Retail Salespersons Salary
Retail Salespersons in Missouri make a median of $33,460 a year, or about $16.09 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $37,608 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 48.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $33K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
About retail salespersons
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What this looks like in Missouri
Retail salespersons pay in Missouri tracks closely to the national median, $33K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 46.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level retail salespersons (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Retail Salespersons salary by metro in Missouri
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $34K | +3% | 26,110 |
| St. Louis | $34K | +1% | 29,750 |
| St. Joseph | $32K | -5% | 1,310 |
| Springfield | $32K | -5% | 5,810 |
| Columbia | $31K | -6% | 2,610 |
| Joplin | $31K | -8% | 2,420 |
| Jefferson City | $30K | -9% | 1,540 |
| Cape Girardeau | $30K | -10% | 1,460 |
Compare to other states
Track retail salespersons salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a retail salesperson afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 46.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/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 Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new retail salespersons typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,038/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Missouri?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $33K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for retail salespersons?
Missouri pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do retail salespersons make in Missouri?
The median is $33,460 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,600, and experienced retail salespersons can clear $46,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,344/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 46.8% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $37,608 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.