Retail Salespersons vs Sales Managers: Salary Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Which Career Pays More?
Retail Salespersons professionals earn $34,580 more per year than Sales Managers professionals.
Top Paying Cities
Best Cities for Retail Salespersons
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $42,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $39,180 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $37,500 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $37,350 |
Best Cities for Sales Managers
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $175,360 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $174,610 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | $156,950 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $144,910 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $131,410 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who earns more: Retail Salespersons or Sales Managers?
Retail Salespersons professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $34,580 (null% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Retail Salespersons?
Retail Salespersons salaries range from $25,600 (10th percentile) to $47,930 (90th percentile), with a median of $34,580.
What is the salary range for Sales Managers?
Salary data for Sales Managers is not currently available.
How many Retail Salespersons and Sales Managers jobs are there?
There are approximately 3,800,250 Retail Salespersons positions and N/A Sales Managers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Sales Managers to Retail Salespersons?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Retail Salespersons has a median salary of $34,580 while Sales Managers earns $0. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.
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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS