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Merchandising specialist salary

Average merchandising specialist salary

$15.83

$32,920 yearly

Entry-level merchandising specialist salary
$22,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding the Role of a Merchandising Specialist

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.

Factors Influencing Salary

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.

Growth Opportunities

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 Opportunities

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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Where can a Merchandising Specialist earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
60k
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Columbus, OH$45,128
Alpharetta, GA$29,513
Compare salary by company
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25k
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Apple$46,670
Summer Classics$35,012

Merchandising specialist salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Indeed, Glassdoor and SalaryExpert, the average salary for a merchandising specialist typically falls between $32,920 and $45,033.
zippia
$32,920yearly
glassdoor[1]
$45,033yearly
indeed[2]
$32,953yearly
SalaryExpert[3]
$35,961yearly

Average merchandising specialist salary by state

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.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for merchandising specialists

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Hampshire$38,266$18.40
2Wyoming$37,531$18.04
3Maine$40,018$19.24
4Connecticut$39,868$19.17
5Rhode Island$39,553$19.02
6New York$41,152$19.78
7West Virginia$34,354$16.52
8California$43,095$20.72
9North Dakota$34,745$16.70
10New Jersey$39,847$19.16
11Vermont$35,963$17.29
12Delaware$37,964$18.25
13Pennsylvania$34,511$16.59
14Washington$39,525$19.00
15Wisconsin$34,133$16.41
16Idaho$36,977$17.78
17Massachusetts$37,652$18.10
18Michigan$33,378$16.05
19Ohio$33,022$15.88
20Oregon$36,787$17.69
21Hawaii$35,219$16.93
22Kentucky$31,642$15.21
23Alaska$37,938$18.24
24Nevada$35,050$16.85
25Utah$33,622$16.16
26Minnesota$34,383$16.53
27Maryland$35,499$17.07
28Illinois$34,902$16.78
29Iowa$31,681$15.23
30Arizona$33,174$15.95
31Nebraska$32,291$15.52
32Montana$32,944$15.84
33North Carolina$31,170$14.99
34Colorado$32,865$15.80
35Oklahoma$29,280$14.08
36District of Columbia$35,922$17.27
37South Dakota$30,962$14.89
38Indiana$27,828$13.38
39Arkansas$27,080$13.02
40Virginia$31,404$15.10
41Kansas$29,809$14.33
42Missouri$30,938$14.87
43Texas$29,496$14.18
44Tennessee$27,244$13.10
45Georgia$29,194$14.04
46Alabama$25,095$12.06
47Mississippi$28,203$13.56
48Louisiana$26,982$12.97
49Florida$27,197$13.08
50South Carolina$27,328$13.14
51New Mexico$28,779$13.84

Highest paying cities for merchandising specialists

The highest-paying cities for merchandising specialists are Cupertino, CA, New York, NY, and Portland, ME.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Cupertino, CA$45,128$21.70
2New York, NY$41,250$19.83
3Portland, ME$40,388$19.42
4Vancouver, WA$39,763$19.12
5Framingham, MA$37,673$18.11
6Salem, OR$36,796$17.69
7Reno, NV$35,721$17.17
8Chicago, IL$35,190$16.92
9Cleveland, OH$34,970$16.81
10Philadelphia, PA$34,890$16.77
11Minneapolis, MN$34,349$16.51
12Milwaukee, WI$34,170$16.43
13Ann Arbor, MI$33,143$15.93
14Longmont, CO$33,004$15.87
15Dubuque, IA$32,614$15.68
16Raleigh, NC$31,817$15.30
17Saint Louis, MO$30,943$14.88
18Lawrence, KS$29,964$14.41
19San Antonio, TX$29,748$14.30
20Alpharetta, GA$29,513$14.19

Merchandising specialist salary details

A merchandising specialist's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average merchandising specialist salary graph
Average merchandising specialist salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a merchandising specialist's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly 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

Highest paying merchandising specialist jobs

The highest paying types of merchandising specialists are merchandising execution associate, free lance displayer, and specialist.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Display Coordinator$41,608$3,467$20.008,204
Retail Coverage Merchandiser$31,695$2,641$15.24100,999
Retail Sales Merchandiser$39,721$3,310$19.10155,213
Visual Merchandiser$38,037$3,170$18.2974,351
Field Merchandiser$31,495$2,625$15.14115,632
Merchandising Internship$34,770$2,898$16.7258,634

Top companies hiring merchandising specialists now:

  1. VF jobs (52)
  2. The Mosaic Company jobs (106)
  3. Target jobs (222)
  4. Gap Inc. jobs (128)
  5. ActionLink jobs (131)

Which companies pay merchandising specialists the most?

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.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Apple$46,670$22.44
2Other World Computing$42,663$20.51
3Zoro$42,457$20.41
4United Natural Foods$41,844$20.12
5ALDI USA$41,055$19.74
6Affinity Group Holding Inc$38,120$18.33
7Vera Bradley$38,023$18.28
8Clover Food Lab$36,984$17.78
9The Mosaic Company$36,833$17.71
10Anheuser-Busch$36,595$17.59
11Green Mountain Coffee Roasters$36,516$17.56
12SWFcontract$36,120$17.37
13Target$35,993$17.30
14Gap Inc.$35,806$17.21
15Nintendo$35,651$17.14
16Michael Kors$35,636$17.13
17Yaamava' Resort & Casino$35,515$17.07
18Empire Cat$35,189$16.92
19AmerisourceBergen$35,170$16.91
20Summer Classics$35,012$16.83

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$38,000$37,400$36,800$36,200$35,600$35,000
MaleFemale

Merchandising Specialist salary by industry

The average merchandising specialist salary varies across industries:

  • The average merchandising specialist salary in the manufacturing industry is $34,861, the highest of any industry.
  • The average merchandising specialist salary in the finance industry is $34,771.
  • Merchandising specialists in the retail industry earn an average salary of $32,337, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for merchandising specialists

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Manufacturing$34,861$16.76
2Media$34,771$16.72
3Professional$32,844$15.79
4Retail$32,337$15.55

High paying merchandising specialist jobs

Merchandising specialist salary trends

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.

Average merchandising specialist salary over time

Compare merchandising specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Merchandising specialist salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly 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%

Recently added merchandising specialist salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
TargetSR. Merchandise Specialist-FandomMinneapolis, MN06/30/2025$42,137
2020CompaniesField Merchandising SpecialistBothell, WA06/30/2025$45,914
2020CompaniesField Merchandising SpecialistOntario, CA06/30/2025$48,001
2020CompaniesField Merchandising SpecialistGreenville, SC06/30/2025$41,740
2020CompaniesField Merchandising SpecialistGlendale, AZ06/30/2025$45,914
2020CompaniesField Merchandising SpecialistBoston, MA06/30/2025$43,827
2020CompaniesField Merchandising SpecialistWixom, MI06/30/2025$39,653
Winston RetailRetail Merchandising Specialist-Independent ContractorHuntington, PA06/29/2025$39,653
Winston RetailRetail Merchandising SpecialistSouthern Pines, NC06/29/2025$39,653
Bds Connected Solutions, LLCRetail Merchandising SpecialistBozeman, MT06/29/2025$48,001

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