National Salary Info » Retail Sales Workers

Highest Paying Industries for Retail Sales Workers

The top 100 highest paying industries for retail sales workers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $47,870, industrial machinery manufacturing is the highest paying industry for retail sales workers. It is followed by rail transportation industry (average annual salary $46,970). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of retail sales workers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Retail Sales Workers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$47,870	$27,540	110
2	Rail Transportation	$46,970	$18,750	60
3	Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing	$44,740	$24,860	60
4	Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing	$43,160	$18,180	220
5	Machinery Manufacturing	$42,870	$19,910	600
6	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$40,510	$23,210	160
7	Wood Kitchen Cabinet and Countertop Manufacturing	$36,610	$23,280	210
8	Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing	$36,380	$18,350	370
9	Automobile Dealers	$35,960	$18,630	358,260
10	Commercial and Industrial Machinery Equipment (except Auto and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance	$34,700	$19,160	2,680
11	Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$34,580	$20,360	11,940
12	Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$34,560	$19,700	32,300
13	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$34,430	$19,860	50
14	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$34,010	$19,610	30
15	Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing	$33,890	$18,990	400
16	Support Activities for Water Transportation	$33,580	$22,320	40
17	Lumber and Other Construction Materials Merchant Wholesalers	$33,510	$19,110	2,540
18	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$33,330	$18,200	740
19	Ship and Boat Building	$33,330	$19,490	70
20	Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers	$33,250	$20,510	12,510
21	Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing	$32,990	$18,020	70
22	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$32,980	$19,050	97,180
23	Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing	$32,820	$18,240	40
24	Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$32,800	$19,210	29,720
25	Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair	$32,630	$18,900	4,540
26	Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$32,550	$18,110	420
27	Plastics Product Manufacturing	$32,540	$17,560	80
28	Air Transportation	$32,250	$19,390	60
29	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$32,230	$18,280	1,280
30	Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers	$32,080	$18,250	680
31	Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing	$31,690	$18,110	320
32	Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$31,560	$18,660	7,890
33	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$31,260	$18,270	590
34	Utilities	$31,250	$18,000	1,680
35	Insurance Agencies and Brokerages	$31,200	$18,930	1,310
36	Residential Building Construction	$31,060	$17,480	910
37	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$30,810	$18,730	1,520
38	Automotive Mechanical and Electrical Repair and Maintenance	$30,530	$18,570	20,100
39	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing	$30,500	$18,640	1,060
40	Scheduled Air Transportation	$30,470	$19,180	40
41	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	$30,190	$18,200	150
42	Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers	$30,080	$18,050	592,070
43	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$29,940	$18,240	3,130
44	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$29,910	$17,840	780
45	Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing	$29,760	$18,270	13,370
46	Building Finishing Contractors	$29,720	$18,350	1,800
47	Federal government, including USPS	$29,550	$23,240	4,180
48	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$29,550	$23,240	4,180
49	Other Building Equipment Contractors	$29,520	$18,580	190
50	Construction of Buildings	$29,360	$17,390	1,100
51	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$29,180	$22,560	9,050
52	Other Motor Vehicle Dealers	$29,120	$18,320	48,810
53	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$28,830	$20,440	140
54	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$28,710	$17,800	1,290
55	Wholesale Trade	$28,660	$17,800	150,110
56	Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing	$28,580	$17,890	150
57	Offices of Physicians	$28,360	$17,920	1,150
58	Building Equipment Contractors	$28,350	$17,950	2,060
59	Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)	$28,330	$22,220	30
60	Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing	$28,250	$18,580	590
61	Specialty Trade Contractors	$28,220	$18,020	6,030
62	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$28,200	$17,650	1,590
63	Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing	$28,080	$22,210	80
64	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$27,970	$21,400	60
65	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$27,950	$17,830	17,840
66	Utility System Construction	$27,910	$20,170	200
67	Construction	$27,850	$17,810	7,770
68	Security Systems Services	$27,830	$18,160	940
69	Couriers and Express Delivery Services	$27,810	$19,810	1,110
70	Other Wood Product Manufacturing	$27,740	$17,690	530
71	Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors	$27,630	$18,110	580
72	Other Specialty Trade Contractors	$27,430	$17,890	1,660
73	Investigation and Security Services	$27,380	$18,440	1,520
74	Activities Related to Real Estate	$27,370	$18,050	35,000
75	Depository Credit Intermediation	$27,360	$17,550	370
76	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Local government owned	$27,330	$20,640	140
77	Wood Product Manufacturing	$27,220	$17,720	730
78	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$27,100	$17,510	2,110
79	State government, including schools and hospitals	$27,090	$18,350	14,140
80	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$27,080	$17,170	150
81	Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services	$27,060	$19,210	570
82	Junior colleges - State government owned	$27,050	$18,260	860
83	Telecommunications	$27,000	$17,720	24,340
84	Furniture and Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers	$26,700	$17,330	1,340
85	Business schools and computer and management training - Privately owned	$26,590	$17,470	150
86	Business Schools and Computer and Management Training	$26,590	$17,470	150
87	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$26,490	$17,850	41,370
88	Federal, State, and Local Government	$26,490	$17,850	41,370
89	General Rental Centers	$26,460	$17,710	9,060
90	Specialized Freight Trucking	$26,410	$17,900	400
91	Furniture Stores	$26,390	$17,850	95,250
92	Truck Transportation	$26,360	$17,510	810
93	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$26,330	$18,450	200
94	General Freight Trucking	$26,290	$17,290	420
95	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals	$26,270	$18,200	90
96	Repair and Maintenance	$26,210	$17,630	45,070
97	Offices of Optometrists	$26,150	$17,620	970
98	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - State government owned	$26,120	$17,730	320
99	Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$26,020	$17,610	7,630
100	Automotive Repair and Maintenance	$26,010	$17,630	36,860