Sales assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Sales assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sales assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sales assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about sales assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,151,850 sales assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 71.8% of all sales assistants are women, while 28.2% are men.
- The average sales assistant age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales assistants is White (55.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.6%), Black or African American (10.0%) and Asian (8.0%).
- Sales assistants are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for sales assistants.
- 7% of all sales assistants are LGBT.
On this page
Sales assistant demographics by:
Sales assistant gender statistics
71.8% of sales assistants are women and 28.2% of sales assistants are men.
- Female, 71.8%
- Male, 28.2%
Sales assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 71.8% |
| Male | 28.2% |
Sales assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,681
Female income
$34,976
Sales assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sales assistant positions over time. Currently, 71.8% of sales assistants are female.
Sales assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 25.67% | 74.33% |
| 2011 | 25.42% | 74.58% |
| 2012 | 25.97% | 74.03% |
| 2013 | 25.98% | 74.02% |
| 2014 | 25.26% | 74.74% |
| 2015 | 25.94% | 74.06% |
| 2016 | 26.41% | 73.59% |
| 2017 | 26.66% | 73.34% |
| 2018 | 27.10% | 72.90% |
| 2019 | 26.40% | 73.60% |
| 2020 | 27.53% | 72.47% |
| 2021 | 28.19% | 71.81% |
Sales assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared sales assistants 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% |
| Sales Assistant | 28% | 72% |
| Cart Associate | 94% | 6% |
| Lumber Associate | 95% | 5% |
| Parts Counterman | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sales assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sales assistants is White, which makes up 55.5% of all sales assistants. Comparatively, 20.6% of sales assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 10.0% of sales assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 55.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.6%
- Black or African American, 10.0%
- Asian, 8.0%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Sales assistant race
| Sales assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.6% |
| Black or African American | 10.0% |
| Asian | 8.0% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Sales assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how sales assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sales assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.73% | 10.44% | 6.75% | 16.18% |
| 2011 | 61.96% | 11.46% | 6.92% | 16.86% |
| 2012 | 61.67% | 10.97% | 7.08% | 17.32% |
| 2013 | 60.67% | 11.48% | 7.13% | 17.67% |
| 2014 | 60.63% | 11.09% | 7.56% | 17.77% |
| 2015 | 60.09% | 11.13% | 7.34% | 18.40% |
| 2016 | 59.89% | 10.80% | 7.32% | 18.70% |
| 2017 | 59.41% | 10.36% | 7.75% | 19.03% |
| 2018 | 59.52% | 10.11% | 7.43% | 19.54% |
| 2019 | 59.49% | 10.07% | 7.50% | 19.41% |
| 2020 | 56.99% | 10.06% | 7.87% | 19.81% |
| 2021 | 55.50% | 10.04% | 8.04% | 20.60% |
Sales assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, white sales assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown sales assistants have the lowest average salary at $36,224.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $36,224 |
| White | $37,103 |
| Black or African American | $36,299 |
| Asian | $36,895 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,892 |
Average sales assistant age
See how the average age of sales assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sales assistant 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 |
Sales assistant age breakdown
The average age of sales assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the sales assistant population.
Sales assistant age breakdown
| Sales Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 28% |
Sales assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for sales assistants is bachelor's degree, with 60% of sales assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 13%.
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 13%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Sales assistants by degree level
| Sales assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 60% |
| Associate | 16% |
| High School Diploma | 13% |
| Master's | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Sales assistant jobs you might like
Sales assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sales assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $39,264 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sales assistants earn a median annual income of $38,957 compared to $35,769 for sales assistants with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,264 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,930 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,957 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,769 |
Sales assistant employment statistics
Most sales assistants work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where sales assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sales assistants work.
Sales assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 10% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 3% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 43% |
Sales assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the sales assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sales assistants prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sales assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 45% |
| Private | 54% |
Sales assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for sales assistants are retail, finance and media.
Sales assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 28% |
| Fortune 500 | 21% |
| Finance | 10% |
| Media | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Sales assistant turnover and employment statistics
Sales assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sales assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sales assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sales assistant 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 sales assistant tenure
The average sales assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 56,105 sales assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Sales assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 39% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Sales assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sales assistants 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Scrub Wheel Operator | 3.66% | 27,412 |
| Timer | 3.76% | 2,000 |
| Service Counter Cashier | 5.05% | 97,764 |
| Sales Assistant | 7.10% | - |
Similar sales assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Scrub Wheel Operator | 3.66% | 27,412 |
| Timer | 3.76% | 2,000 |
| Service Counter Cashier | 5.05% | 97,764 |
Foreign languages spoken by sales assistants
The most common foreign language among sales assistants is Spanish at 46.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 7.7%.
- Spanish, 46.0%
- French, 10.6%
- Chinese, 7.7%
- Mandarin, 7.4%
- Japanese, 4.4%
- Other, 23.9%
Sales assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 46.0% |
| French | 10.6% |
| Chinese | 7.7% |
| Mandarin | 7.4% |
| Japanese | 4.4% |
| Other | 23.9% |
