12 Retail Jobs That Pay Well in 2024

Working retail is not for everyone. But if you’re looking to get your foot in the door, here are some retail jobs that pay well. Retail jobs often have higher turnover rates and lower hourly wages than other industries, but there are a few that offer greater benefits and better pay. Retail Jobs That Pay Well: 1) Pharmacy Technician 2) Waiter/Waitress 3) Bartender 4) Cashier 5) Receptionist 6) Salesperson.

Retail jobs that pay well

Below, we’ve compiled a list of retail jobs that pay at least $40,000 per year. To search for all retail jobs available now on Indeed, start by entering a job title or keyword in the “what” box, and your current or desired location in the “where” box. You can filter jobs by salary by using the filter options on the search results page.

1. Hair stylist

National average salary: $43,671 per year

Primary duties: Hair stylists usually work for a salon and offer hair grooming services such as shampooing and blow drying, cutting, coloring and styling. Hairstylists are usually required to obtain their cosmetology license, and usually have fairly flexible hours working on a shift basis. They might also earn commission based on products they sell to clients.

Companies with this position: Great Clips, Sport Clips and Ulta Beauty

2. Sales associate

National average salary: $46,056 per year

Primary duties: A sales associate is responsible for helping customers find products and make a purchase decision. They greet customers, respond to questions, locate products in the store and place orders for out-of-stock items on behalf of customers. They may also operate cash registers and handle financial transactions.

Companies with this position: Macy’s, Nike and Staples

3. Retail manager

National average salary: $47,446 per year

Primary duties: A retail manager hires, trains, supervises and assigns shifts to store staff. They’re responsible for ensuring shopping areas are clean and presentable, displays remain intact and customers get the help they need. They typically answer customer questions, field customer feedback and complaints and direct customers to the appropriate department for their needs.

Companies with this position: Lowe’s, Lush Cosmetics and Ace Hardware

4. Customer service supervisor

National average salary: $47,519 per year

Primary duties: A customer service supervisor is someone who manages a team of customer service staff to ensure they’re meeting company expectations and delivering a quality experience. They are typically in charge of hiring and training new customer service professionals. Customer service supervisors sometimes assist with general customer service duties such as greeting customers, answering questions, handling complaints, helping locate products and managing merchandise returns.

Companies with this position: Office Depot OfficeMax, Whole Foods Market and Kohl’s

5. Store manager

National average salary: $48,150 per year

Primary duties: A store manager is responsible for hiring, training and supervising all retail store staff, monitoring store activities, managing budgets and maintaining financial records. Common tasks include creating team schedules, handling escalated customer complaints and ensuring their store meets its sales goals.

Companies with this position: Dollar General, Starbucks and T-Mobile

6. Retail account manager

National average salary: $48,841 per year

Primary duties: A retail account manager works on behalf of a manufacturer or supplier to sell merchandise to retail companies and maintain ongoing relationships with existing clients. They’re responsible for meeting retail clients’ needs by setting up regular meetings and check-ins, introducing and demonstrating new products and helping clients place orders.

Companies with this position: Benefit Cosmetics, Vineyard Vines and AT&T

7. General manager

National average salary: $54,206 per year

Primary duties: General managers are responsible for coordinating all efforts and activities of multiple departments, store locations or store regions as well as warehouses and storage facilities. They are often tasked with hiring and training new staff members and providing coaching and mentorship to existing staff members. They also oversee administrative tasks such as accounting and payroll.

Companies with this position: Domino’s, Best Buy and Planet Fitness

8. Loss prevention manager

National average salary: $54,633 per year

Primary duties: Loss prevention managers are tasked with minimizing lost merchandise or company property due to theft and damage. They develop plans and procedures to reduce loss and train retail employees on safety programs and best practices for spotting and reporting shoplifting. They also monitor video surveillance footage, test alarm systems and respond to store burglaries.

Companies with this position: Burlington Stores, Sears and Gap

9. Retail advisor

National average salary: $58,155 per year

Primary duties: Retail advisors help customers find products that meet their needs and assist with sales transactions to ensure a strong customer experience with the store. They typically work the retail floor, answering questions about and explaining product benefits and features to customers.

Companies with this position: H&M, Dunn Tire and Sally Beauty

10. Buyer/Planner

National average salary: $60,156 per year

Primary duties: Buyer/Planners are responsible for buying clothing, goods and materials for a store to sell. They plan purchase orders, build relationships with vendors, oversee the success of deliveries and ensure stores are stocked with proper inventory based on the store’s selling strategy.

Companies with this position: Applied Materials, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Boart Longyear

11. Merchandiser

National average salary: $64,499

Primary duties: Merchandisers work with retail staff to ensure the visual setup and staging of a store and its products earns maximum sales. They work closely with buyer/planners to ensure inventory aligns with the store’s merchandising so stock levels are good both on the sales floor and in stock rooms. They might also be responsible for promotional displays in the front of stores, or the display of store windows.

Companies with this position: Hallmark, Frito-Lay and Tractor Supply Company

12. Regional manager

National average salary: $77,408 per year

Primary duties: Regional managers are responsible for supervising the operations of all stores within an assigned area. They visit stores to inspect visual appearance and ensure staff is complying with all company policies and procedures, including safety measures and customer service expectations. They manage budgets and store performance to the senior management team.

Companies with this position: Ulta, Pizza Hut and Lowe’s

Skills for retail jobs

To succeed in a retail job, you’ll need a variety of personal strengths and skills, such as:

• Active listening

• Computer skills

• Conflict resolution

• Customer service

• Empathy

• Organizational skills

• Professionalism

Remember, you may also have many transferable skills from previous jobs, volunteer opportunities, school or extracurricular activities. Reread the job description and take note of the kinds of skills, qualities and qualifications the employer uses to describe their ideal candidate and integrate them into your resume and cover letter as they apply to you.

While many retail organizations offer training on the job, some may have specific educational requirements, such as completion of a specific degree or certification program. You may also need industry-specific knowledge—for example, sales advisors who work for a cosmetics company should have thorough knowledge about beauty products, specifically those being sold at the store.