Sales associate demographics and statistics in the US
Sales associate demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sales associate demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sales associate 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 associates after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,181,254 sales associates currently employed in the United States.
- 61.6% of all sales associates are women, while 38.4% are men.
- The average sales associate age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales associates is White (55.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.4%), Black or African American (10.6%) and Asian (6.9%).
- Sales associates are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for sales associates.
- 7% of all sales associates are LGBT.
On this page
Sales associate demographics by:
Sales associate gender statistics
61.6% of sales associates are women and 38.4% of sales associates are men.
- Female, 61.6%
- Male, 38.4%
Sales associate gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 61.6% |
| Male | 38.4% |
Sales associate gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,892
Female income
$31,828
Sales associate gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sales associate positions over time. Currently, 61.6% of sales associates are female.
Sales associate gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 35.38% | 64.62% |
| 2011 | 35.08% | 64.92% |
| 2012 | 35.74% | 64.26% |
| 2013 | 35.74% | 64.26% |
| 2014 | 34.88% | 65.12% |
| 2015 | 35.71% | 64.29% |
| 2016 | 36.27% | 63.73% |
| 2017 | 36.56% | 63.44% |
| 2018 | 37.07% | 62.93% |
| 2019 | 36.24% | 63.76% |
| 2020 | 37.58% | 62.42% |
| 2021 | 38.36% | 61.64% |
Sales associate related jobs gender ratio
We compared sales associates 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 Associate | 38% | 62% |
| 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 associate demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sales associates is White, which makes up 55.4% of all sales associates. Comparatively, 21.4% of sales associates are Hispanic or Latino and 10.6% of sales associates are Black or African American.
- White, 55.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.4%
- Black or African American, 10.6%
- Asian, 6.9%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Sales associate race
| Sales associate race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.4% |
| Black or African American | 10.6% |
| Asian | 6.9% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Sales associate race and ethnicity over time
See how sales associate racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sales associate race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.66% | 11.03% | 5.62% | 16.97% |
| 2011 | 61.89% | 12.05% | 5.79% | 17.66% |
| 2012 | 61.60% | 11.56% | 5.95% | 18.11% |
| 2013 | 60.60% | 12.07% | 6.00% | 18.46% |
| 2014 | 60.56% | 11.68% | 6.43% | 18.56% |
| 2015 | 60.02% | 11.72% | 6.21% | 19.20% |
| 2016 | 59.82% | 11.39% | 6.20% | 19.49% |
| 2017 | 59.34% | 10.95% | 6.63% | 19.82% |
| 2018 | 59.45% | 10.70% | 6.31% | 20.33% |
| 2019 | 59.42% | 10.66% | 6.37% | 20.21% |
| 2020 | 56.91% | 10.65% | 6.74% | 20.60% |
| 2021 | 55.43% | 10.63% | 6.91% | 21.40% |
Sales associate wage gap by race
According to our data, white sales associates have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown sales associates have the lowest average salary at $33,336.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,336 |
| White | $34,407 |
| Black or African American | $33,427 |
| Asian | $34,153 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $34,149 |
Average sales associate age
See how the average age of sales associates varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sales associate 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 associate age breakdown
The average age of sales associates is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the sales associate population.
Sales associate age breakdown
| Sales Associate Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 28% |
Sales associate educational attainment
The most common degree for sales associates is bachelor's degree, with 38% of sales associates earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 32% and high school diploma degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 38%
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Sales associates by degree level
| Sales associate degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 38% |
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Sales associate jobs you might like
Sales associate wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sales associates with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $37,077 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sales associates earn a median annual income of $36,695 compared to $32,784 for sales associates with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $37,077 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,772 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,695 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,784 |
Sales associate employment statistics
Company size where sales associates work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sales associates work.
Sales associate jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 4% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 10% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 3% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 38% |
| > 10,000 employees | 38% |
Sales associate jobs by industry
The most common industries for sales associates are retail, manufacturing and hospitality.
Sales associate industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 59% |
| Fortune 500 | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Sales associate turnover and employment statistics
Sales associate unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sales associates between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sales associate unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sales associate 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 associate tenure
The average sales associate stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,569,687 sales associates resumes in Zippia's database.
Sales associate tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 44% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 2% |
Sales associate LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sales associates 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture Rental Consultant | 3.66% | 16,142 |
| Parts Driver | 3.76% | 146,082 |
| Deli Associate/Cashier | 5.05% | 64,734 |
| Sales Associate | 7.10% | - |
Similar sales associate jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture Rental Consultant | 3.66% | 16,142 |
| Parts Driver | 3.76% | 146,082 |
| Deli Associate/Cashier | 5.05% | 64,734 |
Foreign languages spoken by sales associates
The most common foreign language among sales associates is Spanish at 66.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.6% and German is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 66.5%
- French, 8.6%
- German, 2.6%
- Portuguese, 2.2%
- Italian, 2.1%
- Other, 18.0%
Sales associate languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.5% |
| French | 8.6% |
| German | 2.6% |
| Portuguese | 2.2% |
| Italian | 2.1% |
| Other | 18.0% |
