Retail clerk demographics and statistics in the US
Retail clerk demographics research summary. Zippia estimates retail clerk demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our retail clerk estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about retail clerks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 142,648 retail clerks currently employed in the United States.
- 59.0% of all retail clerks are women, while 41.0% are men.
- The average retail clerk age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of retail clerks is White (57.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.8%), Black or African American (10.0%) and Asian (6.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 7% of all retail clerks are LGBT.
- Retail clerks are 61% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Retail clerk demographics by:
Retail clerk gender statistics
59.0% of retail clerks are women and 41.0% of retail clerks are men.
- Female, 59.0%
- Male, 41.0%
Retail clerk gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 59.0% |
| Male | 41.0% |
Retail clerk gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,028
Female income
$29,851
Retail clerk gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in retail clerk positions over time. Currently, 59.0% of retail clerks are female.
Retail clerk gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 37.92% | 62.08% |
| 2011 | 37.61% | 62.39% |
| 2012 | 38.29% | 61.71% |
| 2013 | 38.30% | 61.70% |
| 2014 | 37.41% | 62.59% |
| 2015 | 38.26% | 61.74% |
| 2016 | 38.84% | 61.16% |
| 2017 | 39.14% | 60.86% |
| 2018 | 39.66% | 60.34% |
| 2019 | 38.81% | 61.19% |
| 2020 | 40.18% | 59.82% |
| 2021 | 40.98% | 59.02% |
Retail clerk related jobs gender ratio
We compared retail clerks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, parts counterman and lumber associate have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| BRA Specialist | 6% | 94% |
| Clinique Consultant | 6% | 94% |
| Beauty Consultant | 6% | 94% |
| Retail Clerk | 41% | 59% |
| Cart Associate | 94% | 6% |
| Lumber Associate | 95% | 5% |
| Parts Counterman | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Retail clerk demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among retail clerks is White, which makes up 57.9% of all retail clerks. Comparatively, 19.8% of retail clerks are Hispanic or Latino and 10.0% of retail clerks are Black or African American.
- White, 57.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.8%
- Black or African American, 10.0%
- Asian, 6.6%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Retail clerk race
| Retail clerk race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.8% |
| Black or African American | 10.0% |
| Asian | 6.6% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Retail clerk race and ethnicity over time
See how retail clerk racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Retail clerk race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.12% | 10.41% | 5.35% | 15.39% |
| 2011 | 64.35% | 11.43% | 5.52% | 16.07% |
| 2012 | 64.06% | 10.94% | 5.67% | 16.53% |
| 2013 | 63.07% | 11.46% | 5.73% | 16.87% |
| 2014 | 63.03% | 11.06% | 6.16% | 16.97% |
| 2015 | 62.48% | 11.11% | 5.93% | 17.61% |
| 2016 | 62.29% | 10.77% | 5.92% | 17.91% |
| 2017 | 61.81% | 10.34% | 6.35% | 18.23% |
| 2018 | 61.91% | 10.09% | 6.03% | 18.74% |
| 2019 | 61.89% | 10.05% | 6.10% | 18.62% |
| 2020 | 59.38% | 10.04% | 6.47% | 19.01% |
| 2021 | 57.89% | 10.02% | 6.63% | 19.81% |
Retail clerk wage gap by race
According to our data, white retail clerks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown retail clerks have the lowest average salary at $30,714.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $30,714 |
| White | $31,318 |
| Black or African American | $30,765 |
| Asian | $31,175 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,173 |
Average retail clerk age
See how the average age of retail clerks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Retail clerk age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 32.5 | 38 |
| Unknown | 37 | 31.5 |
| Asian | 40 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30 | 31 |
| White | 43 | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 36.5 | 39 |
Retail clerk age breakdown
The average age of retail clerks is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the retail clerk population.
Retail clerk age breakdown
| Retail Clerk Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 28% |
Retail clerk educational attainment
The most common degree for retail clerks is bachelor's degree, with 35% of retail clerks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 31% and high school diploma degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- High School Diploma, 31%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Retail clerks by degree level
| Retail clerk degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| High School Diploma | 31% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Retail clerk jobs you might like
Retail clerk wage gap by degree level
According to the data, retail clerks with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $32,792 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, retail clerks earn a median annual income of $32,584 compared to $30,400 for retail clerks with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $32,792 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $29,818 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,584 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $30,400 |
Retail clerk employment statistics
Most retail clerks work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where retail clerks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where retail clerks work.
Retail clerk jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 5% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 11% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 40% |
Retail clerk jobs by company type
Employees with the retail clerk job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most retail clerks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Retail clerk jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 37% |
| Private | 61% |
| Government | 1% |
Retail clerk jobs by industry
The most common industries for retail clerks are retail, hospitality and manufacturing.
Retail clerk industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 52% |
| Fortune 500 | 14% |
| Hospitality | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Retail clerk turnover and employment statistics
Retail clerk unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for retail clerks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Retail clerk unemployment rate by year
| Year | Retail clerk unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.74% |
| 2011 | 10.94% |
| 2012 | 9.82% |
| 2013 | 8.89% |
| 2014 | 7.55% |
| 2015 | 7.02% |
| 2016 | 6.27% |
| 2017 | 6.04% |
| 2018 | 5.79% |
| 2019 | 5.48% |
| 2020 | 8.30% |
| 2021 | 8.88% |
Average retail clerk tenure
The average retail clerk stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 13,989 retail clerks resumes in Zippia's database.
Retail clerk tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 39% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Retail clerk LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of retail clerks that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Counter Supervisor | 3.66% | 218,337 |
| Parts Lister | 3.76% | 22,868 |
| Deli Sales Associate | 5.05% | 142,433 |
| Retail Clerk | 7.10% | - |
Similar retail clerk jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Counter Supervisor | 3.66% | 218,337 |
| Parts Lister | 3.76% | 22,868 |
| Deli Sales Associate | 5.05% | 142,433 |
Foreign languages spoken by retail clerks
The most common foreign language among retail clerks is Spanish at 64.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.7% and Russian is the third-most popular at 3.6%.
- Spanish, 64.4%
- French, 7.7%
- Russian, 3.6%
- German, 3.2%
- Italian, 3.2%
- Other, 17.9%
Retail clerk languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.4% |
| French | 7.7% |
| Russian | 3.6% |
| German | 3.2% |
| Italian | 3.2% |
| Other | 17.9% |
