Retail Salespersons Salary
Retail Salespersons in Ohio make a median of $30,800 a year, or about $14.81 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $33,680 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,188/month, about 56.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $31K get you in Ohio?
About retail salespersons
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for retail salespersons in Ohio runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,188/month, which is 53.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Ohio
Entry-level retail salespersons (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Retail Salespersons salary by metro in Ohio
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $34K | +10% | 26,850 |
| Springfield | $33K | +6% | 1,210 |
| Akron | $31K | +1% | 7,770 |
| Cleveland | $31K | +1% | 24,650 |
| Sandusky | $31K | +1% | 1,510 |
| Cincinnati | $31K | +0% | 28,670 |
| Toledo | $31K | -0% | 7,360 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $30K | -1% | 9,170 |
| Canton-Massillon | $29K | -4% | 4,850 |
| Youngstown-Warren | $29K | -6% | 4,870 |
| Lima | $29K | -6% | 1,490 |
| Mansfield | $29K | -6% | 1,670 |
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 Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a retail salesperson afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 53.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/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 Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new retail salespersons typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,453/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Ohio?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $31K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for retail salespersons?
Ohio pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do retail salespersons make in Ohio?
The median is $30,800 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,210, and experienced retail salespersons can clear $46,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,221/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 53.5% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $33,680 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.