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Merchandising Specialists play an essential role in retail, focusing on product display, inventory management, and sales strategies. They work closely with vendors and store management to ensure that products are presented effectively, appealing to customers and maximizing sales opportunities. The average salary for this position is $32,920 annually, translating to approximately $16 per hour.
Several factors affect a Merchandising Specialist's salary, including geographic location, years of experience, and the industry in which they work. For example, specialists in high-demand areas or industries often command higher salaries. States like California and New York typically offer some of the highest pay rates.
With experience, Merchandising Specialists can advance to managerial positions, leading teams and strategic initiatives. Pursuing certifications in retail management can further enhance career prospects. Networking with industry professionals and staying informed about market trends are also crucial for career advancement.
Job seekers can find various openings for Merchandising Specialists on platforms like Zippia. By exploring different companies and industries, candidates can identify the best fit for their skills and career goals. Start your journey in this rewarding field today.
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The highest-paying states for merchandising specialists are California, New York, and Maine. The lowest average merchandising specialist salary states are South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $38,266 | $18.40 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $37,531 | $18.04 |
| 3 | Maine | $40,018 | $19.24 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $39,868 | $19.17 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $39,553 | $19.02 |
| 6 | New York | $41,152 | $19.78 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $34,354 | $16.52 |
| 8 | California | $43,095 | $20.72 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $34,745 | $16.70 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $39,847 | $19.16 |
| 11 | Vermont | $35,963 | $17.29 |
| 12 | Delaware | $37,964 | $18.25 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $34,511 | $16.59 |
| 14 | Washington | $39,525 | $19.00 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $34,133 | $16.41 |
| 16 | Idaho | $36,977 | $17.78 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $37,652 | $18.10 |
| 18 | Michigan | $33,378 | $16.05 |
| 19 | Ohio | $33,022 | $15.88 |
| 20 | Oregon | $36,787 | $17.69 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $35,219 | $16.93 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $31,642 | $15.21 |
| 23 | Alaska | $37,938 | $18.24 |
| 24 | Nevada | $35,050 | $16.85 |
| 25 | Utah | $33,622 | $16.16 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $34,383 | $16.53 |
| 27 | Maryland | $35,499 | $17.07 |
| 28 | Illinois | $34,902 | $16.78 |
| 29 | Iowa | $31,681 | $15.23 |
| 30 | Arizona | $33,174 | $15.95 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $32,291 | $15.52 |
| 32 | Montana | $32,944 | $15.84 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $31,170 | $14.99 |
| 34 | Colorado | $32,865 | $15.80 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $29,280 | $14.08 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $35,922 | $17.27 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $30,962 | $14.89 |
| 38 | Indiana | $27,828 | $13.38 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| 40 | Virginia | $31,404 | $15.10 |
| 41 | Kansas | $29,809 | $14.33 |
| 42 | Missouri | $30,938 | $14.87 |
| 43 | Texas | $29,496 | $14.18 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $27,244 | $13.10 |
| 45 | Georgia | $29,194 | $14.04 |
| 46 | Alabama | $25,095 | $12.06 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $28,203 | $13.56 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $26,982 | $12.97 |
| 49 | Florida | $27,197 | $13.08 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $27,328 | $13.14 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $28,779 | $13.84 |
The highest-paying cities for merchandising specialists are Cupertino, CA, New York, NY, and Portland, ME.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino, CA | $45,128 | $21.70 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $41,250 | $19.83 |
| 3 | Portland, ME | $40,388 | $19.42 |
| 4 | Vancouver, WA | $39,763 | $19.12 |
| 5 | Framingham, MA | $37,673 | $18.11 |
| 6 | Salem, OR | $36,796 | $17.69 |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $35,721 | $17.17 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $35,190 | $16.92 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $34,970 | $16.81 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $34,890 | $16.77 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $34,349 | $16.51 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $34,170 | $16.43 |
| 13 | Ann Arbor, MI | $33,143 | $15.93 |
| 14 | Longmont, CO | $33,004 | $15.87 |
| 15 | Dubuque, IA | $32,614 | $15.68 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $31,817 | $15.30 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $30,943 | $14.88 |
| 18 | Lawrence, KS | $29,964 | $14.41 |
| 19 | San Antonio, TX | $29,748 | $14.30 |
| 20 | Alpharetta, GA | $29,513 | $14.19 |
A merchandising specialist's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $32,920 | $2,743 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
The highest paying types of merchandising specialists are merchandising execution associate, free lance displayer, and specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display Coordinator | $41,608 | $3,467 | $20.00 | 8,204 |
| Retail Coverage Merchandiser | $31,695 | $2,641 | $15.24 | 100,999 |
| Retail Sales Merchandiser | $39,721 | $3,310 | $19.10 | 155,213 |
| Visual Merchandiser | $38,037 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 74,351 |
| Field Merchandiser | $31,495 | $2,625 | $15.14 | 115,632 |
| Merchandising Internship | $34,770 | $2,898 | $16.72 | 58,634 |
Top companies hiring merchandising specialists now:
Merchandising specialist salaries at Apple and Other World Computing are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average merchandising specialist salary at companies like Zoro and United Natural Foods are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $46,670 | $22.44 |
| 2 | Other World Computing | $42,663 | $20.51 |
| 3 | Zoro | $42,457 | $20.41 |
| 4 | United Natural Foods | $41,844 | $20.12 |
| 5 | ALDI USA | $41,055 | $19.74 |
| 6 | Affinity Group Holding Inc | $38,120 | $18.33 |
| 7 | Vera Bradley | $38,023 | $18.28 |
| 8 | Clover Food Lab | $36,984 | $17.78 |
| 9 | The Mosaic Company | $36,833 | $17.71 |
| 10 | Anheuser-Busch | $36,595 | $17.59 |
| 11 | Green Mountain Coffee Roasters | $36,516 | $17.56 |
| 12 | SWFcontract | $36,120 | $17.37 |
| 13 | Target | $35,993 | $17.30 |
| 14 | Gap Inc. | $35,806 | $17.21 |
| 15 | Nintendo | $35,651 | $17.14 |
| 16 | Michael Kors | $35,636 | $17.13 |
| 17 | Yaamava' Resort & Casino | $35,515 | $17.07 |
| 18 | Empire Cat | $35,189 | $16.92 |
| 19 | AmerisourceBergen | $35,170 | $16.91 |
| 20 | Summer Classics | $35,012 | $16.83 |
The average merchandising specialist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $34,861 | $16.76 |
| 2 | Media | $34,771 | $16.72 |
| 3 | Professional | $32,844 | $15.79 |
| 4 | Retail | $32,337 | $15.55 |
The average merchandising specialist salary has risen by $4,936 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average merchandising specialist earned $27,984 annually, but today, they earn $32,920 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for merchandising specialists over the last decade.
Compare merchandising specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare merchandising specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,900 | $15.83 | +4.4% |
| 2025 | $31,500 | $15.13 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $30,400 | $14.61 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $29,600 | $14.22 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $28,500 | $13.72 | -0.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target | SR. Merchandise Specialist-Fandom | Minneapolis, MN | 06/30/2025 | $42,137 |
| 2020Companies | Field Merchandising Specialist | Bothell, WA | 06/30/2025 | $45,914 |
| 2020Companies | Field Merchandising Specialist | Ontario, CA | 06/30/2025 | $48,001 |
| 2020Companies | Field Merchandising Specialist | Greenville, SC | 06/30/2025 | $41,740 |
| 2020Companies | Field Merchandising Specialist | Glendale, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $45,914 |
| 2020Companies | Field Merchandising Specialist | Boston, MA | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| 2020Companies | Field Merchandising Specialist | Wixom, MI | 06/30/2025 | $39,653 |
| Winston Retail | Retail Merchandising Specialist-Independent Contractor | Huntington, PA | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Winston Retail | Retail Merchandising Specialist | Southern Pines, NC | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Bds Connected Solutions, LLC | Retail Merchandising Specialist | Bozeman, MT | 06/29/2025 | $48,001 |
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