Retail Pay: Store Roles, Supervisors and Distribution (US Data)
US wage data for retail salespeople, cashiers, supervisors and distribution managers, with notes on hourly pay, scheduling, commissions and minimum wages.
Published by SalaryBases. Drafted with AI assistance and revised to remove or reword figures we could not trace to a source. Not reviewed by a licensed professional. Pay figures come only from the official datasets named beside each table and apply only to the country, year and definition stated there. Methodology
Retail jobs are mostly paid by the hour, and the details that decide real earnings are hours, scheduling and local minimum wages. This guide uses official US wage data and explains what it leaves out.
What US government data shows
| Occupation (SOC) | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers (41-2011) | $24,530 | $32,880 | $40,410 |
| Retail Salespersons (41-2031) | $27,210 | $35,410 | $47,890 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (41-1011) | $33,120 | $48,520 | $77,080 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $65,120 | $107,230 | $194,900 |
| Sales Managers (11-2022) | $73,170 | $148,270 | $290,540 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Scope: United States, national estimates, all industries, annual wages in US dollars (retrieved 9 October 2026). The median is the middle wage: half of the workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less; 10th/90th percentile mean 10% earn less/more. The survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and excludes the self-employed, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, equity and employer benefit costs. BLS methodology.
Cashiers have a median of $32,880 and retail salespersons $35,410, with a 90th percentile of $47,890 for retail salespersons. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers have a median of $48,520 and a 90th percentile of $77,080. Transportation, storage and distribution managers (supply chain and warehouse management) have a median of $107,230. Sales managers, shown for reference, are counted across all industries and not only retail, with a median of $148,270.
Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work. Many store jobs are part-time or have variable hours, so actual annual earnings can be lower.
What drives retail earnings
- Hours and scheduling: pay per hour matters less than how many hours you actually get. Ask how schedules are set and how much notice you get.
- Minimum wages: these differ by state and often by city. The US Department of Labor's state minimum wage page lists the current rules.
- Commission and incentives: some sales roles include commission, which the survey counts as incentive pay. Ask how commission is calculated and whether there is a guaranteed base.
- Benefits and discounts: employee discounts, health coverage and paid leave vary by employer and are not in the wage figures.
Progression
Retail roles often lead from sales associate to supervisor and store management, and some people move into buying, merchandising, e-commerce or supply chain work. The table shows the step from front-line roles to supervision and to distribution management, but it does not show how long progression takes at any employer. Ask about promotion practice in interviews.
Executive pay
For executives of US-listed retailers, compensation is disclosed in the company's annual proxy statement filed with the SEC, which you can search on the SEC's EDGAR database. We do not quote executive figures here because they differ by company and year.
Putting this to use
Compare an offer with the percentile range, then work out take-home pay for the hours you will really work. The Hourly Wage Calculator converts between hourly and annual pay, the Overtime Calculator handles extra hours, and the Gross to Net calculator shows what you keep.
Key takeaways
- US medians: cashiers $32,880, retail salespersons $35,410, retail supervisors $48,520.
- Hours, scheduling and local minimum wage rules decide real earnings.
- Commission and benefits vary by employer and are not fully captured in the wage figures.
- Executive pay at listed companies is disclosed in SEC filings, not in this survey.
Sources used in this guide
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025: methodology and tables — Every wage figure in the tables above (each row links to its own BLS occupation profile).
- U.S. Department of Labor: State minimum wage laws — Minimum wages differ by state and locality; the page lists the current rules.