Sort by any column. Employment is the number of retail salespersons OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Retail Salesperson Salary by State (2026)
Retail Salespersons earn the most in Washington at $39,560 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $22,560 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $35,410. All 54 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $39,560
- National median
- $35,410
- Lowest median
- $22,560
- States reporting
- 54
Washington
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Retail Salespersons
- 1. Washington$39,560 median · $36,967 adjusted · 84,850 employed
- 2. District of Columbia$38,500 median · $35,032 adjusted · 4,660 employed
- 3. California$38,440 median · $34,718 adjusted · 376,460 employed
- 4. Colorado$37,950 median · $36,826 adjusted · 76,660 employed
- 5. Hawaii$37,790 median · $34,370 adjusted · 19,180 employed
Lowest-paying states for Retail Salespersons
- 54. Puerto Rico$22,560 median · no price parity · 41,230 employed
- 53. Guam$24,000 median · no price parity · 1,540 employed
- 52. Mississippi$28,640 median · $32,937 adjusted · 38,400 employed
- 51. U.S. Virgin Islands$28,790 median · no price parity · 1,300 employed
- 50. West Virginia$28,950 median · $32,347 adjusted · 19,050 employed
Retail Salesperson salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $39,560 | $37,130 | $45,170 | 84,850 | $36,967 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $38,500 | $37,820 | $44,230 | 4,660 | $35,032 |
| 3 | California | $38,440 | $36,350 | $45,460 | 376,460 | $34,718 |
| 4 | Colorado | $37,950 | $35,740 | $44,460 | 76,660 | $36,826 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $37,790 | $34,990 | $44,840 | 19,180 | $34,370 |
| 6 | New York | $37,720 | $35,670 | $44,130 | 238,540 | $34,951 |
| 7 | Vermont | $37,400 | $34,530 | $45,710 | 8,250 | $38,180 |
| 8 | Alaska | $37,290 | $32,160 | $42,350 | 7,890 | $36,431 |
| 9 | Oregon | $36,770 | $34,760 | $43,860 | 48,090 | $35,574 |
| 10 | Maine | $36,640 | $34,720 | $43,270 | 18,450 | $37,754 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $36,610 | $34,960 | $40,510 | 86,860 | $34,617 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $36,520 | $34,230 | $44,400 | 72,530 | $33,565 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $36,490 | $35,030 | $39,550 | 42,410 | $35,219 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $36,370 | $32,970 | $38,640 | 74,840 | $36,879 |
| 15 | Montana | $36,270 | $30,510 | $43,240 | 13,490 | $38,322 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $36,200 | $31,380 | $40,480 | 23,880 | $34,753 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $36,040 | $30,340 | $39,160 | 11,320 | $40,513 |
| 18 | Arizona | $35,720 | $32,480 | $38,050 | 93,920 | $35,480 |
| 19 | Maryland | $35,510 | $33,380 | $37,750 | 79,320 | $33,832 |
| 20 | Illinois | $35,370 | $32,250 | $37,750 | 126,610 | $35,385 |
| 21 | Delaware | $35,360 | $31,200 | $38,230 | 13,400 | $35,428 |
| 22 | Idaho | $35,080 | $29,120 | $38,930 | 20,180 | $36,735 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $34,860 | $31,520 | $37,730 | 12,830 | $34,083 |
| 24 | Michigan | $34,640 | $29,300 | $37,750 | 111,010 | $36,002 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $34,480 | $29,100 | $37,810 | 67,640 | $36,644 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $34,370 | $29,510 | $41,770 | 14,180 | $38,798 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $34,310 | $29,100 | $39,240 | 8,770 | $37,015 |
| 28 | Virginia | $34,240 | $29,120 | $37,300 | 100,290 | $33,866 |
| 29 | Nevada | $34,190 | $28,330 | $37,550 | 43,920 | $34,197 |
| 30 | Florida | $34,010 | $29,460 | $37,070 | 333,460 | $32,887 |
| 31 | Utah | $33,900 | $29,050 | $38,040 | 47,570 | $34,290 |
| 32 | Missouri | $33,460 | $29,850 | $36,940 | 67,140 | $36,843 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $33,300 | $29,320 | $36,680 | 23,800 | $36,112 |
| 34 | Kansas | $32,180 | $28,080 | $36,740 | 33,360 | $35,729 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $31,950 | $28,070 | $36,660 | 87,380 | $34,777 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $31,870 | $28,950 | $36,860 | 22,780 | $35,371 |
| 37 | Indiana | $31,530 | $27,720 | $37,260 | 83,670 | $33,784 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $31,370 | $27,720 | $36,930 | 127,540 | $33,257 |
| 39 | Iowa | $31,360 | $28,580 | $36,240 | 41,000 | $35,733 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $31,200 | $27,820 | $36,700 | 141,790 | $31,976 |
| 41 | Georgia | $30,840 | $27,610 | $36,420 | 143,120 | $32,027 |
| 42 | Ohio | $30,800 | $28,000 | $36,630 | 137,370 | $33,199 |
| 43 | Texas | $30,800 | $27,750 | $36,540 | 341,640 | $31,734 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $30,690 | $27,280 | $36,340 | 67,310 | $32,736 |
| 45 | Alabama | $30,040 | $27,150 | $36,140 | 60,880 | $33,820 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $29,660 | $26,220 | $36,350 | 43,830 | $33,765 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $29,650 | $26,190 | $35,760 | 51,250 | $32,886 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $29,490 | $26,020 | $36,110 | 49,570 | $33,433 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $29,270 | $26,980 | $35,350 | 35,510 | $33,668 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $28,950 | $25,200 | $35,520 | 19,050 | $32,347 |
| 51 | U.S. Virgin Islands | $28,790 | $25,460 | $36,590 | 1,300 | N/A |
| 52 | Mississippi | $28,640 | $23,480 | $35,300 | 38,400 | $32,937 |
| 53 | Guam | $24,000 | $21,890 | $29,530 | 1,540 | N/A |
| 54 | Puerto Rico | $22,560 | $21,840 | $27,080 | 41,230 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Retail Salespersons, that changes the ranking: Washington leads on raw pay at $39,560, while North Dakota leads once prices are taken into account at $40,513.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Retail Salesperson pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Retail Salespersons the most?
Washington reports the highest median wage for Retail Salespersons at $39,560 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by District of Columbia ($38,500) and California ($38,440).
Which state pays Retail Salespersons the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Retail Salespersons at $22,560 a year, $17,000 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Retail Salespersons earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts North Dakota first at $40,513 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $36,040. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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