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Salary comparison

Retail Salespersons vs. Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel: Who Earns More?

Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels out-earn Retail Salespersonss by $35K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Retail Salespersonss land at $35,410 and Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels at $69,990. The education gap is real: retail salesperson programs typically require no formal educational credential, while sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Retail Salespersonss is Washington ($39,560); for Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels it's New York ($92,190).

Retail Salespersons
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
Median salary
$35,410
$69,990
Hourly rate
$17.03/hr
$33.65/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$27,210
$37,980
Senior level (90th %)
$47,890
$148,840
Education required
No formal educational credential
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
3,897,860
1,256,010
Job growth (10-year)
-1%
N/A
Category
Sales
Sales
Top-paying state
Washington
New York

Pay by state

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

State
Retail Salespersons
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
Washington
$39,560
$79,920
District of Columbia
$38,500
$76,770
California
$38,440
$80,850
Colorado
$37,950
$79,810
New York
$37,720
$92,190
Vermont
$37,400
$77,530
Massachusetts
$36,610
$83,760
New Jersey
$36,520
$79,200
Connecticut
$36,490
$76,940
Minnesota
$36,370
$75,370
Arizona
$35,720
$72,920
Rhode Island
$34,860
$81,450
Michigan
$34,640
$73,380
Virginia
$34,240
$72,640
Georgia
$30,840
$75,280

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Retail Salespersonss or Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels?

Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels earn more nationally. The median is $35,410 for Retail Salespersonss versus $69,990 for Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels, a difference of $35K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Retail Salespersons or Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Retail Salespersons or Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel?

Retail Salespersons typically requires no formal educational credential. Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel requires high school diploma or equivalent. 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. Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Retail Salespersonss earn $39,560 vs. $79,920 for Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Retail Salespersons salary breakdownView →Full Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel salary breakdownView →Best cities for Retail Salespersonss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travels by take-home payExplore →How to become a retail salespersonsGuide →How to become a sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travelGuide →