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The differences between retail clerks and sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a sales associate has an average salary of $32,167, which is higher than the $30,046 average annual salary of a retail clerk.
The top three skills for a retail clerk include stock shelves, groceries and retail sales. The most important skills for a sales associate are customer service, sales floor, and cash handling.
| Retail Clerk | Sales Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $30,046 | $32,167 |
| Hourly rate | $14.45 | $15.46 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 470,355 | 579,849 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A retail clerk is responsible for selling goods and services to the customers, recommending products based on their needs, and responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the product. Retail clerks assist with the store's marketing strategies, organize product displays, monitor inventories, endorse promotional discounts, and help customers on their checkout payments. A retail clerk must have excellent communication and customer service skills to handle customers' requests and ensure their highest satisfaction.
Sales associates are responsible for promoting the company's goods or services. They are expected to provide exceptional customer service to prospective buyers. They should be familiar with all features of the company's products or services so that they can answer the customers' inquiries. Sales associates also assist customers in processing their checkouts, refunds, returns, and other needs. They should be customer-oriented, and they should have great communication skills. They should know how to sell their products or services to customers. They are considered the company's representatives on the ground.
Retail clerks and sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Retail Clerk | Sales Associate | |
| Average salary | $30,046 | $32,167 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $38,000 | Between $21,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New York |
| Best paying company | Bellevue Jr/Sr High School | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a retail clerk and a sales associate in terms of educational background:
| Retail Clerk | Sales Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between retail clerks' and sales associates' demographics:
| Retail Clerk | Sales Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 6.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 6.9% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |