Retail jobs: postings, pay, and occupations
How many US job postings are in retail, what they advertise in pay, and the occupations and industries behind them.
- US job postings
- 506,100
- 15.5% of US postings placed in a field
- Median advertised pay
- $40,560
- Middle 50 percent $34,320 to $45,000
- Share that list pay
- 18.5%
- 93,565 of 506,100 postings
- Fully remote
- 0.1%
- 292 remote postings open to US workers
Figures as of .
Retail has 506,100 live US job postings as of November 5, 2026, 15.5% of the US postings we could place in a field. That ranks 2nd of 24 fields.
Its postings that list pay advertise a median of $40,560 a year, with the middle 50 percent from $34,320 to $45,000.
Its largest occupation is retail sales associate, with 42.2% of its postings. The industry with the most of its postings is retail and consumer brands, with 77.9%.
Occupations in retail
Each occupation's share of the US postings in retail, as of November 5, 2026. A posting placed only in a field has no occupation, so the shares can add up to less than the whole field.
| Occupation | Postings | Share of field | Lists pay | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail sales associate | 213,497 | 42.2% | 17.3% | $37,440 |
| Store manager and shift supervisor | 147,625 | 29.2% | 20.0% | $46,800 |
| Stocker and merchandiser | 41,256 | 8.2% | 23.5% | $40,560 |
| Cashier and guest services | 34,324 | 6.8% | 22.3% | $35,100 |
| Grocery department associate | 33,228 | 6.6% | 20.3% | Held back |
| Parts and service counter specialist | 27,893 | 5.5% | 5.5% | $46,800 |
Specialties in retail
The 16 specialties with the most US postings in retail, among those with at least 50, each as a share of its occupation's US postings, as of November 5, 2026. Many postings name no specialty.
| Specialty | Occupation | Postings | Share of occupation | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General merchandise | Retail sales associate | 22,932 | 10.7% | $35,360 |
| Merchandising and resets | Stocker and merchandiser | 14,412 | 34.9% | $40,560 |
| Automotive parts | Parts and service counter specialist | 11,116 | 39.9% | Held back |
| Apparel and fashion | Retail sales associate | 8,859 | 4.1% | $35,100 |
| Beauty and cosmetics | Retail sales associate | 7,491 | 3.5% | Held back |
| Meat and seafood | Grocery department associate | 7,055 | 21.2% | Held back |
| Deli and prepared foods | Grocery department associate | 6,627 | 19.9% | Held back |
| Receiving and backroom | Stocker and merchandiser | 6,061 | 14.7% | Held back |
| Produce | Grocery department associate | 4,352 | 13.1% | Held back |
| Service advisor | Parts and service counter specialist | 2,847 | 10.2% | $50,960 |
| Home and furniture | Retail sales associate | 2,716 | 1.3% | $35,360 |
| Overnight stocking | Stocker and merchandiser | 2,567 | 6.2% | $41,392 |
| Bakery | Grocery department associate | 2,208 | 6.6% | $37,232 |
| Online order picking | Stocker and merchandiser | 1,710 | 4.1% | Held back |
| Jewelry | Retail sales associate | 812 | 0.4% | Held back |
| Electronics and wireless | Retail sales associate | 753 | 0.4% | $35,630 |
Industries hiring for retail
The industries with the most US retail postings, each as a share of the field's US postings, as of November 5, 2026. Each posting counts in its employer's industry.
| Industry | Postings | Share of field | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail and consumer brands | 394,228 | 77.9% | $40,560 |
| Hospitality, food service and leisure | 38,558 | 7.6% | $35,360 |
| Automotive | 21,475 | 4.2% | $44,720 |
| Telecommunications | 7,817 | 1.5% | $44,527 |
| Wholesale and distribution | 7,304 | 1.4% | $37,440 |
| Healthcare | 6,526 | 1.3% | $44,980 |
| Banking and financial services | 6,386 | 1.3% | $51,386 |
| Manufacturing and consumer goods | 4,157 | 0.8% | $41,704 |
| Facilities and business support | 3,288 | 0.6% | Held back |
| Transportation and logistics | 2,816 | 0.6% | Held back |
| Social services and nonprofits | 2,763 | 0.5% | $32,406 |
| Personal and household services | 2,173 | 0.4% | $34,320 |
Advertised pay pages for retail
The role families whose jobs are in retail, with their advertised pay, as of November 5, 2026.
| Role family | Median | Middle 50 percent | Postings with pay | Employers | Share that list pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail | $40,560 | $35,100 to $46,218 | 105,120 | 3,501 | 20.4% |
Questions
- How many US job postings are in retail?
- 506,100 live US job postings as of November 5, 2026, 15.5% of the US postings we could place in a field.
- What do retail job postings pay?
- The median advertised base pay is $40,560 a year, and the middle 50 percent of postings that list pay run from $34,320 to $45,000. 93,565 of its 506,100 US postings list pay.
- Which retail occupations have the most job postings?
- The occupations with the most retail postings are retail sales associate (42.2%), store manager and shift supervisor (29.2%), and stocker and merchandiser (8.2%), each as a share of its US postings.