Retail Salespersons Salary
Retail Salespersons in Tennessee make a median of $31,950 a year, or about $15.36 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $35,587 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 52.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $32K get you in Tennessee?
About retail salespersons
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Retail salespersons pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 52.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Tennessee
Entry-level retail salespersons (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Retail Salespersons salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $34K | +8% | 28,580 |
| Memphis | $33K | +2% | 17,050 |
| Cleveland | $32K | +1% | 1,230 |
| Morristown | $32K | -1% | 1,190 |
| Chattanooga | $31K | -2% | 7,020 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $31K | -2% | 3,620 |
| Knoxville | $31K | -3% | 12,430 |
| Jackson | $31K | -3% | 2,390 |
| Johnson City | $30K | -7% | 2,330 |
| Clarksville | $29K | -9% | 3,470 |
Compare to other states
Track retail salespersons salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a retail salesperson afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 52.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new retail salespersons typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,423/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for retail salespersons?
Tennessee pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do retail salespersons make in Tennessee?
The median is $31,950 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,720, and experienced retail salespersons can clear $47,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,309/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 52.6% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $35,587 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.