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Job outlook for associate retailers in the United States
Associate retailer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected associate retailer job growth rate is 0% from 2018-2028.
About 1,900 new jobs for associate retailers are projected over the next decade.
Associate retailer salaries have increased 19% for associate retailers in the last 5 years.
There are over 2,407,112 associate retailers currently employed in the United States.
There are 474,522 active associate retailer job openings in the US.
The average associate retailer salary is $28,763.
Are associate retailer jobs in demand?
Associate retailer job and salary trends over time
Associate retailer jobs over time
Associate retailer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,407,112 | 0.71% |
| 2020 | 2,385,210 | 0.71% |
| 2019 | 2,813,216 | 0.84% |
| 2018 | 2,897,810 | 0.87% |
| 2017 | 2,893,680 | 0.88% |
Average associate retailer salary over time
Associate retailer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,763 | $13.83 | +7.2% |
| 2024 | $26,819 | $12.89 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $25,704 | $12.36 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $24,653 | $11.85 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $24,090 | $11.58 | +4.1% |
Associate retailer jobs by state
Most common states for associate retailers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 1,491 | 111% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 809 | 84% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 1,058 | 79% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 4,815 | 70% |
| 5 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 3,348 | 67% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 4,396 | 66% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 689 | 65% |
| 8 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 4,282 | 64% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 2,305 | 64% |
| 10 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 1,147 | 63% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 8,001 | 62% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 6,333 | 62% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 5,250 | 62% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 5,482 | 61% |
| 15 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 6,218 | 60% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 3,657 | 60% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 6,855 | 59% |
| 18 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 5,907 | 59% |
| 19 | Vermont | 623,657 | 365 | 59% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 3,356 | 58% |
Most common cities for associate retailers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnsville | 9 | 15% | $31,634 |
| 2 | Beaverton | 9 | 9% | $33,717 |
| 3 | Saint Paul | 15 | 5% | $31,753 |
| 4 | Grand Rapids | 10 | 5% | $29,352 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge | 10 | 4% | $24,946 |
| 6 | New Orleans | 11 | 3% | $24,851 |
| 7 | Boston | 16 | 2% | $34,313 |
| 8 | Portland | 14 | 2% | $33,690 |
| 9 | Minneapolis | 10 | 2% | $31,741 |
| 10 | San Diego | 11 | 1% | $32,934 |
| 11 | Denver | 10 | 1% | $31,525 |
| 12 | New York | 11 | 0% | $34,049 |
Associate Retailer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of associate retailer experts
Saint Xavier University - Chicago, IL
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Findlay
University of Mount Union
Landmark College
Franklin and Marshall College
California State University Channel Islands
Penn State Behrend
University of North Carolina at Asheville
York College of Pennsylvania
Margie Bernard MBA
Faculty - Graduate Healthcare AdministrationSaint Xavier University - Chicago, IL
Graham School of Management MBA Program
What technical skills for an Associate Retailer stand out to employers?
Margie Bernard MBA: The most critical skillset relates to all aspects of communication, especially written and verbal. Understanding how to listen is vital since patients tell us about their needs through words and unspoken gestures, such as nods of agreement. Leaders under pressure to increase quality, reduce costs and eliminate errors want new hires who grasp work instructions quickly before medical emergencies happen. Teams reading your work should find correct spelling, grammar and words since poor messaging really does put patients' health in harm's way.
Respectfully collaborating with all team members by learning 24/7 is also essential to build career success in our health care industry. Since IT analytics, electronic medical records (EMRs) and financial dashboards are constantly displaying data notifying workers what tasks need attention, young graduates must be motivated to translate such information into meaningful action plans without constant supervision.
Such duties mean leaders must create a culture where communication across diverse work teams is encouraged around the clock so that timely decisions can be made. Coaching, counseling, strategic planning and budgeting skills are vital along with knowing of how to effectively resolve patient and staff conflicts that surface every day.
At Saint Xavier, our students focus on the most effective techniques to evaluate EMRS, patient surveys, quality measure reports and financial data, using health care analytic tools that will support making the best leadership decisions in leading high-performance care teams.
Perhaps most important are the skills gained from high-impact learning practices in the classroom. At SXU, our students believe that the topics covered in healthcare management courses provide them with a huge career advantage, especially when it comes to the new problem-solving skills they master each day, which rapidly translate into new action plans they implement with patients and colleagues. Students learn how to support geriatric patients who have changing emotional and physical needs, decrease the stigma individuals face when mental health conditions are diagnosed and gently support
family members who must make end-of-life care decisions.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Retailer job market given the pandemic?
Margie Bernard MBA: Because our COVID-19 pandemic is the worst challenge now facing Americans, our U.S. health care industry is transforming all systems and staff to better meet diverse patient population needs today. Across the U.S., students should expect that demand for qualified health care professionals and leaders will increase 17% to 24% yearly through 2030 since the supply of talented team members is shrinking due to retirements.
It's important to know that 30% of individuals now living in our country will be age 65 or older in the next seven years. This segment of our society will require truly compassionate teams of medical assistants, therapists, nurses, pharmacists, doctors, financial personnel and leaders who can seamlessly come together to deliver community-based care. Children and adults will need expedited team support to access timely appointments for wellness exams and treatment of pre-existing conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. Across the U.S., we will see a 56% jump in patients newly diagnosed with all types of cancer in the next 10 years.
These demographic changes underscore why our U.S. health care industry offers many students excellent career paths when young graduates realize that delivering quality team outcomes begins with prioritizing a 'we' rather than 'me' philosophy.
Saint Xavier University's (SXU) mission of serving wisely and compassionately is critical within the work of our Graham School of Management (GSM) and School of and Health Science (SONHS) students studying healthcare administration, especially because their future careers involve giving excellent service to diverse patients every day.
What's a good job out of college for Associate Retailers?
Margie Bernard MBA: A certificate on how to make Lean Process Improvements, which is something we offer to our graduate management students. This methodology teaches young graduates how to add value to every patient's experience while assuring that wasteful workflow actions or steps are driven out.
Team projects you have helped to complete look excellent on resumes. Make sure to emphasize why results achieved can enhance the lives of patients, family members or community residents this year.
Completed courses in accounting and finance show prospective employers that
you know how to save rather than spend organization resources on the job. Key principles covered
in such classes will also help to grow amounts you keep in your wallet and savings account as well.
Dr. Barbara Joyce
ACCESS Academic Advisor for undergraduate students in Sociology, Departmental advisorUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
Department of Sociology
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Retailer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Barbara Joyce: One of the advantages of a BA in Sociology is that it is a liberal arts degree and not a professional degree. In addition, Sociology has the broadest subject matter of any of the social science disciplines, so our graduates can take their skills and knowledge into a broad range of careers. Since the range of possible careers is so great, labor market trends are not particularly relevant to Sociology graduates.
What's a good job out of college for Associate Retailers?
Dr. Barbara Joyce: A good job out of college is one that the graduates want, a job that is meaningful, that uplifts and inspires them, a job in which they use, and continue to develop, their talents and skills, and, of course, a job that provides them with the material resources and benefits they need to enjoy life. Credit where credit is due, Stephen R. Covey writes of the importance of those elements in his book Principle-Centered Leadership. I like his work a lot.
What technical skills for an Associate Retailer stand out to employers?
Amy Rogan: I worked in journalism for 21 years. In my time as a newsroom manager the number one thing I looked for in an applicant was work ethic. I can teach you to write, shoot, edit, and everything else but I cannot teach work ethic. That is the number one skill graduates need as they enter the workforce. It's a skill that's in short supply and it's the foundation of any profession. It doesn't matter if there is a pandemic influencing the industry or if journalism is simply evolving, work ethic is the constant.
I stay in contact with other journalists still in the business and they echo that sentiment, along with the willingness to learn and to stay humble. Cultivate that passion that drives journalists to serve their communities by helping people stay informed and support our democracy.
Storytelling is the next most important skill. Whether it's in a tweet, a two-minute package for TV, or a 3-part series in the paper, journalists need to be able to tell a compelling story that keeps the attention of consumers despite the many other things vying for their attention. Know your audience, understand your story, and don't be afraid to ask questions. If not you, who will ask those questions?
Then of course, multimedia skills. Translating that great storytelling into compelling photos, video, audio will make a graduate that much more attractive to potential employers. At a recent conference I asked a panel of newspaper editors and publishers if an applicant has multimedia skills does that influence their ability to get a position. They all said--if you have multimedia skills your resume goes to the top of the pile.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Associate Retailer job market given the pandemic?
Amy Rogan: Certainly, the coronavirus pandemic has had a major effect on all industries including journalism. I think the pandemic has changed how journalists conduct and record interviews and produce stories.
Technology was already allowing reporters to act more independently by allowing more mobile flexibility. I believe this is where the industry will continue to develop for digital reporters, including broadcast and print.
Trends in journalism include more interviews via video services such as Zoom, and finding ways to shoot interviews safely. As has happened a number of times in our industry, what's happening in the world affects the technology we develop and use. Whether it's covering a war from the front lines, or learning the best way to safely conduct an interview (via video call or in person) during a pandemic, the times have always influenced the technology in our business.
But journalists are also fighting an uphill battle to deal with a public that now sees the Fourth Estate as the enemy of the people.
Political leaders have had conflicting messages about the pandemic, which has made it difficult for journalists to report actual facts about a pandemic shrouded in secrecy. This in turn has made it difficult for the public to know who to trust for information about COVID-19.
Finding trusted resources over the last four years has been difficult for the general public. It is overwhelmed with a multitude of media outlets which makes the fight for media literacy increasingly difficult. So new journalists need to develop thick skin quickly, become even more tenacious in the pursuit of facts, and maintain strong ethics and commitment to accuracy to protect their reputation as a trusted news source.
What's a good job out of college for Associate Retailers?
Amy Rogan: There are any number of ways to break into journalism. There is no one true path. If a journalist is interested in television I recommend they look for assistant producer positions or assignment editor positions. Many people who think they want to be on-air talent figure out they really enjoy producing much better.
Digital content producer is another good way to work a journalist way into on-air television work. It's also a way to work into newspapers as they are now more digitally dependent.
Larger organizations have more specialty digital positions in research or digital analytics. But starting out in a small market allows you to learn a lot and work your way into bigger markets and responsibilities.
Michael Grossman Ph.D.
Professor, Political Studies and International StudiesUniversity of Mount Union
Department of Political Science and International Studies
What will help Associate Retailers increase their earning potential?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It's all about practical knowledge. Employers are less interested in your major or the classes you take. They want to see that you can do the work they need you to do. So internships are important. Also employers want to see you can be trained and can think critically, write well, and speak well. So in this regard more liberal arts focused curriculum is important.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Associate Retailers?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: There will definitely be an impact. I suspect the virus will continue to influence how we work and even job availability for at least the next 5-6 years. Students will need prepare for more remote work, for more "gig" jobs until businesses fully recover, and even after. The virus has shown the potential for a different model of business and I suspect many organizations will continue with at least partial remote work to save money.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Associate Retailers?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It is less about licenses or courses and more about experiences. In this regard, internships are crucial.
What technical skills for an Associate Retailer stand out to employers?
Daniel Miller Ph.D.: As the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and other organizations have repeatedly found, students graduating with degrees in the liberal arts (the areas in which I teach and have competence) have the skills and capacities that employers desire (e.g., critical thinking skills, strong verbal and written communication skills, synthetic and analytical thinking skills, etc.). But the technical capacities necessary to communicate and used these skills will be more important than ever. I would anticipate that graduates will have to be comfortable moderating and running meetings on online platforms. They will have to know how to design and share presentations that are well-suited to online and remote platforms. They will have to be able to multi-task in presentations, tracking on-screen discussions as well as simultaneous chat options. Along with all of this, they have to have a greater awareness of creating online and virtual content that is accessible to all users. I would think that graduates who can communicate these skills to employers will be far better situated than those who cannot.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Associate Retailers?
Daniel Miller Ph.D.: It seems almost certain there will be enduring impacts, but it's difficult to predict exactly what they will be. One potential negative impact could be a lack of practice in the kinds of face-to-face interactions required in a formal business or work context. These kinds of interactions are develop through modeling and use, students graduating during the pandemic will have lacked some of this. The pandemic has also negatively impacted hands-on collaborative projects and hampered the placement of students into hand-on, face-to-face internships, all of which could adversely impact students trying to step into new jobs, particularly if those occur in face-to-face contexts post-Covid.
There may also be some positive impacts, however. Many students will have gained flexibility and versatility with regard to such things as interactions with co-workers, their willingness to explore and try out new technologies, with structuring projects and workdays, in the development of innovative models of collaboration, etc. While this also gestures toward the second question, to the degree that businesses, companies, non-profits, etc. retain remote-work policies moving forward, Covid graduates may also find employment opportunities opening up beyond their immediate geographical contexts.
What's a day at work look like for an Associate Retailer?
Daniel Miller Ph.D.: One of the biggest things to understand is that there likely won't be a typical "day at work" post-Covid. That is, organizations will be all over the place with their organizations and structures following the pandemic. While some will likely seek to go back to their pre-Covid organizational and work models, many (maybe most?) will continue to incorporate elements of the structural changes imposed in response to Covid.
This means, in particular, the graduates are likely to encounter at least some positions in which remote working is a constitutive feature of their jobs. This will bring both costs and benefits to grads, and will provide both challenges and opportunities. Graduates will have to have familiarity with the technologies necessary for remote work, collaboration, and communication. Some will have the opportunity to work remotely full-time, or most of the time, which brings with it flexibility but also requires excellent individual time-management skills. The flexibility that comes with remote is also accompanied by the risk of "work creep," which we're all already familiar with from our mobile devices. The breakdown or softening of the boundaries of the traditional 9-5 workday brings with it the risk of increased after-hours and weekend video meetings, increases already-existing expectations that employees will check and respond to work-related emails in off hours, etc.
Many companies will likely also realize (or have already) that they can cut costs by shifting their employees to remote work options, which will be popular with many employees, for the reasons already noted, as well as others. However, I think one significant downside to this is that some costs traditionally incurred by businesses and other organizations will be passed on to employees. Employees will be increasingly responsible for providing adequate internet service, technical hardware, and suitable workspaces, which would traditionally have been provided by employers. I don't think most employers are going to suitably increase wages or otherwise subsidize these new costs passed on to employees (and will use the economic downturn associated with Covid as a reason not to), and many likely will not maintain IT departments or related resources to serve employees. Adding to all of these costs is the fact that, since the passage of the Republican tax bill in 2017, employees cannot deduct non-reimbursed business expenses on their personal taxes. Finally, shifts to increased remote work will continue to exacerbate and extend inequalities have come into stark relief during the Covid crisis, disproportionately affecting women, parents will children, and communities of color negatively.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Associate Retailers?
Cynthia Krom: Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. So, a public accountant needs to have a CPA, and a corporate accountant needs to have their CMA. A fraud examiner needs their CFE. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will.
We don't really know what will be happening with professional licenses with remote work. A psychotherapist may be licensed in New York, but remotely treating a client in New Mexico. Technically, they probably need a license in New Mexico. But who will control that? Will it just be the professional responsibility of the therapist to only practice where licensed? Will their malpractice insurance only cover them if the client is where they are licensed? What about a physician operating on someone a thousand miles away using robotics?
In terms of courses not related to professional certification or licensure, technology is where it is at. First and foremost, polish your Zoom skills. Zoom is now your face-to-face workplace and you need to be a pro. YouTube has great videos about lighting for Zoom, even with reflective eyeglasses. Perhaps your IT department is able to help with connectivity issues and learning remote technologies. And, as we have all recently seen, you need to learn how to turn off filters that make you look like a kitten! For nearly every field, you have to know Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) or similar programs. You need to know how to work collaboratively on projects through things like Google Drive. If you are not fluent in the basics, you are showing up for a horse race with a little pony.
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of MarketingCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics
What technical skills for an Associate Retailer stand out to employers?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: Our most recent survey with employers, really emphasize that technical skills are not the priority for most. Almost all mention communication and problem solving skills are the most desired, followed by critical thinking and professionalism. Given the nature of the digital economy, data literacy is one technical skill that would be relevant to almost anyone in the upcoming years. In certain areas learning automation (operations or marketing), and databases (SQL) would also benefit new graduates.
What's a good job out of college for Associate Retailers?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: I think a description of a "good" job opportunity is dependent on so many factors, almost all subjective. What I recommend my students usually, is that they try different things before graduation and find something that makes them feel a purpose other than (and in addition to) making ends meet. For this reason we started a program on our campus where students are hired to help non-profits and small businesses in our area of service. In this program, students get to gain and practice skills that can help them succeed in a corporate or freelance capacity. The students get to experiment without fear of losing a job and find what they would like their entry level positions to look like. While doing this they also help organizations and individuals who have the need but not the resources to get the services from professionals.
What technical skills for an Associate Retailer stand out to employers?
Linda Hajec: I think the basics are still important - the feedback from employers still says that they want to see excellent skills in Excel - but if we are talking about changes as a result of the pandemic, job candidates that can also show a comfort level with remote meeting software will feel more natural and less awkward going forward. If you are going to meet on Zoom, make sure you know where to find the features on the screen and if you need to, practice with someone who knows you are just needing to mess around with the settings.
The last thing you would want to do is accidentally exit your interview halfway through because you didn't know where the "share screen" button was. Being familiar with other online collaboration software such as Teams or GoogleDocs is important, too. Even companies that are not working 100% remote are finding great use for these kind of sites, even just to house documents such as policy manuals that they want to share with a group of employees. The fact that a group can work together an collaborate asynchronously is a reality that many companies had not faced before, so the employee needs to be prepared to remember to follow up on team projects instead of waiting for a meeting to see where everything stands.
What soft skills should all Associate Retailers possess?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.
What technical skills for an Associate Retailer stand out to employers?
Travis Kurowski Ph.D.: Honestly, good writing skills are always in high demand. You'll see this in almost every field because at every level of business-from information management to internal communication to engaging customers, clients, and partners-clear, effective communication is critical. Other writing graduate skills that stand out to employers are project management skills, editing; quantitative and qualitative research; and practical design. It's not a technical skill, perhaps, but I can't help note that high up on the lists for almost all employers is creativity, a skill interlaced through many courses in quality writing programs.