiation | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Retail District Manager?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESC) built on O*NET's First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Retail District Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising7.0
- Conventional5.7
- Social4.5
- Realistic2.8
- Investigative1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Retail District Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Sales and Related
First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers
$48,520median a year
Most earn $33K to $77K
−3.7%High school - Sales and Related
First-Line Supervisor of Non-Retail Sales Workers
$87,520median a year
Most earn $50K to $164K
+0.5%High school - Office and Administrative Support
First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers
$69,500median a year
Most earn $46K to $105K
+0.1%High school - Food Preparation and Serving Related
First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
$44,080median a year
Most earn $30K to $66K
+5.4%High school - Personal Care and Service
First-Line Supervisor of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services
$48,560median a year
Most earn $35K to $79K
+5.3%High school - Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
First-Line Supervisor of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
$49,100median a year
Most earn $36K to $76K
+3.2%High school
- First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators · $62,840 median
More sales and related careers
Median annual pay, with first-line supervisors of retail sales workers highlighted
- Sales Engineer$124,900
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Product$104,920
- Real Estate Broker$73,220
- Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,080
- Insurance Sales Agent$62,280
- Real Estate Agent$52,830
- Travel Agent$50,160
- Retail District Manager$48,520
- Cashier$32,880
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sales Engineer | $124,900 |
| Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Product | $104,920 |
| Real Estate Broker | $73,220 |
| Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 |
| Real Estate Agent | $52,830 |
| Travel Agent | $50,160 |
| Retail District Manager | $48,520 |
| Cashier | $32,880 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Retail District Manager appears on
Questions
Retail District Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers. It counts them within first-line supervisor of retail sales workers, whose median pay is $48,520 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $38,590 and $62,130, and the top 10% earn $77,080 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Retail District Manager?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 51.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Retail District Manager a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 3.7% over 2025–2035, a loss of 52,500 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 113,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Retail District Manager do?
Retail district managers are responsible for a cluster of stores, often spread across a metro area or several states. A typical task: visit stores to review sales floor standards and operations. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Computer aided design CAD software.
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers the most?
The highest state medians for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers are Washington ($60,750), Rhode Island ($58,570), District of Columbia ($58,470) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, South Dakota moves to the top at $63,983.
What personality type suits a Retail District Manager?
O*NET scores First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.