Retail Salespersons Salary
Retail Salespersons in Indiana make a median of $31,530 a year, or about $15.16 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $34,343 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 52.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Indiana?
About retail salespersons
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for retail salespersons in Indiana runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 52% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for retail salespersonss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level retail salespersons (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Retail Salespersons salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen | $33K | +6% | 2,270 |
| Kokomo | $32K | +0% | 1,290 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $32K | +0% | 28,840 |
| Fort Wayne | $31K | -1% | 5,860 |
| Muncie | $31K | -1% | 1,710 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $31K | -2% | 4,000 |
| Bloomington | $31K | -2% | 1,980 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $31K | -3% | 2,650 |
| Evansville | $30K | -4% | 4,370 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $30K | -5% | 1,460 |
| Columbus | $30K | -5% | 1,500 |
| Terre Haute | $29K | -8% | 1,940 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track retail salespersons salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a retail salesperson afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 52% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for retail salespersons in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new retail salespersons typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,405/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 81% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is retail salesperson a high-paying job in Indiana?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $32K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for retail salespersons?
Indiana pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do retail salespersons make in Indiana?
The median is $31,530 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,420, and experienced retail salespersons can clear $46,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,201/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 52% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a retail salespersons salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median retail salespersons salary is worth about $34,343 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do retail salespersons get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.