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Salary comparison

Retail Salespersons vs. Cashiers: Who Earns More?

Retail Salespersonss out-earn Cashierss by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Retail Salespersonss land at $35,410 and Cashierss at $32,880. The education gap is real: retail salesperson programs typically require no formal educational credential, while cashier programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Retail Salespersonss is Washington ($39,560); for Cashierss it's District of Columbia ($38,880).

Retail Salespersons
Cashiers
Median salary
$35,410
$32,880
Hourly rate
$17.03/hr
$15.81/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$27,210
$24,530
Senior level (90th %)
$47,890
$40,410
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
3,897,860
3,089,410
Job growth (10-year)
-1%
-3%
Category
Sales
Sales
Top-paying state
Washington
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Retail Salespersons median pay.

State
Retail Salespersons
Cashiers
Washington
$39,560
$38,720
District of Columbia
$38,500
$38,880
California
$38,440
$37,100
Colorado
$37,950
$36,870
Hawaii
$37,790
$36,780
New York
$37,720
$35,500
Vermont
$37,400
$35,720
Alaska
$37,290
$36,130
Oregon
$36,770
$35,300
Maine
$36,640
$34,930
Massachusetts
$36,610
$35,520
Connecticut
$36,490
$35,550
Minnesota
$36,370
$34,620
Arizona
$35,720
$34,600
Rhode Island
$34,860
$34,860

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Retail Salespersonss or Cashierss?

Retail Salespersonss earn more nationally. The median is $35,410 for Retail Salespersonss versus $32,880 for Cashierss, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Retail Salespersons or Cashiers?

Retail Salespersons has the better 10-year outlook at -1% projected growth, compared to -3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Retail Salespersons or Cashiers?

Retail Salespersons typically requires no formal educational credential. Cashiers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Retail Salespersonss get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Retail Salespersonss at $39,560/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Retail Salespersons vs. Cashiers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Retail Salespersonss earn $39,560 vs. $38,720 for Cashierss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Retail Salespersons salary breakdownView →Full Cashiers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Retail Salespersonss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Cashierss by take-home payExplore →How to become a retail salespersonsGuide →How to become a cashiersGuide →