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Salary comparison

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents vs. Retail Salespersons: Who Earns More?

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss out-earn Retail Salespersonss by $43K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss land at $78,660 and Retail Salespersonss at $35,410. The education gap is real: securities, commodities, and financial services sales agent programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while retail salesperson programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss is New York ($168,340); for Retail Salespersonss it's Washington ($39,560).

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
Retail Salespersons
Median salary
$78,660
$35,410
Hourly rate
$37.82/hr
$17.03/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$48,040
$27,210
Senior level (90th %)
$212,880
$47,890
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
489,570
3,897,860
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
-1%
Category
Sales
Sales
Top-paying state
New York
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents median pay.

State
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
Retail Salespersons
New York
$168,340
$37,720
Massachusetts
$100,310
$36,610
Connecticut
$98,560
$36,490
Vermont
$88,280
$37,400
Minnesota
$83,350
$36,370
New Jersey
$82,420
$36,520
California
$79,730
$38,440
New Hampshire
$78,930
$36,200
Oregon
$76,710
$36,770
Alaska
$76,360
$37,290
Washington
$75,510
$39,560
District of Columbia
$72,010
$38,500
Colorado
$67,010
$37,950
Maine
$59,970
$36,640
Hawaii
$57,590
$37,790

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss or Retail Salespersonss?

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss earn more nationally. The median is $78,660 for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss versus $35,410 for Retail Salespersonss, a difference of $43K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents or Retail Salespersons?

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, Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents or Retail Salespersons?

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Retail Salespersons requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss get paid the most?

New York is the top-paying state for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss at $168,340/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents vs. Retail Salespersons pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New York, Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss earn $168,340 vs. $37,720 for Retail Salespersonss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents salary breakdownView →Full Retail Salespersons salary breakdownView →Best cities for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agentss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Retail Salespersonss by take-home payExplore →How to become a securities, commodities, and financial services sales agentsGuide →How to become a retail salespersonsGuide →